Where did the Every Child Matters come from?
Following the murder of Victoria Climbie in February 2000, which even though she had been seen by a range of health, social services and police authorities, Lord Laming produced a damning report on what had happened and how all professionals needed to co-ordinate their approach to children at risk.
So what did the government do?
In June 2003, Tony Blair appointed the first Children's Minister, based in the Department for Education and Skills, with responsibilities for all education and social services for children, families and young people. Margaret Hodge, the first Children's Minister, published the Every Child Matters Green Paper in September 2003, which provoked a huge debate about how to integrate children's services to ensure that no child slipped through the net.
What happened next?
The Children Act 2004 put into law the recommendations of Every Child Matters। In effect local education authorities were abolished and replaced by children’s services authorities। These new authorities must have one councillor as the ‘lead member’ for children and there has to be a Director of Children’s Services, who is responsible for education.
What does this mean for Social Services?
Services for Children & Young People in England, have been integrating change within there services for the last several years. Policies & procedures have been re-written to plug any holes that vulnerable children may be able to slip through. A new approach towards multi-agency working and the use of I.T through the Integrated Children's System, is helping improve outcomes for children & families. The program of change is still on-going .
What does this mean for schools?
Well, if we are trying to integrate all services for children, then schools have to be central to these changes, as in most cases, teachers have much more contact with children and their families than any other professionals.
What is the agenda?
The Every Child Matters agenda is really about delivering the five outcomes for children and young people in the Children Act. They are:
- Be Healthy
- Stay Safe
- Enjoy and Achieve
- Make a Positive Contribution
- Achieve Economic Well-Being
Teachers are just there to teach children, not to be Social Workers?
WRONG, child protection is a shared responsibility, and it rests with every professional or practitioner that has face to face contact with children & families. Don't be the one to let a child like Victoria Climbie slip through the net.
So what are the main issues going to be?
Establishing a common understanding of what children need and who can provide it is the big challenge for teachers, social workers, health workers and all the other professionals involved in dealing with children। The big prize, will be making it easier for all children and their parents to access the full range of services, but an even bigger prize is better co-ordination will mean that children like Victoria Climbie are spotted and made safe in an even bigger prize.
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