Children’s Services & Independent Schools
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Regulations relating to Children’s Services and Independent Schools ensure that children, including the most vulnerable, are protected and supported. They make clear the rights, responsibilities and priorities of those providing services. We will continue to use regulation to ensure the protection of children. But we must also be sure that regulations aren’t getting in the way of providing innovative and flexible support which meets the needs of children and families.
Regulation plays a vital role in making sure that people caring for children know what to do to keep children safe and enable them to learn and develop. It also helps children and families to know what they should expect. We also know that regulations can get in the way of doing the right thing for children. Unnecessary paperwork can divert the time and attention of staff from their main task of supporting children and families and helping them to learn and progress.
That is why we have already carried out reviews of many of the services which are provided for children and families, and the associated regulations. You can find out more about these on the DfE website. We want to know whether the changes we have already made are working, or if you have other ideas about how to make our regulations more workable.
Adoption
These regulations are about the adoption of children within England and from overseas.
Looked After Children
These regulations are about the care of children in foster homes and children’s homes.
Safeguarding
These regulations are about the protection of children in specific circumstances, such as child performers, and private fostering.
Special Educational Needs
These regulations are about arranging provision for children with special educational needs.
Childcare & Early Years
These regulations are about making sure children are able to learn and develop well and are also safe, while in early education and childcare.
Independent Schools
These regulations are about making sure that registered independent schools offer pupils a safe and secure learning environment and appropriate learning opportunities.
Separately, we continue to cut regulations and burdens affecting children in maintained schools so that schools can focus on teaching. You can find out more about this here http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/toolsandinitiatives/cuttingburdens.
This site is designed to promote open discussion of ways in which the aims of existing regulation can be fulfilled in the least burdensome way possible. The presence of a particular regulation or law on this website should not be read as implying any intention on the part of the Government to remove that regulation or law from the statute book. The purpose of this exercise is to open government up to the public.
