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CHARLES CLARKE WELCOMES MARGARET HODGE AS MINISTER FOR CHILDREN
13 June 2003Education and Skills Secretary Charles Clarke today congratulated Margaret Hodge on her appointment as Minister for Children and welcomed the new responsibilities that have been transferred to the Department. Mr Clarke said:‘I welcome the Prime Minister’s decision to bring together in my Department government responsibility for children’s services and family policy. This move will, I know, make Government more responsive to the needs of children, their parents and carers and make it far easier for individuals and organisations to do business with us.‘By bringing all of children’s services together under one roof it is a clear signal we are putting children at the heart of the services we provide.‘In many local authorities we have seen how we can secure better outcomes for children by bringing the services together under one roof. The time is right to mirror these structures nationally so we can work better with local authorities to secure a holistic approach to tackling children’s issues.‘Since 1997, the government, working with partners in the statutory and voluntary sectors, has made huge strides in the improvement of children and young people’s services. Locally and nationally, the time is now right to bring those developments together to secure better services and outcomes for children, to tackle continuing inequalities and to end once and for all the failures which, sadly, continue to blight children’s lives.‘I am extremely pleased that Margaret Hodge is to be the Minister for Children. She is a great choice and I look forward to working with her.’Mrs Hodge said:‘I am delighted that the Prime Minister has appointed me to this post. I know this will be an extremely challenging role. But working closely with colleagues in the Department and our partners in the system, I am convinced we can achieve an approach to children’s services that provides the best support they need for a happy and secure childhood and the foundations for a successful adult life.‘Lord Laming’s inquiry into the Victoria Climbie tragedy highlighted the need for better coordination of services. Today’s changes foreshadow proposals for far reaching reforms which will be set out in a Green Paper to be published before the Parliamentary Summer Recess. My first task will be to work with colleagues to make sure we get this document right.‘The proposals in the Green Paper will aim to provide services of consistently high quality for children and young people of all ages, wherever they live; to use the substantial investment already in the system to best effect; and to help and empower dedicated professionals across the country to fulfil their commitment to children and young people.‘Locally, key services and professionals are increasingly coming together. At the centre of those partnerships, education and social services are combining, sometimes in single departments. Together, they will be able to provide more joined-up support for all children but in particular those in need, those with disabilities, children in care, and children with emotional and behavioural problems.‘The government is determined to encourage and support everyone involved in addressing children’s needs. To do so it must bring together more effectively policy and delivery responsibilities at national level. That is what my appointment is all about. I look forward to forging close working relations with all our partners in this vital area. It is only by working together that we can hope to deliver the service that is expected of us and that all our children and young people deserve.’Editor's Notes
This press notice relates to England
1. The minister for Children will report to Charles Clarke, who has Cabinet-level responsibility in Government for children’s and young people’s policy and delivery. 2. The changes will build on previous arrangements by bringing together in one Department responsibility for policy and services for children and young people.3. Responsibility for policy for children who need help from social services will transfer from the Department of Health to DfES.
4. The Sure Start Unit, the Children and Young People’s Unit and the Connexions Service National Unit, together with their budgets, will be brought together in the new organisation, as will aspects of support for school-age children. 5. Charles Clarke will be looking at the best organisational structure for these functions over the coming months.6. Many other government departments will retain responsibilities in children’s policy and the delivery of services for children and young people.
Contact Details
Public Enquiries 0870 000 2288, info@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk
Press Notice 2003/0110
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