Date Published: 11 December 2008

The Children's Plan, One Year On: UNICEF UK response

UNICEF UK commends the substantive progress that the Government has made since UNICEF Report Card 7 on child wellbeing was launched in 2007. At the time, UNICEF UK welcomed the launch of the Government’s visionary Children’s Plan which brought together many strands of government policy for children.

One year on from the launch of the Children’s Plan, the Government has today reiterated its commitment to working towards making “England the best place in the world to grow up”. Ed Balls, the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, has pledged a new £200 million co-location fund to bring service provision together and encourage joined up working to deliver provision that best meets the needs of the individual child.

UNICEF UK would stress that in order for this funding to achieve its objective, services for children must be based on the principles of the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). Furthermore we call on the Government to ensure that all those working with children receive UNCRC training.

Access to high quality, universal services is essential if the Government is to make headway in ‘narrowing the gap’ and alleviating poverty in the UK. UNICEF UK therefore welcomes the commitment given by Ed Balls today to improve recruitment, support and workforce development in children’s services. It is imperative that service provision reflects the needs of the children and young people it supports in order to enable them to develop fully as individuals and realise their potential. UNICEF’s Report Card 8, launched on 11 December 2008, particularly highlights the need for a specialised, accredited and well renumerated workforce in Early Years settings.

About UNICEF
UNICEF is on the ground in over 150 countries and territories to help children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence. The world’s largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.

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