The Children Act 2004 | Analysis

The Children Act 2004 | Analysis The Children Act was first introduced in 1989 and was amended in 2004 after an inquiry into the death of Victoria Climbie. After the death of eight-year old Victoria Climbie in 2000, Lord Laming was asked by the Government to carry out an investigation to know if new regulation and guidance were needed to develop the safeguard of child system in England. The Governments answer to the Victoria Climbie Inquiry report (Laming, 2003) was the Keeping children safe report (DfES, 2003) and the Every child matters green paper (DfES, 2003), which in turn led to the Children Act 2004. This Acts ultimate purpose is to make the UK better and safer for children of all ages. The Act also created a Childrens Commissioner; putting in place services provided to and for children and young people by local authorities and other persons; dealing with Wales about advisory and support services in regards to family proceedings; dealing with private fostering, child minding and day care, adoption assessment panels, the explanation of reasonable penalty, the making of allowances as respects children and families, child safety orders, the Childrens Commissioner for Wales, The publication of material in connection to children dealing in legal cases and the release by the Inland Revenue of data relating to children. The government aims is for every child whatever their background or their conditions, to have the backing they need to: be healthy i.e. enjoying good physical and mental health and living a healthy lifestyle; to stay safe i.e. to be free from harm and negligence; to enjoy and achieve i.e. to make the most out of life and to develop the skills to become an adult; to make a positive contribution i.e. to be in touch with the community and society and not taking part in anti-social or criminal conduct; To achieve economic well-being i.e. not being prohibited by financial difficulty from reaching their full ability in life. The green paper suggested improvements was into four main areas which are assisting parents and carers, early involvement and effective security, responsibility and combination locally, regionally and nationally and staff improvement. Being healthy It is shown by a study that those smoking regularly aged 11-15 in England has gone down since 1996 from 13 to 10 percent. But obesity level is rising. Between 1996 and 2001 the number of children who were obese having between 6-15 years old in England increase by 4 percent. Young rates of pregnancy were lower by 10 percent in 2001 than in 1998. But UK still has the most teenage pregnancies in Europe. The World Health Organisation published a report in 2002 that UK had the least suicide rate amongst 26 countries, but suicide is still responsible for 20 per cent of young deaths. Staying safe In March 2002, 59,700 children were in care in England, which is an increase of 22 percent since March 1994. But, the number on child protection registers in England have been decreasing as there were only 25,700 in March 2002 compared to 38,600 ten years earlier. Between 1981 and 2001 the percentage of young boys in England and Wales reprimanded or sentenced of a crime decreased from 7 per cent of young boys to 5 per cent, but the same rate for girls increased from 1.3 to 1.4 per cent. A research of criminal and harassment found that 46 percent being the target of some kind of crime in the last 12 months among those aged 11 to 16 in ordinary schools. In most cases of domestic violence where around one in ten women involved yearly, their children were present in the same or next room, and one in three child safeguard circumstances points to a past of domestic violence against the mother. Enjoying and achieving The number of those aged 11 reaching the normal level in English and maths went up by 12 percent, from 63 percent to 75 percent and from 61 percent to 73 percent in English and maths respectively since 1997. In 2002 more than half of 15 year olds got a minimum of five GCSEs at grades A*-C, a rise of more than 6 percent since 1997. However success is not steady through diverse ethnic groups like for example pupils from Chinese and Indian backgrounds succeed considerably over regular GCSE results; black pupils and those from Pakistani and Bangladeshi backgrounds do inferior in their GCSE results. Non-attendance has stayed the same from 1995/96 at 0.7 percent of half days absent. At the end of 2001, in every eleven youngsters having 16-18 years old, one was not in education, work or training and in every four youngsters between 16 and 18, one spend time out of education, training and employment. Making a positive contribution A new research of secondary students who are 11 to 18 years old showed that 86 percent had taken part in certain sort of community activity in the previous year and half participated in raising fund or gathering cash for charity. From the 2001 General Election, assessments found that attendance was lowest between those aged 18-24, as only two in five casted their vote. Economic well-being Between 1992 and 1995, 19 percent of children stayed in working age jobless homes, but in 2003, the percentage had fallen to 15.2. The percentage of children staying in homes with comparatively low earnings decreased between 1996-97 and 2001-02 from 34 to 30 after housing expenses. The percentage of children staying in homes with virtually low earnings fell largely from 34 percent to 20 percent after housing deductions. The Childrens Act 2004 established a Childrens Fund which is aimed to support in the abolition of poverty and economic difficulties felt by disadvantaged children or those whose familys monetary conditions leave them deprived by making sure that children aged between five and thirteen attend school regularly and also decreasing the risk of crime being carried out by these children, so that they can get the best promising start of their life. The Childrens Act 2004 specially caters for disabled children. Local authorities have a responsibility under the Act to arrange for  facilities to children in need if these amenities will aid keeping a child safe and healthy. After the death of baby P, there was a review conducted by Lord Laming which suggested that those dealing with children need to be properly trained to detect any problem so that social workers or other practitioners can better safeguard children under their responsibility. The Children Act 2004 provides a strong emphasis and a new approach to childrens services but is not sufficient in itself. Its application must be part of an extensive progression of transformation, concentrating on results and brought onward by local transformation packages in 150 Local Authority regions set within a national structure. The National Service Framework for Children, Young People and Maternity Services (NSF) is fundamental to this. It put forward a ten-year plan to encourage durable and continual progress in childrens health and well-being. As it is applied by Primary Care Trusts (PCTs), Local Authorities and other groups including other health bodies, it will add to the realisation of the five outcomes.

A Life Ruined by Drugs :: Illegal Drugs Narcotics

Susan is an anti-social, quiet and a kind decent girl.......she is good in her studys and came from a fine and educated family. She actually did not intend to go to the party but one of her best friend insisted.....so she bid to her request... When she reached the party, her best friend when away to find her own friends leaving Susan alone..Due to Susan's anti-social attitude, she went to a Dark corner of the house n sat quietly alone. Not long later, a group of 5 girls came to talk to Susan....Susan was quite afraid of them because of their numerous Piercing n weird dressing..But after talking to them for quite a moment, she thought that they were quite friendly n became friends with them. After a while, they Offered her a drink. Susan looked at the cup and thought,’ it’s just a plain cup of fruit punch.....it should be alright''and without second thoughts, she drank it.....she did not even thought that just because of this cup of fruit punch, her future is all ruin....all ruin...After a while later, she suddenly felt a gush of dizziness...but also Having a feel of being in cloud 9......She asked the girls why she experience this kind of feeling and not intending to hide the truth, they told her that they had Added oxycontin, a drug to let people feel high and get away from all the stress. Susan was shocked at first...and wanted to go home and rest....but the effectiveness of the drug was too strong for her to overcome....so she allowed the drug to take over her....it was not only about her....it also affects her future.....her life.....her actions.... Then, unlike herself, she went to dance in the crowd and was shouting and having a great time....but suddenly the sound of the police siren travelled to her ears..... Soon, in her blurred vision, everyone was scrambling to their feet and forcing their way to the exit.....there was already a serious ‘‘traffic jam'' at the doorway and Susan was still standing rooted to the ground laughing to herself. Where were all her friends? Those who actually the so-called ''friends’’ who brought her in to the drugs world without her aknowledgement?where It was suddenly a total silence.

Child Obesity Essay

Child obesity has reached epidemic proportions in countries such as the United States, and is a growing issue that has profound consequences of physical and emotional development in children. Obesity is largely the result of lack of exercise and dietary lifestyle choices that promote weight gain, and when these habits begin early in childhood they have a strong potential to persist for the rest of an individual’s life. The detrimental effects of obesity have led to a rise in skyrocketing diseases, with diabetes being at the top of the list. Unfortunately, diabetic children are at greater risk of developing high cholesterol and hypertension, also increasing the chances of suffering from heart complications. Medical bills and office visits seem to be growing alongside their weight, due to the major health problems many face from being overweight. Many factors contributing to child obesity are associated with dietary habits, physical inactivity, and socio-economic status. In the article â€Å"Prevalence of Obesity, Diabetes, and Obesity-Related Health Risk Factors† researchers conclude that obesity in childhood leads to both immediate and long-term health consequences, including an increased risk of developing diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, asthma, joint problems, and an overall poor health status. The researchers point out that a third of high blood pressure cases and 88 to 97% of cases of type II diabetes are a result of obesity. Furthermore, their research draws attention to the correlation between obesity and congestive heart failure, heart attack, sudden cardiac death, abnormal heart rhythms, and how high cholesterol and hypertension in overweight individuals place them at even a greater risk of stroke. The authors add, in a population based sample 70% of obese youths had at least one risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Although the research points out a strong link between obesity and many chronic diseases, it is a health issue that can be prevented by encouraging children to practice regular exercise and to focus on choosing healthier foods for their body. The opportunity for children to consume an abundance of fast food than earlier generations has created vast opportunities for adolescents to become obese. The high consumption of sugary foods and drinks with minimal nutritional value, particularly in school cafeterias has become a primary culprit. It is highly evident that the majority of food options in schools contain high caloric starched carbohydrates loaded with tons of grease, oil, cream, cheese, and butter. Tragically the junk foods offered in schools are increasing the likelihood of diabetes and other major health problems, so it is of utmost importance to increase education and government interventions due to childhood obesity increasing worldwide. Educated families of healthy dietary options, and transforming unhealthy cafeteria school meals, will greatly increase awareness and improve the overall health of children lives’. To help address the childhood obesity problem, the First Lady, Michelle Obama has initiated the campaign â€Å"Let’s Move† which aimed to influence healthy eating habits in children by providing healthier lunch options in schools, and to do this she helped pass a bill to increase funding for school cafeterias to replace their unhealthy foods with salad bars. The First Lady also worked with the American Beverage Association to develop clearer calorie labels for soda. There is a severe challenge in low-income neighborhoods, being bombarded with fast food joints and very few healthy supermarkets. Many families are not able purchase nutritious meals, nor wholesome organic fruits, vegetables, and meat.

The Nixon County Park Project - 1595 Words

Nixon County Park Project For this course we received a hands-on opportunity to view science in an outdoors setting at Nixon County Park. I attended a training session to learn more about the practices and procedures of nature education and assisted two grade levels of children that visited the park. I helped first graders on a nature walk and fourth graders on an indoor lesson about animals. Both were unique experiences that helped me learn to become a better teacher of science. On the day of the training session, I tried to use that opportunity to glean as much information as possible from the park naturalists. I learned that some teachers do not take into consideration how much planning and preparation it takes to go on a field trip and what to do when they get there. Teachers have the responsibility to reach out to the location they want to bring their students and figure out necessities such as lunches and where to put them, locations of bathrooms, and how to use their time. Teachers should attempt to be as organized as possible because then students will have more time to maximize learning opportunities. The naturalists explained practices they have seen good teachers use such as brightly colored name tags or t-shirts to identify children, placing students into groups before getting to the park, and simply setting clear expectations for student behavior. Teachers should make students aware ahead of time that classroom rules still apply outdoors. On my first visit, IShow MoreRelatedCentral Land Issues Of The United States1592 Words   |  7 Pagesof pollution. Leading to many initiatives, one of the most important initiatives was the formalization of the national environmental movement. The first world Earth day was started on April 22, 1970. The US Congress during the presidency of Richard Nixon responded to the change by creating two important federal agencies. 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