mpacted on the ability of families to access services swiftly. Particular concerns were raised by respondents about two groups – unborn babies and young people identified as either experiencing or at heightened risk of extra-familial harms, such as criminal or sexual exploitation. Youth homelessness due to family breakdown and a significant increase in young people at risk of extra-familial harm presenting as homeless were two issues discussed by DCSs. The SP data series shows the number of children aged 16 and 17 recorded as presenting as homeless at the point of entering care increasing steadily since 2017–18 (Figure 1) and more sharply in the last two years. 16 Figure 1: Number of children aged 16 and 17 in care on 31 March due to homelessness. Source: SP9 respondents. The England number is extrapolated from 74 local authority responses based on the proportion of the England population. 2.4 Lasting effects of the COVID pandemic and lockdowns In my view, there’s a significant COVID legacy that is particularly visible for children and families facing multiple disadvantages and who are, as a result, more isolated, have fewer personal and financial resources etc. In younger children, speech, language and communication development, alongside basic development and early socialisation, has suffered with early years settings and schools reporting an increase in delayed development. (Survey, County, South West Region) DCSs interviewed for SP8 in 2022 foresaw long-lasting impacts of the pandemic and lockdowns. Those we spoke to for SP9 reflected that as a society we may still not fully appreciate the ongoing and longer-term impacts of the pandemic on children’s emotional and mental health, their development and educational attainment (Education Endowment Foundation, 2022; Mila