UK Government Launches 'Children's Plan'

Government launches Children's Plan

The Government has launched details of its blueprint for improving children's prospects in life following a statement in the House of Commons by Children's Secretary Ed Balls.

Earlier today the Prime Minister travelled with Mr Balls to the Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green to meet local parents and children to discuss the new measures.

Ed Balls said:

"We have been listening to parents, teachers, professionals and children and young people and the Children's Plan responds to their concerns. Over the next ten years I believe this plan will herald a radical change in the range of positive activities for our young people and a revolution in the way parents are involved in their child's education."

The plan includes proposals to extend free childcare to 20,000 two-year-olds in disadvantaged areas in addition to the increase in free childcare for three to four-year olds from 12 to 15 hours per week.

A review will be carried out of the entire primary curriculum with the aim of placing greater emphasis on English and maths, while all new schools will be carbon neutral by 2016.

Young people will be given more access to leisure and community activities through a £160m commitment to build and refurbish youth centres, while 30 supervised play parks will be built around the country from April next year.

The Government will also bring forward proposals in the spring following the conclusion of a review of the relationship between media advertising and issues such as childhood obesity and under-age drinking.

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MORE INFORMATION

The Children's Plan

Department for Children, Schools and Families

The Government wants to make this country the best place in the world for children and young people to grow up. The Children's Plan sets out how the Department for Children, Schools and Families is going to achieve that - by putting the needs of families, children and young people at the centre of everything we do.

In drawing up the Plan we listened to parents, teachers and professionals, as well as to children and young people themselves. They told us what they thought was working, and what more they thought needed to be done.

So the Children's Plan will:

* strengthen support for all families during the formative early years of their children's lives

* take the next steps in achieving world class schools and an excellent education for every child

* involve parents fully in their children's learning

* help to make sure that young people have interesting and exciting things to do outside of school

* and provide more places for children to play safely.

It also means a new leadership role for Children's Trusts in every area, a new role for schools as the centre of their communities, and more effective links between schools, the NHS and other children's services so that together they can engage parents and tackle all the barriers to the learning, health and happiness of every child.

We are setting ourselves ambitious new goals for 2020, and we will report back on the progress we are making on the Plan in a year's time.

ENDS

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