CYP Now - Comprehensive Spending Review: Treasury report shows children are a key priority for Brown

Disadvantaged families, disabled children and early intervention to tackle young people's problems should be Government priorities, according to a new Treasury report, which provides a snapshot of the impact a Gordon Brown premiership would have on the children's sector.

Participation in youth groups, clubs and organisations should also beboosted, it said, with young people having more control over theactivities and facilities available in their community, through bodiessuch as youth councils.

The Policy Review of Children and Young People: A Discussion Paper,published last week, feeds into the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review,which in turn will form the basis of the Government's spending plans to2011.

Launching the report, Brown, almost certainly the next Prime Minister'said: "We must do more to encourage the vast majority of young peoplewho abide by the values of our community, giving them greateropportunities and nurturing their idealism."

The report said sustained support was needed for families with"multiple, severe problems" to help them break out of a "cycle of lowachievement," while the needs of disabled children had to be betterunderstood and their parents empowered to influence local services. Italso highlighted the importance of preventative work and earlyintervention, and said support needed to be available "at all ages ofchildhood".

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