For most children's professionals, the spectre of a Conservativeelection victory looms overhead like a gathering storm cloud. Last week,the shadow children's minister tried to convince the sector that theforecast is changing.
"The Every Child Matters agenda is not going to go out of the window,"Tim Loughton told delegates at the Children Now Fund conference inManchester.
In particular, he promised that children's centres would not facedefenestration "despite allegations by Beverley Hughes and Gordon Brownto the contrary".
He failed to mention extended schools, but then he hit the g-spot whenhe described rising numbers of young people in prison as "very, veryworrying".
John Kemmis, chief executive of Voice, stood up to applaud Loughton,telling him: "As a lifelong member of the Labour Party I'm quiteattracted by what you've said." Whether this initial attraction willblossom into a meaningful relationship remains to be seen, but delegatescertainly had reason to be optimistic about the long-term prospects ofthe Every Child Matters agenda. They were also clear about the actionsthat need to be taken right now to ensure that the agenda is asuccess.
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