owever, pressures arising from short-term, time-limited, competitive funding in the context of resource pressures are significant. Delivery timescales are often insufficient for the implementation and embedding of funded projects. Uncertainty and late confirmation of continued funding impact upon planning for sustainable models of service delivery. Employers’ redundancy liabilities and the time it takes to wind down a programme make uncertainty difficult to manage and put pressure on staff, who may well seek other employment when the future is uncertain. This leads to instability for children, young people and families in receipt of services. 1.2 Impact of funding pressures on leaders The current financial position was regarded as untenable by all the DCSs who participated in this research and the impact on leaders was evident. Those with supportive chief executives and lead members recognised how fortunate they were, but all of them felt the pressure to justify escalating costs and financial precarity to locally elected members and others. Some of the most experienced DCSs said that these pressures were now taking a toll. 2 Reducing Parental Conflict Programme (2018–25); Strengthening Families, Protecting Children (2019–24); Family Hubs Transformation Funding (2022–25); Supporting Families (2022–25); Family Hubs and Start for Life (2022–25); Families First for Children pathfinder and Family Networks pilot (2023–25). 11 I am not sure how long you can expect DCSs to stay in post. It has become harder over the years, but it is helped by the experience and that experience comes at a price which some will not pay, hence the high turnover. (DCS, Metropolitan, West Midlands Region) But the reality is that it is the most difficult time in public service that I’ve ever experien