Councillors will warn the mayor and cabinet that they do not support a proposed £800,000 cut to children and young people’s early help services, after deferring the decision for nine months.

Lewisham Council proposed to cut and redesign the early help services for children, young people and their families – despite increased demand – as a result of budget cuts last September.

But the children and young people select committee said it couldn’t decide whether it supported the redesign without more information.

Now after seeing the redesign plans, the committee says early help objectives won’t be met if the cut goes ahead.

“Although the review has yet to be completed, the Committee now has sufficient understanding to lead it to the conclusion that the objectives of the Early Help Review will not be met should the decision be made to make the cut,” a council report explains.

Early help is the term describing support for children and their families below the threshold for children’s social care.

“It is vital in terms of early intervention and supporting families at the right time. It also enables families who have improved their situation to be ‘stepped down’ from children’s social care,” documents explain.

Lewisham Council has cut £30m from its services over the next two years while it faces significant pressure for its services.

The authority has seen more demand in children’s social care, with the number of children in care increasing by five per cent.

The committee was concerned that cuts to the preventative early help service will add further pressure to children’s social care.

The mayor and cabinet will have to respond to the committee within two months.

The overall early help budget sits around £5 million.