27 April 2015
A task force that will help support families is being established, following the recent restructuring of two government departments.
The work will be led by a dedicated director and will support children and their families as part of the Council of Minster's commitment to the 1001 Days initiative.
The Chief Minister, Senator Ian Gorst, announced the decision to set up the new task force at a conference in January which was organised by the charity Brighter Futures. The merging of Home Affairs with Constitutional Affairs is bringing the policy teams from both areas together to improve efficiency and increase flexibility.
As part of this restructuring, the task force, led by Dr Helen Miles, will examine the services available to support children during the critical early years, identify any gaps and find solutions for those gaps.
The Home Affairs Minister, Deputy Kristina Moore, said “I’m delighted that Dr Miles will be leading the task force. Her knowledge and background in policy development and justice makes her the perfect person for this exciting role. The aim of the task force will be to define gaps in our policies and services for families, and then to develop new programmes that improve the lives of Jersey families and simplify the way they interact with government services.
“This is part of the Council of Minister’s drive to improve services while reducing costs in the public sector. The States of Jersey Police have calculated that the cost of dealing with small numbers of families can amount to millions of pounds. By improving the way we interact with families I believe we can improve outcomes for people while also saving public money.”
Dr Miles will assess existing practice and propose any changes that are needed to meet the requirements of the 1001 Critical Days initiative that the Council of Ministers have signed up to.
The work is due to begin in May and will bring together expertise and knowledge from across the States and the voluntary and community sector, to make sure that Jersey’s services, and the solutions they deliver, are suitable for Jersey families.
gov.je