ABSTRACT
This chapter gives a wide range of duties and powers aimed at supporting the family and ensuring that children can be brought up at home. It aims to unify and rationalize the law, and to encourage greater 'take-up' of services by emphasizing their positive benefits and advantages, and role in keeping families together. Local authorities have a general duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children within their area who are in need and so far as is consistent with that duty, promote their upbringing by their families, by providing a range and level of services appropriate to their needs. Publicity material is expected to be sensitively presented, jargon free, clear and accessible to all groups in the community. It should also take account of linguistic and cultural factors and the needs of people with communication difficulties. Local authorities have discretion to provide accommodation for other children in their area if it would safeguard and promote their welfare.
