The bill will lay the foundation for the Government's reforms of children and young people's services in England.
Measures include the creation of an independent children's commissioner for England and a requirement for local authorities to appoint a director of children's services. They must also make a named councillor accountable for such services.
It is understood that the commissioner will not have the powers and independence of its Northern Irish, Scottish and Welsh equivalents. Young people's charities plan to press MPs to give the role more teeth.
The bill will place a duty to safeguard children on local agencies, including youth work, Connexions, youth offending teams and the health service.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
