1. highlight no.204
Every Child Matters
On 8 September 2003, the Prime Minister launched the Green Paper Every Child Specialist parenting support would be provided in the pre-and post-natal period,
Matters,1 which was published alongside a range of other documents: through parenting education programmes or family mediation services, and when
triggered by child protection or youth justice concerns.
• a children and young people’s version of Every Child Matters2
• partial regulatory impact assessment for Every Child Matters3 When children persistently truant or behave anti-socially, parents will be targeted
through compulsory Parenting Orders, currently being legislated for in the Anti-social
• Youth Justice – the next steps – Home Office companion consultation
Behaviour Bill, to ensure that they meet their responsibilities.
document to Every Child Matters4
• Keeping Children Safe - the Government’s response to the Victoria Climbié The need to improve fostering and adoption services is also identified, with an
Inquiry Report and Joint Chief Inspectors’ Report Safeguarding Children.5 emphasis on high quality permanence planning, improved training and recruitment of
foster carers, covering the full costs of care, and the Choice Protects programme.
Every Child Matters brings together various strands of work including:
• the Treasury’s cross-cutting review on ‘children at risk’, which was part of the Early intervention and effective protection
Spending Review 20027 Identification, Referral and Tracking (IRT)
• the Government’s response to the Victoria Climbié Inquiry Report,8 in To achieve improved information collection and sharing, the Government intends that
particular Lord Laming’s recommendations for structural changes to children’s local information hubs should be developed in every authority and consist of a list of
services all children living in the area with details such as:
• results from the Children and Young People’s Unit (CYPU) consultation on • name, address and date of birth
Building a Strategy for Children and Young People.9
• school attended or if excluded or refused access
Listed at the beginning of Every Child Matters are the five key outcomes for all • GP
children and young people, developed from the CYPU consultations. These • a flag stating whether the child is known to agencies such as education,
outcomes will be used to measure the success of policies for children and young welfare, social services, police and Youth Offending Teams (YOTs), and, if so,
people (Para 1.3): the contact details of the professional dealing with the case
• being healthy: enjoying good physical and mental health and living a healthy • where a child is known to more than one specialist agency, the lead
lifestyle professional who takes overall responsibility for the case.
• staying safe: being protected from harm and neglect and growing up able to The long-term vision is that information will be stored and accessed electronically by
look after themselves a range of agencies, based on national standards and capable of interaction with other
• enjoying and achieving: getting the most out of life and developing broad data sets, for example between local authorities (including upper and lower tier
skills for adulthood authorities).
• making a positive contribution: to the community and to society and not Paragraph 4.5 states that ‘In order to capture fully the concerns of professionals over
engaging in anti-social or offending behaviour time, there is a strong case for giving practitioners the ability to flag on the system
• economic well-being: overcoming socio-economic disadvantages to achieve early warnings when they have a concern about the child which in itself may not be a
their full potential in life. trigger or meet the usual thresholds for intervention. The decision to place such a flag
Although these outcomes are for all children, the remaining chapters of Every Child of concern on a child’s record, which could be picked up by another agency making
Matters focus on measures to protect those children most at risk, within a framework a similar judgement, lies with the practitioners.’
of universal services based on the Government’s rights and responsibilities agenda. A balance must be struck between the need to safeguard children effectively, and
Paragraph 1.1 states ‘this Green Paper sets out policies to reduce the number of respect for individuals’ privacy. Questions raised in the Green Paper include:
children who experience educational failure, suffer ill-health, become pregnant as
teenagers, are victims of abuse and neglect, or become involved in offending and anti- • When can information be shared for preventative purposes without consent?
social behaviour’. • Should warning signs reflect factors within the family such as imprisonment,
domestic violence, mental health or substance misuse problems amongst
The Green Paper outlines key policy changes (Para 1.8) which have endeavoured to parents and carers? (Para 4.6)
improve outcomes for children and young people in recent years, but declares there is
more to do. Through an outline of key statistics, and risk and protective factors, the CYPU is working with 15 trailblazer local authorities to identify and, where possible,
Green Paper places the role of parents as paramount in improving outcomes, and then resolve professional, legal, technical and organisational issues.10 The ‘Timetable for
links this to the greater challenges faced by children from poor backgrounds. Action on Information Sharing’ in the Green Paper (p.101) states that by the end of
September 2003 all local authorities should have met targets, including establishing
Policy challenges identified in the Green Paper are: better prevention; a stronger mechanisms which ensure that IRT supports the delivery of their Local Preventative
focus on parenting and families; and earlier intervention. To deliver these reforms Strategy and audited current practice on information sharing protocols. By the end of
weak accountability and workforce reform must be addressed. March 2004 all local authorities should be able to demonstrate that more effective
information sharing is taking place across health, education and social care, with
Strong foundations established protocols, a privacy statement and guidance on obtaining and
Chapter 2 reaffirms the Government’s commitment to: documenting consent.
• tackle child poverty Common assessment framework
• Sure Start In order to address the duplication of assessments, the Government will look at the
• raise school standards and achieve greater participation in post-16 learning extent to which the North Lincolnshire common assessment model (a single
assessment undertaken within an hour for basic information) can be rolled out. Work
• increase access to primary health and specialist health services
to develop a common assessment framework will include looking at current systems
• reduce offending and anti-social behaviour
such as the Connexions Assessment, Planning Implementation and Review System,
• increase investment in the youth service, Positive Activities for Young People the Youth Justice Board’s Asset tool, the SEN code of practice, and assessments
(PAYP) programme, Young People’s Fund, and PE and school sport conducted by health visitors.
• ensure children are safe – the Green Paper specifically mentions measures to
Lead professional
tackle bullying, support victims and witnesses in the criminal justice system,
treat young people involved in prostitution as victims, help children and young The Green Paper proposes that where a child is known to more than one specialist
service, a designated ‘lead professional’ will coordinate service provision. This may
people suffering from homelessness, and support unaccompanied asylum
be the person who has the most day to day contact with the child. The lead
seeking children and trafficked children.
professional could also act as a ‘gatekeeper’ for information sharing systems.
Supporting parents and carers
Chapter 3 outlines parenting and family support through universal services, targeted
and specialist support and compulsory action. Universal support would be provided
through a national helpline and other measures centred around schools, such as
parents’ information meetings, and family learning programmes.
Parents and carers of disabled children, young carers (including teenage parents) and Produced by the Library & Information Service of
children with parents in prison are identified as needing particular specialist support. the National Children’s Bureau as a commitment
to share current research, development, policy
and practice.

2. highlight no.204 will also develop national occupational standards and a modular training and
qualifications structure, with common core training for all professionals working with
children. A UK-wide Children and Young People’s Services Sector Skills Council will
also be established.
The Government will develop a multi-agency strategy for mental health skills
The Green Paper also advocates the use of multi-disciplinary teams to carry out
development within all children’s agencies, including mental health awareness
common assessment frameworks and co-location around schools, Sure Start
training for Youth Offending Teams and guidance to school staff, and training needs
children’s centres and primary care. The focus for universal support services is the
of the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) workforce.
school, in particular the development of clusters of schools and extended schools,
provided for by Sections 24 and 27 of the Education Act 2002. Youth justice – the next steps
Effective protection Home Office proposals include:
The barriers to implementing effective child protection procedures are to be
addressed through clear practice standards, statutory responsibilities across all
•
expansion of pre-court interventions
agencies, clear accountability, a new inspection system and workforce reform. •
introduction of a single main sentencing purpose of preventing offending.
Immediate plans include revision of the existing Children Act 1989 Regulations and Sentencers would also take into account punishment, public protection,
Guidance, auditing safeguarding children activity of local authorities with social seriousness and persistence of offending, the individual’s age and vulnerability,
services responsibilities, NHS bodies and police forces; and raising the priority of restorative or reparative approaches, obligations on the young person’s parents,
safeguarding children. and previous interventions
These proposals are addressed in more detail in Chapters 5 and 6 of the Green Paper, •
a young defendants’ pack
and in the companion document Keeping Children Safe, which includes detailed •
bail to be used wherever possible
responses to each of the recommendations from the Victoria Climbié Inquiry Report. •
specialisation of Crown Court judges in youth cases through selection and
Keeping Children Safe also sets out the Government’s plans for private fostering, training
including the introduction of National Minimum Standards in 2004.
•
reform sentencing by replacing non-custodial sentences with the Action Plan
Order, but also retaining discharges, fines and referral orders
Accountability and integration – local, regional and
national •
child behaviour contracts
The Government wants to move to a system locally and nationally where there is:
•
Intensive Supervision and Surveillance Programmes (ISSP) as the main
response to serious and persistent offending
• clear overall accountability for services for children, young people and families •
retain the use of custody for serious offences
• integration of key services around the needs of children, in particular •
consideration of how to improve protection for children and young people in
education, social care, health, youth justice and Connexions (Para 5.6). juvenile custody
The Government will legislate for the post of Director of Children’s Services, •
train 4,000 youth justice staff through the professional Effective Practice
accountable for local authority education and children’s social services, and legislate Certificate
to create a lead council member for children to ensure accountability at an official
level. Local authorities will have a statutory duty to promote the educational
•
review Youth Offending Teams’ membership and working arrangements with
other services following decisions on structural changes proposed in the Green
achievement of children in care. Paper.
Children’s trusts
In the long-term key services for children and young people will be integrated as part Forthcoming developments
of children’s trusts. The consultation on Every Child Matters closed on 1 December 2003. The new
The key features of children’s trusts will be (Para 5.16): Children and Families Directorate in the DfES, led by the Minister for Children,
Young People and Families, will take forward the implementation of Every Child
• clear short and long term objectives covering the five key ‘outcomes’
Matters, including legislation in the 2003–4 Parliamentary session.
• a Director of Children’s Services in overall charge of delivering these outcomes
and responsible for services within the trust and coordination of services
outside the organisation Alison Linsey December 2003
• a single planning and commissioning function supported by pooled budgets. NCB Policy Unit
Children’s trusts are already being piloted through 35 children’s trust pathfinders, and
the first results of the evaluation are expected in autumn 2004.11 The Government
intends that children’s trusts should be rolled out nationally by 2006 (Para 5.12). References
Statutory Local Safeguarding Children Boards, chaired by the Director of Children’s 1. H.M. Treasury (2003) Every Child Matters. (Cm 5860). TSO
Services, will succeed Area Child Protection Committees. They may decide on 2. Department for Education and Skills (2003) Every Child Matters: What do you think?
pooling resources, and may have the power to commission independent Serious Case
DfES
Reviews to follow any child death,12 and draw out public health lessons.
3. Department for Education and Skills (2003) Partial Regulatory Impact Assessment.
Inspection
Children’s Green Paper: Every Child Matters. DfES
Ofsted will take the lead in developing a national framework for integrated
inspections in consultation with the Commission for Social Care Improvement, 4. Home Office (2003) Youth Justice - The Next steps: Companion document to ‘Every
Commission for Health Improvement and the Audit Commission. Where appropriate Child Matters’. Home Office
they will bring together joint inspection teams to carry out area based inspections. 5. Department of Health (2003) Keeping Children Safe – The Government’s Response To
Children’s Commissioner The Victoria Climbié Inquiry Report and The Joint Chief Inspectors’ Report
The Government intends to legislate at the earliest opportunity for the appointment of Safeguarding Children. (Cm 5861). TSO
a statutory Children’s Commissioner. The Commissioner would (Paras 5.50-5.52): 6. Social Exclusion Unit (2003) A Better Education For Children In Care. SEU
• act as a Children’s Champion independent of Government 7. www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/spending_review/spend_sr02
• speak for all children but especially the disadvantaged 8. Department of Health and Home Office (2003) The Victoria Climbié Inquiry: Report
• advise Government of an inquiry by Lord Laming. (Cm 5730). TSO
• engage with others, such as business and the media, whose decisions and 9. Children and Young People’s Unit (2001) Building a Strategy for Children and Young
actions affect children’s lives People. Consultation Document. CYPU. Analysis of results of the consultation
• develop effective ways to draw on children’s views, locally and nationally, and responses from both adults and children and young people can be found on
www.cypu.gov.uk
make sure they are fed into policy making
• test the success of policies in terms of what children think and experience 10. Children and Young People’s Unit (2003) IRT: Information sharing to improve services
for children. Main guidance. CYPU
• work with the relevant Ombudsman and statutory bodies to ensure children
have quick and easy access to complaints procedures that work 11. www.doh.gov.uk/childrenstrusts
• only investigate individual cases where the issues have a wider relevance to 12. The Government is seeking views on a new system where all unexpected child deaths
other children, as directed by the Secretary of State would be examined by local ‘screening groups’ appointed by the Local Safeguarding
• have the duty to report to Parliament through the Secretary of State for Children Board. Department of Health (2003) Keeping Children Safe, Paras 117-121
Education and Skills
• report on progress against the ‘outcomes’ for children, as a result of action by
Government and others, drawing on but going wider than the reports arising
from joint inspections of children's services.
Workforce reform
A new Children’s Workforce Unit in the DfES will be responsible for reforms of the
children’s workforce, including raising the attractiveness and status of the work and Highlight No. 204 © National Children’s Bureau 2003. ISSN: 1365-9081.
improving skills and collaborative working. The Children’s Workforce Unit will Highlights may be reproduced by NCB members for non-commercial circulation
review rewards and incentives; undertake a comprehensive workload survey; develop within their own organisation, subject to acknowledgement of source. A special price
a recruitment campaign; and improve entry routes into social work. The Government is available for multiple orders. Please contact the Library for further information.
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