National Children's Survey

We recently commissioned a professional researcher, Cris Derby, working in partnership with the University of Plymouth, to ask Chief Executives and Directors of Children's services' views about how local authorities like yours are coping with developing the strategies, structures and staffing necessary to deliver first class services to local children and young people.

We had an excellent response rate - 52%. You can find a link to the research report below; it contains a number of interesting points including:

The very high level of knowledge and awareness among Chief Executives on the development of Children's services in their authority and nationally
The amazing degree of progress that has already been achieved in tackling so large and complex an agenda, with very limited resources to do so
The sheer size and degree of complexity of the challenge, and the danger of losing sight of what really matters - making children safer - during the upheaval
The extent of very real and extensive professional boundary conflict and management issues and the need to make sure that key staff such as team leaders and headteachers are supported through the changes and beyond in order to produce better outcomes for children and families

We very much appreciated the time and effort people took over completion of the questionnaire. As well as providing, in full, the results of the survey, you can find links to one of our OLM briefing papers and two commissioned articles on ECM policy and its practice implications. We hope you find these a useful addition to your background material on the policy.

Introduction to the report
A brief commentary from OLM on the survey results

Report on OLM's national survey on Every Child Matters
An up to date review of national policy developments

Autumn 2005 policy review

The role of front-line managers: New Challenges
This article by Daphne Statham and Eva Learner gives a timely insight into the social services view of the role of front line managers, and outlines some of their key concerns and preoccupations as they prepare for the greater integration - and possible role change - that will come with Every Child Matters

All Trust Up (Martin Hayles)
A manager's view of some of the real world implications of Every Child Matters