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7 January 2014 1 min read

"As someone who has opposed the decision of the Lib Dems to go into coalition with the Tories, there have been very few bright spots. But the appointment of Simon Hughes as a justice minister was definitely one of them. As friends and colleagues in the youth sector will agree, he has been a consistent supporter of young people and those who work with them. Now he has the opportunity to seek to progress many of those policies on youth justice included in the Lib Dem Youth Justice Policy, Taking Responsibility. As chair of the working group that produced it, I am passionate about the policies it advocates, not least raising the age of criminal responsibility - a long overdue reform in this country. One thing I can say for certain, he will be a rare creature in government, someone who really listens and genuinely cares. For all of us connected to the sector, he will be an important voice for the multitude of vulnerable young people who all too often remain voiceless. "

- Linda Jack on Simon Hughes

"East Sussex County Council has been told by the DfE that standards of safeguarding at Bishop Bell CE School are unacceptable, and that the DfE may intervene - which may mean academisation. The serious case review showed that the school failed repeatedly - six times - and over a significant period, to act properly on concerns raised about Jeremy Forrest's actions, sometimes ignoring them, sometimes minimising them, and sometimes blaming the girl. What did the local authority and the local safeguarding children board do to make sure that agreed policies were followed at school level? What training was undertaken at the school? What did the governing body know? This must be a wake-up call for all schools and academies, as well as for local authorities and safeguarding children boards in supporting them and holding them to account. "Safeguarding is everyone's business" must not just be an empty mantra - it is at the heart of what we do for all children and young people."

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