With provocative insight and based on an illustrious 40-year career in public office, Sir Al Aynsley-Green demands to know why outcomes for the UK's children for health, education, social care, youth justice and poverty remain among the worst in the developed world. He draws global comparisons and offers astute observations of the realities of being a young person in Britain today, to show how government policies have been shamefully failing children on a grand scale. Prioritising the need to support and inspire all children, including those with disability or disadvantage, and to design services around their needs, Sir Al puts forward a brave and timely alternative for the UK. By building local communities, shifting national attitudes, and confronting barriers between sectors, he presents a fresh and realistic road map that can enable new generations of children to be as healthy, educated, creative and resilient as they can be, equipped with the confidence and skills they need to lead happy and successful lives. A must-read for those engaged in children's services, policy and parenting in the UK, Sir Al confronts the obstacles and attitudes faced by young people today with tact, honesty and compassion, to offer his vision of a society in which each and every child is valued.

With provocative insight and based on an illustrious 40-year career in public office, Sir Al Aynsley-Green demands to know why outcomes for the UK's children for health, education, social care, youth justice and poverty remain among the worst in the developed world. He draws global comparisons and offers astute observations of the realities of being a young person in Britain today, to show how government policies have been shamefully failing children on a grand scale. Prioritising the need to support and inspire all children, including those with disability or disadvantage, and to design services around their needs, Sir Al puts forward a brave and timely alternative for the UK. By building local communities, shifting national attitudes, and confronting barriers between sectors, he presents a fresh and realistic road map that can enable new generations of children to be as healthy, educated, creative and resilient as they can be, equipped with the confidence and skills they need to lead happy and successful lives. A must-read for those engaged in children's services, policy and parenting in the UK, Sir Al confronts the obstacles and attitudes faced by young people today with tact, honesty and compassion, to offer his vision of a society in which each and every child is valued.

The Integrated Children's System (ICS) is part of the British government's long term program to improve outcomes and life chances for children. The ICS is an inter-agency framework designed to hold information about children and enable easy reference, communication and shared access between different elements of children's services. The ICS was developed to support effective practice with children and families and improve decision making and planning for children in need. The system provides a more structured and systematic approach by integrating the processes of working with children in need from the point of first contact through to the final review. This book outlines what the ICS is, how it works and how to ensure that it is implemented effectively. Drawing on the findings of several pilot projects, this book will be a valuable source of guidance for those using and implementing the database, policymakers and social care managers.

Drawing on in-depth interviews with social workers and their managers, and families and young people themselves, the authors of this important book show how the principles embodied in the Assessment Framework have been applied to social work practice. Revisiting the principles outlined in the legislative context and the Assessment Framework, they show how the focus on assessment has affected the work with children, and the experiences of children and families themselves. The authors identify a range of issues that influence the implementation of the Assessment Framework, including the key areas where support and training are needed. They review social workers' and other professionals' appraisal of how the Assessment Framework affects individual practice and inter-agency collaboration, as well as exploring how satisfied young people and their parents are with the assessments they are involved in. Finally, they examine the cost to social services of undertaking a core assessment. Emphasising the importance of a joined-up child care service, the authors' findings have been taken into account in the development of the Integrated Children's System. This book should be read by all those professionals who are working to promote the welfare and well-being of children.