Every Child in Need - keep minimum standards for vulnerable children

Responsible department: Department for Education

Wide-ranging changes are proposed to the legal framework which protects children in need. Ministers say these changes involve cutting 'red tape', allowing local authorities more freedom to meet children's needs.

We disagree. The legal framework is not 'red tape' - it is an essential safety net for children. Basic minimum national standards and requirements are essential.

We call on the Ministers to reverse these proposals and:
- Retain the focus on all children 'in need', not just children at risk of abuse
- Retain minimum timeframes for the completion of child in need assessments
- Retain the requirement for local authorities to put in place a 'realistic plan of action' to meet children's needs