Search Results

Found 1,055 results for .

North Wales scandals must produce legacy of listening

    Opinion
  • Tuesday, November 26, 2013
  • | CYP Now
Listening to children and young people has never been more important. The need for strong leadership and vision, coupled with a cross-party approach to children and young people's services, is crucial. That was my message to the National Assembly for Wales' children and young people committee as I outlined my annual report for 2012/13 and reflected on the work of my office during the past 12 months.

Blame games make the job of a DCS untenable

    Opinion
  • Tuesday, October 15, 2013
  • | CYP Now
Last Friday, the Reading Post published a story about how children's services in the town received only one application for each of the three senior social worker jobs it advertised. On the same day, the Coventry Telegraph reported that 30 demonstrators had gathered outside the city's town hall calling for more action to be taken against the agencies involved in the Daniel Pelka case.

Lobbying bill must remove gag on children's charities

    Opinion
  • Monday, September 2, 2013
  • | CYP Now
When he was leader of the opposition, David Cameron famously proclaimed that lobbying was "the next big scandal waiting to happen". Cue several undercover sting operations where journalists passed themselves off as lobbyists representing commercial interests to expose politicians accepting cash in return for using their political influence. Cameron waited. It happened.

Named person proposals open up a can of worms

    Opinion
  • Monday, September 2, 2013
  • | CYP Now
The Daily Express (Scotland) proclaimed: "Hundreds of parents have already signed an online petition demanding the Big Brother-style proposals are ditched." The Faculty of Advocates said the proposal has "the potential to be used to undermine families". The Law Society of Scotland warned it amounted to "disproportionate state interference" because it could conflict with the right to respect for private and family life as set out in the European Convention on Human Rights.

Government must play fair on antisocial behaviour

    Opinion
  • Tuesday, August 6, 2013
  • | CYP Now
Events all over the country this week will see children and young people playing in the streets, playgrounds and parks in celebration of National Play Day. Much fun will be had and, at the same time, I predict a right old racket will be made.

Resilience prevails amid Osborne's bleak choices

    Opinion
  • Tuesday, December 11, 2012
  • | CYP Now
Like a piercing, bitter English winter, Chancellor George Osbourne's "autumn statement" was eye-wateringly harsh. It is, without doubt, children and young people growing up in the most deprived households who are being asked to bear the brunt.

Don't take early intervention for granted

    Opinion
  • Monday, October 15, 2012
  • | CYP Now
When the Deputy Prime Minister made the welcome announcement at the Liberal Democrat conference that £100m of capital funding would go to help nurseries and childminders increase the number of places they offer, it felt like the party conference season was getting off to a promising start for early intervention.

Lightweight guidance puts children's interests at risk

    Opinion
  • Tuesday, April 3, 2012
  • | CYP Now
This government's appetite for reducing regulation, prescription and bureaucracy in services for children is well known. Its desire is, to some degree, understandable. Labour in government did over-prescribe, it did over-regulate and it did micro-manage.

A decent education will liberate children in care

    Opinion
  • Tuesday, April 3, 2012
  • | CYP Now
While I often disagree with Michael Gove on the "how", I applaud his passion for making things better. As he said in his letter to the education select committee: "Regardless of our party affiliation or political principles, we all share a fierce determin­ation to make opportunity more equal." I share that determination.

Unborn babies deserve protection from harm

    Opinion
  • Monday, March 19, 2012
  • | CYP Now
Does the behaviour of women during pregnancy have a long-term effect on children? This critical question seems difficult to answer because many factors will impact on children's health outcomes such as poverty, housing, childhood diseases and schooling.