§ 37. Siobhain McDonaghTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the Quality Protects initiative. [137673]
§ Mr. HuttonThe Quality Protects initiative is a key part of our programme for tackling social exclusion. It focuses on improving the life chances of some of the most vulnerable children in our society: children in care; children in need of protection and disabled children. On 20 October, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced the extension of the programme from its original three years to five years. The programme is supported by a special grant of £885 million over the five years. The NHS plan and the Department's Public Service Agreement set challenging new targets to narrow the gap in life chances between children in care and their peers through better outcomes for care leavers; higher educational attainment; reduced offending; and maximising the role of adoption.
Although there remains a long way to go, the initial evidence suggests that Quality Protects is beginning to deliver better opportunities for some of the most vulnerable children. 500 more children were adopted from care in 1999–2000 than the previous year—a 23 per cent. increase. More young people are remaining in care until they are 18. The number of re-registrations on child protection registers is down, as is the number of children de-registered who had been on the register for over two years. Children in care are experiencing fewer placement moves.