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14 May 2009 New Every Child Matters website now live The Department for Children Schools and Families (DCSF) is pleased to announce that the new Every Child Matters (ECM) website is now live and can be accessed at www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters.
8 May 2009 Celebrating the opening of 3000 Sure Start Children's Centres The Prime Minister and other ministers today celebrated the opening of 3,000 Sure Start Children’s Centres now reaching 2.4 million families.
6 May 2009 Action Plan to Ensure Every Child Gets the Protection they Deserve The Government has announced a wide-ranging package of measures setting out how it will deliver the step-change in child protection called for by Lord Laming in his recent progress report.
30 Apr 2009 Curriculum Reform Consultation Begins Sir Jim Rose has published the final report on his Independent Review of the Primary Curriculum.
30 Apr 2009 Planning for flu - guidance for schools and children's services On 29 April, the World Health Organization (WHO) decided that the swine flu virus affecting significant numbers of people in Mexico and smaller numbers in some other countries meant that we are now in phase 5.
15 Apr 2009 Tackling Bullying in the Community - New Guidance Published Children, young people and their parents tell us that bullying is one of their top concerns. But we know that bullying can happen anywhere – not just in schools. For this reason, the Government has published Safe from Bullying, a suite of guidance and resources to help practitioners tackle bullying.
16 Apr 2009 Children, young people and alcohol - have your say The public consultation on children, young people and alcohol closes on Thursday 23 April.
9 Apr 2009 Health Services Say 'You're Welcome' to Young People The first health services to be ‘young people friendly’ have been commended for their approach at a ceremony in the House of Lords.
9 Apr 2009 Look, Listen and Change Consortium Appointed to Run the Young Inspectors Programme The Look, Listen and Change Consortium (LLCC) - comprising the British Youth Council, the Council for Disabled Children, KIDS, the National Centre for Excellence in Residential Child Care and the National Children’s Bureau (NCB) - has been chosen to deliver the national Young Inspectors programme.
25 Mar 2009 Children's Workforce News For the latest DCSF news, please visit the DCSF website.
24 Mar 2009 Keeping Our Schools Safe Sir Roger Singleton, as Chair of the Independent Safeguarding Authority, has led a review of safeguarding arrangements in independent schools, non-maintained special schools and all boarding schools in England.
18 Mar 2009 Preventing Child Accidents in the Home Accidents in the home are the biggest cause of injury to children under five. Tragically, around 500,000 under fives every year are admitted to hospital after an accident at home.
17 Mar 2009 Call for Evidence: Youth Sector Support Arrangements - Publication of the Government's Response In 2008, Children, Young People and Families Minister Beverley Hughes launched a Call for Evidence consultation to gather information, advice and views on current youth sector support arrangements.
12 Mar 2009 Government Commitment to Delivering Laming Recommendations Children’s Secretary Ed Balls today welcomed Lord Laming’s progress report on child protection in England and on behalf of the Government accepted all of Lord Laming’s recommendations.
12 Mar 2009 Lord Laming Calls for Step Change in Leadership and Practice to Improve Child Protection Lord Laming has today called for a step change in leadership and practice to help protect children from harm as he published his report into how children's services have progressed since 2004.
5 Mar 2009 Safe At Home - the National Home Safety Equipment Scheme On Friday 20 February 2009 Baroness Delyth Morgan launched ‘Safe At Home’ – an £18m National Home Safety Equipment Scheme which will be run by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) until March 2011.
3 Mar 2009 Healthy Lives, Brighter Futures: the Strategy for Children and Young People's Health Healthy Lives, Brighter Futures: the Strategy for Children and Young People's Health
5 Feb 2009 Coming Soon - the New Every Child Matters Website for Local Authority, Sure Start and Every Child Matters Website Users We will soon be merging the Local Authorities (LA), Sure Start and Every Child Matters (ECM) websites into a single new Every Child Matters website, aimed at professionals within the Children’s Workforce.
30 Jan 2009 Promoting the Free Entitlement to Pakistani and Bangladeshi Parents The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) will be running another phase of advertising to promote the free early learning entitlement to Pakistani and Bangladeshi parents.
29 Jan 2009 Five-point Plan for Alcohol-free Childhood For the first time, young people and their parents will have clear medical guidance on alcohol consumption. The guidance, will be announced today by Chief Medical Officer, Sir Liam Donaldson, to be published for consultation. It will recommend that young people up to the age of 15 should avoid alcohol altogether.
28 Jan 2009 Ending Child Poverty: Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life - Cooper, Purnell, Balls The Government today set out plans to make sure every child gets the best start in life by tackling child poverty which can unfairly hold children back and prevent them from reaching their full potential.
28 Jan 2009 Children's Minister: Childcare Must Become Modern, Universal Public Service of the Highest Standard Children’s Minister Beverley Hughes will today outline the next phase in the Government’s ambition to revolutionise early learning and childcare into a world-class public service to the benefit of families across the country.
27 Jan 2009 Balls Confirms £9m Investment in Phonics Training Children’s Secretary Ed Balls has confirmed £9m of funding for training to develop high quality phonics in early years settings and primary schools, as part of the Government’s drive to ensure every child learns to read.
27 Jan 2009 Social Work Taskforce Members and Remit Announced Children’s Secretary Ed Balls and Health Secretary Alan Johnson have announced the membership of the Social Work Taskforce, set up to undertake a comprehensive review of frontline social work practice.
26 Jan 2009 First Stages of ContactPoint Activation Starts Today The first steps to activate the Government’s online directory of children’s services - ContactPoint -will begin today (Monday 26 January 2009).
23 Jan 2009 Morgan: Action to Ensure Children's Education & Welfare The Government has published revised guidance on children missing education and launched a review of home education.
20 Jan 2009 National Private Fostering Awareness Week This week (19-25 January) is National Private Fostering Awareness Week. The Department has asked the British Association for Adoption and Fostering (BAAF) to coordinate a campaign to raise the awareness of private fostering amongst the public.
16 Jan 2009 Local Authorities to Bid for Free School Meal Pilots Local authorities and Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) are being asked to bid to take part in a £20m, two-year pilot scheme for free school meals, Children's Secretary Ed Balls and Health Secretary Alan Johnson announced today.
19 Jan 2009 Young Social Entrepreneurs Programme Procurement Opportunity On 22 December 2008 Children and Young People's Minister Beverley Hughes announced and launched a procurement opportunity for Third Sector Organisations. Up to £9m of funding is available for organisations/consortia to submit full proposals to deliver Young Social Entrepreneurs programme.
14 Jan 2009 Announcing National Family Week 2009 The UK’s first National Family Week will be held from 25th to 31st May 2009. This new initiative will celebrate and promote the social and personal benefits of family life, which is crucial for the future of our society.
14 Jan 2009 Children at Heart of New Opportunities White Paper Ed Balls has announced a new package of support to help all children reach their full potential and narrow the gap in educational attainment and life chances between children from deprived backgrounds and those who are better off.
14 Jan 2009 New Leadership Training for DCSs to Start from This Year Ed Balls announced a new leadership programme for Directors of Children’s Services (DCSs) starting from this autumn - with a bespoke programme for those at the forefront of children’s services.
14 Jan 2009 RSC to Plan New Role in Diploma Development The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) will help to develop the new Humanities Diploma, Schools Secretary Ed Balls will announce while visiting a Theatre in Tower Hamlets that is already successfully helping teach the Creative and Media Diploma.
13 Jan 2009 Keep Warm and Well Over Winter With temperatures dropping, now is the time to be prepared for cold weather.
8 Jan 2009 New Push for Safer School Partnerships Schools, police and local agencies are being encouraged to sign up to Safer School Partnerships (SSPs) and work more closely together to keep schools and pupils safe and reduce anti-social behaviour.
7 Jan 2009 Almost £46 Million for Services for Children, Young People and Families More than 100 voluntary sector organisations have been awarded funding as part of a £46 million fund over the next 2 years designed to improve the life chances of children and young people.
14 Jan 2009 Youth Sector Development Fund - Third Funding Round On 11 December 2008, a third round of funding for the Youth Sector Development Fund (YSDF) was announced.
18 Dec 2008 Next Steps in Nationwide Roll Out of One-to-One English and Maths Tuition Ministers confirmed a new £15m package to pave the way for the nationwide rollout of one-to-one tuition for children falling behind in English and maths.
18 Dec 2008 Response to Ofsted 2008 Annual Performance Assessments Responding to the Ofsted 2008 Annual Performance Assessments Ed Balls, Secretary of State, for Children, Schools and Families, said:
18 Dec 2008 Ed Ball's Response to Lord Sutherland's Independent Inquiry In a statement responding to Lord Sutherland’s independent inquiry, Ed Balls said:
17 Dec 2008 New Blueprint for World Class Children and Young People's Workforce A new strategy to promote the safety, health and progress of children and young people by improving the recruitment, training and support of the children and young people’s workforce was launched on 11 December 2008 by Secretary of State for Children, Ed Balls, on the first anniversary of the Children’s Plan.
15 Dec 2008 Approach to Restraint of Young People to be Overhauled Following Independent Review The approach to the restraint of young people in young offender institutions, secure training centres and secure children’s homes (under-18 secure estates) is to be overhauled, the Government announced today. The reform programme is to be backed by an additional £4.9m over the next 2 years.
12 Dec 2008 New Director of Children's Services for Haringey Ed Balls has today directed the appointment of Peter Lewis as Director of Children’s Services at Haringey, with effect from 1 January 2009.
11 Dec 2008 Children’s Plan: One Year On On the anniversary of the flagship Children’s Plan, Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, today set out his vision for 21st century children’s services to help deliver the ambition of making England the best place in the world to grow up.
10 Dec 2008 Ed Balls: Planning Play for the Future Communities all over England will have the chance to design their own children’s play areas as part of £235m funding for play announced in the Children's Plan.
8 Dec 2008 Call for Views on Primary Curriculum Review Interim Report Sir Jim Rose has today launched the interim report of the independent review of the primary curriculum that he was asked to carry out by Ed Balls, the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, earlier this year.
8 Dec 2008 The 21st Century School: A Transformation in Education Schools Secretary Ed Balls and Schools Minister Jim Knight unveiled a vision for the 21st Century School, which will focus on every child and be at the heart of the community. They also revealed more details of the School Report Card, which will give parents a clearer picture of school performance.
5 Dec 2008 On Target for the September Guarantee More 16- and 17-year-olds have a chance to carry on in education or training than ever before, Government figures reveal.
5 Dec 2008 Next Steps on National Challenge Ed Balls has announced £1m to support gifted and talented pupils in National Challenge schools and has set out details of extra support for National Challenge schools in selective areas.
1 Dec 2008 Statement on Safeguarding of Children - Ed Balls Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families Ed Balls made a statement at today’s press conference regarding the tragic and horrific death of Baby P.
28 Nov 2008 First Wave of World Class Places for Young People to Go Announced Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, has announced that almost £62 million of fast track funding will be awarded to 21 successful bidders across the country as part of Government investment to deliver world class places for young people.
27 Nov 2008 Government Plans to Increase Support for Families at Risk and Tackle Youth Crime Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, has announced £22m for Family Intervention Projects and a ‘Think Family’ approach across England to help more families at risk.
25 Nov 2008 Update on Delivery of EMA Grants Schools Minister, Jim Knight, has today written to the Chair of the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee, Barry Sheerman, to update him on developments in relation to delivery of EMA grants.
20 Nov 2008 Update on Delivery of Education Maintenance Allowances (EMA) Grants Schools Minister, Jim Knight, has today written to the Chair of the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee, Barry Sheerman, to update him on developments in relation to delivery of EMA grants.
19 Nov 2008 London’s Leaders Work for London’s Children: Our Future Capital Launched today at the London Child Poverty Summit, the document London’s Children: Our Future Capital sets out new targets and actions, as agreed by London’s Leaders, to help address child poverty.
19 Nov 2008 Ofsted 2007/08 Annual Report is now published Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills, Christine Gilbert, launched her Annual Report on Wednesday 19 November.
19 Nov 2008 New Law to Strengthen Children’s Trust Boards - Improved Accountability for Child Safety Plans On 18 November 2008, Children’s Secretary, Ed Balls announced the Government will introduce new legislation to ensure that multi-agency Children’s Trust Boards are operating in every local authority area.
19 Nov 2008 Boost for Child Mental Health Services Children’s mental health services will be radically improved by a package of measures including a National Advisory Council and the roll-out of extra support for children in schools, Children’s Secretary Ed Balls and Health Secretary Alan Johnson announced on 18 November 2008.
19 Nov 2008 National Literacy Trust Launches New Project to Support Early Years Practitioners The National Literacy Trust has launched Early Reading Connects, a new project designed to support early years practitioners in encouraging a love of stories and reading among the children in their care and their families.
18 Nov 2008 New Anti-Bullying Guidance for Schools Launched The National Healthy Schools Programme has launched its widely anticipated Anti-Bullying Guidance for Schools, coinciding with National Anti-Bullying Week (17-21 November).
18 Nov 2008 Children's Minister: Call on Services to Better Support Dads Children's Minister Beverley Hughes announced a 'Think Fathers' campaign to dispel the myth that dads are the invisible parent.
17 Nov 2008 Ed Balls Announces Scope of Laming Progress Report on Safeguarding Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls, has today written to Lord Laming to set out the terms of reference for his progress report on safeguarding.
14 Nov 2008 Response from DCSF on Haringey and the 'Baby P' Case In response to the latest developments surrounding the Haringey Serious Case Review a DCSF spokesperson said:
12 Nov 2008 Statement from Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls Concerning the Case of Baby P and Haringey Local Authority The Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families has this afternoon written to the Chair of the DCSF Select Committee to inform him of the Statement he has issued this afternoon.
12 Nov 2008 Government Response to the Haringey Serious Case Review In response to the outcome of the Haringey Serious Case Review announced yesterday, Children’s Minister Beverley Hughes said: "This is a very tragic case that makes all of us question how someone could do such a terrible thing to a child and set out to deceive the very people trying to help.
12 Nov 2008 Real Meals Cookbook Going to all Children's Centres Cooking is a skill everyone should have and once mastered, it's quick, easy, fun and vital to fighting obesity in young people.
11 Nov 2008 Government and Charities Combine to Continue Improving Child Safety The Department for Children, Schools and Families has today taken a big step towards keeping children safe across the country with over £1.6 million grant for practical safety education for children.
30 Oct 2008 Getting Involved with the National Home Safety Equipment Scheme Last year in the Children’s Plan the Government announced an £18m National Home Safety Equipment Scheme to help disadvantaged families reduce the risk of accidents.
30 Oct 2008 Fireworks Safety Resources Available As part of the Government's commitment to promoting the safe use of fireworks, the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) has produced a range of resources for practitioners, parents and young people.
28 Oct 2008 20 Areas to Receive a Total of £13m to Help Challenging Young People £13m will be shared between 20 areas to help them to set up Intensive Intervention Projects that will challenge and support youngsters in trouble, Beverley Hughes Children and Young People’s Minister announced today on a visit to Haringey, one of the successful areas.
24 Oct 2008 Ed Balls Announces Early Support to Keep Pupils on Track Ed Balls has welcomed a range of innovative, voluntary, private and public sector pilots for teaching excluded pupils and intervening early to prevent the need for exclusion.
24 Oct 2008 Commissioning Support Providers Announced A new source of support that will help local authorities and their Children’s Trust partners improve the lives of children, young people and their families has been announced by Children’s Minister Beverley Hughes.
23 Oct 2008 Call for Views on DCSF Website Plans The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) would like to hear your views on their plans to merge three key websites - Every Child Matters, Sure Start & Local Authorities websites - into one channel.
23 Oct 2008 Ministerial Announcement on Safeguarding On 22 October 2008, the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families Ed Balls and Baroness Morgan announced the terms of reference for the planned stocktake of Local Safeguarding Children Boards, a related study of Serious Case Reviews and also that Sir Roger Singleton, Chair of the Independent Safeguarding Authority, will lead a review of safeguarding arrangements in independent schools, non-maintained special schools and boarding schools.
20 Oct 2008 Record Numbers Now Doing PE and School Sport Nine out of ten pupils are now doing at least two hours high quality PE or sport a week - up from just 25 per cent in 2002, according to the 2007/08 School Sports Survey published on 16 October 2008.
15 Oct 2008 Balls: More Parent Power for Families with Disabled Children and those with Special Educational Needs Children’s Secretary Ed Balls has announced a package of measures to empower parents with children with special educational needs (SEN) and disabilities.
14 Oct 2008 Ed Balls Announces Plans to Give Students a Bigger Voice in Designing Ambitious 14-19 Reforms - and for New JCB Academy Catering Just for Diploma Students On 13 October 2008, Ed Balls announced plans for a package of measures to take forward the 14-19 reform agenda, including a new scheme to ensure the views of young people are properly taken into account.
9 Oct 2008 Joint Consultation on School-level Indicators to Measure Well-being The Department for Children, Schools and Families and Ofsted today launched a consultation on a proposed set of school level indicators which will recognise and reward schools for their contribution to pupil well-being.
8 Oct 2008 Article Defending the Government's Position on Smacking By Rt Hon Beverley Hughes MP Minister for Children, Young People and Families
8 Oct 2008 Schools to Play Key Role in Preventing Violent Extremism Schools can play a key role in empowering young people to reject the messages of violent extremism, Ed Balls the Schools Secretary said today as he launched advice for schools on how to contribute to the fight against violent extremism. The Learning together to be safe toolkit aims to show how all schools can help build mutual respect and understanding, encourage debate and provide support to vulnerable pupils.
3 Oct 2008 Update on National Curriculum Test Delivery 3 October 2008 Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls, has today written to the Chair of the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee, Barry Sheerman, to update him on developments in relation to National Curriculum tests.
2 Oct 2008 Time to End Cotton Wool Culture and Get Young People Out of the Classroom More children and young people will be able to go on educational school trips thanks to new measures slashing red tape and giving teachers more support, Children’s Secretary Ed Balls and Children’s Minister Kevin Brennan said today.
29 Sep 2008 Government Launches New UK Council for Child Internet Safety Some of the biggest names from industry and charities have joined forces with the Government, parents and young people to help keep children safe online, Children’s Secretary Ed Balls and Home Secretary Jacqui Smith announced today.
29 Sep 2008 DCSF Update Letter on National Curriculum Tests (26 Sept 2008) Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls, wrote to the Chair of the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee, Barry Sheerman on 26 September, to update him on developments in relation to National Curriculum tests.
26 Sep 2008 London Child Poverty Pledge Video Now Available The London Child Poverty Pledge is designed to raise awareness of the contribution people can make in their own organisations and jobs to drive action to reduce the capital's high and persistent child poverty rates. Watch the London Child Poverty Pledge video to see the difference you make and sign the Pledge to do more for the capital’s children.
25 Sep 2008 New £20M Free School Meals Pilot Primary school children in deprived areas will be given free healthy school meals in a £20 million drive to cut obesity and get young people eating more healthily, Health Secretary Alan Johnson and Secretary of State for Children Ed Balls announced today.
23 Sep 2008 UK Lifts Reservations on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child Jacqui Smith, Jack Straw and Ed Balls today announced that the UK Government is removing two reservations, relating to immigration and children in custody with adults, on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).
19 Sep 2008 Ed Balls Updates Select Committee Chair on National Curriculum Tests Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls, has written to the Chair of the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee, Barry Sheerman, to update him on developments in relation to National Curriculum tests.
18 Sep 2008 New Figures Show Lowest Achieving Children Starting to Catch Up More five year olds are developing well in schools and nurseries and the lowest achieving children are starting to catch up, according to figures released by Children’s Minister Beverley Hughes.
16 Sep 2008 £56.5m to Tackle Youth Crime Across England More after-school patrols and street-based teams to prevent and tackle youth crime will be funded by a cash injection of £56.5 million into 69 local authority areas in every corner of England, the Government has announced.
15 Sep 2008 Keeping Children Safe disclosure pilot launched On 15 September 2008, the Government launched Keeping Children Safe, a 12-month child sexual offender disclosure pilot.
11 Sep 2008 Vetting and Barring Scheme to Protect Children and Vulnerable Adults - Next Steps The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) has written to all local authorities, as well as voluntary, community and a host of other organisations, regarding the new Vetting and Barring Scheme.
11 Sep 2008 Highest Number of New Schools Opening for Thirty Years More than 180 new or refurbished schools are opening this term - the highest number for at least 30 years, including cutting-edge school buildings and Academies.
9 Sep 2008 Free Childcare for 50,000 Families Low income families across the country are to get free childcare so they can access training and return to work, thanks to a new £75million programme announced by the Government.
5 Sep 2008 Update on National Curriculum Test Delivery - 5 September 2008 Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls, has today written to the Chair of the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee, Barry Sheerman, to update him on developments in relation to National Curriculum tests.
4 Sep 2008 Balls Welcomes Positive Report on Progress of 14-19 Reforms At the beginning of a school year which will usher in important changes for 14-19 education, a report by Ofsted inspectors has given a positive progress report on the implementation of reforms so far.
1 Sep 2008 Update on National Curriculum Test Delivery - 29 August 2008 Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls, has written to the Chair of the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee, Barry Sheerman, to update him on developments in relation to National Curriculum tests.
28 Aug 2008 High Standards Maintained But More Work to do - Brennan Key Stage 1 assessment results published today show that standards continue to be maintained with nine out of ten children achieving the expected level 2 or higher in mathematics and 84% reaching the expected level or higher in reading.
28 Aug 2008 Call for Evidence: Youth Sector Support Arrangements – Publication of Findings On 16 January 2008, Children, Young People and Families Minister Beverley Hughes launched a 12-week call for evidence consultation to gather information, advice and views on current youth sector support arrangements.
20 Aug 2008 Huge Success for 'Dragons' Den' Style Projects for Young People Young people taking part in 'Dragons' Den' type panels to fund youth projects have seen their confidence and social skills soar, their behaviour improve and their standing in the community increased, according to a report issued today by Children’s Minister Beverley Hughes.
19 Aug 2008 £4.5 Million for Positive Youth Activities and to Improve Community Relations Young people across the country are to experience adventure, arts, media projects and residential summer camps, thanks to a £4.5 million cash injection, outlined today by the Children’s Minister Beverley Hughes.
15 Aug 2008 August Update on National Curriculum Test Delivery Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls, has today written to the Chair of the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee, Barry Sheerman, to update him on developments in relation to National Curriculum tests.
14 Aug 2008 A Call to Action for the Capital’s Families Organisations from across London are pledging to do more to tackle child poverty in the Capital.
11 Aug 2008 Top Academics & Employers to Develop New Subject Diplomas Partnerships including Oxford academics, British Airways, other leading educational experts and industry leaders will come together to develop the next three Diplomas, in science, languages and humanities, the Government has announced.
11 Aug 2008 From Music Biz Wannabes to Euro-Wombats, Thanks to New Government Languages Campaign A group of youngsters will compete to fulfil their dreams of joining a rock band on a European tour as part of a new £6 million government advertising campaign to encourage young people to carry on studying foreign languages.
8 Aug 2008 Managing Body Appointed to Provide Support and Investment in Youth Third Sector On 7 August 2008 a consortium led by ECOTEC was announced as the successful bidder to act as the managing body for the Government’s £100 million Youth Sector Development Fund (YSDF).
7 Aug 2008 Latest Update on National Curriculum Test Delivery Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls, has today written to the Chair of the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee, Barry Sheerman, to update him on developments in relation to National Curriculum testing and the publication schedule for Key Stage 3 results.
7 Aug 2008 £27.92m Capital Investment to Rebuild Flood Damaged Primary Schools On 6 August 2008, Schools Minister Jim Knight announced £27.92m new capital funding for Hull, East Riding, Worcestershire and Merton - to rebuild new primary schools and prevent future damage after last summer’s unprecedented flooding.
5 Aug 2008 Minister Welcomes Key Stage 2 Results Schools Minister Jim Knight today welcomed the improvements in provisional test results for 11-year-olds.
31 Jul 2008 Video Games consultation As part of the Government’s implementation of the Byron Review recommendations, on children and new media, the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) is asking for your views on the current classification system for video games.
31 Jul 2008 Update on National Curriculum Test Delivery Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls, has today written to the Chair of the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee, Barry Sheerman, to update him on developments in relation to National Curriculum testing and the publication schedule for Key Stage 2 results.
29 Jul 2008 £10m a Year to Train Special Educational Needs Leaders Schools will be funded to train their Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) - the key teaching leader responsible for the learning and support of all children with special educational needs - under plans announced by Schools Minister Andrew Adonis.
29 Jul 2008 More to do to Protect Children’s Psychological Health and Wellbeing There have been notable improvements in how services promote and protect the psychological health and wellbeing of our children and young people, but there is still a great deal more to do, according to the interim report from the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) Review published today.
28 Jul 2008 Extra Cash and More Summer Schools for Gifted and Talented Pupils Schools Minister Andrew Adonis today announced a package of support to encourage disadvantaged ‘gifted and talented’ pupils to apply for some of the country’s top universities.
21 Jul 2008 Update: National Curriculum Test Delivery Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls, has today written to the Chair of the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee, Barry Sheerman, to update him on developments in relation to National Curriculum testing and the delivery of 2008 Key Stage Two and Three tests.
21 Jul 2008 Capability Review: Delivering on Our Mission to Make this Country the Best Place in the World to Grow Up The Department for Children, Schools and Families is improving in all areas and is in a strong position to deliver on the new challenges set out in the Children’s Plan according to the DCSF Capability Review, published on 17 July 2008 by the Cabinet Office.
18 Jul 2008 Consultation Launched on Stamping out Sexual Exploitation of Children Draft guidance to identify and protect children from sexual exploitation has been launched by Children’s Minister Kevin Brennan and Home Office Minister Vernon Coaker.
16 Jul 2008 Youth Crime Action Plan published A comprehensive, cross-Government Youth Crime Action Plan was launched on 15 July 2008.
18 Jul 2008 Intensive Intervention Projects for Young People - Guidance Launched Minister of State Beverley Hughes has announced that bidding guidance for Intensive Intervention Projects is now available.
16 Jul 2008 Sir Alan Steer's latest review of behaviour in schools The Government has accepted recommendations from the Government’s top behaviour advisor to extend the search powers of schools to include drugs, alcohol and other items and will consult on reforming the complaints process for parents.
15 Jul 2008 £60m Boost to Create Diploma Showpieces Ministers have announced £60 million in capital funding to create showpiece projects across the country to boost teaching of the Diploma.
15 Jul 2008 Ministers Call for Commitments to Tackle Child Poverty in London London’s Child Poverty Ministers Stephen Timms, Beverley Hughes and Jane Kennedy have called for organisations across the capital to recognise their role in tackling child poverty and to pledge to do more.
14 Jul 2008 Dyslexia Website Launched A website for teachers, parents, young people and others with an interest in dyslexia has been launched by Sir Jim Rose as part of his review into how children with dyslexia learn best.
11 Jul 2008 School Lunch Take-up has 'Turned the Corner' - but more to do Secretary of State Ed Balls and Children’s Minister Kevin Brennan have vowed there will be no let-up in the Government’s efforts to cut childhood obesity, as the latest school food take-up figures were published.
11 Jul 2008 Success for Family Intervention Projects New research published by Beverley Hughes, Minister for Children, Young People and Families, shows that Family Intervention Projects (FIPs) are helping to change the lives of some of the most troubled families and providing real life chances for their children.
10 Jul 2008 Promoting Free Early Learning Entitlement to BME Families Between 16 July and 31 August 2008, the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) will be running television advertising, aimed at Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) families, promoting the 12 and a half hours of free early learning entitlement available to all 3 and 4-year-olds.
10 Jul 2008 Free Childcare for Thousands More Families Children’s Minister Beverley Hughes has announced local authority allocations to give thousands more families access to free childcare and early years support.
10 Jul 2008 Greater Support for Local Areas to Improve the Lives of Children Children’s Trusts and their partners are set to receive more support to help improve the lives of children and young people, it was announced today.
8 Jul 2008 Government Welcomes Joint Chief Inspectors' Report on Safeguarding The Government has welcomed the joint Chief Inspectors’ report into arrangements for safeguarding children and has committed to responding fully to all the recommendations.
8 Jul 2008 Action to Improve Children's Communication Following Bercow Review The Government has announced a £52 million package to tackle the communication problems that can blight children’s lives.
8 Jul 2008 Family Nurse Partnerships Working The Family Nurse Partnership programme is helping to improve the life chances of vulnerable babies, young children and their families, according to a new independent evaluation report.
7 Jul 2008 More activities for young people this summer Children in 18 disadvantaged areas across the country are to get access to sports, arts and drama, thanks to £265m funding outlined by Children’s Minister Beverley Hughes on Monday 7 July.
4 Jul 2008 National Curriculum Test Delivery Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls, has today written to the Chair of the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee, Barry Sheerman, to inform him that the National Assessment Agency (NAA) expects there to be some delays to the release of Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3 national curriculum test results to schools.
3 Jul 2008 Giving Schools a Seat at the Table Ed Balls today launched plans to help give schools a greater say with local agencies in improving children’s wellbeing, in order to help them to drive up school standards.
3 Jul 2008 Calling All Children and Young People: Design Your Own Playarea and Win a Digital Camera! Today sees the launch of a bright and colourful Activity Poster which allows children and young people the opportunity to draw their 'ideal play space' (with a competition prize of a digital camera for the best one), as well as encouraging them to give their views on play and play areas as part of the first ever national consultation on play.
3 Jul 2008 Article by Ed Balls: Supporting the 21st century school Every head teacher I meet wants the very best for the pupils at their school, but they all tell me they can’t do it alone.
1 Jul 2008 Rural Plans to Support the Diploma get £23m Boost Ministers have announced a £23 million cash injection to help rural areas put in place comprehensive plans to ensure all young people can benefit from the exciting new opportunities offered by the Diploma.
30 Jun 2008 First Hundred Young People to Take Part in New Global Fellowship One hundred exceptional school and college leavers from across England have been named and will take part in the Prime Minister’s Global Fellowship, a program created to nurture outstanding talent and enterprise in young people.
30 Jun 2008 EYFS Literacy Goals to be Reviewed Children’s Minister Beverley Hughes has announced that Sir Jim Rose has been asked to review two of the milestones set out in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) as part of his review of the primary curriculum.
25 Jun 2008 Safeguarding Children - Home Office and DCSF Signal Duty on UK Border Agency to Protect Children On 24 June 2008, the Home Office and the Department for Children, Schools and Families announced their intention for the UK Border Agency to have a legal duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children as part of the forthcoming Immigration Bill, which will be introduced in the next session.
24 Jun 2008 Young People Bear the Olympic Torch of Tolerance Pupils from schools across the country are being encouraged to explore their identity, ask what it means to be British and celebrate diversity as part of the first Who Do We Think We Are? Week to help build community cohesion.
24 Jun 2008 Government Publishes Action Plan to Implement Byron Recommendations The Byron Review Action Plan published today by Children’s Minister Kevin Brennan, will set out key milestones to deliver all of Dr Byron’s recommendations as set out in her report "Safer Children in a Digital World".
24 Jun 2008 Government Outlines New Ways to Lift Children Out of Poverty and Increase Social Mobility A package of new initiatives to help families and end child poverty as part of a renewed drive to increase social mobility was announced by Children’s Secretary Ed Balls, Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell and Chief Secretary to the Treasury Yvette Cooper on 23 June 2008.
20 Jun 2008 Minister Responds to Concerns on Childcare Registration Fees In response to comments from the childcare sector, increases in registration fees for child care providers are to be introduced gradually, and in small increments over the next three years, and a new system of fee banding introduced from September 2008.
20 Jun 2008 Post 16 Participation Rate At Highest Level Ever A record 1.6 million young people aged 16 to 18 – the highest number ever – are now taking part in education, work based learning or training, new Government figures have shown.
19 Jun 2008 Youth Taskforce Roadshows A series of free roadshows are being held in June and July for practitioners to find out more about the Government’s vision for young people, and to hear about practical examples of good practice that can improve outcomes.
18 Jun 2008 Extra Funding for Successful Parenting Services Parenting services for some of the country’s most vulnerable people, including teenage mums and dads, disabled parents and families facing break up, are to get a share of up to £8m, Children’s Minister Beverley Hughes has announced.
18 Jun 2008 New Help for Children with Visual and Hearing Impairments There will be a new drive to improve the experience of children with visual and hearing impairments, Schools Minister Andrew Adonis has announced.
17 Jun 2008 Young people allowed to stay with foster families beyond age of 18 Young people are to be given the chance to stay on in their foster families beyond the age of 18, thanks to a new £5 million Government pilot programme.
16 Jun 2008 Tackling Young Runaways: A Role for Everyone Local Authorities must gather information about young people who run away from home or care to ensure that the right services are in place to help, Minister for Young People Kevin Brennan has said at the launch of the Government’s Young Runaways Action Plan.
13 Jun 2008 Teachers TV Examines Early Years Foundation Stage June sees the launch of a Teachers TV's series dedicated to helping practitioners get under the skin of the new Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) legislation.
12 Jun 2008 New Challenge and Support Projects Areas Announced – Lewisham Successful Visiting Lewisham today to see a number of innovative initiatives and talk to young people, Beverley Hughes Young People’s Minister announced the local areas successful in securing funding for Challenge and Support projects.
10 Jun 2008 Young People Meet Minister to Discuss Children’s Rights Issues On 9 June 2008, Children’s Minister Beverley Hughes welcomed a delegation of young people to the Department of Children, Schools and Families to discuss their views on children’s rights.
5 Jun 2008 Roadshows Announced: Tackling ‘Honour'-based Violence In June and July 2008, the Home Office is running a series of roadshows focused on 'honour'-based violence and forced marriage to develop front-line practitioners’ awareness of the issues, and to stimulate decisive action to protect victims.
4 Jun 2008 £81M to Prepare Teachers for the 14-19 Overhaul On 3 June 2008, Schools Minister Jim Knight announced £81 million of additional funding to prepare teachers to deliver the new Diploma.
4 Jun 2008 Government Responds to Second ISA Consultation On 30 May 2008, the Government published its formal response to the recent consultation on the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) scheme for vetting and barring those who wish to work, either paid or unpaid, with children or vulnerable adults.
3 Jun 2008 Young People and Alcohol – A New Approach Launched in Government Action Plan A comprehensive plan to stop young people drinking in public; help them make the right decisions about alcohol; and provide clear information to parents and young people about the risks of early drinking was announced on 2 June 2008 by Ed Balls, Jacqui Smith and Alan Johnson in the Government’s Youth Alcohol Action Plan.
3 Jun 2008 Joint Birth Registration White Paper Plans to change the law to require dads, as well as mums to be named on the birth certificate are being announced by Secretary of State for Work James Purnell and Children's Secretary Ed Balls in a joint White Paper published on 2 June 2008.
30 May 2008 Guidance on Additional Support for Looked After Children The DCSF has published two pieces of statutory guidance setting out how local authorities should implement personal education allowances and Child Trust Fund account top-up payments for looked after children.
22 May 2008 Radical New Approach to Tackling Poor Behaviour and Teaching Excluded Pupils On 20 May, the Schools Secretary Ed Balls announced plans for a major overhaul of how some of society’s most troubled and challenging young people are educated and how we can tackle poor behaviour at a much earlier stage.
21 May 2008 Balls Puts Quality First as Launch Day for Diploma Nears Former winner of TV’s “The Apprentice” Tim Campbell, education expert Sir Mike Tomlinson and top businessman Sir Alan Jones showed their support for the new Diploma today by joining Ed Balls and Jim Knight on a visit to Hackney Community College.
22 May 2008 Design Your Own Play Space: Ministers Launch Website to Get Kids Views on Play Ministers today launched a fun, interactive website and poster campaign to encourage children to give their views on play and play areas as part of the first ever national consultation on children’s play.
16 May 2008 Childcare pilot projects for families with disabled children Parents with disabled children are to get easier access to childcare, thanks to £35million of Government pilot projects.
16 May 2008 Transforming the lives of disabled children The Government has announced a major package to improve the lives of disabled children and their families.
15 May 2008 Legislative programme to drive up standards in education and improve children's services Children, Schools and Families Secretary Ed Balls said today that the Government's Draft Legislative Programme will help to transform the lives of children and families, support parents, drive up standards in underperforming schools, maintain high standards in the exams system, help children, whatever their background, to achieve their full potential and deliver excellence for all.
16 May 2008 Project to Improve the Provision and Status of British Sign Language On 13 May, the DCSF issued a competitive grant specification for a project intended to improve the provision and status of British Sign Language (BSL) for deaf and hearing impaired children and their families.
14 May 2008 Byron Review: Next Steps Kevin Brennan and Vernon Coaker today announced the UK Council for Child Internet Safety will launch in September 2008, six months ahead of the recommended timescale set out by Dr Tanya Byron in her report ‘Safer Children in a Digital World’.
14 May 2008 Ministers Meet Key Players across London to Tackle Child Poverty London’s movers and shakers will meet Work and Pension’s Minister Stephen Timms, and Minister for Children, Young People and Families Beverley Hughes today to set out key priorities for tackling child poverty in the capital.
9 May 2008 Forced marriage: Guidance for LAs and schools Kevin Brennan, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Children, Young People and Families, has written to remind all schools and LAs of their responsibilities in relation to the important child-protection issue of forced marriage and to alert them to further planned action this year.
8 May 2008 Giving Young People a Voice New advice on how to get young people involved in their school and learn important citizenship skills, for example through ‘buddying’ younger pupils and encouraging them to study or improve behaviour, was published on 7 May 2008.
2 May 2008 Extended Services Week on Teachers TV From 5 - 11 May, Teachers TV will be showing a range of programmes focusing on the provision of extended services at schools.
2 May 2008 New Help for Children who Stammer On 28 April 2008 Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls, announced that The Michael Palin Centre for Stammering Children will receive £340,000 to provide schools across the country with information, advice and training materials on how best to support children and young people who stammer.
23 Apr 2008 Advice Issued for Parents on Teacher Strike The National Union of Teachers is planning strike action on Thursday 24 April. Parents of primary and secondary school children should be aware that some schools may close or partially close.
22 Apr 2008 Parent Know How Showcase Event The Secretary of State, Ed Balls, would like to invite local authorities to the unveiling of Parent Know How on Wednesday 7 May 2008 at the London Studios.
21 Apr 2008 Free National Conference: Schools, Colleges, Children's Services and partners: Delivering for at risk and challenging young people Is your local authority developing closer partnerships with schools through implementation of the targeted youth support reforms? Do you have an interest in improving the lives of the most challenging young people in society? Register for the free national conference - Schools, Colleges, Children's Services and partners: Delivering for at risk and challenging young people.
14 Apr 2008 CAMHS Review launches national call for evidence Jo Davidson, the Chair of the independent Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) Review, has launched a national call for evidence to help inform the deliberations of the review team, and ensure that all interested individuals and organisations have an opportunity to contribute to the debate.
10 Apr 2008 Early years programmes on Teachers TV Throughout April, Teachers TV gives you a chance to catch some of its highly acclaimed early years programmes.
9 Apr 2008 Working together to give children a route out of poverty London Child Poverty Ministers Beverley Hughes and Stephen Timms have announced a new working group bringing together councils and businesses across the capital, which will help many more children out of poverty.
7 Apr 2008 Next Steps on Children’s Plan – Developing the Children’s Workforce and Children’s Trusts On 3 April 2008, Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families announced next steps on the Children’s Plan with packages investing in play, youth facilities and children’s workforce, as well as next steps for Children’s Trusts.
7 Apr 2008 Next Steps Towards Improving the Emotional Well-being and Mental Health of Children and Young People The Review of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), led by Jo Davidson, Group Director of Children and Young People Services at Gloucestershire County Council and current chair of the 0-7 Group of the Children’s Plan, will be collecting evidence from key stakeholders in the coming months.
4 Apr 2008 Young People to Have a ‘Myplace’ to Call their Own Beverley Hughes, Minister for Children, Young People and Families, today launched myplace – a multi million pound government programme to deliver world class places for young people to go.
3 Apr 2008 Children's Play Investment Increased and Consultation Announced Children across the country are to get an extra 3,500 play areas and 30 local authorities will get £2 million each to build new adventure playgrounds, as part of a £235 million Government investment for children’s play.
31 Mar 2008 Local Authorities to Run Connexions from 1 April As part of their Area Based Grant, local authorities will have the Connexions grant from 1 April, making them responsible for delivery of the Connexions service and enabling them to tailor provision to meet local need.
28 Mar 2008 Review Makes Recommendations to Ensure Children's Safety Online Clinical psychologist, Dr Tanya Byron, has launched her independent report, Safer Children in a Digital World, which sets out an ambitious action plan for Government, industry and families to work together to support children's safety online and to reduce access to adult video games.
26 Mar 2008 Children in Care to Get School Pics and Passports Children in care should get school photos and passports, Ministers said today, as they launched plans designed to give thousands of vulnerable children in care a happy and healthy childhood.
18 Mar 2008 Aiming High for Young People Implementation Plan Published The Aiming high Implementation Plan, setting out arrangements for implementing the 55 commitments in Aiming High for Young People: a Ten Year Strategy for Positive Activities, was published today.
18 Mar 2008 Government Intensifies Drive to Tackle Anti-social Behaviour in Young People A thousand of the most challenging young people will be targeted for intensive, non negotiable intervention in order to prevent future antisocial behaviour, Ed Balls and Beverley Hughes announced today in the Youth Taskforce Action Plan.
10 Mar 2008 Kids Don’t Come With an Instruction Manual - Ed Balls Hosts Children’s Plan Debate On 8 March 2008, Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Young People and Families announced the detail of a Government parenting programme to help parents get extra help with issues such as bullying, school exclusions and dealing with the impact of divorce.
10 Mar 2008 £27million Funding Boost for Disadvantaged Young People On 5 March 2008, Ed Balls and Beverley Hughes presented disadvantaged and vulnerable young people with a boost as they announced a package of over £27million of funding and business support for five major charities.
10 Mar 2008 Tackling Antisocial Behaviour - £13m to Help Prevent Antisocial Behaviour On 5 March 2008, Ed Balls and Beverley Hughes called for more Individual Support Orders (ISOs) to be given alongside ASBOs to help protect local communities from antisocial behaviour committed by young people.
7 Mar 2008 Independent Living – Delivering on Choice and Control for Disabled People A strategy to transform the lives of disabled people, including extra funding for organisations run by disabled people, was launched by the Government on Monday 3 March 2008.
14 Mar 2008 £6M for Young Leaders The Government has announced an investment of £6m over the three year period 2008-11 to increase high quality opportunities for young people to develop leadership skills and use them to make a difference in society.
28 Feb 2008 Teen Pregnancy Rates Lowest for Over 20 Years Figures published today show the biggest drop for five years in teenage conception rates, confirmation that the Government’s Teenage Pregnancy Strategy is working.
19 Feb 2008 Language GCSE Tests to be Truer to Life Speaking assessments for GCSE modern foreign languages will change to make them a more accurate reflection of pupils’ ability and their capacity to respond to real life situations, Schools Minister Jim Knight announced on 18 February 2008.
21 Feb 2008 Brennan Announces £31 Million for Third Sector On 15 February 2008, Minister for Young People Kevin Brennan committed a £31million funding boost over the next 3 years, through the Children, Young People and Families Grant Programme, benefiting nearly 100 third sector organisations.
18 Feb 2008 Funding Boost for the School Food Revolution £21 million funding for the School Food Trust over the next three years was announced, on 7 February 2008, by Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families Ed Balls.
5 Feb 2008 Staying Safe Action Plan Published The Staying Safe Action Plan, outlining the key commitments the government will be taking forward over the next three years to improve children and young people’s safety, was launched today.
1 Feb 2008 Hughes: More Work to be Done to Tackle Teenage Pregnancy On 29 January 2008, Minister for Children, Young People and Families Beverley Hughes called on all local authorities and Primary Care Trusts to redouble their efforts in reducing teenage pregnancy rates and to drive forward the Government’s Teenage Pregnancy Strategy in their local areas.
28 Jan 2008 Safeguarding Children Week Starts Today on Teachers TV Safeguarding children is at the heart of the Every Child Matters agenda, and this week Teachers TV examines how schools and other agencies can work with children and their families to ensure that the risks to children’s welfare are minimised.
28 Jan 2008 £372 Million Cross-government Health Strategy A new £372 million cross-government strategy to help everyone lead healthier lives was published on 23 January 2008 by the Health Secretary, Alan Johnson and the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls.
22 Jan 2008 New Chief Adviser for London schools The Government has announced the appointment of Sir Mike Tomlinson as the new Chief Adviser for London schools.
22 Jan 2008 Schools and local authorities told to comply with school-admission law Schools Minister, Jim Knight, has urged schools and councils to get their school-admissions policies in line with the mandatory new tougher Schools Admissions Code.
21 Jan 2008 2008 National Year of Reading On 8 January, Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, joined the Prime Minister, children, writers, and reading champions at 10 Downing Street to launch the National Year of Reading.
18 Jan 2008 Appointment of Chair of Youth Justice Board Frances Done CBE was appointed as the Chair of the Youth Justice Board on 15 January 2008, and will take up position from 1 February 2008.
17 Jan 2008 Hughes Seeks Views of Sector on Youth Support Arrangements Children’s Minister Beverley Hughes has launched a “call for evidence” to gather information, advice and views on the current youth sector support arrangements.
16 Jan 2008 Grants for Hygiene and Healthy Eating Initiatives The Food Standards Agency has announced the launch of the 2008/09 grant scheme for local food hygiene and healthy eating initiatives.
17 Jan 2008 Transforming Short Breaks for Families with Disabled Children Education and Care Services Ministers, Andrew Adonis and Ivan Lewis, have announced the list of 21 local areas gaining pathfinder status in transforming short-break services, as well as local-authority short break funding allocations over the 2008-11 period.
11 Jan 2008 All Parents to get Regular Online Reports on their Children's Progress All parents will get regular electronic reports on their children's progress in future - going far beyond the traditional annual school report, Schools Minister Jim Knight announced this week.
11 Jan 2008 More Support for Young Runaways Children’s Secretary Ed Balls and Minister for Young People Kevin Brennan yesterday outlined plans to help prevent an estimated 86,000 children and young people from running away each year.
11 Jan 2008 New 'Think Family' Approach to Help Vulnerable Parents and Children On 10 January, Ed Miliband and Beverley Hughes launched a new approach to local services to improve support for the most disadvantaged families and prevent problems passing down from excluded parents to their children.
9 Jan 2008 Fundamental Review of Primary Curriculum Launched Today A comprehensive independent root and branch review of the primary curriculum to create a smoother transition between early years and school education and help boost standards was launched by Ed Balls today.
8 Jan 2008 Reducing health inequalities in infant mortality On 14 December 2007 the Department of Health published an implementation plan for delivering the recommendations and themes of the Health Inequalities Infant Mortality Public Service Agreement Target Review.
10 Jan 2008 Award-winning "X-IT" Gang Project Praised by Home Secretary An innovative project based in Brixton, South London, which aims to reduce offending behaviour among young people who are directly at risk of joining gangs or who want to leave gangs, was praised by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith during a visit to Lambeth on 19 December
9 Jan 2008 Ed Balls Announces Pilots to Help Children with Dyslexia A new scheme to help children who have dyslexia, identified through the 'Every Child a Reader' programme, was announced by Ed Balls on 5 December 2007.
27 Dec 2007 Review of child and adolescent mental-health services announced Children’s Secretary Ed Balls and Health Secretary Alan Johnson have outlined their plans for a review of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).
21 Dec 2007 Aiming High for Young People speech by Beverley Hughes Beverley Hughes, the Minister for Children, Young People and Families, has allocated increased funding for positive activities for young people.
14 Jan 2008 Increased funding to help disabled children and young people As part of the Children’s Plan, 53 million pounds of new funding is to be made available to help children, young people and their families.
11 Dec 2007 Children's Plan Outlines World-class Ambitions for all Children Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, today launched the Children's Plan, a ten-year strategy to improve schools and other services.
7 Dec 2007 Safeguarding children who may have been trafficked A new guidance document.
3 Dec 2007 New Home Safety Equipment scheme for vulnerable families A new scheme to provide home safety equipment, targetted at families with lower incomes, will be announced in the coming weeks as part of the Children's Plan.
3 Dec 2007 Consultation on promoting mental well-being of children in primary schools A consultation on draft guidance aimed at promoting the mental well-being of children was launched on Friday 23 November 2007.
26 Nov 2007 Consultation on Childcare Act 2006 Fees and Subsidies The consultation ‘Childcare Act 2006: Future Approach to Fees and Subsidies’ was launched on Wednesday 21 November 2007 and will run until Wednesday 20 February 2008.
26 Nov 2007 Speech about Cyberbullying In an address at the second National Cyberbullying Conference on 22 November 2007, Kevin Brennan, Under-Secretary for Children, Young People and Families spoke of the need to ensure that every child feels – and is - safe and secure when using technology.
23 Nov 2007 Every Primary School to Become a Musical School On 21 November 2007, Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, launched a national campaign to make our primary schools come alive with the sound of music,
23 Nov 2007 A New Child Poverty Team A new team has been set up to drive forward the Government’s commitment to eradicate child poverty in the UK.
20 Nov 2007 New Appointments to Advise Government on Teenage Pregnancy Five new members have been appointed to join the Teenage Pregnancy Independent Advisory Group (TP IAG) which is helping to guide and monitor the Government’s strategy for teenage pregnancy.
20 Nov 2007 Ed Balls Announces £3m for Anti-bullying Pilots New pilots to stamp out the scourge of bullying through training pupils to help each other were announced on 15 November 2007.
19 Nov 2007 Youth Taskforce to Launch Action Plan in Spring 2008 Ministers visited Southampton on 14 November 2007 to highlight the work being done by the new Youth Taskforce
15 Nov 2007 Teachers TV Anti-bullying Week Teachers TV Anti-bullying week starts Monday 19 November, and runs until Sunday 25 November 2007.
15 Nov 2007 New Funding to Support Innovative Independent/State School Partnerships Schools Minister Andrew Adonis yesterday announced £4 million of new funding for innovative independent/state school partnerships to encourage progression to university among gifted and talented pupils from deprived communities with a special focus on maths, science and modern foreign languages.
15 Nov 2007 Consultation on Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 A consultation on the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 was launched on 14 November by the Department for Children, Schools and Families, the Home Office and the Department of Health.
15 Nov 2007 Children and Young Persons Bill 2007 The Children and Young Persons Bill, introduced in the House of Lords on 14 November, fulfils commitments made in the White Paper, Care Matters: Time for Change.
14 Nov 2007 Planned consultation on education for young people in custody Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, has announced plans to consult on the role of local authorities in education and training for young people in custody.
14 Nov 2007 Pilot project to help troubled children stay with their families Families and their troubled children who are at risk of being taken into care or custody will receive intensive support from trained professionals to remain together, thanks to a £17.5m pilot project announced today by government Ministers Kevin Brennan, Ivan Lewis and Gillian Merron.
13 Nov 2007 Every Parent Matters – the importance of parental engagement Beverley Hughes, Minister of State for Children, Young People and Families, has said that improved parental engagement with schools is essential for children’s learning and development.
9 Nov 2007 Cash Boost for Early Years On 7 November 2007, Children’s Minister, Beverley Hughes announced an extension of the entitlement to free nursery education for every three- and four-year-old.
9 Nov 2007 Defining the National Indicator Set - Call for Views The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) is calling on all stakeholders to have their say as part of the consultation on local government performance-managed outcomes.
7 Nov 2007 New Children’s Plan Due in December Ed Balls, The Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, has outlined the Government’s new Children’s Plan, due to be published in December, which aims to drive up standards and increase well-being for children and young people.
6 Nov 2007 Government Sets Out Plans to Raise Education Participation Age In an address to the Fabian Society, Ed Balls, Secretary of State for the Department for Children, Schools and Families, gave details of a new strategy to drive down the numbers of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET).
5 Nov 2007 SEN Week Starts Today on Teachers TV Teachers TV will be airing a special week of programmes, exploring the different ways of engaging with and including children with special educational needs, from Monday 5 until Sunday 11 November 2007.
1 Nov 2007 Speech about Sharing Knowledge and Expertise In a speech at the Royal Society on 30 October 2007 Kevin Brennan, Under-Secretary for Children, Young People and Families, spoke about how the sharing of knowledge and expertise across professional divisions lies at the heart of transforming our public services.
31 Oct 2007 New Quality Standards for IAG Beverley Hughes, the Minister for Children and Young People, has today launched new Quality Standards for young people’s Information, Advice and Guidance.
30 Oct 2007 Ask Ed Balls a Question Online Ed Balls, the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, will be answering your questions in a webchat on Thursday 01 November at 15:00 GMT.
25 Oct 2007 Staying Safe Consultation – last chance to contribute Staying Safe, the Government’s major consultation about children’s and young people’s safety, will be closing at the end of October.
25 Oct 2007 New Guide Published to Support the Transition Process for Disabled Children The new publication, A transition guide for all services: key information for professionals about the transition process for disabled young people, provides an overarching view of all the services that need to work together to ensure appropriate support for disabled children throughout each stage of their life.
25 Oct 2007 Report of the Review of Section 58 Published Today This report, setting out the results of the Review of Section 58 of the Children Act 2004, was released today, 25 October 2007, following an announcement in a written Ministerial Statement.
24 Oct 2007 Help Children have their Say about the Internet and Video games As part of an on-going review commissoned by the Government, Dr Tanya Byron is inviting children and young people to tell her what they think about video games and the internet and how they can be enjoyed safely.
2 Oct 2008 The First Annual Report from the New Ofsted The first annual report from the new Ofsted, the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills, was published on 17 October 2007.
22 Oct 2007 New Training Programme for Teachers Working with SEN The Inclusion Development Programme (IDP), recently launched by Schools Minister Andrew Adonis, aims to maximise the potential of children with special educational needs by offering a range of support and training materials for teachers.
17 Oct 2007 Provision for Children with Communication difficulties – call for views An independent review of the current provision for children and young people with speech and language difficulties is seeking the opinions and experiences of parents and professionals to help build a comprehensive picture of the national situation.
16 Oct 2007 Prime Minister calls for Action on Childhood Obesity The Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, has called upon parents and teachers to help tackle the issue of childhood obesity through diet and sport.
15 Oct 2007 Every Child Matters Week on Teachers.TV Teachers.TV’s Every Child Matters Week starts today, Monday 15th October 2007, and runs until Sunday 21st October 2007.
15 Oct 2007 Invitation to Improve Outcomes for Disabled Children Nears Closing Date The Government’s invitation for expressions of interest from areas wishing to become short break pathfinders closes at 12 noon on 19 October.
15 Oct 2007 Minister calls for more action to build on improvement in early years development Five year olds are starting to show increased levels of achievement, according to figures released today, but children’s minister Beverley Hughes is calling for more to be done.
15 Oct 2007 Increased child maintenance to lift 50,000 children out of poverty Measures announced on 9 October in the Pre-Budget report will allow parents on benefits who receive child maintenance to keep more of the maintenance paid before it affects their benefits.
12 Oct 2007 Guidance published on the National Child Measurement Programme The DCSF and the DH have published non-statutory guidance for schools encouraging them to participate in the 2007/08 National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP).
10 Oct 2007 New investment announced in Comprehensive Spending Review On 9 October 2007 the Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review delivered a £200m boost which, together with further funding of £550m available within the existing DCSF settlement, will be used to accelerate the primary capital programme to renew primary school buildings.
10 Oct 2007 New Youth Taskforce established A new DCSF taskforce, headed by Anne Weinstock, will focus on delivering positive outcomes for young people.
9 Oct 2007 The Byron Review - call for evidence An review of the risks to children from internet and video-game material has been launched.
4 Oct 2007 Children to stay in care until 18 The Government today pledged to stamp out the poor practice of asking children to leave care at the age of 16, before they are ready to live independently.
24 Sep 2007 No Place for Bullies An on-line cyberbullying campaign with the message ‘Laugh at it and you’re part of it’ has been launched by Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF).
19 Sep 2007 Report published on extending the free entitlement to nursery education for three and four-year-olds A newly published independent report, commissioned by the DCSF, investigates the impact and cost implications of extending the free entitlement.
7 Sep 2007 Time to talk The DCSF has launched a nationwide public consultation to address issues facing children today.
3 Sep 2007 Ofsted Shares Best Practice Findings Ofsted has just released a best practice resource Getting on Well to support early year and childcare providers to deliver outstanding services.
28 Aug 2007 Government Exceeds Extended Schools' Target Children’s Minister Beverley Hughes has recently announced that 7,000 schools are now offering access to extended services.
27 Jul 2007 New youth facilities for every community: Ten Year Youth Strategy published Young people will have access to new and improved youth facilities in every community under plans unveiled in the government’s Ten Year Youth Strategy.
25 Jul 2007 £1bn boost for extended schools Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, has announced a massive investment of more than £1bn in the extended schools programme over the next three years.
19 Jul 2007 Strategy launched to improve outcomes for teenage parents Helping young families to cope with the demands of parenthood and reach their full potential is a priority for government, according to a strategy published today.
18 Jul 2007 £456m funding announced for projects supporting the wellbeing of children The new Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls today set out a straightforward yet ambitious mission to drive up school standards and improve the lives of every child in the country. He announced a total of £456 million for projects to support the wellbeing of children and families across the country, and a focus on play which enables children to have healthy, safe and happy childhood.
18 Jul 2007 Consultation launched on helping children and young people stay safe The government wants to support parents in striking the right balance between protecting their children and allowing them to learn and explore safely, according to a new consultation published today by Children’s Minister Ed Balls.
16 Jul 2007 UK report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child published As a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the UK Government is required to submit periodic reports setting progress in implementing the convention. This report was submitted on the 15 July 2007.
16 Jul 2007 Guidance on protecting children from trafficking launched for consultation The Department for Children, Schools and Families has issued guidance for consultation on protecting children who may have been trafficked. It explains how to spot the victims of child trafficking and give them the help and long-term support they need to escape the cycle of exploitation and abuse.
11 Jul 2007 Youth Opportunity and Youth Capital Fund year end report published A report reviewing the first year of the Youth Opportunity Fund and Youth Capital Fund has now been published.
28 Jun 2007 Changes in government Three new departments have been set up by the prime minister. They replace the Department for Education and Skills and the Department for Trade and Industry.
25 Jun 2007 Evaluation of full-service extended schools published A new report published today shows that full-service extended schools have a positive impact on the attainment of their pupils, particularly for those facing difficulties.
22 Jun 2007 Consultation launched on barring policy and processes The government has launched a consultation today on the processes for barring people who should not work with children and vulnerable adults. This is part of the next stage in introducing the toughest ever vetting and barring scheme.
21 Jun 2007 Care Matters White Paper launched Big business will offer children in care private tutors, apprenticeships and management training as part of a radical package of measures announced today by the Education Secretary, Alan Johnson.
21 May 2007 Guidance published on governance of children’s centres and extended schools The DfES have now published guidance to help Sure Start children's centre managers, extended schools, local authorities and other children's trust partners work together to reach solutions that work best locally.
21 May 2007 £340m funding announced in disabled children’s review The disabled children’s review has been published today by Economic Secretary, Ed Balls and Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Schools, Lord Andrew Adonis.
18 May 2007 New guidance on abuse linked to a belief in spirit possession This guidance provides advice to practitioners and managers to help them identify and deal with abuse that may be linked to a belief in spirit possession. The guidance is aimed at all agencies working with children.
9 May 2007 Consultation launched on community cohesion The Department for Education and Skills has launched a consultation on draft guidance for schools on the duty to promote community cohesion.
30 Apr 2007 Independent barring board chair appointed The creation of the new vetting and barring scheme took an important step forward today with the appointment of Sir Roger Singleton as chair of the new Independent Barring Board.
25 Apr 2007 New academy for parenting practitioners A consortium of leading charities and a top London university have won a £30m grant to provide a new academy for parenting practitioners.
17 Apr 2007 Next steps for children in care Alan Johnson, Secretary of State for Education and Skills, has announced that the government will publish a white paper later in the year to take forward its ambitious plans for children in care.
12 Apr 2007 Sure Start Children's Centres pass the million mark One million children and their families can now have a better start in life thanks to the government’s Sure Start Children’s Centres.
29 Mar 2007 Review of children and young people’s policy published The Department for Education and Skills and the Treasury have today launched their final report for the joint review of children and young people’s policy.
29 Mar 2007 Children's Workforce Strategy Update - Spring 2007 launched This update reports on the progress made towards achieving our vision of a world-class children's workforce.
28 Mar 2007 Social care workforce review: £13m announced to support ICT proposal Parmjit Danda, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families, has announced £13 million to support capital investment in mobile ICT infrastructure for the social care workforce.
13 Mar 2007 Early Years Foundation Stage launched The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework has now been published by the DfES. The EYFS is a single framework for the learning, development and care of children in registered settings and schools, from birth to age five.
13 Mar 2007 Statement on the youth opportunity card pilots After careful consideration we no longer intend to run the youth opportunity card pilots.
22 Feb 2007 Statement by Beverley Hughes on the 2005 conception statistics Beverley Hughes, Minister for Children, Young People and Families, has made a response to the publication of the 2005 conception statistics by the Office of National Statistics.
5 Feb 2007 Every Child Matters online publications goes live We have launched a new service which allows you to order many of the most important documents supporting the Every Child Matters programme in hardcopy.
26 Jan 2007 New supplementary guidance on Children and Young People's Plan The DfES has published guidance for officers with responsibility for the production and review of the Children and Young People’s Plan (CYPP).
9 Jan 2007 Children and young people’s policy - discussion paper launched A discussion paper covering children and young people’s policy has been launched today as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review.
9 Jan 2007 Extended schools: improving access to sexual health advice New guidance has been launched to help schools set up on-site services and referral arrangements.
5 Dec 2006 Sustainable schools consultation - government response The government has published its response to the public consultation on the Sustainable Schools framework.
4 Dec 2006 Sure Start children’s centre practice guidance launched To support the work developing the role of children's centres, new guidance has been published for local authorities and their partners, which brings together evidence and best practice on reaching the families most in need.
29 Nov 2006 DfES aims to further widen access to higher education A review commissioned by higher education minister Bill Rammell into outreach activities by higher education institutions was launched today at a ‘Widening Participation’ symposium.
28 Nov 2006 New manifesto promotes learning outside the classroom The government is putting learning outside the classroom at the heart of the curriculum and young people’s personal development with a new £2.7m package for schools.
24 Nov 2006 Read Beverley Hughes’ webchat, and post questions on Respect for Louise Casey The 10 Downing Street website hosted a webchat with the children's minister. Next up is the Respect agenda.
22 Nov 2006 Online survey on rights for children and young people goes live The government has launched an online survey for children and young people about their rights.
14 Nov 2006 Dhanda welcomes improved recruitment guidance for schools and colleges Safe and responsible recruitment of teachers and other staff working in schools and colleges was strengthened further today as the DfES published new consolidated recruitment guidance.
13 Nov 2006 Extended schools and children’s centres discussion paper launched A paper has been launched for discussion about the governance and management of extended schools and Sure Start children’s centres. The paper considers the key issues, principles and practice, which have emerged during the first phase of the roll-out of children’s centres and extended schools.
9 Nov 2006 Extended schools hotseat: 15 November GovernorNet will be hosting a hotseat on the development of extended services in and around schools.
9 Nov 2006 Local authorities and primary care trusts invited to trial health-led parenting support The Department for Education and Skills and the Department of Health are inviting local authorities and primary care trusts to make joint applications to become demonstration sites to test an intensive home visiting parenting support programme.
2 Nov 2006 New leaflet shows how extended schools benefit health services A brief guide featuring case studies has been produced to explain how extended schools can help health professionals achieve their targets on issues such as teenage pregnancy, immunisation and childhood obesity.
31 Oct 2006 Daycare Trust Partners in Excellence finalists announced The list of finalists for the Daycare Trust's annual awards for excellence in early years and childcare services have been published on their website.
23 Oct 2006 Parenting support guidance and online database of programmes launched The DfES has published guidance to support local authorities and children’s trusts in their development of parenting support. The publication coincides with the launch of an online database of parenting programmes.
20 Oct 2006 Review of the social care workforce final report published The review of the social care workforce, Options for Excellence, has now pulled together its findings in a report, which suggests reforms for the short and the long term, with a clear vision for the workforce of 2020.
16 Oct 2006 Consultation launched on childcare disqualification regulations Children’s minister Parmjit Dhanda today published draft regulations for consultation which will mean that individuals cautioned, as well as convicted, for sexual offences against children will automatically be entered on List 99 and barred from working in schools and other education settings.
10 Oct 2006 Put your questions on extended schools and children's centres to the Children's Minister On Thursday 12 October, 4.30-5.30pm, Beverley Hughes will be on the Guardian Education website, answering your questions on extended schools and children's centres.
9 Oct 2006 Green paper boosts prospects for children in care The government has published its green paper for children in care, highlighting the issues affecting this uniquely vulnerable group and setting out what needs to be done to improve outcomes for looked-after children.
3 Oct 2006 Sustainable schools Year of Action launched The government is encouraging schools and communities to become more sustainable. The academic year 2007-08 is a Year of Action for sustainable schools and communities.
3 Oct 2006 Family Learning Week: support from private and voluntary sector Family Learning Week is 7-15 October and thousands of schools across the country will host family activities to help families find the confidence, ideas and skills to support each other’s learning at home and for life.
29 Sep 2006 Responsibility for supporting ‘integrated working’ implementation moves to Children’s Workforce Development Council From 1 October the CWDC takes over responsibility from the DfES for implementation of integrated working.
19 Sep 2006 Extended schools show improved performance as target is exceeded Schools providing extended services can expect improvements in performance, an evaluation published today has found.
13 Sep 2006 Adding value: adult learning and extended services A new publication from the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education explores the role of adult learning in the development of extended services.
13 Sep 2006 Accelerating progress towards teenage pregnancy targets The government has published a strategy document to accelerate progress towards the 2010 target to halve the under-18 conception rate.
4 Sep 2006 Johnson announces package to improve school meals and fight obesity A new multi-million pound package of measures to embed the school food revolution for the long term and help tackle childhood obesity was announced today by Education Secretary Alan Johnson.
14 Aug 2006 Philip Lawrence Awards: submit your nominations The Philip Lawrence Awards recognise outstanding contributions by groups of young people aged 11 to 20 in their local community.
11 Aug 2006 Comprehensive Spending Review 2007: call for evidence As part of the Comprehensive Spending Review, HM Treasury and the DfES are assessing the policy actions required to secure continued improvements in outcomes for children and young people.
4 Aug 2006 Every Child Matters Week on Teachers' TV from Monday 7 August The channel is showing seven days of extensive programming on how the legislation is being used to support young people across the country.
2 Aug 2006 Guidance available for children's social services complaints procedures Ministers have today issued guidance to accompany the new regulations on handling complaints for local authorities and voluntary organisations providing accommodation.
27 Jul 2006 National minimum allowance for foster carers launched Children’s Minister Parmjit Dhanda announced today that a national minimum allowance for foster carers will be introduced in England for the first time.
24 Jul 2006 Children's Commissioner publishes annual report The Office of the Children’s Commissioner has published its first annual report, highlighting its key work and achievements.
20 Jul 2006 New guidance on teenage pregnancy strategies The government has published guidance to help local authorities and primary case trusts target their strategies on young people at greatest risk of early pregnancy.
19 Jul 2006 DfES Capability Review published The DfES has been involved in the first stage of a cross-government programme to assess the capability of government departments to deliver on long-term aims.
12 Jul 2006 eCAF funding now available Central funding has now been made available to assist local authorities in the e-enablement of CAF. The deadline for applications is 2 August 2006.
10 Jul 2006 Guidance launched on planning for a flu pandemic The DfES has now produced guidance documents to help children’s services, including schools and childcare settings, to plan for a human flu pandemic. The DfES has been working with several other departments and external partners, as part of the government’s coordinated efforts to prepare and plan for a human flu pandemic.
7 Jul 2006 New regulations for children’s social services complaints procedures Ministers have today issued new regulations on handling representations and complaints for local authorities and voluntary organisations providing accommodation.
27 Jun 2006 Disability Discrimination Act in schools and early years - new resource The DfES has launched a new resource to help schools, local authorities and early years settings understand their duties under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.
27 Jun 2006 Parenting support booklet for schools launched The DfES has produced a new booklet for schools on the core parenting support offer, as part of the extended schools agenda.
21 Jun 2006 Connexions Card to wind down The government has announced the phasing out of the Connexions Card, as new strategies for youth opportunities move forward.
20 Jun 2006 Announcement on school staff checks Education Secretary Alan Johnson today announced new measures to tighten record keeping in schools and colleges following a government commissioned report from Ofsted.
14 Jun 2006 Review of Early Support materials - have your say All of the Early Support programme materials are being reviewed and developed in 2006-07, in response to comments from those who have been using them over the last two years.
14 Jun 2006 Guidance launched on planning and funding extended schools The new guidance will help schools plan and fund their extended services in ways that will best support children, young people and their families.
13 Jun 2006 Governors' Week on Teachers' TV - featuring key ECM programmes 12-16 June is Governors' Week on Teachers' TV, with a range of programmes addressing the Every Child Matters agenda.
9 Jun 2006 eCAF explanatory document set published Documents detailing the common standards and implementation guidance for the e-enablement of the Common Assessment Framework are now available.
26 May 2006 Young Volunteer Challenge evaluation findings published The findings from the main evaluation of the Young Volunteer Challenge (YVC) pilot programme have been published.
5 May 2006 Consultation launched on Early Years Foundation Stage The government is now consulting on the draft Early Years Foundation Stage, which covers care, learning and development for children in all early years settings.
7 Apr 2006 Slow speed of website Over recent weeks the website has been experiencing very slow speeds during the middle of the day, due to a high number of users.
6 Apr 2006 Key guidance launched on integrated working and safeguarding children Beverley Hughes, Minister for Children, Young People and Families, has announced the publication of key guidance to support the implementation of the Every Child Matters: Change for Children programme.
20 Mar 2006 Final report of the Rose Review published Education Secretary Ruth Kelly today welcomed the final report of the Rose Review of the Teaching of Early Reading, which sets out clearly how children should be taught to read.
17 Mar 2006 March DfES update for local authorities available The latest DfES monthly newsletter for local authorities has been issued.
8 Mar 2006 Next steps announced following consultation on Youth Green Paper The government has published Youth Matters: Next Steps, the response to the consultation on the Youth Green Paper. The document sets out the government’s plan for implementing the vision it set out in Youth Matters for making improvements to services for young people, and its commitment to empower young people to make choices and influence decisions about facilities and services locally.
6 Mar 2006 Joint Planning and Commissioning Framework launched Beverley Hughes, Minister for Children, Young People and Families and Care Services Minister Liam Byrne, have announced the publication of the new 'Joint Planning and Commissioning Framework for Children, Young People and Maternity Services'.
1 Mar 2006 Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Bill published Tough sanctions, including penalties of up to five years in prison and fines of up to £5,000, will be extended to a wider group of employers as part of new legislation to establish a centralised vetting system for people working with children and vulnerable adults.
28 Feb 2006 Government introduces Education and Inspections Bill The new bill sets out radical reforms needed to further drive up standards in our schools, especially in deprived areas.
17 Feb 2006 Latest DfES monthly update for local authorities available The February issue of the DfES monthly newsletter for local authorities is now available.
13 Feb 2006 Government response to Children’s Workforce Strategy consultation published The government has published its response to the consultation on the children’s workforce strategy.
3 Feb 2006 New chair and young people's representatives to advise on teenage pregnancy Children’s Minister Maria Eagle has announced the appointment of a new chair and two young people's representatives to the Independent Advisory Group on Teenage Pregnancy.
1 Feb 2006 Temporary problems accessing the website We are aware that users may be experiencing delays on the website and we would like to apologise for this.
31 Jan 2006 Consultation launched on minimum allowance for foster carers Children’s Minister Maria Eagle has launched a consultation on proposals for a national minimum fostering allowance.
27 Jan 2006 Options for Excellence: review of the social care workforce Brand new roles in social care could be created as part of a government review of the social care workforce called Options for Excellence.
25 Jan 2006 ECM week on Teachers' TV from 30 January Teachers' TV is showing a week of programmes exploring the Every Child Matters reform agenda.
19 Jan 2006 Statement by Ruth Kelly on safeguarding vulnerable groups The Secretary of State for Education and Skills delivered the following statement in Parliament today.
18 Jan 2006 Questionnaire launched on the multi-agency working toolkits We have now produced an online questionnaire for users to send us their views on the multi-agency toolkits. We want to know if you feel they are achieving their aim in helping managers and practitioners who are starting to work in multi-agency services.
30 Dec 2005 Adoption and Children Act comes into force The Adoption and Children Act 2002 legislation is fully implemented from today.
23 Dec 2005 Guidance published on local safeguarding children boards Guidance on local safeguarding children boards (LSCBs) has now been published, covering their role and function, including their relationship to other children's trust arrangements.
21 Dec 2005 Revision to timetable for CYPF Grant announcements The Children, Young People and Families Grant has received more than double the number of applications anticipated, and this has meant we have had to make some changes to the assessment process.
14 Dec 2005 14-19 Education and Skills Implementation Plan launched The Secretary of State for Education and Skills has published an implementation plan setting out what the 14-19 White Paper will mean in practice.
13 Dec 2005 Government announces new arrangements for inspection to give a better deal to children and learners Education Secretary Ruth Kelly today announced changes to the inspection arrangements for services relating to children, young people and adult learners.
13 Dec 2005 The Early Years Foundation Stage - direction of travel paper To fulfil the requirements of the ten-year childcare strategy, the DfES has now published a direction of travel paper setting out its vision for the new framework.
9 Dec 2005 Pre-budget report: support for parents and children On 5 December the Treasury published its 2005 pre-budget report, with some key announcements for children, young people and families.
8 Dec 2005 Government announcement on information sharing index Children’s Minister Beverley Hughes today confirmed how the government would implement an important Lord Laming recommendation for improving children’s welfare and wellbeing, while ensuring strong safeguards on access to information about children.
7 Dec 2005 CWDC launches toolkit to help develop local children’s workforce strategies The Children’s Workforce Development Council (CWDC) today launched a web-based toolkit to help local authorities and their local partners create and implement effective children’s services workforce strategies.
5 Dec 2005 Announcement on local authority children's services funding for 2006-08 The government has set out the main aspects of the local government finance settlement for 2006-07 and 2007-08 relevant to the funding provided for children's services.
30 Nov 2005 Kelly sets out next steps for continued success of Sure Start Education Secretary Ruth Kelly today praised the success of Sure Start and outlined the next steps to maximise its impact across the country.
9 Nov 2005 Childcare Bill introduced to Parliament The Childcare Bill is the first ever piece of legislation specifically on early years and childcare and will enshrine in law parents' legitimate expectation of accessible high-quality childcare and services for children under five and their families.
3 Nov 2005 Schools White Paper means better outcomes for every child The new white paper, Higher Standards, Better Schools for All: More Choice for Parents and Pupils, sets out the government’s plans to radically improve the school system.
2 Nov 2005 Adoption e-learning training tool launched To support the implementation of the Adoption and Children Act 2002, the DfES have produced a comprehensive e-learning tool. The e-learning tool is being hosted on an external website until the end of December 2005.
2 Nov 2005 Children's Minister: forthcoming Childcare Bill will be cornerstone of childcare vision The Children’s Minister, Beverley Hughes, has announced further details to the proposed Childcare Bill following a consultation on the plans.
27 Oct 2005 New web portal supports participation of young people in decision making Participation Works is an online gateway, launched to improve the way practitioners, organisations, policy makers and young people access and share information about involving children and young people in decision making.
21 Oct 2005 School behaviour group publishes report An independent group set up to advise the government on improving behaviour in schools has today published its report.
17 Oct 2005 Early Support programme vital when planning services for disabled young children Early Support is the central government mechanism for achieving better coordinated family-focused services for very young disabled children and their families.
3 Oct 2005 Ofsted publishes new special needs study On 28 September, Ofsted's Early Years Directorate published the results of a study of 42 childcare settings. "Removing Barriers: a 'can do' attitude" looks at how the private and voluntary childcare sectors cater for young children with special needs.
3 Oct 2005 Events launched to support consultation on information sharing As part of the consultation process for new cross government guidance on Information Sharing, the DfES are organising four consultation events for practitioners working with children and young people.
3 Oct 2005 Bookstart to reach even more babies and young children Bookstart, the first national books for babies programme in the world, is launching two new Bookstart packs of free books Bookstart+ for toddlers and My Bookstart Treasure Chest for three year olds on 3 October - the first day of National Children’s Book Week.
29 Sep 2005 National evaluation of children's trusts phase 1 report published The independent report “Realising Children’s Trust Arrangements” marks the first year of the three year evaluation by the University of East Anglia, in partnership with the National Children’s Bureau.
29 Sep 2005 New research available on extended schools Two new research reports about the progress of extended schools have been published today, 29 September 2005.
28 Sep 2005 Download an updated version of the Outcomes Framework The Department for Education and Skills has published an updated version of the Outcomes Framework, which outlines the aims and measures of progress for the Every Child Matters: Change for Children programme.
21 Sep 2005 Adoption training: programme of briefing workshops now available We have now published a schedule with relevant contact details for all workshop briefing events supporting the implementation of the Adoption and Children Act 2002.
16 Sep 2005 Voluntary and community sector funding streamlined A streamlined funding programme that brings together five former DfES grant schemes goes live today for voluntary organisations working with children, young people and families.
7 Sep 2005 Are you up to date with the latest Children Act guidance? In July we passed a major milestone in preparing the statutory guidance under the Act, which will be of particular interest to those responsible for the strategic management of children’s services.
1 Sep 2005 First directors of children and learners appointed Directors for children and learners have been appointed in six of the nine government offices.
26 Aug 2005 Launch of consultation on information sharing guidance The Department for Education and Skills has launched a consultation seeking views on the draft of the first cross-government guidance on information sharing in respect of children and young people.
16 Aug 2005 Helping to develop an integrated approach to adoption services DfES has developed an innovative training package to help those responsible for adoption services implement measures relating to the Adoption and Children Act 2002.
15 Aug 2005 Watch ECM programmes on Teachers' TV Teachers' TV has already broadcast a wealth of programmes covering the Every Child Matters agenda, and you can watch it on the web as well as your TV.
11 Aug 2005 Note on use of ECM images and graphics We have received a number of requests to use the ECM images and graphics, but these are restricted by copyright.
10 Aug 2005 Adoption and Children Act: statutory guidance launched The statutory guidance on the Adoption and Children Act 2002 has now been published.
28 Jul 2005 Resources and practice database now live You can now access a wide range of emerging practice examples and other useful information in our resources and practice database.
20 Jul 2005 ODPM Beacon Councils Scheme welcomes applications The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister Beacon scheme aims to identify centres of excellence in local authorities and disseminate good practice.
18 Jul 2005 Getting started in multi-agency working? The new multi-agency working area of the website offers a host of information and toolkits to support managers and practitioners starting to work in multi-agency settings.
18 Jul 2005 Guidance on lead professional role launched Guidance on the introduction of lead professionals is now available. This role supports those children and young people who have a number of additional support needs that require an integrated response.
18 Jul 2005 Youth Matters – launch of green paper The Government has today launched its green paper on youth. The green paper sets out a range of proposals designed to improve outcomes for 13-19-year-olds.
15 Jul 2005 Consultation on Childcare Bill opens The Government has launched a formal consultation on proposals for new childcare legislation.
28 Jun 2005 Engaging the voluntary and community sectors in children's trusts The DfES has published advice aimed at supporting local authorities, other public sector agencies and voluntary and community organisations in developing effective arrangements for involving the voluntary and community sectors in children's trusts.
20 Jun 2005 Keeping children safe - revised child safety orders A joint Home Office/DfES statement on revised child safety orders was issued today.
16 Jun 2005 Children and Adoption Bill introduced to Parliament The bill gives courts new powers in contact disputes and contains measures on intercountry adoption.
13 Jun 2005 Consultation on bringing together grant funding for voluntary organisations launched The Department for Education and Skills has launched a consultation on proposals for bringing together grant funding for voluntary organisations.
13 Jun 2005 Extended schools funding and support package launched A package of support and funding for schools extending their services was launched today.
5 May 2005 New-look website goes live The revised Every Child Matters website is bigger, better and easier to use!
3 May 2005 Foster Care Fortnight 9-22 May This annual event aims to raise awareness of fostering and encourage people to consider becoming foster carers

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