NCVYS STRATEGIC INFORMATION SERVICE BULLETIN NO. 451
7 August 2009
Community Service Prospectus - 14-16 volunteering scheme pilots
The Department for Children, Schools and Families has published its Community Service Prospectus seeking bids from the 44 local authorities that have chosen National Indicator 6 (participation in formal volunteering) as a key part of their local area agreement, to run the five Community Service Pilots with £7m allocated over the next two years. Pilots will explore ways to engage 14-16-year-olds in Community Service and will test how best to achieve this across the board. The closing date for preliminary expressions of interest is 30 September 2009.
http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/publications/documents/310709communityservicepilots/
Positive activities research
The Department for Children, Schools and Families has published the findings of research with young people and parents around positive activities. The research found that young people see organised activities as a good thing but are held back from taking part because they don't know what is on offer to them. It also gathered positive feedback on investment in places to go through the myplace funding scheme.
http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/pns/DisplayPN.cgi?pn_id=2009_0150
£8.4m for reducing reoffending
Justice Minister Claire Ward has announced an additional £8.4 million to be invested into reducing youth reoffending through improved resettlement and rehabilitation arrangements for young offenders leaving prison over the next two years. The Youth Justice Board is also developing pilot regional resettlement consortia that will bring together local authorities that are monitoring young offenders leaving custody.
http://www.justice.gov.uk/news/newsrelease010809a.htm
Impetus Trust new Reducing Reoffending Fund
A new Reducing Reoffending Fund has been launched in the UK through collaboration between Impetus Trust, Indigo Trust, the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and the Henry Smith Charity. The aim is to make a significant impact on the high level of re-offending in the UK with £1.3m available to 3-6 charities over a three-to-four year period. The deadline is 15 September 2009.
http://www.impetus.org.uk/reducing-reoffending-fund.html
Lamb inquiry into special education needs (SEN)
Brian Lamb has submitted his reports on the Quality and clarity of statements and Inspection, accountability and school improvement to the Secretary of State. In his accompanying letter, Brian outlines his recommendations, including two statutory changes: one to provide a right of appeal for parents if a local authority decides not to amend a statement after a review; one to place a specific duty on Ofsted to report on the quality of the education provided for disabled children and children with SEN.
http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/lambinquiry/
Government's response to Lamb's recommendations
The Secretary of State's reply accepts the recommendations proposed by the Lamb inquiry and commits to finding a legislative opportunity to make the changes.
http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/pns/DisplayPN.cgi?pn_id=2009_0147
Inspiring Communities successful projects
The Government has announced the 15 successful projects sharing the £10 million Inspiring Communities initiative aimed at boosting young people's aspirations and achievements in deprived areas. Projects include setting up volunteering programmes, visits to university campuses, theatres and museums; providing advice to young people to undertake work placements, further and higher education; and raising parents' aspirations and self confidence in order to better support their children.
http://nds.coi.gov.uk/Content/Detail.aspx?NewsAreaId=2&ReleaseID=405547&SubjectId=2
Guidance for local authorities on mainstreaming community cohesion
Communities and Local Government has published good practice guidance, providing evidence and arguments which can be used by local authorities (LA) as a basis for mainstreaming or embedding community cohesion in other areas of service delivery and with other local organisations. Examples include Waltham Forest where the LA is working with voluntary groups to set up a community sports programme to help tackle youth crime; and Plymouth Police that are giving responsibility to youths for a firework display, so they learn new skills.
http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/communities/mainstreamcommunitycohesion
The economic case for cohesion
Communities and Local Government has also published research which looks at the available evidence on the economic benefits of building cohesion. It reviews evidence for crime, fear of crime, education, employment, health and economic investment.
http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/communities/economiccasecohesion
Care and prejudice
According to the latest report by Children's Rights Director for England Dr Roger Morgan, almost 50% of children in care worry about other people knowing their background, mainly because they fear being judged, bullied or treated differently. The Care and prejudice report surveyed the views of 362 children randomly selected from children's homes and foster care across the country. Children in care are worried most about employers, other children and young people, and possible landlords finding out they are from care.
http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/Ofsted-home/News/News-Archive/2009/August/Children-in-care-fear-being-socially-stigmatised
Research on parenting of teenagers
The Nuffield Foundation has published new research showing that poor parenting is not the reason for the increase in problem behaviour amongst teenagers. The findings show that differences in parenting according to family structure and income have narrowed over the last 25 years. However, the task of parenting is changing and could be getting increasingly stressful, particularly for some groups.
http://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/go/print/news/news_1931.html
Community Crime Fighter awards
The Home Office has launched the Community Crime Fighter awards as part of the Government's Justice Seen, Justice Done programme aimed at engaging the public in the fight against crime. The awards have two categories: people who have taken a stand against anti-social behaviour or supported those affected by it; and local workers for delivering a high quality, responsive local service. Nominations must be received by 25 September 2009.
http://www.communitycrimefighters.org.uk/awards
T2A Green Paper on young adults in the CJS - joint consultation events
The Transition to Adulthood Alliance (T2A) has published a Green Paper entitled ‘A New Start' setting out a radically different approach to young adults in the criminal justice system which is proportionate to their maturity and responsive to their specific needs. The proposals will be open for consultation until 9 October 2009. NCVYS and T2A will be hosting three free consultation events and travel for small organisations will be reimbursed. The consultation events will be held in Bristol (26/08), Manchester (10/09) and London (23/09).
http://www.t2a.org.uk/consultation
THIS WEEK IN PARLIAMENT
Children, Schools and Families Committee's report on social workers
The Commons Children, Schools and Families Committee has published a report calling for radical reform to the training of social workers. The Committee's report concludes that the training of social workers is not fit for purpose and that new recruits to the profession are routinely placed in the most challenging circumstances, with insufficient preparation, experience, or support. Post-qualification training is not robust enough to make good the deficits in specialist skills in generalist qualifying courses, such as child protection. Quality assurance of qualifying courses is inadequate.
http://www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_committees/csf/csfpm300709.cfm
Parliament is currently in recess. The House will next sit on Monday 12 October 2009. |
