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The Children Act 2004 (Every Child Matters)
PLEASE NOTE THAT WHILE LEGAL DUTIES STILL APPLY
GOVERNMENT POLICY AND GUIDANCE PRE-MAY 2010 IS SUBJECT TO
REVIEW
The Children Act 2004 set out the national framework for
delivering children’s services, and identified the Every Child Matters five outcomes for children
and young people, which all professionals must work
towards.
The Government's aim is for every child, whatever their
background or their circumstances, to have the support they need
to:
- Be healthy
- Stay safe
- Enjoy and achieve
- Make a positive contribution
- Achieve economic well-being
Challenging bullying, discrimination and harassment is a key
element in outcome 2: Stay safe and bullying also is
explicitly referenced in Outcome 4: Make a positive
contribution. However the impact of bullying relates to all
five outcomes.
The following summarises the aims, targets and
indicators for Outcomes 2 and 4:
Outcome 2: Stay safe
Aim: Children and young people need to be safe from
bullying and discrimination
Key target and indicator: reduction in the percentage
of 11-15 year olds who state that they have been bullied in the
last twelve months
Outcome 4: Make a positive contribution
Aim:Children and young people are helped to develop
positive relationships and choose not to bully or discriminate
Key target and indicator: reduction in the
percentage of 10–19 year olds admitting to a).bullying
another pupil in the last twelve months, b) attacking, threatening,
or being rude due to skin, colour, race or religion
The Office for Standards in Education,
Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) inspections will evaluate
how schools are contributing to meeting these outcomes, and as a
result, how they are supporting the local authority in meeting
their targets in relation to the five outcomes.
In addition to the Every Child Matters
outcomes, the The Children Act 2004:
- Establishes the duties to ‘co-operate to
improve well-being’ and ‘to safeguard and promote welfare’ of
children and young people for the statutory agencies.
- Makes local authorities responsible for
publishing an integrated Children and Young People’s Plan, which
describes how they intend to deliver outcomes specified in the
Every Child Matters framework.
- Gives local authorities the responsibility
for setting up a Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB).
Bullying should be part of the remit of the LSCB.
- Gives local authorities the responsibility
for the arrangements to set up Children’s Trusts, local
partnerships between the public, private voluntary and community
sectors.
For further information, please visit Every Child
Matters.