News Insight: The children's policy reviews at a glance

EARLY INTERVENTION - Graham Allen

In September 2008, MP for Nottingham North Graham Allen co-authored a report with now Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith on the merits of early intervention for the Centre for Social Justice. The report argued that successful early intervention requires cross-party support and a significant shift in culture towards a proactive rather than reactive approach to tackling social problems.

As chair of One Nottingham (the Local Strategic Partnership) from 2005 to 2009, Allen drove the vision of making Nottingham an "early intervention city".

Remit The review aims to look at how early intervention schemes can be expanded across the country and how they can be funded.

The two main questions Allen is asking are: "How can we take early intervention to scale and spread best practice throughout the UK?" And "how can we sustainably fund early intervention in an era of economic constraint by using the power and capital of the money markets to create financial instruments, such as bonds?"

The review is the first piece of work to be conducted under the remit of the new Social Justice Cabinet Committee. Allen is also updating children's minister Sarah Teather on the review's progress.

Timescale The review will report by the end of January 2011 on the issue of best practice and provide an interim report on funding. A final report on funding will be produced in May 2011.

CHILDHOOD AND FAMILIES TASKFORCE - Prime Minister David Cameron

Cameron is chairing the ministerial taskforce, which also includes his deputy Nick Clegg. In a speech announcing the taskforce in June, Clegg said both he and Cameron had made the "welfare of the next generation central to their political identities". Making Britain more family-friendly and judging society on how it treats its children are central to this, according to Clegg.

Remit Among its areas of work it will look at parental leave, exploring how the government can deliver on its commitment to promoting a system of flexible parental leave.

Cameron has pledged to provide parents of disabled children with "support, trust and respect" and reduce any unnecessary bureaucracy they face in accessing services. The taskforce will also examine this and the coalition's drive towards offering direct payments to carers.

The impact of family breakdown will also form part of the taskforce's work, finding the best ways of protecting children during the process.

While Clegg admits that there is a "lack of money in the Treasury coffers", he believes the taskforce can find innovative solutions to creating secure environments for children to play.

Timescale The taskforce aims to complete its review in the next few weeks and put forward proposals in light of October's Comprehensive Spending Review.

CHILD POVERTY - Frank Field

Labour MP for Birkenhead Frank Field was the first of the Labour MPs to accept a job under the coalition government.

From 1969 to 1979 Field was director of the Child Poverty Action Group. Between 1980 and 1981 he served as shadow education and social security spokesman under the leadership of Michael Foot. A brief stint as welfare reform minister under former Prime Minister Tony Blair ended after an alleged falling out with Gordon Brown.

Remit Field's review into poverty and life chances will look at the current definition of poverty - of households with less than 60 per cent of the median income - and whether it needs to be expanded to include factors such as educational attainment.

It will also explore how a child's home environment affects their ability to take full advantage of their schooling. A broader debate about the nature and extent of poverty in the UK is also hoped to be a product of the review.

Timescale Field is expected to report to the Prime Minister by the end of 2010.

CHILD PROTECTION - Eileen Munro

Eileen Munro is professor of social policy at the London School of Economics. Before venturing into academia she had a long career as a social worker. Her extensive research includes how professionals and organisations can better learn from reviews into child abuse and the safety of child databases.

Remit Munro's review of children's social work and frontline child protection practice is looking at how communication between social work teams and universal children's services can be strengthened to improve early intervention processes. The team will also try to identify the barriers to good social work practice. In line with the trend of other government policy Munro will also be looking at how regulation can be simplified and bureaucracy reduced.

Timescale Munro's first report is expected at the end of September, followed by an interim report in January next year and the final report in April 2011.

FAMILY JUSTICE - David Norgrove

A former Treasury economist, private secretary to Margaret Thatcher and chair of the pensions regulator, David Norgrove is the man chosen to head up the review of the family justice system.

His panel includes Mr Justice McFarlane, family division liaison judge for the Midlands, Hampshire director of children's services John Coughlan and National Children's Bureau chair Dame Gillian Pugh.

Remit Already under way at the tail end of the Labour government, the coalition has since expanded the remit of the review. It will look at how different parts of the system are managed, explore the use of mediation services and support for grandparents.

Courts, local authorities, Cafcass, family lawyers, mediators and the Legal Services Commission are all under the spotlight.

Timescale The call for evidence runs until 30 September with an interim report thereafter. The final report including proposals for legislation is set for autumn 2011.

EYFS - Dame Clare Tickell

The chief executive of Action for Children will be looking at the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) to see if there should be one single framework for all early years providers, what is needed to give children the best start at school and what standards are needed to keep children safe.

She will report next spring, with resultant changes taking effect in September 2012.

VOCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS - Professor Alison Wolf

Last week it was announced that Alison Wolf, a specialist in the relationship between education and the labour market, will head a review into vocational qualifications for 14- to 19-year-olds, reporting next spring.

Wolf will examine institutional arrangements, funding mechanisms and progression from vocational education to work or higher education, and the role of the third sector.

SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS - Sarah Teather

Speaking at an event hosted by campaign group Every Disabled Child Matters in July, the children's minister said the system supporting children with special educational needs (SEN) and disabilities needs to be more family-friendly.

As well as announcing that a green paper on the issue will be published in the autumn, Teather said she will examine the results of the Ofsted review of SEN expected imminently and other reviews of SEN policy. The views of parents and teachers will also be taken into consideration.

CHILDREN'S COMMISSIONER - John Dunford

The former general secretary of the Association for School and College Leaders has been tasked with examining the powers, remit and functions of the children's commissioner for England. Among the areas he will look at is the commissioner's relationship with other related functions supported by government and the role's value for money.

Education Secretary Michael Gove has asked Dunford to update him on the review's progress in mid-October and provide a full report by the end of November.

SOCIAL MOBILITY - Alan Milburn

Having published a report under the Labour government on social mobility in this country, former Labour MP Alan Milburn has now been courted by the coalition government.

He was appointed in August to review the effectiveness of the government's approach to increasing social mobility, and the contribution of actions undertaken by employers and other non-government organisations. He is expected to build on his previous work as chair of the panel on fair access to the professions and will report to parliament annually.