NAVCA's Every Child Matters Project

£180 million new bursary scheme to help the most vulnerable 16-19 year olds

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 15:40:00 +0100

£180 million new bursary scheme to help the most vulnerable 16-19 year olds:

The Government has announced a new £180 million bursary scheme to help the most vulnerable 16-19 years olds continue in full-time education.

The scheme is made up of two parts - a guaranteed payment to a small group of the most vulnerable, worth more than anybody got under the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA), and a discretionary fund for schools and colleges to distribute

Read the full article.

The future matters for the children's workforce

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 15:31:33 +0100

The future matters for the children's workforce:

The Children’s Workforce Development Council (CWDC) has announced plans to continue beyond March 2012 despite being told the government will no longer fund their workforce development work from April 2012. The final remit letter sets out key areas of work to be undertaken around:

Social Work reform
Early Years
Educational Physchologists
Those working with families and parents
Residential care

Read the full article.

Billions could be saved if services for vulnerable young people were overhauled

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 15:31:21 +0100

Billions could be saved if services for vulnerable young people were overhauled:

A report launched Tuesday 29 March 2011 entitled, Improving Services for Young People - an economic perspective, reveals that if a more coordinated approach to services for vulnerable young people were adopted the cost benefits to the state, and improved outcomes for young people, would be to the value of £3.2 billion.

Read the full article.

Child poverty strategy - NAVCA's response

Wed, 02 Mar 2011 12:04:58 +0000

Child poverty strategy - NAVCA's response:

NAVCA has responded to the government consultation ‘Tackling child poverty and improving life chances’. This consultation, along with key reports by Graham Allen MP and Frank Field MP will inform the child poverty strategy which is due to be launched in March 2011.

NAVCA have responded to the proposals with recommendations that highlight the role of local support and development organisations and voluntary and community groups in tackling child poverty in local areas.

We support the suggestion that the strategy should take a broad, multi-dimensional view of poverty and highlight why investment in services provided to local voluntary and community groups is a key factor in the provision of services for those who are most vulnerable.

Education Secretary pledges £82.5m for music education

Thu, 10 Feb 2011 11:41:37 +0000

Education Secretary pledges £82.5m for music education:

The Secretary of State for Education has responded to Darren Henley’s review into music in schools with a pledge to end the ‘musical divide’ with access to great musical education for children in disadvantaged areas.

To ensure young people from every background have access to quality music education, Michael Gove has announced that £82.5m will be given to music services across England next year.

See Department for Education website.

Bailey Review on the Commercialisation and Sexualisation of Childhood

Tue, 08 Feb 2011 14:10:59 +0000

Bailey Review on the Commercialisation and Sexualisation of Childhood:

Reg Bailey, Chief Executive of the Mothers’ Union, is carrying out an independent review to address parents’ concerns about the pressures on children to grow up too quickly.

He has launched a call for evidence to hear the views of parents, industry, and anyone who works with children and young people or has an interest in this area. Deadline: 18 March.

The Munro Review of Child Protection: Interim Report published

Wed, 02 Feb 2011 16:08:35 +0000

The Munro Review of Child Protection: Interim Report published:

Professor Eileen Munro has published her interim report on child protection, which examines the areas of the child protection system where reform needs to take place.

See also Community Care news item.

Grab your 'Ticket to Progress'

Mon, 31 Jan 2011 13:35:18 +0000

Grab your 'Ticket to Progress':

There is still chance to take up subsidised training as part of the Progress project, CWDC’s voluntary sector-led partnership delivering 25,000 accredited training places to the young people’s workforce.

Ticket to Progress is CWDC’s online web portal which allows staff and volunteers working with young people to register for the training and record online their skills, training, work experience and volunteering.

ContactPoint replacement could be tried in hospitals

Mon, 24 Jan 2011 11:09:32 +0000

ContactPoint replacement could be tried in hospitals:

Hospital accident and emergency departments may pilot the national signposting system that will replace ContactPoint, according to children’s minister Tim Loughton.

The minister disclosed the plan in a letter to Professor Eileen Munro, who is undertaking a national review of children’s services,

Loughton said the scale of need for the new database could be assessed through small-scale pilots in busy A&Es as well local authorities.

Read the full article.

Labour loses vote to stop scrapping of EMA grants

Thu, 20 Jan 2011 15:42:41 +0000

Labour loses vote to stop scrapping of EMA grants:

The BBC News website reports that Labour has lost its attempt in the House of Commons to reverse plans to scrap the Education Maintenance Allowance in England.

Labour’s education spokesman Andy Burnham said it was an attack on the aspirations of young people.

But Education Secretary Michael Gove said the grant had been “poorly targeted” and told MPs “you cannot spend money you do not have”.

Deputy Prime Minister launches new parenting report

Thu, 20 Jan 2011 11:05:38 +0000

Deputy Prime Minister launches new parenting report:

Demos’ latest report on parenting The Home Front was launched on 17 January with a speech from the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.

The report includes many recommendations including “Sure Start should continue to keep services that promote social mixing as well as building social networks that are universal and open to all”.

'Hidden army' of grandparents raising disabled children facing unbearable hardship, reveals new report

Thu, 20 Jan 2011 11:05:05 +0000

'Hidden army' of grandparents raising disabled children facing unbearable hardship, reveals new report:

Grandparents who raise disabled grandchildren have spoken for the first time of the enormous financial hardship, health problems, isolation and lack of support in a new report I Wish I Could Just be Grandma launched by the Family Fund.

Puppet on a String - New Report Launched by Barnardos

Tue, 18 Jan 2011 14:19:40 +0000

Puppet on a String - New Report Launched by Barnardos:

Martin Narey, the new chief executive of Barnardo’s, has called for Education Secretary Michael Gove to identify a minister to take responsibility for the problem of child sexual exploitation.

Barnardo’s is now calling for child sexual exploitation to be treated as a child protection issue. The charity says the statutory response and specialist services need to be improved along with the evidence that is currently held on the issue and the prosecution procedures to increase the number of cases that lead to conviction. See Barnado’s report Puppet on a string: The urgent need to cut children free from sexual exploitation.

CYP now has reported on the story giving details of some of the stories that have hit the headlines recently.

Also worth taking a look at for information and guidance is the website of the charity CROP (The Coalition for the Removal of Pimping).

Expansion of the Family Nurse Partnership Programme

Tue, 18 Jan 2011 13:58:52 +0000

Expansion of the Family Nurse Partnership Programme:

The Government’s commitment to early life and improving the outcome for vulnerable children is reflected in the NHS Operating Framework requirement to sustain and expand the Family Nurse Partnership (FNP) programme. The number of health visitors is also expected to increase.

Teenagers and young adults cancer measures

Tue, 18 Jan 2011 13:58:06 +0000

Teenagers and young adults cancer measures:

A draft version of the teenagers and young adult’s cancer measures for inclusion in the Manual of Cancer Services has been issued by the Department of Health for consultation.

Government commits to overhauling outdated child performance laws

Mon, 10 Jan 2011 16:09:13 +0000

Government commits to overhauling outdated child performance laws:

The Government is reminding amateur groups they don’t need to apply for individual licences for every child for every performance. Instead the local authority can issue an approval to cover all performances for all children, as appropriate to the needs of the amateur group.

New guidance published today makes this clearer and will free up local authorities and amateur groups from unnecessary form filling.

The Government has provided guidance to local authorities and amateur performance groups on how to make greater use of Body of Persons (BOP) approvals. These approvals can be given to amateur groups in order to reduce the administrative requirements involved in licensing children for performances. The guidance is available to download.

This comes as the Government commits to updating the 40-year-old child performance laws, helped by an advisory group that includes amateur theatre groups, production companies, broadcasters, children’s charities and child psychologists. The group will look at whether the amateur sector can be removed from licensing laws altogether in the future.

More information.

Share and Learn Grant Scheme - Learning Partners needed

Thu, 06 Jan 2011 16:26:36 +0000

Share and Learn Grant Scheme - Learning Partners needed:

This small grants scheme will support voluntary and community sector front-line organisations who deliver services to children, young people and families to share their experience of supporting and developing their staff and volunteers and enable other front-line organisations (known as Learning Partners) to learn from their practice. Applications are still welcome from potential Learning Partners - the closing date is the 14 January 2011.

The scheme is funded by the Children’s Workforce Development Council and managed by NCVYS.

More information.

Munro review of Child Protection

Thu, 06 Jan 2011 16:26:23 +0000

Munro review of Child Protection:

In June this year, the Secretary of State for Education asked Professor Eileen Munro to conduct a review of child protection in England. Professor Munro has announced that she wants to hear from professionals about their views of the child protection system

“The final questions consider how professionals can provide early help and support for families quickly and efficiently, how to improve understanding of the capacity of universal services to support children, young people and families, and the principles that underpin a safe and effective contact and referral system”

Full details can be found at http://www.education.gov.uk/munroreview/ with information on how to respond.

Family Fund welcomes "at least" £108m government funding

Mon, 20 Dec 2010 14:55:41 +0000

Family Fund welcomes "at least" £108m government funding:

The government has recognised the essential work of the Family Fund, which supports low-income families with disabled children, by confirming “at least” £27 million of funding a year up to 2015, making a minimum of £108 million over four years.

Read the full article.

Sarah Teather announces a review of commercialisation and sexualisation of children

Fri, 10 Dec 2010 16:39:35 +0000

Sarah Teather announces a review of commercialisation and sexualisation of children:

Children’s Minister Sarah Teather has asked Mr Reg Bailey, Chief Executive of the Mothers’ Union to carry out an independent review into the commercialisation and sexualisation of childhood, and report back with recommendations in May 2011.

Read the full article.