Applicable to: England

Following the Green Paper Every Child Matters’ publication (HM Government 2003), the Every Child Matters: Change for Children Programme (led by the Department for Education and Skills) entered a consultation process.  It highlighted that the aims of the Green Paper were strongly supported across the different sectors (DfES 2004).

The Department for Education and Skills et al. (DfES et al. 2005) have outlinted the Government's strategy of linking the delivery of Every Child Matters to the Drug Strategy by developing universal, targeted and specialist services to prevent drug harm and to ensure that children and young people are able to reach their potential.  The approach has three main objectives.

• Reforming delivery and strengthening accountability.
• Ensuring provision is built around the needs of vulnerable children and young people through a greater focus on prevention and early intervention by all agencies providing services for children.
• Building service and workforce capacity.

This is a joint approach between the DfES, the Home Office and the Department of Health, which is to be implemented nationally.  Locally, Local Authorities are expected to progress towards meeting the required objectives.  It also requires Drug (and Alcohol) Action Teams (D(A)ATs) and Directors of Children’s Services to agree priorities and set targets with respect to young people.  These will be included in the Children and Young People’s Plan to be produced in 2006.  Following the establishment of this joint approach, the Young People’s Substance Misuse Grant (YPSMG) was agreed in 2004.  It will be used to develop drug intervention programmes for young people.

Joint teams (including Government Office drug and crime teams, DfES, Youth Justice Board, National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse, Public Health and various regional bodies) based at Government Offices will help local areas implement this approach (DfES et al. 2005).  They will identify local problems and challenges, provide performance management and interventions, and negotiate local targets.

References
DfES (Department for Education and Skills) (2004). Every child matters: next steps. DfES, London. (Please click her to access the report online.)

DfES (Department for Education and Skills), Home Office, and DH (Department of Health) (2005). Every child matters: change for children, young people and drugs. DfES, Home Office and DH, London. (Please click here to access the report online.)

HM (Her Majesty’s) Government (2003). Every child matters Cm 5860. The Stationery Office, London. (Please click here to access this Paper online.)

Related glossary entries
Children and Young People’s Plan
Drug (and Alcohol) Action Teams (D(A)ATs) 
Drug Strategy - England
Every Child Matters 
Green Paper 
Young People’s Substance Misuse Grant (YPSMG) 
Youth Matters

Relevant websites
The Every Child Matters' homepage