Every Child Matters - Essay Example

Every Child Matters (ECM) Introduction Throughout history, policies regarding children have been revised, regularized and provided to the masses in different methods so that the potential of countries in the future can be increase. While performances of students play an important role there are different policy initiatives that have been taken by the government for having effective reach out regarding education. Including masses towards being educated is an enormous responsibility and legislations have been passed to ensure everyone gets an equal opportunity to get educated. Major Reasons for ECM Every Child Matters passed in 2003 by UK for England and Whales has been able to provide the rights to the children to get the basic needs fulfilled, especially for the disabled children. Historically this report in 2003 was passed by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury after the death of Victoria Climbié in 2000 by her guardians. This raised the questions regarding the children welfare and protection of Children individual’s rights. Every Child Matters is taken as the result of Victoria’s death and has been an integral part of Children Act 2004 as well. EMC has works on protected the five aims for the children regardless of which background and circumstances they live in. The major constituency for Every Child Matters has been due to the following major reasons (Education, 2003). 1. Safety: In education institutes there has been almost half the percentage of children in the age of 11-16 that have been in some kind of offence. While one in ten women experience domestic violence, 90% of the time the children are in the same room or in the next room. This creates a major safety hazards in young individuals (Education, 2003). 2. Health: While smoking has decreases, between 11-15 years old by 3% in 5 years the obesity has also increased equally from 1996-2001. The teenage birth rate in the Western Europe has still been the highest in 2002 whereas suicide was still the fifth highest reasons for death in youth (Cale, 2013). 3. Academic Achievement and Work: While the students have been gaining better percentage in Mathematics and English, there has been a difference in ethnicities such as Chinese and Indian students achieve higher grades than that of Pakistani and Bangladeshi backgrounds. Similarly one in eleven children didn’t attend school, or worked. Having this numbers add to a greater number create a major problem in the long run (Parton, 2008). 4. Positive Contribution: Only 14% children carried out any community service whereas about 50% carried out fundraising activity. The contribution of children towards the community was lower to the past 20 plus years. 5. Economic well-being: Children living in low income houses increased whereas the no opportunity was provided for their welfare towards balancing the house hold expenses. Economic well being limits the social indulgence and limits the economic activity by youth. When the data is organized, it can be seen that the educational outcomes are strongly linked towards the socioeconomic factors. People belonging to higher social class have been able to achieve higher grades due to the better health and positive environment (Education, 2003). ECM in shaping outcomes The response to solve the issues in the society through Every Child Matter Act is legitimate to address the following issues of low income, homelessness, poor schooling, parenting issues, and negative factors such as living in disadvantaged neighborhoods. The target changes have to be made to provide both the children and families’ suitable instruments so that everyone is provide an equal stable lifestyle (Haines, 2014). 1: Better Prevention: Sure Start is the process provided in the ECM which has two major goals in the children’s lifecycle. One is related to the early years and the second is related to the secondary education leading till the time of puberty. 2: Inclusion of families: Children are to be ensured regarding their relation with parents. They are to be provided optimal resources so that they can provide child the basic needs along with the love and care required. Their relationships are not being hampered regardless of if they live with their guardians (Kellett, 2011). 3: Early Intervention: Children at risk are to be identified timely so that in that the issues can be addressed as early as possible. Identification of children who need extra help in education, socially or economically have to be put under a classified system. Neglecting these children can be harmful and can lead to other harmful activities (Pugh, 2013). Practical Analysis of Every Child Matters Legislation formed has provided certain steps as the challenges that have to be eradicated. Amongst ending child poverty, having Sure Start, and building stronger and vibrant communities, educationally the major emphasis has been towards raising primary and secondary school standards in post 16 learning. These are done through the following measures (Hanko, 2004). a) In order to raise the standard of national behavior and attendance key workers for every child at risk is assigned under the 61 authorities (Parton, 2014). b) Behavior and Educational Support Teams working with networks of schools have been created to deal with the students having serious problems. c) From September 2003, Key Stage 3 learning in all secondary schools regarding behavior and attendance have been provided the trainings as well as intensive support is provided to 60 LEA’s (Local Educational Authorities) (Kominis & Daudu, 2012). d) Excluded children are provisioned back to school by the Government itself and by 2005 all the children who have been excluded from schools are provided effective education accordingly to their needs. e) Every Child Matters also provides the Special Education Needs the inclusion into the mainstream schools and emphasis majorly towards the Disability Discrimination Acts to ensure these measures is effectively perused (Keslair et al, 2012). Changes in curriculum Furthermore through this legislation in education, leadership opportunities to the ethnic minorities are provided so that they are able to achieve their goals in comparison to all other pupils as well. The major aim is confined towards the fact that most of the young people stay educated till the age of 19 at a minimum to have a successful transfer to adulthood through education. Flexibility in curriculum is also emphasized accordingly the defined groups which can streamline young adults motivation of work into practicality after they graduate from high school. As education plays an important role, the curriculum defined along with adding the young children in positive activities in the society enable them to join hands and make the community better as well. Through ECM, the government has put legally all the formation that protect children’s right to act openly in educational institutes while working and living a standardized life. Having these agents of change, the policies of education have formed a more open minded society in British Education (Education, 2003). Conclusion British education has seen many changes through different incidences which have enabled them to formulate policies for education. ECM has been a major source for providing effective policies such as Children Act 2004 as well. While it encompasses all the aspect of children’s early stages of physical health, family relations and community involvement; education plays a vital role towards formulating the policy. It can be seen through more than a decade long stance of this policy that educational achievements have grown while opportunities amongst the youth have also increased. Information systems have been set up in all areas and institutions with ample funding so that there is a track of educational and social performance that can be measured. Health Polices are revised and multidisciplinary teams have been set up to assist the issues that are faced by the children. Lead professionals are provided so that children can give their feedback timely to keep check over the practicality of Every Child Matters. References Cale, L., & Harris, J. 2013. ‘Every child (of every size) matters’ in physical education! Physical educations role in childhood obesity. Sport, Education and Society, 18(4), 433-452. Challen, A., Noden, P., West, A., & Machin, S. 2011. UK resilience programme evaluation: Final report. Department of Education. Dogra, N., Singh, S. P., Svirydzenka, N., & Vostanis, P. (2012). Mental health problems in children and young people from minority ethnic groups: the need for targeted research. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 200(4), 265-267. Education.gov. 2003. Every Child Matter. Every Child Matters. The Stationary Office. As accessed from https://www.education.gov.uk/consultations/downloadableDocs/EveryChildMatters.pdf Haines, K. 2014. The dragonization of youth justice. Youth Justice Handbook: theory, policy and practice, 231. Hanko, G. 2004. Towards inclusive education: Interprofessional support strategies within and across schools and school services. Education Review, 17(2). Jones, R., Everson‐Hock, E. S., Papaioannou, D., Guillaume, L., Goyder, E., Chilcott, J., ... & Swann, C.2011. Factors associated with outcomes for looked‐after children and young people: a correlates review of the literature. Child: care, health and development, 37(5), 613-622. Kellett, M. 2011. How was it for me? Reviewing the impact of Every Child Matters through the lens of the child. Keslair, F., Maurin, E., & McNally, S. 2012. Every child matters? An evaluation of “Special Educational Needs” programmes in England. Economics of education review, 31(6), 932-948. Kominis, G., & Dudau, A. I. 2012. 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