CYP Now - A good start, but the DCSF must keep its nerve

How time flies. On 28 June, it will be one year since the creation of The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF). From the outside, the department has gone about its business at a lightning pace, the focal point being its publication of The Children's Plan and many subsequent action plans. But according to our expert panel, the DCSF just about scrapes a "good" rating for its performance over the past 12 months, with numerous concerns unresolved (see p12).

Our panel's verdicts relate to the national framework of policy. They will not necessarily reflect the experiences of practitioners who have to translate that policy into practice. So, while play receives an "outstanding" mark, thanks to the national play strategy and investment in playworkers' training, it will be a while before we know how these initiatives work out on the ground.

But any assessment of the department must examine the effectiveness of its relations with the rest of central government. The DCSF is the epitome of New Labour's pursuit of joined-up government, sharing responsibility for children's issues with a host of other departments. It is a sprawling beast, spreading its young tentacles enthusiastically across the Whitehall machine to get other more established departments to play.

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