News

20 Nov 2008 Update on Delivery of Education Maintenance Allowances (EMA) Grants Schools Minister, Jim Knight, has today written to the Chair of the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee, Barry Sheerman, to update him on developments in relation to delivery of EMA grants.
19 Nov 2008 London’s Leaders Work for London’s Children: Our Future Capital Launched today at the London Child Poverty Summit, the document London’s Children: Our Future Capital sets out new targets and actions, as agreed by London’s Leaders, to help address child poverty.
19 Nov 2008 Ofsted 2007/08 Annual Report is now published Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills, Christine Gilbert, launched her Annual Report on Wednesday 19 November.
19 Nov 2008 New Law to Strengthen Children’s Trust Boards - Improved Accountability for Child Safety Plans On 18 November 2008, Children’s Secretary, Ed Balls announced the Government will introduce new legislation to ensure that multi-agency Children’s Trust Boards are operating in every local authority area.
19 Nov 2008 Boost for Child Mental Health Services Children’s mental health services will be radically improved by a package of measures including a National Advisory Council and the roll-out of extra support for children in schools, Children’s Secretary Ed Balls and Health Secretary Alan Johnson announced on 18 November 2008.
19 Nov 2008 National Literacy Trust Launches New Project to Support Early Years Practitioners The National Literacy Trust has launched Early Reading Connects, a new project designed to support early years practitioners in encouraging a love of stories and reading among the children in their care and their families.
18 Nov 2008 New Anti-Bullying Guidance for Schools Launched The National Healthy Schools Programme has launched its widely anticipated Anti-Bullying Guidance for Schools, coinciding with National Anti-Bullying Week (17–21 November).
18 Nov 2008 Children's Minister: Call on Services to Better Support Dads Children's Minister Beverley Hughes announced a 'Think Fathers' campaign to dispel the myth that dads are the invisible parent.
17 Nov 2008 Ed Balls Announces Scope of Laming Progress Report on Safeguarding Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls, has today written to Lord Laming to set out the terms of reference for his progress report on safeguarding.
17 Nov 2008 £4.5 Million for Young Inspector Service Teams of young people will be supported by a third sector organisation to scrutinise local activities and youth services in a new £4.5 million pilot scheme announced on 14 November 2008 by Children and Young People’s Minister Beverley Hughes.
14 Nov 2008 Response from DCSF on Haringey and the 'Baby P' Case In response to the latest developments surrounding the Haringey Serious Case Review a DCSF spokesperson said:
12 Nov 2008 Statement from Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls Concerning the Case of Baby P and Haringey Local Authority The Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families has this afternoon written to the Chair of the DCSF Select Committee to inform him of the Statement he has issued this afternoon.
12 Nov 2008 Government Response to the Haringey Serious Case Review In response to the outcome of the Haringey Serious Case Review announced yesterday, Children’s Minister Beverley Hughes said: "This is a very tragic case that makes all of us question how someone could do such a terrible thing to a child and set out to deceive the very people trying to help.
12 Nov 2008 Real Meals Cookbook Going to all Children's Centres Cooking is a skill everyone should have and once mastered, it's quick, easy, fun and vital to fighting obesity in young people.
11 Nov 2008 Government and Charities Combine to Continue Improving Child Safety The Department for Children, Schools and Families has today taken a big step towards keeping children safe across the country with over £1.6 million grant for practical safety education for children.
30 Oct 2008 Getting Involved with the National Home Safety Equipment Scheme Last year in the Children’s Plan the Government announced an £18m National Home Safety Equipment Scheme to help disadvantaged families reduce the risk of accidents.
30 Oct 2008 Fireworks Safety Resources Available As part of the Government's commitment to promoting the safe use of fireworks, the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) has produced a range of resources for practitioners, parents and young people.
28 Oct 2008 20 Areas to Receive a Total of £13m to Help Challenging Young People £13m will be shared between 20 areas to help them to set up Intensive Intervention Projects that will challenge and support youngsters in trouble, Beverley Hughes Children and Young People’s Minister announced today on a visit to Haringey, one of the successful areas.
24 Oct 2008 Ed Balls Announces Early Support to Keep Pupils on Track Ed Balls has welcomed a range of innovative, voluntary, private and public sector pilots for teaching excluded pupils and intervening early to prevent the need for exclusion.
24 Oct 2008 Commissioning Support Providers Announced A new source of support that will help local authorities and their Children’s Trust partners improve the lives of children, young people and their families has been announced by Children’s Minister Beverley Hughes.
23 Oct 2008 Call for Views on DCSF Website Plans The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) would like to hear your views on their plans to merge three key websites - Every Child Matters, Sure Start & Local Authorities websites - into one channel.
23 Oct 2008 Ministerial Announcement on Safeguarding On 22 October 2008, the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families Ed Balls and Baroness Morgan announced the terms of reference for the planned stocktake of Local Safeguarding Children Boards, a related study of Serious Case Reviews and also that Sir Roger Singleton, Chair of the Independent Safeguarding Authority, will lead a review of safeguarding arrangements in independent schools, non-maintained special schools and boarding schools.
20 Oct 2008 Record Numbers Now Doing PE and School Sport Nine out of ten pupils are now doing at least two hours high quality PE or sport a week - up from just 25 per cent in 2002, according to the 2007/08 School Sports Survey published on 16 October 2008.
15 Oct 2008 Balls: More Parent Power for Families with Disabled Children and those with Special Educational Needs Children’s Secretary Ed Balls has announced a package of measures to empower parents with children with special educational needs (SEN) and disabilities.
14 Oct 2008 Ed Balls Announces Plans to Give Students a Bigger Voice in Designing Ambitious 14-19 Reforms - and for New JCB Academy Catering Just for Diploma Students On 13 October 2008, Ed Balls announced plans for a package of measures to take forward the 14-19 reform agenda, including a new scheme to ensure the views of young people are properly taken into account.
9 Oct 2008 Joint Consultation on School-level Indicators to Measure Well-being The Department for Children, Schools and Families and Ofsted today launched a consultation on a proposed set of school level indicators which will recognise and reward schools for their contribution to pupil well-being.
8 Oct 2008 Article Defending the Government's Position on Smacking By Rt Hon Beverley Hughes MP Minister for Children, Young People and Families
8 Oct 2008 Schools to Play Key Role in Preventing Violent Extremism Schools can play a key role in empowering young people to reject the messages of violent extremism, Ed Balls the Schools Secretary said today as he launched advice for schools on how to contribute to the fight against violent extremism. The Learning together to be safe toolkit aims to show how all schools can help build mutual respect and understanding, encourage debate and provide support to vulnerable pupils.
3 Oct 2008 Update on National Curriculum Test Delivery 3 October 2008 Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls, has today written to the Chair of the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee, Barry Sheerman, to update him on developments in relation to National Curriculum tests.
2 Oct 2008 Time to End Cotton Wool Culture and Get Young People Out of the Classroom More children and young people will be able to go on educational school trips thanks to new measures slashing red tape and giving teachers more support, Children’s Secretary Ed Balls and Children’s Minister Kevin Brennan said today.
29 Sep 2008 Government Launches New UK Council for Child Internet Safety Some of the biggest names from industry and charities have joined forces with the Government, parents and young people to help keep children safe online, Children’s Secretary Ed Balls and Home Secretary Jacqui Smith announced today.
29 Sep 2008 DCSF Update Letter on National Curriculum Tests (26 Sept 2008) Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls, wrote to the Chair of the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee, Barry Sheerman on 26 September, to update him on developments in relation to National Curriculum tests.
26 Sep 2008 London Child Poverty Pledge Video Now Available The London Child Poverty Pledge is designed to raise awareness of the contribution people can make in their own organisations and jobs to drive action to reduce the capital's high and persistent child poverty rates. Watch the London Child Poverty Pledge video to see the difference you make and sign the Pledge to do more for the capital’s children.
25 Sep 2008 New £20M Free School Meals Pilot Primary school children in deprived areas will be given free healthy school meals in a £20 million drive to cut obesity and get young people eating more healthily, Health Secretary Alan Johnson and Secretary of State for Children Ed Balls announced today.
23 Sep 2008 UK Lifts Reservations on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child Jacqui Smith, Jack Straw and Ed Balls today announced that the UK Government is removing two reservations, relating to immigration and children in custody with adults, on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).
19 Sep 2008 Ed Balls Updates Select Committee Chair on National Curriculum Tests Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls, has written to the Chair of the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee, Barry Sheerman, to update him on developments in relation to National Curriculum tests.
18 Sep 2008 New Figures Show Lowest Achieving Children Starting to Catch Up More five year olds are developing well in schools and nurseries and the lowest achieving children are starting to catch up, according to figures released by Children’s Minister Beverley Hughes.
16 Sep 2008 £56.5m to Tackle Youth Crime Across England More after-school patrols and street-based teams to prevent and tackle youth crime will be funded by a cash injection of £56.5 million into 69 local authority areas in every corner of England, the Government has announced.
15 Sep 2008 Keeping Children Safe disclosure pilot launched On 15 September 2008, the Government launched Keeping Children Safe, a 12-month child sexual offender disclosure pilot.
11 Sep 2008 Vetting and Barring Scheme to Protect Children and Vulnerable Adults - Next Steps The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) has written to all local authorities, as well as voluntary, community and a host of other organisations, regarding the new Vetting and Barring Scheme.
11 Sep 2008 Highest Number of New Schools Opening for Thirty Years More than 180 new or refurbished schools are opening this term - the highest number for at least 30 years, including cutting-edge school buildings and Academies.
9 Sep 2008 Free Childcare for 50,000 Families Low income families across the country are to get free childcare so they can access training and return to work, thanks to a new £75million programme announced by the Government.
5 Sep 2008 Update on National Curriculum Test Delivery - 5 September 2008 Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls, has today written to the Chair of the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee, Barry Sheerman, to update him on developments in relation to National Curriculum tests.
4 Sep 2008 Balls Welcomes Positive Report on Progress of 14-19 Reforms At the beginning of a school year which will usher in important changes for 14-19 education, a report by Ofsted inspectors has given a positive progress report on the implementation of reforms so far.
1 Sep 2008 Update on National Curriculum Test Delivery - 29 August 2008 Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls, has written to the Chair of the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee, Barry Sheerman, to update him on developments in relation to National Curriculum tests.
28 Aug 2008 High Standards Maintained But More Work to do - Brennan Key Stage 1 assessment results published today show that standards continue to be maintained with nine out of ten children achieving the expected level 2 or higher in mathematics and 84% reaching the expected level or higher in reading.
28 Aug 2008 Call for Evidence: Youth Sector Support Arrangements – Publication of Findings On 16 January 2008, Children, Young People and Families Minister Beverley Hughes launched a 12-week call for evidence consultation to gather information, advice and views on current youth sector support arrangements.
20 Aug 2008 Huge Success for 'Dragons' Den' Style Projects for Young People Young people taking part in 'Dragons' Den' type panels to fund youth projects have seen their confidence and social skills soar, their behaviour improve and their standing in the community increased, according to a report issued today by Children’s Minister Beverley Hughes.
19 Aug 2008 £4.5 Million for Positive Youth Activities and to Improve Community Relations Young people across the country are to experience adventure, arts, media projects and residential summer camps, thanks to a £4.5 million cash injection, outlined today by the Children’s Minister Beverley Hughes.
15 Aug 2008 August Update on National Curriculum Test Delivery Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls, has today written to the Chair of the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee, Barry Sheerman, to update him on developments in relation to National Curriculum tests.
14 Aug 2008 A Call to Action for the Capital’s Families Organisations from across London are pledging to do more to tackle child poverty in the Capital.
11 Aug 2008 Top Academics & Employers to Develop New Subject Diplomas Partnerships including Oxford academics, British Airways, other leading educational experts and industry leaders will come together to develop the next three Diplomas, in science, languages and humanities, the Government has announced.
11 Aug 2008 From Music Biz Wannabes to Euro-Wombats, Thanks to New Government Languages Campaign A group of youngsters will compete to fulfil their dreams of joining a rock band on a European tour as part of a new £6 million government advertising campaign to encourage young people to carry on studying foreign languages.
8 Aug 2008 Managing Body Appointed to Provide Support and Investment in Youth Third Sector On 7 August 2008 a consortium led by ECOTEC was announced as the successful bidder to act as the managing body for the Government’s £100 million Youth Sector Development Fund (YSDF).
7 Aug 2008 Latest Update on National Curriculum Test Delivery Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls, has today written to the Chair of the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee, Barry Sheerman, to update him on developments in relation to National Curriculum testing and the publication schedule for Key Stage 3 results.
7 Aug 2008 £27.92m Capital Investment to Rebuild Flood Damaged Primary Schools On 6 August 2008, Schools Minister Jim Knight announced £27.92m new capital funding for Hull, East Riding, Worcestershire and Merton - to rebuild new primary schools and prevent future damage after last summer’s unprecedented flooding.
5 Aug 2008 Minister Welcomes Key Stage 2 Results Schools Minister Jim Knight today welcomed the improvements in provisional test results for 11-year-olds.
31 Jul 2008 Video Games consultation As part of the Government’s implementation of the Byron Review recommendations, on children and new media, the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) is asking for your views on the current classification system for video games.
31 Jul 2008 Update on National Curriculum Test Delivery Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls, has today written to the Chair of the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee, Barry Sheerman, to update him on developments in relation to National Curriculum testing and the publication schedule for Key Stage 2 results.
29 Jul 2008 £10m a Year to Train Special Educational Needs Leaders Schools will be funded to train their Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) - the key teaching leader responsible for the learning and support of all children with special educational needs - under plans announced by Schools Minister Andrew Adonis.
29 Jul 2008 More to do to Protect Children’s Psychological Health and Wellbeing There have been notable improvements in how services promote and protect the psychological health and wellbeing of our children and young people, but there is still a great deal more to do, according to the interim report from the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) Review published today.
28 Jul 2008 Extra Cash and More Summer Schools for Gifted and Talented Pupils Schools Minister Andrew Adonis today announced a package of support to encourage disadvantaged ‘gifted and talented’ pupils to apply for some of the country’s top universities.
21 Jul 2008 Update: National Curriculum Test Delivery Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls, has today written to the Chair of the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee, Barry Sheerman, to update him on developments in relation to National Curriculum testing and the delivery of 2008 Key Stage Two and Three tests.
21 Jul 2008 Capability Review: Delivering on Our Mission to Make this Country the Best Place in the World to Grow Up The Department for Children, Schools and Families is improving in all areas and is in a strong position to deliver on the new challenges set out in the Children’s Plan according to the DCSF Capability Review, published on 17 July 2008 by the Cabinet Office.
18 Jul 2008 Consultation Launched on Stamping out Sexual Exploitation of Children Draft guidance to identify and protect children from sexual exploitation has been launched by Children’s Minister Kevin Brennan and Home Office Minister Vernon Coaker.
16 Jul 2008 Youth Crime Action Plan published A comprehensive, cross-Government Youth Crime Action Plan was launched on 15 July 2008.
18 Jul 2008 Intensive Intervention Projects for Young People - Guidance Launched Minister of State Beverley Hughes has announced that bidding guidance for Intensive Intervention Projects is now available.
16 Jul 2008 Sir Alan Steer's latest review of behaviour in schools The Government has accepted recommendations from the Government’s top behaviour advisor to extend the search powers of schools to include drugs, alcohol and other items and will consult on reforming the complaints process for parents.
15 Jul 2008 £60m Boost to Create Diploma Showpieces Ministers have announced £60 million in capital funding to create showpiece projects across the country to boost teaching of the Diploma.
15 Jul 2008 Ministers Call for Commitments to Tackle Child Poverty in London London’s Child Poverty Ministers Stephen Timms, Beverley Hughes and Jane Kennedy have called for organisations across the capital to recognise their role in tackling child poverty and to pledge to do more.
14 Jul 2008 Dyslexia Website Launched A website for teachers, parents, young people and others with an interest in dyslexia has been launched by Sir Jim Rose as part of his review into how children with dyslexia learn best.
11 Jul 2008 School Lunch Take-up has 'Turned the Corner' - but more to do Secretary of State Ed Balls and Children’s Minister Kevin Brennan have vowed there will be no let-up in the Government’s efforts to cut childhood obesity, as the latest school food take-up figures were published.
11 Jul 2008 Success for Family Intervention Projects New research published by Beverley Hughes, Minister for Children, Young People and Families, shows that Family Intervention Projects (FIPs) are helping to change the lives of some of the most troubled families and providing real life chances for their children.
10 Jul 2008 Promoting Free Early Learning Entitlement to BME Families Between 16 July and 31 August 2008, the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) will be running television advertising, aimed at Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) families, promoting the 12 and a half hours of free early learning entitlement available to all 3 and 4-year-olds.
10 Jul 2008 Free Childcare for Thousands More Families Children’s Minister Beverley Hughes has announced local authority allocations to give thousands more families access to free childcare and early years support.
10 Jul 2008 Greater Support for Local Areas to Improve the Lives of Children Children’s Trusts and their partners are set to receive more support to help improve the lives of children and young people, it was announced today.
8 Jul 2008 Government Welcomes Joint Chief Inspectors' Report on Safeguarding The Government has welcomed the joint Chief Inspectors’ report into arrangements for safeguarding children and has committed to responding fully to all the recommendations.
8 Jul 2008 Action to Improve Children's Communication Following Bercow Review The Government has announced a £52 million package to tackle the communication problems that can blight children’s lives.
8 Jul 2008 Family Nurse Partnerships Working The Family Nurse Partnership programme is helping to improve the life chances of vulnerable babies, young children and their families, according to a new independent evaluation report.
7 Jul 2008 More activities for young people this summer Children in 18 disadvantaged areas across the country are to get access to sports, arts and drama, thanks to £265m funding outlined by Children’s Minister Beverley Hughes on Monday 7 July.
4 Jul 2008 National Curriculum Test Delivery Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls, has today written to the Chair of the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee, Barry Sheerman, to inform him that the National Assessment Agency (NAA) expects there to be some delays to the release of Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3 national curriculum test results to schools.
3 Jul 2008 Giving Schools a Seat at the Table Ed Balls today launched plans to help give schools a greater say with local agencies in improving children’s wellbeing, in order to help them to drive up school standards.
3 Jul 2008 Calling All Children and Young People: Design Your Own Playarea and Win a Digital Camera! Today sees the launch of a bright and colourful Activity Poster which allows children and young people the opportunity to draw their 'ideal play space' (with a competition prize of a digital camera for the best one), as well as encouraging them to give their views on play and play areas as part of the first ever national consultation on play.
3 Jul 2008 Article by Ed Balls: Supporting the 21st century school Every head teacher I meet wants the very best for the pupils at their school, but they all tell me they can’t do it alone.
1 Jul 2008 Rural Plans to Support the Diploma get £23m Boost Ministers have announced a £23 million cash injection to help rural areas put in place comprehensive plans to ensure all young people can benefit from the exciting new opportunities offered by the Diploma.
30 Jun 2008 First Hundred Young People to Take Part in New Global Fellowship One hundred exceptional school and college leavers from across England have been named and will take part in the Prime Minister’s Global Fellowship, a program created to nurture outstanding talent and enterprise in young people.
30 Jun 2008 EYFS Literacy Goals to be Reviewed Children’s Minister Beverley Hughes has announced that Sir Jim Rose has been asked to review two of the milestones set out in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) as part of his review of the primary curriculum.
25 Jun 2008 Safeguarding Children - Home Office and DCSF Signal Duty on UK Border Agency to Protect Children On 24 June 2008, the Home Office and the Department for Children, Schools and Families announced their intention for the UK Border Agency to have a legal duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children as part of the forthcoming Immigration Bill, which will be introduced in the next session.
24 Jun 2008 Young People Bear the Olympic Torch of Tolerance Pupils from schools across the country are being encouraged to explore their identity, ask what it means to be British and celebrate diversity as part of the first Who Do We Think We Are? Week to help build community cohesion.
24 Jun 2008 Government Publishes Action Plan to Implement Byron Recommendations The Byron Review Action Plan published today by Children’s Minister Kevin Brennan, will set out key milestones to deliver all of Dr Byron’s recommendations as set out in her report "Safer Children in a Digital World".
24 Jun 2008 Government Outlines New Ways to Lift Children Out of Poverty and Increase Social Mobility A package of new initiatives to help families and end child poverty as part of a renewed drive to increase social mobility was announced by Children’s Secretary Ed Balls, Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell and Chief Secretary to the Treasury Yvette Cooper on 23 June 2008.
20 Jun 2008 Minister Responds to Concerns on Childcare Registration Fees In response to comments from the childcare sector, increases in registration fees for child care providers are to be introduced gradually, and in small increments over the next three years, and a new system of fee banding introduced from September 2008.
20 Jun 2008 Post 16 Participation Rate At Highest Level Ever A record 1.6 million young people aged 16 to 18 – the highest number ever – are now taking part in education, work based learning or training, new Government figures have shown.
19 Jun 2008 Youth Taskforce Roadshows A series of free roadshows are being held in June and July for practitioners to find out more about the Government’s vision for young people, and to hear about practical examples of good practice that can improve outcomes.
18 Jun 2008 Extra Funding for Successful Parenting Services Parenting services for some of the country’s most vulnerable people, including teenage mums and dads, disabled parents and families facing break up, are to get a share of up to £8m, Children’s Minister Beverley Hughes has announced.
18 Jun 2008 New Help for Children with Visual and Hearing Impairments There will be a new drive to improve the experience of children with visual and hearing impairments, Schools Minister Andrew Adonis has announced.
17 Jun 2008 Young people allowed to stay with foster families beyond age of 18 Young people are to be given the chance to stay on in their foster families beyond the age of 18, thanks to a new £5 million Government pilot programme.
16 Jun 2008 Tackling Young Runaways: A Role for Everyone Local Authorities must gather information about young people who run away from home or care to ensure that the right services are in place to help, Minister for Young People Kevin Brennan has said at the launch of the Government’s Young Runaways Action Plan.
13 Jun 2008 Teachers TV Examines Early Years Foundation Stage June sees the launch of a Teachers TV's series dedicated to helping practitioners get under the skin of the new Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) legislation.
12 Jun 2008 New Challenge and Support Projects Areas Announced – Lewisham Successful Visiting Lewisham today to see a number of innovative initiatives and talk to young people, Beverley Hughes Young People’s Minister announced the local areas successful in securing funding for Challenge and Support projects.
10 Jun 2008 Young People Meet Minister to Discuss Children’s Rights Issues On 9 June 2008, Children’s Minister Beverley Hughes welcomed a delegation of young people to the Department of Children, Schools and Families to discuss their views on children’s rights.
5 Jun 2008 Roadshows Announced: Tackling ‘Honour'-based Violence In June and July 2008, the Home Office is running a series of roadshows focused on 'honour'-based violence and forced marriage to develop front-line practitioners’ awareness of the issues, and to stimulate decisive action to protect victims.
4 Jun 2008 £81M to Prepare Teachers for the 14-19 Overhaul On 3 June 2008, Schools Minister Jim Knight announced £81 million of additional funding to prepare teachers to deliver the new Diploma.
4 Jun 2008 Government Responds to Second ISA Consultation On 30 May 2008, the Government published its formal response to the recent consultation on the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) scheme for vetting and barring those who wish to work, either paid or unpaid, with children or vulnerable adults.
3 Jun 2008 Young People and Alcohol – A New Approach Launched in Government Action Plan A comprehensive plan to stop young people drinking in public; help them make the right decisions about alcohol; and provide clear information to parents and young people about the risks of early drinking was announced on 2 June 2008 by Ed Balls, Jacqui Smith and Alan Johnson in the Government’s Youth Alcohol Action Plan.
3 Jun 2008 Joint Birth Registration White Paper Plans to change the law to require dads, as well as mums to be named on the birth certificate are being announced by Secretary of State for Work James Purnell and Children's Secretary Ed Balls in a joint White Paper published on 2 June 2008.
30 May 2008 Guidance on Additional Support for Looked After Children The DCSF has published two pieces of statutory guidance setting out how local authorities should implement personal education allowances and Child Trust Fund account top-up payments for looked after children.
22 May 2008 Radical New Approach to Tackling Poor Behaviour and Teaching Excluded Pupils On 20 May, the Schools Secretary Ed Balls announced plans for a major overhaul of how some of society’s most troubled and challenging young people are educated and how we can tackle poor behaviour at a much earlier stage.
21 May 2008 Balls Puts Quality First as Launch Day for Diploma Nears Former winner of TV’s “The Apprentice” Tim Campbell, education expert Sir Mike Tomlinson and top businessman Sir Alan Jones showed their support for the new Diploma today by joining Ed Balls and Jim Knight on a visit to Hackney Community College.
22 May 2008 Design Your Own Play Space: Ministers Launch Website to Get Kids Views on Play Ministers today launched a fun, interactive website and poster campaign to encourage children to give their views on play and play areas as part of the first ever national consultation on children’s play.
16 May 2008 Childcare pilot projects for families with disabled children Parents with disabled children are to get easier access to childcare, thanks to £35million of Government pilot projects.
16 May 2008 Transforming the lives of disabled children The Government has announced a major package to improve the lives of disabled children and their families.
15 May 2008 Legislative programme to drive up standards in education and improve children's services Children, Schools and Families Secretary Ed Balls said today that the Government's Draft Legislative Programme will help to transform the lives of children and families, support parents, drive up standards in underperforming schools, maintain high standards in the exams system, help children, whatever their background, to achieve their full potential and deliver excellence for all.
16 May 2008 Project to Improve the Provision and Status of British Sign Language On 13 May, the DCSF issued a competitive grant specification for a project intended to improve the provision and status of British Sign Language (BSL) for deaf and hearing impaired children and their families.
14 May 2008 Byron Review: Next Steps Kevin Brennan and Vernon Coaker today announced the UK Council for Child Internet Safety will launch in September 2008, six months ahead of the recommended timescale set out by Dr Tanya Byron in her report ‘Safer Children in a Digital World’.
14 May 2008 Ministers Meet Key Players across London to Tackle Child Poverty London’s movers and shakers will meet Work and Pension’s Minister Stephen Timms, and Minister for Children, Young People and Families Beverley Hughes today to set out key priorities for tackling child poverty in the capital.
9 May 2008 Forced marriage: Guidance for LAs and schools Kevin Brennan, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Children, Young People and Families, has written to remind all schools and LAs of their responsibilities in relation to the important child-protection issue of forced marriage and to alert them to further planned action this year.
8 May 2008 Giving Young People a Voice New advice on how to get young people involved in their school and learn important citizenship skills, for example through ‘buddying’ younger pupils and encouraging them to study or improve behaviour, was published on 7 May 2008.
2 May 2008 Extended Services Week on Teachers TV From 5 - 11 May, Teachers TV will be showing a range of programmes focusing on the provision of extended services at schools.
2 May 2008 New Help for Children who Stammer On 28 April 2008 Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls, announced that The Michael Palin Centre for Stammering Children will receive £340,000 to provide schools across the country with information, advice and training materials on how best to support children and young people who stammer.
23 Apr 2008 Advice Issued for Parents on Teacher Strike The National Union of Teachers is planning strike action on Thursday 24 April. Parents of primary and secondary school children should be aware that some schools may close or partially close.
22 Apr 2008 Parent Know How Showcase Event The Secretary of State, Ed Balls, would like to invite local authorities to the unveiling of Parent Know How on Wednesday 7 May 2008 at the London Studios.
21 Apr 2008 Free National Conference: Schools, Colleges, Children's Services and partners: Delivering for at risk and challenging young people Is your local authority developing closer partnerships with schools through implementation of the targeted youth support reforms? Do you have an interest in improving the lives of the most challenging young people in society? Register for the free national conference - Schools, Colleges, Children's Services and partners: Delivering for at risk and challenging young people.
14 Apr 2008 CAMHS Review launches national call for evidence Jo Davidson, the Chair of the independent Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) Review, has launched a national call for evidence to help inform the deliberations of the review team, and ensure that all interested individuals and organisations have an opportunity to contribute to the debate.
10 Apr 2008 Early years programmes on Teachers TV Throughout April, Teachers TV gives you a chance to catch some of its highly acclaimed early years programmes.
9 Apr 2008 Working together to give children a route out of poverty London Child Poverty Ministers Beverley Hughes and Stephen Timms have announced a new working group bringing together councils and businesses across the capital, which will help many more children out of poverty.
7 Apr 2008 Next Steps on Children’s Plan – Developing the Children’s Workforce and Children’s Trusts On 3 April 2008, Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families announced next steps on the Children’s Plan with packages investing in play, youth facilities and children’s workforce, as well as next steps for Children’s Trusts.
7 Apr 2008 Next Steps Towards Improving the Emotional Well-being and Mental Health of Children and Young People The Review of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), led by Jo Davidson, Group Director of Children and Young People Services at Gloucestershire County Council and current chair of the 0-7 Group of the Children’s Plan, will be collecting evidence from key stakeholders in the coming months.
4 Apr 2008 Young People to Have a ‘Myplace’ to Call their Own Beverley Hughes, Minister for Children, Young People and Families, today launched myplace – a multi million pound government programme to deliver world class places for young people to go.
3 Apr 2008 Children's Play Investment Increased and Consultation Announced Children across the country are to get an extra 3,500 play areas and 30 local authorities will get £2 million each to build new adventure playgrounds, as part of a £235 million Government investment for children’s play.
31 Mar 2008 Local Authorities to Run Connexions from 1 April As part of their Area Based Grant, local authorities will have the Connexions grant from 1 April, making them responsible for delivery of the Connexions service and enabling them to tailor provision to meet local need.
28 Mar 2008 Review Makes Recommendations to Ensure Children's Safety Online Clinical psychologist, Dr Tanya Byron, has launched her independent report, Safer Children in a Digital World, which sets out an ambitious action plan for Government, industry and families to work together to support children's safety online and to reduce access to adult video games.
26 Mar 2008 Children in Care to Get School Pics and Passports Children in care should get school photos and passports, Ministers said today, as they launched plans designed to give thousands of vulnerable children in care a happy and healthy childhood.
18 Mar 2008 Aiming High for Young People Implementation Plan Published The Aiming high Implementation Plan, setting out arrangements for implementing the 55 commitments in Aiming High for Young People: a Ten Year Strategy for Positive Activities, was published today.
18 Mar 2008 Government Intensifies Drive to Tackle Anti-social Behaviour in Young People A thousand of the most challenging young people will be targeted for intensive, non negotiable intervention in order to prevent future antisocial behaviour, Ed Balls and Beverley Hughes announced today in the Youth Taskforce Action Plan.
10 Mar 2008 Kids Don’t Come With an Instruction Manual - Ed Balls Hosts Children’s Plan Debate On 8 March 2008, Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Young People and Families announced the detail of a Government parenting programme to help parents get extra help with issues such as bullying, school exclusions and dealing with the impact of divorce.
10 Mar 2008 £27million Funding Boost for Disadvantaged Young People On 5 March 2008, Ed Balls and Beverley Hughes presented disadvantaged and vulnerable young people with a boost as they announced a package of over £27million of funding and business support for five major charities.
10 Mar 2008 Tackling Antisocial Behaviour - £13m to Help Prevent Antisocial Behaviour On 5 March 2008, Ed Balls and Beverley Hughes called for more Individual Support Orders (ISOs) to be given alongside ASBOs to help protect local communities from antisocial behaviour committed by young people.
7 Mar 2008 Independent Living – Delivering on Choice and Control for Disabled People A strategy to transform the lives of disabled people, including extra funding for organisations run by disabled people, was launched by the Government on Monday 3 March 2008.
14 Mar 2008 £6M for Young Leaders The Government has announced an investment of £6m over the three year period 2008-11 to increase high quality opportunities for young people to develop leadership skills and use them to make a difference in society.
28 Feb 2008 Teen Pregnancy Rates Lowest for Over 20 Years Figures published today show the biggest drop for five years in teenage conception rates, confirmation that the Government’s Teenage Pregnancy Strategy is working.
19 Feb 2008 Language GCSE Tests to be Truer to Life Speaking assessments for GCSE modern foreign languages will change to make them a more accurate reflection of pupils’ ability and their capacity to respond to real life situations, Schools Minister Jim Knight announced on 18 February 2008.
21 Feb 2008 Brennan Announces £31 Million for Third Sector On 15 February 2008, Minister for Young People Kevin Brennan committed a £31million funding boost over the next 3 years, through the Children, Young People and Families Grant Programme, benefiting nearly 100 third sector organisations.
18 Feb 2008 Funding Boost for the School Food Revolution £21 million funding for the School Food Trust over the next three years was announced, on 7 February 2008, by Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families Ed Balls.
5 Feb 2008 Staying Safe Action Plan Published The Staying Safe Action Plan, outlining the key commitments the government will be taking forward over the next three years to improve children and young people’s safety, was launched today.
1 Feb 2008 Hughes: More Work to be Done to Tackle Teenage Pregnancy On 29 January 2008, Minister for Children, Young People and Families Beverley Hughes called on all local authorities and Primary Care Trusts to redouble their efforts in reducing teenage pregnancy rates and to drive forward the Government’s Teenage Pregnancy Strategy in their local areas.
28 Jan 2008 Safeguarding Children Week Starts Today on Teachers TV Safeguarding children is at the heart of the Every Child Matters agenda, and this week Teachers TV examines how schools and other agencies can work with children and their families to ensure that the risks to children’s welfare are minimised.
28 Jan 2008 £372 Million Cross-government Health Strategy A new £372 million cross-government strategy to help everyone lead healthier lives was published on 23 January 2008 by the Health Secretary, Alan Johnson and the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls.
22 Jan 2008 New Chief Adviser for London schools The Government has announced the appointment of Sir Mike Tomlinson as the new Chief Adviser for London schools.
22 Jan 2008 Schools and local authorities told to comply with school-admission law Schools Minister, Jim Knight, has urged schools and councils to get their school-admissions policies in line with the mandatory new tougher Schools Admissions Code.
21 Jan 2008 2008 National Year of Reading On 8 January, Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, joined the Prime Minister, children, writers, and reading champions at 10 Downing Street to launch the National Year of Reading.
18 Jan 2008 Appointment of Chair of Youth Justice Board Frances Done CBE was appointed as the Chair of the Youth Justice Board on 15 January 2008, and will take up position from 1 February 2008.
17 Jan 2008 Hughes Seeks Views of Sector on Youth Support Arrangements Children’s Minister Beverley Hughes has launched a “call for evidence” to gather information, advice and views on the current youth sector support arrangements.
16 Jan 2008 Grants for Hygiene and Healthy Eating Initiatives The Food Standards Agency has announced the launch of the 2008/09 grant scheme for local food hygiene and healthy eating initiatives.
17 Jan 2008 Transforming Short Breaks for Families with Disabled Children Education and Care Services Ministers, Andrew Adonis and Ivan Lewis, have announced the list of 21 local areas gaining pathfinder status in transforming short-break services, as well as local-authority short break funding allocations over the 2008-11 period.
11 Jan 2008 All Parents to get Regular Online Reports on their Children's Progress All parents will get regular electronic reports on their children's progress in future - going far beyond the traditional annual school report, Schools Minister Jim Knight announced this week.
11 Jan 2008 More Support for Young Runaways Children’s Secretary Ed Balls and Minister for Young People Kevin Brennan yesterday outlined plans to help prevent an estimated 86,000 children and young people from running away each year.
11 Jan 2008 New 'Think Family' Approach to Help Vulnerable Parents and Children On 10 January, Ed Miliband and Beverley Hughes launched a new approach to local services to improve support for the most disadvantaged families and prevent problems passing down from excluded parents to their children.
9 Jan 2008 Fundamental Review of Primary Curriculum Launched Today A comprehensive independent root and branch review of the primary curriculum to create a smoother transition between early years and school education and help boost standards was launched by Ed Balls today.
8 Jan 2008 Reducing health inequalities in infant mortality On 14 December 2007 the Department of Health published an implementation plan for delivering the recommendations and themes of the Health Inequalities Infant Mortality Public Service Agreement Target Review.
10 Jan 2008 Award-winning "X-IT" Gang Project Praised by Home Secretary An innovative project based in Brixton, South London, which aims to reduce offending behaviour among young people who are directly at risk of joining gangs or who want to leave gangs, was praised by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith during a visit to Lambeth on 19 December
9 Jan 2008 Ed Balls Announces Pilots to Help Children with Dyslexia A new scheme to help children who have dyslexia, identified through the 'Every Child a Reader' programme, was announced by Ed Balls on 5 December 2007.
27 Dec 2007 Review of child and adolescent mental-health services announced Children’s Secretary Ed Balls and Health Secretary Alan Johnson have outlined their plans for a review of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).
21 Dec 2007 Aiming High for Young People speech by Beverley Hughes Beverley Hughes, the Minister for Children, Young People and Families, has allocated increased funding for positive activities for young people.
14 Jan 2008 Increased funding to help disabled children and young people As part of the Children’s Plan, 53 million pounds of new funding is to be made available to help children, young people and their families.
11 Dec 2007 Children's Plan Outlines World-class Ambitions for all Children Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, today launched the Children's Plan, a ten-year strategy to improve schools and other services.
7 Dec 2007 Safeguarding children who may have been trafficked A new guidance document.
3 Dec 2007 New Home Safety Equipment scheme for vulnerable families A new scheme to provide home safety equipment, targetted at families with lower incomes, will be announced in the coming weeks as part of the Children's Plan.
3 Dec 2007 Consultation on promoting mental well-being of children in primary schools A consultation on draft guidance aimed at promoting the mental well-being of children was launched on Friday 23 November 2007.
26 Nov 2007 Consultation on Childcare Act 2006 Fees and Subsidies The consultation ‘Childcare Act 2006: Future Approach to Fees and Subsidies’ was launched on Wednesday 21 November 2007 and will run until Wednesday 20 February 2008.
26 Nov 2007 Speech about Cyberbullying In an address at the second National Cyberbullying Conference on 22 November 2007, Kevin Brennan, Under-Secretary for Children, Young People and Families spoke of the need to ensure that every child feels – and is - safe and secure when using technology.
23 Nov 2007 Every Primary School to Become a Musical School On 21 November 2007, Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, launched a national campaign to make our primary schools come alive with the sound of music,
23 Nov 2007 A New Child Poverty Team A new team has been set up to drive forward the Government’s commitment to eradicate child poverty in the UK.
20 Nov 2007 New Appointments to Advise Government on Teenage Pregnancy Five new members have been appointed to join the Teenage Pregnancy Independent Advisory Group (TP IAG) which is helping to guide and monitor the Government’s strategy for teenage pregnancy.
20 Nov 2007 Ed Balls Announces £3m for Anti-bullying Pilots New pilots to stamp out the scourge of bullying through training pupils to help each other were announced on 15 November 2007.
19 Nov 2007 Youth Taskforce to Launch Action Plan in Spring 2008 Ministers visited Southampton on 14 November 2007 to highlight the work being done by the new Youth Taskforce
15 Nov 2007 Teachers TV Anti-bullying Week Teachers TV Anti-bullying week starts Monday 19 November, and runs until Sunday 25 November 2007.
15 Nov 2007 New Funding to Support Innovative Independent/State School Partnerships Schools Minister Andrew Adonis yesterday announced £4 million of new funding for innovative independent/state school partnerships to encourage progression to university among gifted and talented pupils from deprived communities with a special focus on maths, science and modern foreign languages.
15 Nov 2007 Consultation on Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 A consultation on the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 was launched on 14 November by the Department for Children, Schools and Families, the Home Office and the Department of Health.
15 Nov 2007 Children and Young Persons Bill 2007 The Children and Young Persons Bill, introduced in the House of Lords on 14 November, fulfils commitments made in the White Paper, Care Matters: Time for Change.
14 Nov 2007 Planned consultation on education for young people in custody Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, has announced plans to consult on the role of local authorities in education and training for young people in custody.
14 Nov 2007 Pilot project to help troubled children stay with their families Families and their troubled children who are at risk of being taken into care or custody will receive intensive support from trained professionals to remain together, thanks to a £17.5m pilot project announced today by government Ministers Kevin Brennan, Ivan Lewis and Gillian Merron.
13 Nov 2007 Every Parent Matters – the importance of parental engagement Beverley Hughes, Minister of State for Children, Young People and Families, has said that improved parental engagement with schools is essential for children’s learning and development.
9 Nov 2007 Cash Boost for Early Years On 7 November 2007, Children’s Minister, Beverley Hughes announced an extension of the entitlement to free nursery education for every three- and four-year-old.
9 Nov 2007 Defining the National Indicator Set - Call for Views The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) is calling on all stakeholders to have their say as part of the consultation on local government performance-managed outcomes.
7 Nov 2007 New Children’s Plan Due in December Ed Balls, The Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, has outlined the Government’s new Children’s Plan, due to be published in December, which aims to drive up standards and increase well-being for children and young people.
6 Nov 2007 Government Sets Out Plans to Raise Education Participation Age In an address to the Fabian Society, Ed Balls, Secretary of State for the Department for Children, Schools and Families, gave details of a new strategy to drive down the numbers of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET).
5 Nov 2007 SEN Week Starts Today on Teachers TV Teachers TV will be airing a special week of programmes, exploring the different ways of engaging with and including children with special educational needs, from Monday 5 until Sunday 11 November 2007.
1 Nov 2007 Speech about Sharing Knowledge and Expertise In a speech at the Royal Society on 30 October 2007 Kevin Brennan, Under-Secretary for Children, Young People and Families, spoke about how the sharing of knowledge and expertise across professional divisions lies at the heart of transforming our public services.
31 Oct 2007 New Quality Standards for IAG Beverley Hughes, the Minister for Children and Young People, has today launched new Quality Standards for young people’s Information, Advice and Guidance.
30 Oct 2007 Ask Ed Balls a Question Online Ed Balls, the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, will be answering your questions in a webchat on Thursday 01 November at 15:00 GMT.
25 Oct 2007 Staying Safe Consultation – last chance to contribute Staying Safe, the Government’s major consultation about children’s and young people’s safety, will be closing at the end of October.
25 Oct 2007 New Guide Published to Support the Transition Process for Disabled Children The new publication, A transition guide for all services: key information for professionals about the transition process for disabled young people, provides an overarching view of all the services that need to work together to ensure appropriate support for disabled children throughout each stage of their life.
25 Oct 2007 Report of the Review of Section 58 Published Today This report, setting out the results of the Review of Section 58 of the Children Act 2004, was released today, 25 October 2007, following an announcement in a written Ministerial Statement.
24 Oct 2007 Help Children have their Say about the Internet and Video games As part of an on-going review commissoned by the Government, Dr Tanya Byron is inviting children and young people to tell her what they think about video games and the internet and how they can be enjoyed safely.
2 Oct 2008 The First Annual Report from the New Ofsted The first annual report from the new Ofsted, the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills, was published on 17 October 2007.
22 Oct 2007 New Training Programme for Teachers Working with SEN The Inclusion Development Programme (IDP), recently launched by Schools Minister Andrew Adonis, aims to maximise the potential of children with special educational needs by offering a range of support and training materials for teachers.
17 Oct 2007 Provision for Children with Communication difficulties – call for views An independent review of the current provision for children and young people with speech and language difficulties is seeking the opinions and experiences of parents and professionals to help build a comprehensive picture of the national situation.
16 Oct 2007 Prime Minister calls for Action on Childhood Obesity The Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, has called upon parents and teachers to help tackle the issue of childhood obesity through diet and sport.
15 Oct 2007 Every Child Matters Week on Teachers.TV Teachers.TV’s Every Child Matters Week starts today, Monday 15th October 2007, and runs until Sunday 21st October 2007.
15 Oct 2007 Invitation to Improve Outcomes for Disabled Children Nears Closing Date The Government’s invitation for expressions of interest from areas wishing to become short break pathfinders closes at 12 noon on 19 October.
15 Oct 2007 Minister calls for more action to build on improvement in early years development Five year olds are starting to show increased levels of achievement, according to figures released today, but children’s minister Beverley Hughes is calling for more to be done.
15 Oct 2007 Increased child maintenance to lift 50,000 children out of poverty Measures announced on 9 October in the Pre-Budget report will allow parents on benefits who receive child maintenance to keep more of the maintenance paid before it affects their benefits.
12 Oct 2007 Guidance published on the National Child Measurement Programme The DCSF and the DH have published non-statutory guidance for schools encouraging them to participate in the 2007/08 National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP).
10 Oct 2007 New investment announced in Comprehensive Spending Review On 9 October 2007 the Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review delivered a £200m boost which, together with further funding of £550m available within the existing DCSF settlement, will be used to accelerate the primary capital programme to renew primary school buildings.
10 Oct 2007 New Youth Taskforce established A new DCSF taskforce, headed by Anne Weinstock, will focus on delivering positive outcomes for young people.
9 Oct 2007 The Byron Review - call for evidence An review of the risks to children from internet and video-game material has been launched.
4 Oct 2007 Children to stay in care until 18 The Government today pledged to stamp out the poor practice of asking children to leave care at the age of 16, before they are ready to live independently.
24 Sep 2007 No Place for Bullies An on-line cyberbullying campaign with the message ‘Laugh at it and you’re part of it’ has been launched by Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF).
19 Sep 2007 Report published on extending the free entitlement to nursery education for three and four-year-olds A newly published independent report, commissioned by the DCSF, investigates the impact and cost implications of extending the free entitlement.
7 Sep 2007 Time to talk The DCSF has launched a nationwide public consultation to address issues facing children today.
3 Sep 2007 Ofsted Shares Best Practice Findings Ofsted has just released a best practice resource Getting on Well to support early year and childcare providers to deliver outstanding services.
28 Aug 2007 Government Exceeds Extended Schools' Target Children’s Minister Beverley Hughes has recently announced that 7,000 schools are now offering access to extended services.
27 Jul 2007 New youth facilities for every community: Ten Year Youth Strategy published Young people will have access to new and improved youth facilities in every community under plans unveiled in the government’s Ten Year Youth Strategy.
25 Jul 2007 £1bn boost for extended schools Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, has announced a massive investment of more than £1bn in the extended school