Please view our "What's new" page for recently updated information.

Children's Trusts are central to Government policy for improving children's services. The policy, developed in Every Child Matters, the Children Act 2004, and The Children's Plan aims to improve outcomes for all children by redesigning services and ensuring active partnership through Children's Trusts.

Children's Trusts bring together social care, health, police, education, districts and other services to ensure integrated, child-centered approaches to improve outcomes for children, young people and their families. All Local Authorities are expected to introduce a Children's Trust by 2008.

In November 2008 the DCSF released new guidance designed to strengthen Children’s Trusts and support improvement in outcomes for children, young people and their families. The ‘Statutory Guidance on inter-agency cooperation to improve well-being of children, young people and their families’ was released along with a consultation on revised guidance for the roles and responsibilities of the Lead Member and Director of Children’s Services.

An information leaflet entitled ‘What is a Children’s Trust’ explaining what Children’s Trusts do was also made available, along with a letter from the Secretary of State on Children's Trusts. 

Kent Children's Trust

The Kent Children's Trust was established in September 2006 with the Kent Children and Young People’s plan,  ‘Positive about our Future’ being published in the same year. The second version of this plan has recently been approved and defines the key priorities for supporting children and young people in Kent through to 2011.

LCSPs

The 23 Local Children’s Services Partnerships (LCSPs) went live in September 2008. The LCSPs play a central role in improving outcomes for local children, young people and families through integrated commissioning and front line delivery. Each LCSP will produce its own Local Children and Young People’s Plan, they have also established their own Local Children’s Services Partnership Boards. The introduction of LCSPs represents a key milestone in the development of children’s trust arrangements in Kent..

Children’s Trust Newsletter

The latest edition of the Kent Children’s Trust Newsletter is now available. The newsletter highlights successes, provides information and includes items on new developments supporting children’s trust arrangements in Kent. We hope you find it helpful and informative.

For further information on the Kent Children’s Trust please see the useful links document or contact:

Joy Ackroyd
Kent Children’s Trust Partnership Manager
Tel: 01622 696013
E-mail: joy.ackroyd@kent.gov.uk

Jill Wiles
Policy Officer Children’s Trust and Health
Tel: 01622 694121
E-mail: jill.wiles@kent.gov.uk

James Harman
Children’s Trust Development Officer   
Tel: 01622 694195
Email: james.harman@kent.gov.uk

Samantha  Hardie
Children’s Trust Administrator (Policy Support Assistant)  
Tel: 01622 696694
Email: samantha.hardie@kent.gov.uk