This Act implements proposals contained in the White paper "Higher Standards, Better Schools For All" (Cm.6677). It will enable:all schools to become Trust schools by forming links with external partners and thereby own their own assets and be ablle to set their admission arrangements. Local authorities will take on a new strategic role including:duties to promote choice, diversity, high standards and the fulfilment of potential for every child; a duty to respond to parental concerns about the quality of local schools; cting as decision-maker on school organisation matters; responsibility for making sure young people have a range of exciting things to do in their spare time; appoint School Improvement Partners for maintained schools; provide positive activities for young people. The Act will also tighten the admissions framework and reaffirm the ban on new selection by ability; place a ban on interviewing; and strengthening the status of the Code on School Admissions. In addition there will be new powers: for staff to discipline pupils;extend the scope of parenting orders and contracts; establish new nutritional standards for food and drink served in maintained schools. Existing inspectorates will merge into a single inspectorate (Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills)to cover the full range of services for children and young people, as well as life-long learning.

An useful guide to The Childcare Act 2006 for professionals working in children's services.

Ofsted today publishes the Annual Report 2010/11, drawing on over 31,000 inspection visits across the schools, early years, children's social care and learning and skills sectors in England. Launched by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector Miriam Rosen, this in-depth analysis provides an insight into the quality of those services for children and learners, what is working well and what needs to improve. The report highlights how an inadequate inspection judgement, whether for a children's home or a school, a college or a nursery, can be an important catalyst for change. For example, the total number of schools in a category of concern - that is judged to be in special measures or being given a notice to improve - reduced from 553 at the end of last year to 451 at the end of August 2011. Over a fifth of schools judged inadequate at their previous inspection were found to be good or better when inspected again this year. In addition, schools are now emerging from special measures faster than the previous year - after an average of 18 months rather than 20. In inspections of local authorities'; children's social care, where Ofsted completed the second full year of unannounced inspection of contact, referral and assessment arrangements, weaknesses identified the previous year had been addressed in the great majority of cases.

Bullying amongst young people is a serious and pervasive problem, and recent rapid advances in electronic communication technologies have provided even more tools for bullies to exploit. School Bullying and Mental Health collates current research evidence and theoretical perspectives about school bullying in one comprehensive volume, identifying the nature and extent of bullying and cyberbullying at school, as well as its impact on children and young people’s emotional health and well-being. There are many negative consequences of bullying, and children and young people who have been victimised often suffer long-term psychological problems, such as increased levels of anxiety, depressive symptoms, social isolation, loneliness and suicidal ideation. Perpetrators of bullying also have a heightened risk of experiencing problems such as anxiety and depression, as well as eating disorders and antisocial behaviour. Founded on rigorous academic research, this important book tackles the negative consequences of bullying, and bullying culture itself, by examining the social and cultural contexts that perpetuate such behaviour from childhood through adolescence and potentially into adulthood. Containing contributions from an international team of authors, this book explores current interventions to prevent and reduce school bullying and to alleviate its negative effects on the mental health of children and young people. In-depth discussion of the profound implications of this research for researchers, practitioners and policymakers makes this book essential reading for those interested in bullying culture and the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents.