As well as announcing the Government's plan for England to have an independent children's commissioner, the Green Paper sets out its framework for services covering all children and young people from birth to the age of 19 living in England. Key proposals include all children being given a number so they can be tracked from birth, resulting in the 'sweeping away'
of legal, technical and cultural barriers to the sharing of information among everyone responsible for children.
The paper also proposes having integrated teams of health and education professionals, social workers and Connexions advisers based in children's centres and schools. It outlines the establishment of 'a clear framework of responsibility' locally and nationally with the appointment of a children's director in every local authority responsible for bringing together all services as children's trusts, and for services to be judged on joint working through an integrated inspection framework overseen by Ofsted.
The paper also proposes the setting up of a workforce unit based in the Department for Education and Skills 'to develop the pay and workforce strategy for those who work with children'.
Education secretary Charles Clarke described the Green Paper as marking 'a turning point in the way we protect, nurture and support children'. He said its title was 'no hollow slogan (but) a commitment that is driving all my work and that of all of us involved in working with and for children'.
The NSPCC warmly welcomed the Green Paper, which it said offered 'the most significant opportunity for children for a generation'. The charity said it shared the Government's vision 'of a system in which there is clear accountability for services for children and young people, and integration of services - social services, education and health - centred on the needs of children'.
* See 'In my view', p34.
