Meanwhile, at local level, councils and children's trusts are grappling with the realities of recession. Budget cuts of up to 35 per cent are said to be on the horizon in some areas.
And yet, in these tough times, there is an opportunity to find collective strength through adversity. The quest to overcome inefficiencies, remove duplication and cut costs might, in fact, accelerate and entrench joint working arrangements and the Every Child Matters enterprise on the ground.
Services could become truly based on themes and issues instead of providers, resulting in pooled budgets and closer co-operation.
This is certainly the aim of Total Place, an initiative piloted by 13 councils, each focusing on a particular area and soon to release interim findings. Driven by the recession, the authorities are trying to pinpoint how public agencies can work together better to deliver frontline services more efficiently and effectively. Croydon, for instance, is focusing on children's health and wellbeing in the early years and Birmingham on outcomes for care leavers.
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