Prime Minister creates taskforces to drive childcare and troubled families reforms

The government has announced efforts to increase provision of free childcare and expand the troubled families initiative will be monitored by new taskforces.  David Cameron has established taskforces to drive childcare and troubled families reforms.  In total, Mr Cameron has created 10 “implementation taskforces”, which have been tasked with monitoring and driving delivery of the government’s most important cross-departmental priorities.

A total of seven ministers will be on the childcare taskforce – including childcare minister Sam Gyimah, and public health minister Jane Ellison.  The taskforce will be chaired by employment minister Priti Patel.

Its remit is described as "driving the delivery of 30 hours of free childcare to working parents of three- and four-year-olds and of tax-free childcare to support parents back into work and driving further improvements in the supply of childcare".

Meanwhile, the troubled families taskforce will “clear away the red tape to improve the lives of the country’s most troubled families”.  It will be made up of eight members, including children’s minister Edward Timpson, Justice Secretary Michael Gove, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, and Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith.  The troubled families taskforce will be chaired by Communities Secretary Greg Clark.

A further “Earn or Learn” taskforce, which comprises eight members, including Education Secretary Nicky Morgan, will oversee changes that will see unemployed 18-to 21-year-olds given six months to find work or training before their jobseeker's allowance is withdrawn.

SOURCE: Children & Young People Now