Children's Services
A tiered approach to tackling young people drinking alcohol in public places.
Alcohol-related crime and disorder by young people is
currently estimated to cost society £1 billion per
year. According to a schools survey, whilst the
proportion of pupils who have never had an alcoholic
drink has increased gradually in recent years, pupils
who are drinking, are drinking a lot. Those who drank
alcohol in the last week had a mean intake of 14.6
units. The proportion drinking on the street, in a
park or somewhere else is also continuing to rise
reaching 34% in 2008.
More than 3,500 young people were successfully targeted by the summer 2009 crackdown on teenage binge drinking and 15,000 were signposted to positive activities and received treatment where necessary. Nonetheless, there is more to be done and that is why The Home Office is introducing a tiered approach to dealing with young people drinking alcohol in public places, and a new offence of persistently possessing alcohol in a public place.
The guidance explains the offence of persistently possessing alcohol in a public place as contained in Section 30 of the Policing and Crime Act 2009, which received Royal Assent on 13 November 2009. Section 30 establishes a new offence of persistently possessing alcohol in a public place, making it illegal for a person under the age of 18 to be in possession of alcohol on 3 or more occasions within a period of 12 consecutive months.
Click here to view the report...
The report is published as a .pdf document. If you can not view the report, you may need to install Acrobat Reader on your machine.
More than 3,500 young people were successfully targeted by the summer 2009 crackdown on teenage binge drinking and 15,000 were signposted to positive activities and received treatment where necessary. Nonetheless, there is more to be done and that is why The Home Office is introducing a tiered approach to dealing with young people drinking alcohol in public places, and a new offence of persistently possessing alcohol in a public place.
The guidance explains the offence of persistently possessing alcohol in a public place as contained in Section 30 of the Policing and Crime Act 2009, which received Royal Assent on 13 November 2009. Section 30 establishes a new offence of persistently possessing alcohol in a public place, making it illegal for a person under the age of 18 to be in possession of alcohol on 3 or more occasions within a period of 12 consecutive months.
Click here to view the report...
The report is published as a .pdf document. If you can not view the report, you may need to install Acrobat Reader on your machine.
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Sharing and integration of services to children
This case study examines the advantages and practical
challenges of sharing and integrating services
between Rotherham Council and Primary Care Trust for
Children's Services, and the practical lessons that
other organisation can consider whether evolving
Children's Services or other shared services
initiatives.
The case study looks at how both these different bodies have had to rise to challenges of adapting to a different culture, agree on new outcomes and objectives, integrate process, share information and manage confidentiality. Officers and executives of the council explain how they have managed staff change and created an integrated structure to accommodate the different organisational issues, responsibilities and governance across the Local Authority and PCT. The importance of creating a shared vision and establishing core principles is also highlighted.
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The case study looks at how both these different bodies have had to rise to challenges of adapting to a different culture, agree on new outcomes and objectives, integrate process, share information and manage confidentiality. Officers and executives of the council explain how they have managed staff change and created an integrated structure to accommodate the different organisational issues, responsibilities and governance across the Local Authority and PCT. The importance of creating a shared vision and establishing core principles is also highlighted.
To view click here. Read More...
Delivering health services through Children Centres
This report is intended to
increase primary care trusts’ awareness of the
children’s centre agenda and the opportunities
it provides, and to share examples of good
practice. It is aimed at Chief Executives of
primary care trusts and strategic health
authorities, Directors of children’s social
services, primary care trust children’s leads,
and Directors of commissioning.
Evaluation of the Full Service Extended Schools Initiative: Final report
25/06/07 11:55 Filed in: Education
This report presents the findings
of the national evaluation of full service
extended schools. The evaluation found that
extended schools lead to better exam results and
children being more focused in school,
particularly for those from a disadvantaged
background.
ICT capital grant for mobile technology
This updated circular sets out the
requirements for the ICT capital grant for
2007-08. In particular, the specific conditions
of grant, grant allocations and payment
arrangement. The main change to this guidance is
in the Acceptance of Grant form at Annex E.
White Paper: Care Matters - Time for Change
This white paper sets out the
steps the Department for Education and Skills,
together with local delivery partners, will take
to ensure children and young people in care get
a better start in life. It builds on responses
to the green paper, Care Matters: Transforming
the Lives of Children and Young People in Care,
and the conclusions of four working groups
established to investigate best practice in
supporting those in care.
Click here to access relevant webpage.
Click here to access relevant webpage.
Children's Workforce Strategy Update- Spring 2007
This consultation looks back on what has been
achieved since the government published its response
to the children's workforce strategy in February
2006. The Department for Education and Skills is
continuing to develop the priority areas and seeks to
reinforce further the strategy and develop additional
areas in the Children’s Workforce Strategy Refresh
document, which will be published in autumn 2007.
Click here to access file.
Click here to access relevant webpage.
Click here to access file.
Click here to access relevant webpage.
LASSL (2005)4 Local Authority Children's Services Funding: 2006-07 & 2007-08.
This letter sets out the main
aspects of the local government finance
settlement for 2006-07 and 2007-08 which are
relevant to the funding provided for children's
services. Figures for 2007-08 are provisional.
Parenting Early Intervention Grant
This circular sets out the
requirements for the PEI grant for 2006-07 and
2007-08. In particular:
- specific conditions of grant;
- grant allocations and payment arrangements;
- reporting arrangements; and
- general guidance.
Progression through partnership
The Government is committed to improving the life
chances of people with learning difficulties and/or
disabilities. It wants to develop services which
centre around the needs of disabled people and
provide seamless support to help everyone achieve
their full potential.
This report sets out a vision of how the three Departments most closely involved in this area - Education and Skills, Health, and Work and Pensions - will work together to deliver high quality support and incentives for young people and adults with learning difficulties and/or disabilities in further education and training.
This report sets out a vision of how the three Departments most closely involved in this area - Education and Skills, Health, and Work and Pensions - will work together to deliver high quality support and incentives for young people and adults with learning difficulties and/or disabilities in further education and training.
Section 58 of Children Act 2004 Review (Consultation)
15/06/07 10:37 Filed in: Social Care
This Review seeks the views of
parents on physical punishment and evidence from
those working with children and families on the
practical consequences of the changes in the law
brought about by section 58 of the Children Act
2004. Section 58 limits the availability of the
“reasonable punishment” defence in cases
involving alleged assaults by parents on their
children. This consultation, which is
specifically focused, will run for 8 weeks to
allow the review to report in the autumn.
Joining up Children's and Adult Services: Speech by Beverley Hughes
14/06/07 10:32 Filed in: Education
| Social Care
This is a transcript of the speech by Minister for
Children and Families Beverley Hughes. She says the
extent to which effective joint working happens is a
crucial determinant of the well-being of some of our
most vulnerable children, young people and their
families.
Click here to access relevant pages
Click here to access relevant pages
Review of the Protection of Children from Sex Offenders
13/06/07 10:24 Filed in: Education
| Social Care
This review sets out proposals for
short, medium and long-term improvements to
protect children from sex offenders. They range
from bringing in new laws and strengthening
guidance, to providing more information about
convicted child sex offenders to the public.
National Electronic Social Care Record survey report - 2006/07
12/06/07 10:04 Filed in: Social Care
| Health
This document presents the
findings of a national survey of the status of
Electronic Social Care Records (ESCR) in
England. The survey was commissioned by the NHS
Connecting for Health Electronic Social Care
Record Implementation Board and the ADASS, with
the support of David Behan, Director General for
Social Care.
£500,000 boost for action to reduce youth homelessness
A £500,000 fund is today being awarded to innovative
schemes to tackle youth homelessness, ranging from
crash pads for teenagers to supported lodgings and a
text message service offering housing options.
Housing Minister Yvette Cooper announced that 27
local authorities and partnerships would receive the
investment for their plans to reduce youth
homelessness.
National Statistics released today show that new cases of homelessness reported by local authorities have fallen by 17 per cent in comparison to the same period last year to 17,230 - the lowest level since the early 1980s. However, more than a third of new cases of homelessness last year were young people aged under 25. The funding builds on a package of measures announced last year in the Government's National Youth Homelessness Scheme, including a new target to end the use of bed and breakfast accommodation for 16 and 17 year olds by 2010.
Projects being funded include mediation schemes to resolve family relationship breakdowns, which is one of the biggest causes of homelessness, and supported lodging schemes which provide short-term respite support to young people, giving them a place to stay whilst they work through problems and increase the chances they can return to the family home.
National Statistics released today show that new cases of homelessness reported by local authorities have fallen by 17 per cent in comparison to the same period last year to 17,230 - the lowest level since the early 1980s. However, more than a third of new cases of homelessness last year were young people aged under 25. The funding builds on a package of measures announced last year in the Government's National Youth Homelessness Scheme, including a new target to end the use of bed and breakfast accommodation for 16 and 17 year olds by 2010.
Projects being funded include mediation schemes to resolve family relationship breakdowns, which is one of the biggest causes of homelessness, and supported lodging schemes which provide short-term respite support to young people, giving them a place to stay whilst they work through problems and increase the chances they can return to the family home.
Grant for the Development of Multisystemic Therapy (MST) Pilots
This letter informs Local
Authorities and PCTs of arrangements, operated
via a bidding process, for the allocation of up
to £7 million to support the
development up to six Multisystemic Therapy
(MST) pilots.
DfES Research: Review of Capacity in the Parenting Support Market
31/05/07 17:11 Filed in: Social Care
| Research
This study increases our
understanding of the parenting support market by
exploring barriers to market development;
developing services in Children’s Centres and
Extended Schools; and options for charging for
services. Interviews were undertaken with
commissioning staff across four case study local
authorities; providers at local and national
level; and employers and employee benefits
advisors. Research concerning charging involved
desk research, telephone interviews and a
workshop with DfES, GO and parent support
organisations.
DfES Research: Valuing Changes in Welfare to Individuals and Society
31/05/07 16:59 Filed in: Social Care
| Research
This study investigated ways of
improving the measurement of the output of
Children’s Social Services in the National
Accounts. It was commissioned by the Department
for Education and Skills following an
independent review in 2005 led by Sir Tony
Atkinson, which recommended changes to the way
that government output is measured. Measuring
the output of Children’s Social Services
requires a different approach from that used for
private sector goods and services because there
are no market prices to indicate the value of
interventions. The Atkinson review recommended
that what ideally should be measured is the
incremental impact that interventions have on
client outcomes and welfare. The study’s aim was
therefore highly challenging: to recommend a
methodology for producing a robust annual output
measure that fully reflects the change in
welfare to individuals and society from
Children’s Social Services’ provision.