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Written question asked by Ashok Kumar (Labour) on Monday, 15 June 2009, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 17 June 2009. It was answered by Lord Coaker (Labour) on Tuesday, 23 June 2009 on behalf of the Department for Children, Schools and Families.

Children: Protection

Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much his Department has allocated to local authority child protection services for 2009-10; and what recent steps his Department has taken to protect children from abuse.
Answer

Expenditure on children's social care has increased by over 90 per cent. in real terms between 1997-98 and 2008-09, from £2.218 billion in 1997-98 to £5.728 billion, equating to an average real terms increase of 6.1 per cent. per annum. The budgets for 2009-10 have not yet been finalised. It is the responsibility of all partners on children's trusts to assess the adequacy of their funding on children's services.The Government are also investing £130 million in social work reform over the full spending review period of which £57.8 million is additional new investment announced on 6 May 2009 as part of "The protection of children in England: action plan—The Government's response to Lord Laming". This represents a substantial commitment to support the recruitment, training and development of social workers and will significantly increase the capacity of the system to implement change immediately.The Government have already implemented significant reforms to safeguard children through Every Child Matters, endorsed by Lord Laming as providing robust legislative, structural and policy foundations which set the right direction and are widely supported. We have also taken action to prevent unsuitable people from working with children by strengthening requirements for CRB checks in education and establishing the Independent Safeguarding Authority, and we are introducing a new, tougher vetting and barring scheme under the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006. We have introduced statutory Child Death Review processes, a world first, so that local safeguarding children boards and their partners look across all child deaths in the local area, with the aim of reducing preventable child deaths and we have invested £30 million in the expansion and modernisation of the NSPCC's helpline services.As Lord Laming's recent report acknowledges, a great deal of progress has been made but we are determined to do everything possible to protect vulnerable children. That is why the Government have accepted all of Lord Laming's recommendations and have set out a comprehensive action plan in response. This is available from the website at:"www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/laming"

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
494 c821W; 280706
Session
2008-09
Subjects
Children Protection
Link
View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk