Featuring helpful checklists, models of good practice, templates and photocopiable resources that can be used in development work, this highly practical book will be an invaluable resource for anyone involved with implementing Every Child Matters in extended schools and children’s centres. As well as setting out roles and expectations, this unique book clearly and thoroughly explains how to: implement and meet the five ECM outcomes for well-being provide extended services and wraparound care work in partnership with agencies and private, voluntary and community sector providers quality-assure and evaluate the impact of provision and care self-review, monitor and evaluate the ECM outcomes in line with national standards and OFSTED. From leaders and managers, to front-line staff and volunteers, everyone will find this step-by-step handbook packed with useful advice and suggestions for further reading, websites and resources.

"This much-needed book examines the implications of the Every Child Matters (ECM) national and local framework for working with children. It analyses the key issues from the perspective of the different professions that make up the 'new children's workforce' and explores interprofessional considerations." "Offering a clear guide to the implications of Every Child Matters for practice, this book will be widely welcomed by tutors and practitioners alike, enabling readers to make sense of the legislation and national guidance, and to understand better the new agendas for children's services."--BOOK JACKET.

The United Kingdom's Conservative/Liberal Democrat coalition government 2010–15 was responsible for some of the most radical changes to education policy for decades. Beyond Every Child Matters provides a critical overview of developments in education and social welfare policy in the years following the 2010 general election. It explores the conceptual background of a ‘Big Society’ used to frame Coalition policy and shows how the underlying spectre of neoliberalism both creates issues for policy attention and undermines ensuing policy solutions. This book charts those changes which have impacted upon education and schooling in England and Wales and is divided into two parts. Part I analyses Conservative philosophical thought and policy discussions that underpin the social, welfare and education policies introduced under the Conservative-led coalition government of 2010–15 and the subsequent Conservative administration since 2015. Part II looks at these policies in detail and concludes with a discussion of possible alternative policy approaches. Set against a backdrop of unprecedented economic crisis and austerity, Beyond Every Child Matters will be of interest to students of education and welfare policy, academics and researchers.

What school governors in England and Wales have to know and do continues to change from year to year. This guide gives them in succinct form the information they need to function effectively throughout the 2007-8 school year. It provides a governor-centred view of topical issues, school priorities and changes in the law, and explains how they affect the governor's work. It also helps them plan successfully their own work for the year, and includes directories of further information.

It is widely acknowledged that family factors have a decisive impact on children’s opportunities in life. Following its landslide victory in 1997, New Labour initiated Sure Start, a cross-departmental programme intended to combat child poverty and social inequality by providing comprehensive family-centred services to children in pre-school age and their families. First evidence, however, points to significant difficulties in reaching minority ethnic families. This paper seeks to explore conditions for engaging effectively with minority ethnic families in Sure Start Children’s Centres. Effective engagement is defined as provision which is accessible to as well as inclusive of users and has positive outcomes measured against policy, practitioner and user objectives. Given the significant diversity of ethnic groups and limitations of previous research, existing evidence on ethnicity and Early Years provision is complemented by findings of a case study on the experience of Somali parents in a South London Community. It will be argued that Children’s Centres’ potential for effective engagement can be enhanced through a) considering individual/ethno-specific factors as well as regulatory and physical contexts in service design; b) well-trained staff and adequate resourcing; and c) actively involving parents in service planning, delivery and evaluation. It will also be suggested that the ability to offer inclusive services is constrained by systemic tensions arising from the rapid expansion of service provision and the underlying target and performance management model.

Incorporating HC 799-i and ii, session 2008-09

The Government launched the Sure Start programme in 1998 to help give the best start in life for every child, particularly from disadvantaged backgrounds, by bringing together early education, childcare, health and family support services. From April 2006, local authorities have been responsible for managing the programme for their area and decide whether to do so directly or to contract out management to a private or voluntary provider, whilst the DfES issues guidance to local authorities and monitors performance. The first 800 centres were located in the most deprived areas, but the Government has pledged to create a children's centre for every community by 2010, around 3,500 in all, committing £3.2 billion of funds until 2008. Children's centres also have income from various other sources including grants and fees for childcare charged to parents. This NAO report focuses on the capacity of the centres set up by September 2005 and the performance of responsible local authorities in delivering value for money through sound financial management, in reaching the most disadvantaged families, and in monitoring their performance effectively. It finds that good progress is being made although the full effectiveness of the centres will be measurable only in the long term. The centres are valued by most of the families who use them, although the early signs are that more still needs to be done to reach and support some of the most excluded groups. The costs of centres and activities vary widely, and local authorities and centres that the NAO visited need to understand their costs better and assess whether they were using their funds cost-effectively.