Every Child MattersImproving outcomes for children in the UK

Dr Gillian Pugh DBE

Oslo, April 2006

Early interventions for infants and small children in families at risk

The broad government policy agenda

Reducing child poverty Improving support for families Reducing social exclusion Strengthening communities Improving health Raising educational standards Improving access to work Reform of public services Basing services on what consumers want and evidence of what works Joined up thinking and joined up services Participation of children and young people in decision making

Early intervention and prevention: using the evidence

Risk and protective factors – for the child, the family, the community

Impact of early attachments and environmental circumstances on early brain development

Long term impact of high quality early education Importance of parents and style of parenting Strategies for reaching out to vulnerable families Bringing services together across agency boundaries to focus

on the child Providing targeted support within mainstream services

Effective intervention strategies

Centre on the needs of children Are empowering and respectful Support parents in playing a key role in supporting children’s development and

learning Recognise that emotional and cognitive development are inextricably

interwoven Build on families and early years centres Are based in communities Recognise that self-esteem in both parents and children helps secure positive

long term outcomes Start early and are, when necessary, intensive Respond in a joined up way Involve children and families in their planning and delivery

Every Child Matters – what is it about?

Response to Laming enquiry into the death of Victoria Climbie – lack of accountability and no sharing of information

Improving outcomes for ALL children, and narrowing the gap between those who do well and those who do not

Strengthening the links between well being and educational attainment Improving and integrating universal services Strong focus on families and parenting Earlier interventions and effective protection More specialist help to promote opportunity and prevent problems Reconfiguring services around the child and family

Every Child Matters HM Treasury, 2003

Five main outcomes for all children

Stay safe Be healthy Enjoy and achieve Make a positive contribution Achieve economic well being

Supported by parents, carers and families

Children & Young People

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Involvement of children

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Children’s trusts involve…

Source: DfES

Children’s trusts as catalysts for local change

Children and young people at the centre Integrated people – staff trained with a common

core, multi-disciplinary teams, co-location and a lead professional

Integrated processes – information sharing and common assessment

Integrated systems – planning and commissioning with pooled resources

Inter-agency governance – director of children’s services and lead member for children’s services

Children Act 2004 – some headlines

Establishment of Children’s Commissioner for England Local authorities to promote cooperation between agencies to

improve children’s well being and to set up Children’s Trusts Key agencies to safeguard and protect the welfare of children –

through Local Safeguarding Children’s Boards Single Children and Young People’s Plan Local authorities to appoint a director of children’s services and

a lead elected councillor for children’s services Integrated inspection framework to inform inspection of all

services

The long term vision

Developing integrated education, childcare, health and social care, including family support services 0 – 19 through

– Children’s centres– Extended schools– Improved services for young people

With better support for parents Provided by a better qualified workforce And more effective interplay between universal and

specialist services

Click to edit Master title style

Click to edit Master text styles– Second level

Third level– Fourth level

Fifth level

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Vulnerable Children

14,000 children in Telford & Wrekin vulnerable Early intervention –closing the gap through…. Information Sharing Common Assessment Lead professional Team Around the Child Multi-agency work in school & community clusters Local Commissioning – Change for Children

Boards One process for all children

Some challenges

Resources Focus currently on structures rather than on outcomes Little engagement as yet with children, young people and

parents Weak links still with some schools and general health

practitioners Will funding continue to be availability for preventive services? Research based policy – but will government wait for

evaluation? Different views of what works – community empowerment or

structured interventions?