In December 2008, we published Children's Plan One Year On, a progress report on steps by the Department for Children, Schools and Families towards making this country the best place in the world to grow up.
While there is still much to be done, collectively we have made great progress in improving the outcomes for children. The last year has seen big developments in the professions of Nursery World readers, perhaps most notably the introduction of the EYFS. With your help, parents can be sure of the quality of early learning for their children. As we continue to strive to standardise best practice, the EYFS creates a positive platform from which we can demonstrate the hard work and strength of the industry.
There are now over 2,900 Sure Start Children's Centres, providing better access to health, parenting and employment advice at a time when many families are facing financial difficulties. A pilot scheme placing Jobcentre Plus advisers in 30 children's centres launches soon.
This Government has lifted more than 600,000 children out of poverty, but we need to make more progress. This year the DCSF, along with the Department for Work and Pensions and the Treasury, will enshrine in legislation our target of ending child poverty by 2020. However, this cannot be achieved by central Government intervention alone. Your work is invaluable in helping parents back into employment. The risk of poverty for children in working households remains considerably lower than for those in workless households. Those who move from welfare to work are making an important step in creating a sustainable future for their families.
In 2008 we continued to support this with more childcare help for parents, with more places for two-, three- and four-year-olds, and we have extended free childcare places to 20,000 disadvantaged two-year olds.
In December we laid out our plans to improve recruitment, training and support right across the children's workforce, with a focus on the need for a long-term programme of change to support improvements in social work.
We published the National Play Strategy outlining the Government's long-term vision and actions to deliver safe, accessible and exciting play opportunities for all children. Accelerated funding means that by April, every local authority will have access to at least £1m funding to improve and build play sites.
The Secretary of State announced a £200m 'co-location fund' to bring health, education and children's services together under one roof.
We also launched an interactive online Children's Plan village to make it easier for professionals - and parents - to see how all the Children's Plan's achievements fit and how everyone works together.
This just scratches the surface of what has been a groundbreaking year for children's services. But we are not complacent. We enter 2009 with a number of strategies to carry forward, and with the Childcare Strategy due for publication shortly, the early years industry will be driving forward the continued improvement in services and provisions for our children.
The Child Health Strategy, due for publication soon, will look at ways to continue the success of these pilots and extend these invaluable services to mums and young people everywhere.
We have made great strides in improving the outcomes for our children. I look forward to continuing this hard work with you all in 2009.
Beverley Hughes is the Minister of State for Children, Young People and Families. Further information is available at www.dcsf.gov.uk.
