EDUCATION and social service bosses are planning to shadow each other as they brace themselves for the biggest shake-up in children's services for 30 years.

Lancashire County Council's director of social services, Richard Jones, and director of education and cultural services Sue Mulvany will pave the way for the change from June this year.

And all officers from the various existing services who work primarily with children and families will start to work together more closely under interim 'shadow arrangements'.

The move comes as part of far-reaching plans under the Government's Green Paper 'Every Child Matters', which became The Children Bill last month.

It will bring in a merger between social services and education - introducing in its place Children's Services, covering a range of provision from schooling and health to police checks.

The Green Paper was written to improve the provision of care in the wake of the death of Victoria Climbie in February 2000.

As part of the plans, every child in East Lancashire will be given an electronic file to better monitor their involvement with education, police and social service providers.

The Leader of Lancashire County Council, County Coun Hazel Harding, said: "The decisions we have made today pave the way for new, integrated services for children to be in place by April 2006.

"We want to make sure these services are provided in the best possible way for the benefit of children in Lancashire. We are keen to follow the guidelines set out in the new Children Bill and have already made children's services the sole responsibility of a cabinet member.

"I am sure everyone will benefit from these changes, staff, parents, families and most of all the children of Lancashire."