Social workers have welcomed Margaret Hodge's admission that cultural change in children's services will take a decade.
Ian Johnston, director of the British Association of Social Workers, said: "Maybe this is the first germ of recognition of the complexity of it. Maybe she's being more realistic.
"It would be nice to see Government let changes bed down, rather than having a string of well-intentioned ministers coming up with new ones."
The children's minister said that although directors of children's services and children's trusts had to be in place by 2008, it could take at least another six years for teachers, social workers and health professionals to be working effectively together.
