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The department of health is trying to "re-energise" the Quality Protects programme.

Originally launched in 1998 with the aim of reforming and improving local authorities’ children services, the three-year programme has been extended to five years. But Amy Weir, doh national lead inspector for Quality Protects, said although progress had been good, "nationally it is very variable".

The doh recently approved all the current year’s management action plans (MAPs) by local authorities, but found about 25 of the 150 authority plans needed significant extra work.

"Nationally there were 20 to 25 MAPs we were concerned about when they first came in. Similarly, 20 to 25 were, on the whole, good," Weir told a QP conference in London. "There were four or five where we continued to have significant concern."

Most of the programme’s impact had been on children’s social services, added Weir, with less progress generally in ensuring change and commitment from health and education authorities. The programme needed to encompass, and integrate with, new initiatives such as Sure Start and Connexions.

To this end, the government had issued joint departmental guidance earlier in the month on planning for children’s services.

Co-ordinated service planning for vulnerable children and young people in England (DoH, DfEE, DETR, HO, DCMS, HMT and Cabinet Office) available from www.doh.gov.uk/scg/childplan.htm