Quality Protects Programme (Hansard, 6 November 2002)

§ Jacqui Smith

Quality Protects is the Government's five-year programme to ensure that children in need, including looked after children, receive the care, safety, security and chances in life that all children deserve. We are currently in the fourth year of the programme. It has been popular—with local government, with the voluntary sector and with children and young people themselves—and has led to new and improved services for children across the country.

There is real evidence that it is beginning to improve children's lives. For example, since Quality Protects began we have seen: More corporate working across councils and greater understanding of councils' and councillors' role as "corporate parents"; More partnership working with voluntary organisations; An increase in the proportion of children looked after placed for adoption-3,100 looked after children were adopted in England in the year to 31 March 2001, 12 per cent. more than in the previous year and 39 per cent. more than in 1998–99; Children in care experiencing fewer placements-16 per cent. of children now experience three or more placements in one year as opposed to 19 per cent. in 1997–98; A reduction in the number of re-registrations on the child protection register from 20 per cent. in 1997–98 to 14per cent. in 2000–2001; More support being given to care leavers; More councils listening to children and young people in their care; Improvements in the collecting and use of management information.

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We shall shortly be publishing an overview report of councils' fourth annual management action plans, which set out their progress in and future plans for implementing Quality Protects.