Editorial: Where the battles over the Bill will be fought

However, that does not mean that all will be plain sailing, and over the past couple of weeks it has gradually become clearer where the battles will be fought. There is the battle over centrally prescribed models versus local flexibility, which started the day Every Child Matters was published and will continue in debates and lobbying on the Bill. Lord Laming believes the Government may, in its desire to obtain consensus, have gone too far in meeting the demands of local authorities. The Bill could compromise rather than enhance local accountability on child protection by allowing too much flexibility on who chairs Local Safeguarding Children Boards, he said in the Lords' debate on the second reading of the Bill (see news, p5). It was Laming's inquiry into the death of Victoria Climbie, remember, that gave the sense of urgency required to kick the current reforms of children's services into motion.