Government Policy

“Our aspirations for children in care are no less than those each parent has for their own children.” – Care Matters Implementation Plan

Children Act 2004 > Every Child Matters: Change for Children programme > Care Matters paper > MTFCE

MTFCE is a component of the government's Care Matters initiative, which itself is part of the Every Child Matters (ECM) programme.

ECM was published in 2003 as a Green Paper, with the full title Every Child Matters: Change for Children. It was presented alongside the Government's response to Lord Laming's Report into the death of Victoria Climbié.

ECM puts forward an ambitious overhaul of children's services in England. The government is committed not only to protect but also to ensure that each young person is able to achieve five key outcomes, by giving them support through early intervention where needed to:

• Be healthy
• Stay safe
• Enjoy and achieve
• Make a positive contribution
• Achieve economic well-being

The enactment in 2004 of the Children Act provided the legislative framework for ECM.

Part of the ECM is a requirement on Local Authorities to improve the outcomes for looked-after children. In 2006, the government published the Care Matters: Time to deliver for children in care White Paper, which proposes measures to achieve this. The Care Matters paper emphasise the crucial role of evidence-based programmes like MTFCE play in improving the lives and long-term outcomes for children in care.

MTFCE targets the most vulnerable children and young people, with challenging behaviour and complex needs, who are looked after by Local Authorities.

Go to ABOUT MTFCE to learn more about this programme.

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