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<p>The Government’s statutory guidance <em>Working Together to Safeguard Children</em>,
revised last year, is crystal clear about the importance that we attach to preventative
services. Providing help early, before issues and problems escalate, is more effective
in promoting the welfare of children than reacting later.</p><p> </p><p>The <em>Working
Together </em>guidance sets out that local agencies should work together to put processes
in place for the effective assessment of the needs of individual children who may
benefit from early help services. It is right that decisions about the provision of
services, including preventative, early help services, are taken locally by agencies
that are best placed to plan provision, taking account of local needs and circumstances.</p><p>
</p><p>Through the Children and Social Work Bill, the Government is introducing a
stronger but more flexible statutory framework that will support local partners to
work together more effectively to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and
young people. The new framework will allow the safeguarding partners – namely health
services, the police and the local authority – much greater freedom to make decisions
themselves as to who they work with and how best to arrange their services to improve
the outcomes for children in their area. The new arrangements are based on the findings
of the Wood Review, published in May 2016, which included extensive consultation with
the sector.</p><p> </p><p>In 2013 the government set up the Early Intervention Foundation,
funded by the Department for Education, the Department for Work and Pensions, the
Department of Health, and the Department for Communities and Local Government. It
operates independently of central government, to establish a robust evidence base
for what approaches work best in early intervention and to support commissioners in
implementing early intervention programmes and practice in their local areas.</p><p>
</p><p>The Government is also setting up a new What Works Centre for children’s social
care. The What Works Centre will focus on improving outcomes for our most vulnerable
children and their families. It will identify best practice in supporting children
suffering from, or at risk of, abuse and/or neglect. The WWC will be able to build
a truly comprehensive picture of what excellence looks like by looking at both effective
interventions and practice systems. We expect the WWC to work in close partnership
with the sector and bring new and innovative approaches to gathering, disseminating
and embedding its findings, drawing on lessons from a wide range of interventions
– including reviews of serious cases and our Children’s Social Care Innovation Programme.</p><p>
</p><p>Over the last two years the Government has invested over £100 million in 53
projects through the Children’s Social Care Innovation Programme. The programme is
supporting local authorities and other organisations to develop new approaches in
children’s social care, including preventing child maltreatment. In April this year
we committed a further £200m to support innovation and improvement over the next four
years.</p>
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