Child policy review has three strands

The government’s joint children and young people policy review will focus on disabled children, youth services and families and children at risk of low achievement and harm, it announced last week.

The review, which is being carried out by the Department for Education and Skills and the Treasury, will inform decisions in next year’s comprehensive spending review.

It will look at the role of universal services in providing preventive support and the value for money of public spending on children and families.

It will also look at how targeted and specialist services can intervene earlier to address problems before they become acute.

Ministers have asked MPs to gather evidence over the summer and put forward practical recommendations to the review in the autumn.

Labour MPs Tom Clarke and Joan Humble are currently holding a series of parliamentary hearings on disabled children to hear the views of professionals and users.