Green paper given a radical overhaul

Civil servants were ordered to rewrite the looked-after children green paper because it was not radical enough, it has been claimed.

Labour MP David Kidney said education secretary Alan Johnson ordered the change after taking over the post from Ruth Kelly in May.

Kidney, who chairs the associate parliamentary group for children in and leaving care, has written to the minister calling for the paper to deliver consistent funding, improved educational achievement and health outcomes, and funding to allow children to remain in foster placements beyond 16.

He also urged involvement of young people in services and said Johnson may look to improve looked-after children’s access to computers.