Health strategy published

The DCSF and the Department of Health have published a joint strategy Healthy lives, brighter future: the strategy for children and young people's health, which presents the Government's vision for children and young people's health and wellbeing. It includes plans to build on progress through: world-class outcomes; high quality services; excellent experience in using those services; and minimising health inequalities. The announcement includes £340 million to support children with disabilities and their families.

http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_094400

Leadership and management training for youth workforce

Commissioned by the Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC) as part of the Youth Workforce Reform Programme, a consortium led by FPM Training has been appointed to deliver a national programme of skills and training for the youth workforce to develop the leadership and management skills of services for young people. A third of the 5000+ funded places have been reserved for those working in the voluntary sector. The programme starts in March 2009.

http://fpmonline.rve.mmtdigital.co.uk/Markets/Childrens-Workforce-Development.aspx

Action plan for the third sector

The Office of the Third Sector has published the action plan - Real help for communities: Volunteers, Charities and Social Enterprises - pledging £42.5 million to help the sector deliver extra help during the global economic downturn. The measures include support for a volunteer brokerage scheme, resilience funding for communities most at risk of increased deprivation and help with the cost of mergers, partnerships and moves. The plan also includes an investment in the School for Social Entrepreneurs and a national campaign to raise awareness of the Government's commitment to pay all invoices within 10 days, which will improve cash flow for small organisations.

http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/third_sector/real_help_for_communities.aspx

Changes to the Grassroots Grants programme

In response to the challenges of the current economic climate and representations from the sector, the Minister for the Third Sector Kevin Brennan, has announced two key changes to the Grasssroots Grants programme: to allow donations raised in every area of the country to be matched on a £ for £ basis up to the existing allocation; and to extend the eligibility criteria for small local organisations to those with a threshold of £30k per annum.

http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/third_sector/news/news_stories/090210_grassroots.aspx

Support for local organisations

Further to the announcement of Government's action plan for third sector organisations, Capacitybuilders has confirmed details of £1m of investment that will be distributed to local support organisations as an immediate response to address the impacts of the recession.

http://www.capacitybuilders.org.uk/detail/Capacitybuilders_confirm_details_of_immediate_1m_funding_package_for_third_sector_recession_proofing_measures/99/255.aspx

Engaging Young People: Local Authority Youth Work 2005-2008

Ofsted is publishing a national youth work report which draws on the evidence gathered since September 2005, the period during which youth work inspections were carried out as part of the joint area review programme. The report will comment on young people's achievement, the role of the youth worker, leadership and management and the place of youth work in the effective delivery of integrated young people's services. It will be launched at a national conference on Wednesday 25 March in central London and NCVYS has one spot open for a representative from a member organisation. Please email faiza@ncvys.org.uk as soon as possible if you are interested in attending.

Ofsted consultation results

Ofsted has published the results of its consultation on new proposals for assessing local authority children's services and inspecting safeguarding and services for looked after children from April 2009.  The proposals form part of Ofsted's contribution to the new Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA), which will look at how effective and efficient local public bodies are and how they are working together to tackle local priorities and improve outcomes for local people.

http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/Ofsted-home/News/News-Archive/2009/February/Results-of-Ofsted-consultation-on-new-local-authority-children-s-services-inspection-proposals

CAA - assessing children's services

Ofsted has published the framework for the new Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA) system. Also available is a Comprehensive Area Assessment: assessing children's services and adult learning which sets out Ofsted's contribution to CAA. CAA provides a new way of assessing how effective and efficient local public bodies are and how they are working together to tackle local priorities. The Audit Commission has been working with Ofsted and five other inspectorates to develop CAA which will begin in April 2009.

http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/Ofsted-home/News/News-Archive/2009/February/New-local-authority-s-assessment-framework-launched

LSC event on working with the third sector

The Learning and Skills Council is organising a free event on ‘Working Together with the third sector: Five years on from the launch of the LSC strategy'. The event on 17 March in London will include an update on the implications of transferring from the Learning and Skills Council to the Young Peoples Learning Agency and the Skills Funding Agency from 2010. Third sector umbrella or infrastructure organisations are invited to attend as well as any national third sector organisations to whom this agenda might apply. The deadline for bookings is 20 February 2009. For more information contact Barbara Watts on 024 76 823655 or barbara.watts@lsc.gov.uk 

LOtC Quality Badge scheme now live

The new Learning Outside the Classroom (LOtC) Quality Badge, developed by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom, is now live. The LOtC Quality Badge scheme was launched on 2 October 2008 and the first Quality Badges have been announced. Organisations that provide Learning Outside the Classroom experiences for schools and others: Early Years, and youth groups for example, can find out all about the Quality Badge online including the application criteria and the Classroom Manifesto.

http://www.lotcqualitybadge.org.uk/home

http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/pns/DisplayPN.cgi?pn_id=2009_0033

Partnership solutions to the recession

The Local Government Association (LGA) and NCVO have published a report entitled Backing communities: local solutions, which highlights examples of positive action taken by local authority and third sector partners to support people in response to the recession. The report intends to raise awareness of the impact of recession on local third sector partners and provide examples of good practice.

http://www.lga.gov.uk/lga/publications/publication-display.do?id=1568601. 

Call for parents to share positive experiences on radio

As part of a local radio campaign funded by the DCSF, the Central Office of Information are looking for parents willing to share their views and experiences related to their child's education. The project Parent Know How is looking for case studies to be broadcast on commercial radios around England presenting pre-recorded interviews aimed at engaging young parents (18-24) with their child's education. They are particularly interested in providing positive examples of overcoming problems such as bullying, mental health problems, and school admissions issues. For more information contact Madeleine Lewis on madeleine.lewis@coi.gsi.gov.uk or 07966 042535.

myplace workshops - sharing expertise around lead practice

The DCSF and the Big Lottery Fund have appointed the myplace support team to provide support to existing and potential projects, drawing together a wide range of existing knowledge and expertise around youth strategy, facilities and support to identify and celebrate lead practice.  Lead practice workshops are being organised to bring together experts, practitioners and policy-makers to discuss what constitutes lead practice in different aspects of youth provision. Four half-day workshops are planned for 4 and 5 March in London. For more information contact Denis Donoghue on denis.donoghue@hallaitken.co.uk (0141 225 5502) or Patricia Horton on patricia.horton@hallaitken.co.uk (0141 225 5510).

Speaking Out policy priorities survey results

The Speaking Out project recently conducted a survey to help shape and prioritise the project's policy work and future activities for 2009-2011. Overall, respondents found the issues of social exclusion and community empowerment to be the most useful policy issues that the Speaking Out project has covered to date. The top five areas that respondents would like to see the Speaking Out project focus on in the future include: youth employment, education and training; community cohesion/citizenship; health; youth justice; and housing and homelessness.

http://www.ncvys.org.uk/index.php?page=636#priorities

Funding for local debate on key policy priorities

Responding to the sector's priorities, this year's Speaking Out Small Grants Programme focuses on these key themes in order to raise the voice of the voluntary and community sector on key cross-government issues that affect children and young people. The programme will fund projects with up to £1000 to organise activities and one-off projects which will raise awareness and promote debate by engaging children and young people in helping to impact on problems in their community. The deadline for applications is 2 March 2009.

http://www.ncvys.org.uk/index.php?page=597

Funding to explore issues related to faith and culture

Diversity has been defined as the mosaic of people who bring a variety of backgrounds, styles, perspectives, values and beliefs as assets to the groups and organisations with which they interact. NCVYS's Factor in Faith Small Grants Programme is aimed at helping voluntary youth organisations develop and implement projects which bring young people from different faith backgrounds and none together to explore issues related to faith and culture.

http://www.ncvys.org.uk/index.php?page=697

Research by TfL on young drivers' drug use

New Transport for London research shows that 9% of young drivers feel that it is ok to drive under the influence of drugs such as cannabis. The research is part of a wider campaign launched this week and aimed at young drivers who speed, drive without insurance or drive under the influence of drugs.

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/media/newscentre/11184.aspx

CAF Youth Homelessness Guidance

The Government has published non-statutory guidance for children's services and housing services in using the Common Assessment Framework when dealing with young people who are homeless or at risk of being made homeless. This guidance builds upon the guidance, Joint working between Housing and Children's Services: Preventing homelessness and tackling its effects on children and young people, that was issued by DCSF and Communities and Local Government in May 2008.

http://www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/resources-and-practice/IG00358/

New merged Every Child Matters website

The Every Child Matters website will soon merge with the websites for Local Authority and Sure Start to form a single new Every Child Matters website, aimed at professionals within the children's workforce. This is part of the Government's long-term programme to rationalise its websites.

http://www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/?asset=News&id=132289

Talent Year scheme

Youth volunteering charity v will be launching a £10.5m Talent Year initiative in March 2009. The scheme will offer 1,000 full-time young volunteers a 44-week training programme in children's and young people's services in 33 local authorities. At least 40% of placements will be reserved for young people who are not in education, employment or training. Volunteers will work towards a recognised qualification (Level 2 NVQ), and those who complete the programme may apply for a personal development grant to help their transition to further training, education or employment.

http://www.vinspired.com/v/funding/vtalentyear

National Safeguarding Unit for the Third Sector

The new National Safeguarding Unit for the Third Sector in England was officially launched this week as one the government's commitments in the  Staying safe: action plan (DCSF, 2008). The NSPCC and Children England (formerly NCVCCO) have been commissioned to set up and jointly manage this Unit. They will be working closely with and through a number of delivery partners, umbrella groups and existing national, regional and local networks and infrastructures.

http://www.nspcc.org.uk/Inform/nsu_wda63026.html

Report on childcare

The Institute of Education has published a report claiming that grandparents are not always the most effective child carers. They have found that children looked after by grandparents at the age of 9 months were considered to have more behavioural problems at age 3 than those who had been in the care of a nursery, crèche, childminder, nanny or another family member.

http://ioewebserver.ioe.ac.uk/ioe/cms/get.asp?cid=1397&1397_1=22317

BBC Trust review published

The BBC Trust has published their review of BBC services and content for children. It finds that schedule changes to BBC children's television have made falling audience levels worse for shows such as Newsround and Blue Peter. NCVYS responded to this consultation on behalf of the sector.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/news/press_releases/2009/childrens_service_review.html

NCVYS's response: http://www.ncvys.org.uk/index.php?page=273

Third Sector Leadership Centre

The Capacitybuilders' Board has decided not to proceed with further funding of the Third Sector Leadership Centre beyond March 2009. This decision was made in the context of many competing demands on available funding.

http://www.capacitybuilders.org.uk/detail/Capacitybuilders_Board_announce_decision_not_to_proceed_with_funding_of_the_Third_Sector_Leadership_Centre_/99/254.aspx

THIS WEEK IN PARLIAMENT

Children and social networking

Lord Harris of Haringey introduced a debate in the House of Lords covering the growth in the use of social networking sites by children, and the adequacy or otherwise of safeguards to protect their privacy and interests.

http://news.parliament.uk/2009/02/children-and-social-networking/

Debate on the Good Childhood Inquiry

The Bishop of Leicester led a debate on the publication of the Good Childhood Inquiry report in the House of Lords.

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200809/ldhansrd/text/90212-0003.htm#09021263000478

Announcement of budget statement

Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alistair Darling, will make his Budget statement to the House of Commons on Wednesday 22 April at 12.30pm.

http://news.parliament.uk/2009/02/2009-budget-date-announced/