Details of government consultations

DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION

Consultation on Visits to Former Looked After Children in Detention (England) Regulations 2010; and related Guidance
Currently children who are voluntarily accommodated (under s 20 of the Children Act 1989) by the local authority are no longer looked after following a custodial sentence.  This change of status may mean that this vulnerable group will not be supported by children’s services on release.  The Care Matters white paper made a commitment to extending the requirement of local authorities to ensure visits to looked after children to those who lose this status because they have been sentenced to custody.  These draft Visits to Former Looked After Children in Detention (England) Regulations 2010 and accompanying guidance aim to ensure that this group of children are appropriately assessed and supported during detention and on release.

Launch Date: Friday 26 March 2010
Closing Date: Friday 18 June 2010

Statutory Guidance for Local Duties on Child Poverty (Child Poverty Act 2010)
This formal consultation seeks views on draft statutory guidance covering Part 2 of the Child Poverty Act: ‘Duties of local authorities and other bodies in England’. Part 2 of the Child Poverty Act places duties on local authorities and named partner authorities to cooperate with a view to reducing, and mitigating the effects of, child poverty in their local areas. That cooperation must lead to the production of local child poverty needs assessments, which in turn inform local child poverty strategies.

Launch Date: Friday 26 March 2010
Closing Date: Friday 18 June 2010

Revised Guidance on Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education
The Government’s guidance Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education was published in November 2006 and came into force on 1 January 2007. The guidance is being updated primarily to reflect the changes brought about by the introduction of the Vetting and Barring Scheme.

Launch Date: Tuesday 23 March 2010
Closing Date: Tuesday 15 June 2010

Learning for Young People in Youth Custody in England: Statutory Guidance for Local Authorities
This consultation is being conducted jointly with the Ministry of Justice

Launch Date: Monday 22 March 2010
Closing Date: Tuesday 15 June 2010

Consultation on Draft Regulations, and Associated Statutory Guidance regarding accommodated children in long-term residential placements visiting and support arrangements.
Consultation on draft regulations and statutory guidance which strengthens local authorities’ duties under The Children and Young Persons Act (CYPA) 2008 to ensure the welfare of children is safeguarded and promoted when they are placed in health, education and other establishments for consecutive periods of three months or more.  It requires representatives of Local Authorities to visit the children and provide services to help them maintain contact with their families.

Launch Date: Friday 19 March 2010
Closing Date: Friday 18 June 2010



DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

The Health and Social Care Act 2008: Code of Practice for healthcare, including primary care, and adult social care on the prevention and control of infections and related guidance
The Code of Practice and supporting guidance will help providers of healthcare, including primary care, and adult social care to plan and implement how they prevent and control healthcare associated infections. It sets out criteria that the Care Quality Commission will use to assess compliance with the registration requirement.

Launch date: 26 March 2010
Closing date: 24 June 2010


SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE

National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland: Consultation
The Scottish Government is consulting on revised guidance on child protection, to replace the 1998 guidance Protecting Children – A Shared Responsibility: Guidance on Inter-Agency Co-operation.

Start of consultation: 1 June 2010
End of consultation: 17 September 2010


Draft National Guidance: Under-Age Sexual Activity – Meeting the Needs of Children and Young People and Identifying Child Protection Concerns: Consultation
Consultation on draft guidance for practitioners working with children and young people to consider what local policy and procedures are required to effectively support those engaged in under-age sexual activity, in particular where there might be a child protection concern. The guidance reflects the principles set out by the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009.

Start of consultation: 26/04/2010
End of consultation: 23/07/2010


Proposals for a Self-Directed Support (Scotland) Bill: Consultation
Consultation on proposed new legislation around Self-Directed Support. The consultation will seek views on updating and extending existing legislation on direct payments for community care services.

Publication Date: 31/03/2010
Closing Date: 23/06/2010


WELSH ASSEMBLY

Safeguarding children and young people from sexual exploitation
The aim of this statutory guidance is to support the implementation of the All Wales Protocol: Safeguarding and Promoting the Welfare of Children who are at risk of abuse through sexual exploitation (October 2008), issued in Part 5 of the All Wales Child Protection Procedures.

Start of consultation: 08/06/2010
End of consultation: 31/08/2010


Child Poverty Strategy for Wales and Delivery Plan
The Child Poverty Strategy sets out the Welsh Assembly Government’s vision for tackling child poverty in Wales and improving outcomes for children and parents living in low income families. The Delivery Plan sets out the policy action the Assembly Government will deliver to achieve this vision.

Start of consultation: 12/05/2010
End of consultation: 12/08/2010

Implementation of the Children and Young Persons Act 2008
Notifications to be sent by Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales (CSSIW) to local authorities about children’s social care providers (under Section 30 A of the Care Standards Act 2000).

Start of consultation: 23/04/2010
End of consultation: 16/07/2010