The review of the Child Care Proceedings System in England and Wales is published today. It was commissioned in "A Fairer Deal for Legal Aid" in July 2005 as a joint piece of work between the Department for Education and Skills and the Department for Constitutional Affairs. Its recommendations aim to deliver improvements in the outcome of proceedings, particularly for children, and to ensure that all resources in the system are used in the most timely, effective way.

Recommendations for improvement fall into five main areas: helping families (ensuring families and children understand proceedings); better informed resolution (ensuring applications are only made after all safe, appropriate alternatives to court have been explored); preparation for proceedings (improving the quality and consistency of section 31 applications); during proceedings (improving the quality of case management); and inter-agency working (encouraging closer professional relationships).

The full and timely implementation of the recommendations made is critical. To ensure this takes place, I will be chairing a ministerial delivery group, which will include DfES and Welsh Assembly Ministers. The purpose of this group will be to ensure a high accountability for progress on the implementation of the review and reduction in delay generally in handling care applications. There will also be a delivery board of senior officials, which will deal with more detailed implementation issues.