centres in some areas of the country closing, merging or under-going
considerable restructuring. One thing that I have picked up from local
authorities running some of the most successful centres is that they
consistently achieve the vital balance between reaching their most
vulnerable citizens, while meeting the needs of the wider community.
The quality and effectiveness of the services provided by children's centres across the country is regularly scrutinised through inspection. By taking steps to show effective engagement with specific groups, whether this is single-parent families or those classed as "troubled" under the government programme, local authorities will be better equipped to meet Ofsted's children's centres inspection criteria. Indeed, the Ofsted inspection framework encourages centres to work together in cluster groups to provide a better spread and wider reach of services." Phil Neal on children's centres
"The news that Lord Tom McNally, former justice minister and current chair of the Youth Justice Board (YJB), was making the case for raising the age of criminal responsibility, came as music to my ears. Raising the age from 10 to 12 would at least bring us into line with the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child recommendation, made as long ago as 2007, that state parties raise their age of criminal responsibility to 12 as "an absolute minimum".
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