A poll published by The Children’s Society, as part of its Good Childhood Inquiry, reveals mounting concern about children’s mental health and well being. The Society was seeking evidence on the general health of children, but a large number of responses highlighted children’s mental health and well being, which is an issue barely acknowledged by past generations.
The poll showed that only one in ten respondents felt children nowadays are happier. 

Working across boundaries is vital to the Transformational Government strategy which is steered by the Cabinet Office. Sharing confidential data between public bodies is an essential part of joint working, but there is a high risk of information falling into the wrong hands. In a move to develop processes for joint use of confidential data, ten local councils have set up a shared learning group to refine best practice. 

This programme is now available to view on egovtv.tv, the online television channel for public service modernisation. Alexis Cleveland, Director General for Transformational Government at the Cabinet Office, describes the biggest challenge facing the public sector as ‘moving out of the silo’.
In the interview she explains how some councils are leading the way by collaborating with other councils and utilities and benefiting from information sharing with the Department for Work and Pensions.