The failings in the Baby P case were caused by staff shortages, poor recruitment and a lack of awareness and communication among medical staff, a watchdog report has found
GPs and health professionals must do more to spot potential child abuse in the wake of the Baby Peter case, two government ministers have told a Commons committee
Northern Ireland’s Child Support Agency had a gross debt of £82.6m in 2007/08, the Northern Ireland Audit Office’s annual report has revealed. Of this, £35.7m was collectable, a rise from £29.9m the...
The funding system for activities designed to keep teenagers away from a life of crime has been condemned as a ‘dog’s breakfast’ by the local government watchdog
Being born poor and disadvantaged is still the major block to success in later life, according to the Social Mobility Commission set up by Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg
The Prince’s Trust has called for greater mental health support for young people after a poll showed that one in ten young adults said they felt life was meaningless
Refocusing public services to raise the aspirations of young people in deprived communities will form a major part of government social policy in 2009, according to the Cabinet Office
Ofsted’s chief inspector Christine Gilbert has denied that the false information that misled the inspectorate about children’s services at Haringey could be widespread
The government should move away from pilot schemes and short-term funding packages in its attempts to improve outcomes for vulnerable children, a research centre has said
A national advisory council is to be established to ensure the recommendations of a review of child and adolescent mental health services are implemented
Disadvantaged children continue to do less well at school, the education and children’s services watchdog has said, as it warned of a strong link between deprivation and quality of services
Inadequate careers advice and entrenched social divisions are stopping bright children from poor backgrounds from going to university, an education charity said this week.
In renewed unrest over public sector pay, NHS unions have called for their three-year deal to be 'reopened', while teachers are waiting to find out whether they will join civil servants on strike.
The UK's strict school testing regime has helped put British children at the bottom of international learning and wellbeing league tables. So ministers' U-turn on Sats is a welcome change of...
The government has insisted the role of children's trusts will be clarified and strengthened after the Audit Commission said they had yet to show a positive impact and had led to confusion.
The social care watchdog has called for a clearer and simpler framework for deciding who should be at the front of the queue for publicly funded services, and a national formula to underpin...
Scottish Finance Secretary John Swinney has promised a council tax freeze in Scotland for the second successive year despite local authority fears about new financial pressures