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The Children Act 2004 is the best opportunity that most of us will have in our careers to transform the lives of children. But while there is a great deal we can be pleased about there are also significant problems.

First off, councils will face major difficulties in trying to introduce innovative programmes into mainstream services. The government has left a huge amount of discretion to local authorities which will have to juggle demands from children's services along with those from other departments.

If "every child matters" is to be meaningful we need a cultural change to raise the standing of children, children's services and work with children. I am not at all convinced that the proposed system of public service agreements and joint inspection is strong enough to break down the practical difficulties, and the institutional and personal resistance to change.

The government has insisted that the children's commissioner for England should concern him or herself with the views and interests of children rather than with their rights, and by allowing direction from ministers the commissioner's independence has been compromised. However, by creating a commissioner the genie has been allowed to escape from the bottle with no chance of being recaptured, I hope.

I'm also concerned for the social work profession. Undervalued, too few in numbers and silent for too long, children's social workers need a big boost from the draft children's workforce strategy in January. Even if that's as good as it should be social workers will need to add their own pressure to ensure that this Children Act is more successful than its predecessor.

We need more social workers for children but we won't get them until they are better paid. Nationally and locally it's vital that the profession starts to press politicians for real change.

I don't believe that we'll see a transformation of children's services without huge pressure and committed advocacy from the front line. However, we also need much better support from the public to demand better services. A public campaign that forces politicians to respond is vital if the Act is to work.

Hilton Dawson is a qualified social worker and MP for Lancaster & Wyre