Extracts an article which appeared in a Network 81 newsletter titled 'The biggest overhaul of children's services in a generation as set out in the new Children Bill'.

On 4 th March Charles Clarke, Education and Skills Secretary, set out how children's services will be transformed to maximise opportunity and minimise risk for every child and young person. The Children Bill will encourage partnership working and sharpen accountability by:

• A new duty on agencies to co-operate among themselves
• A tighter focus on child protection through a duty on key agencies to safeguard children
• Clear overall accountability – through a Director of Children's Services
• Enabling and encouraging local authorities, Primary Care Trusts, and others to pool budgets into a Children's Trust
• Creating an integrated inspection framework
• New powers to intervene in children's social services
• The Bill will also create a Children's Commissioner

Charles Clarke said: "This Bill is the most far-reaching reform of children's services for 30 years ensuring those improving children's services are given top priority at all levels. We are placing children and their families at the heart of the services we provide".

"We are embarking on a long term programme of change for children. The Children Bill will put in place the legislative steps, but the reforms are about much more than legislative changes. Our response to the consultation on the Children's Green Paper sets out our vision for a new approach in which the needs of children and families are given higher priority both nationally and locally."

John Reid, Secretary of State for Health said: "The NHS along with education, social services and the police, has a vital contribution to make to improving the outcomes for children and young people at all stages in their lives".

"The Children's National Service Framework (NSF), published later this year will set standards for improving the delivery of health and social services for children, young people and maternity services. It will cover universal services for children and address the needs of particular groups such as those with disabilities, mental health problems and children in hospital. The NSF will help ensure that care services meet children's needs, that the right services can be accessed at the right time and that children and their families play an active part in making decisions about their care."

"Yesterday we announced a major public consultation on improving the nation's health, including that of children. This will look at roles and responsibilities for everyone in exploring how best to tackle a range of health issues, including improving diet and exercise for all children."

The Children's Bill is available at www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/pabills The Children's Green Paper, Every Child Matters, was published in September 2003 and is available at www.dfes.gov.uk/everychildmatters