CHILDREN in North Dorset could soon be enjoying a "wraparound" service to keep them safe and usefully occupied from 8am until 6pm.

Dorset County Council is to get £4 million to set up special children's centres in the wake of the Victoria Climbi inquiry.

The country was rocked by the story of Victoria, eight, whose parents had sent her from Ivory Coast to Britain for a better life.

She was tortured, starved and ultimately murdered by her aunt and the aunt's boyfriend in spite of numerous contacts with social services and other agencies.

The child protection system was labelled "blindingly incompetent" at the trial and social workers were sacked.

The death was to change government policy as laid out in the green paper Every Child Matters.

County Hall education chief David Goddard said every local authority had to appoint a director of children's services to span education, social services and health.

His own job would disappear and be joined with the children's part of social care and health (formerly social services) within a couple of months.

"This is the government's vision for the future," he said.

"It's to try and stop children slipping through the net.

"I think there is a need for us generally to integrate our services more effectively.

"I don't think there's any system where you can guarantee 100 per cent safety, but you can set up systems to reduce the risk.

"The children's centres will provide a full range of services for families and young children.

"One would hope every school, either itself or with another provider, could make it available for the parents who want it. These parents would to be able to go to work and be sure that there children are being engaged in worthwhile activity and that they're safe."

Mr Goddard - who would not be drawn on his own future - said he envisaged 13 child centres across the county to be set up by spring 2008.

The government was to provide £2 million for capital costs and £2 million running costs, he added.

First published: May 19