DCSF – Children and Families

14-19 Gateway
A new website on the 14-19 phase of learning called the 14-19 Gateway was launched at the end of May 2004. It aims to provide a single reference point for those engaged in transforming the 14-19 phase of education and training.

Adoption
If you are involved or interested in adoption, visit the Adoption website. This site offers up-to-date information and documents, and links to external websites that you may find helpful.

Advocacy Services
Regulations and Guidance for Providing Effective Advocacy Services for Children and Young People Making a Complaint under the Children Act 1989

Area Child Protection Committee
This website provides information about Area Child Protection Committees (ACPCs) and the inter-agency work they undertake to safeguard children from abuse and neglect. The ACPC discussion forum is a confidential and secure forum for ACPCs and their members. Visit this website to read or take part in the forum.

Child Contacts Survey
Here you can read the findings from a recent survey into the level of contact between children and their non-residential parents. You can also download the full report.

Child Protection
This website offers information on child protection issues including news and consultations, advice for schools, the role of other agencies and examples of good practice

Children and Families circulars and publications
From this page you can access published circulars relating to children and families.

Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service
CAFCASS looks after the interests of children involved in family proceedings. It works with children and their families, and then advises the courts on what it considers to be in the children's best interests. CAFCASS only works in the family courts.

Children's National Service Framework website
Will help you to keep you up-to-date on the development of the Children's National Service Framework. On 28 February 2001, the Secretary of State announced a new Children's National Service Framework that will develop new national standards across the NHS and social services for children. The Framework will be based on key NHS Plan values - modernisation, breaking down professional boundaries and strong partnerships between agencies.

Children's Green Paper - Every Child Matters
On 8 September the Prime Minister welcomed a Children's Green Paper Every Child Matters. Every Child Matters sets out for consultation a framework for improving outcomes for all children and their families, to protect them, to promote their wellbeing and to support all children to develop their full potential. A summary version of Every Child Matters can be downloaded from the website. Every Child Matters is being published alongside Keeping Children Safe, a detailed response to the practice recommendations made by Lord Laming in the report following his inquiry into the death of Victoria Climbié.

Children and Young People's Unit
The Children and Young People's Unit (CYPU) has now been merged into the Department's; Children, Young People and Families Directorate. You can still find information about CYPU programmes on this site until further notice.

Children's trusts
Children who need help from social services very often need help from other services as well, but the boundaries between the different organisations - who are there to help them - and the different processes and the different bureaucracies mean that too often those services don't join up. Find out more about Children's trusts from the Department of Health website.

Children Act Report
Download the Children Act Report , a report by the Secretary of State for Education and Skills and the Lord Chancellor presented to Parliament, July 2003. This report pulls together the latest information from statistics, inspections and research.

Choice Protects
Choice Protects is a review of fostering and placement services. The review aims to improve placement choice and placement stability for looked after children. Visit this website for further information, latest news, facts and figures and more.

Family Support Grant
The Family Policy Unit is now part of the Children and Families Directorate at the Department for Education and Skills. The new criteria for the 2004-05 round is now available here.

Family law policy
This website offers information about family law policies and Government acts that have come into force.

Integrated children's system
This website has been set up primarily for people working with vulnerable children and families in the community and with children in public care. It may also be of interest to families and young people who are participating in the process of assessment or planning with practitioners. Visit the website to find out more.

Marriage and relationship support Here you will find background information and funding arrangements for marriage and relationship support services

National Occupational Standards for Learning, Development and Support Services for Children, Young People and Those Who Care for Them

Parental Separation: Children's Needs and Parents' Responsibilities - Green Paper
The Green Paper, published by the Department for Education and Skills, the Department for Constitutional Affairs and the Department for Trade and Industry, sets out a series of proposals designed to improve outcomes for children who experience the separation of their parents. The proposals focus strongly on what children need and how parents can be better assisted to meet those needs during and after relationship breakdown

Quality Protects
Visit the Department of Health website for information on the Quality Protects Programme. The Programme is a key part of the Government's wider strategy for tackling social exclusion, focusing on working with disadvantaged and vulnerable children.

Safeguarding Children and Supporting Families and Grants
Grants to help voluntary organisations whose work supports the Government’s goals for children’s social care.

Sure Start
This site provides information on the Government's programme to deliver the best start in life for every child by bringing together early education, childcare and health and family support.

Teenage Pregnancy Unit
This site is for members of the public and pregnancy coordinators. Here you will find information about the work of the cross-Government Teenage Pregnancy Unit and implementation of the Government's Teenage Pregnancy Strategy.