Beverley Hughes to announce white paper on looked-after children

Children’s minister Beverley Hughes is expected to announce a white paper on looked-after children today.

She will also publish responses to a consultation on Care Matters, the looked-after children green paper published by the Department for Education and Skills last October.

Key proposals in Care Matters included the introduction of social care “GP-style” practices to contract with councils to provide services for children in care, giving young people a veto over decisions about leaving care before 18, and improving the status of foster carers. 

As a green paper, Care Matters put forward ideas for future government policy open to discussion, while the white paper will reveal the government’s policy intentions.

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