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The Department of Health has distanced itself from reports that private sector agencies will be responsible for the children's trusts announced in last month's spending review.

The spending review white paper Opportunity and Security for All said the government would "pilot children's trusts which will unify at the local level the various agencies involved in providing services to children". A DoH spokesperson said pilot schemes would become operational at the end of 2003. "Children's trusts will enable local partners to jointly plan, commission and deliver services for children," she said. "We do not want to dictate the coverage of trusts - local partners will need to look at what works for local communities."

The government said that trusts could include services for disabled children, children with special education needs, child protection services, services for children at risk, speech and language therapy services, and mental health services.

But it has left the door open for partnerships in any area "where social care, health and education services need to work together".

Although health minister Jacqui Smith is believed to want trusts to remain under the control of elected councillors, she is reported to be facing pressure from the Cabinet to delegate responsibility for child welfare to management teams drawn from the private sector.

"There is likely to be a role for the private sector but I don't think that we are considering handing the trusts over to the private sector," the DoH spokesperson said.

Despite surprise in the sector that plans were being drawn up before the publication of Lord Laming's recommendations from the Victoria Climbie Inquiry, the proposals have been generally welcomed.

Liz Atkins, head of policy for the NSPCC, said the trusts echoed the multi-agency teams called for by the charity, although did not appear to include a role for the police.

Clem Henricson, policy and resource manager at the National Family and Parenting Institute, said: "The trusts would lead to stronger accountability as partnerships would have a legal requirement to work together."

The NFPI would like to see the partnerships become a statutory requirement, as a voluntary scheme would not be adopted in areas where problems with joint working arise.

In a report published last week, the NFPI called for planning for children's services and family services to be merged.

The aim - which appears to complement the government's plans for children's trusts - would be to create a broad service that would provide support throughout a child's development in and outside the family.

The Future for Family Services in England and Wales: Consultation responses to the Mapping Report from 020 7424 3471 and www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/Spending_Review