Eastern
VCS Engage work in the Eastern region has continued to develop
through the Children Matter East partnership, established through
Change Up and Capacity Builders funding.
Mapping of the key contacts for the children,
youth and families VCS in each Local Authority area can be found
here [pdf 28kb].
Destinations Unknown
In this region,
research that was undertaken between June and August 2007 addresses
the Voluntary and Community sectors (VCS) concerns about their
future role in delivering services that have been supported or
funded by the Children’s Fund, Sure Start Local Programme (SSLP)
and the Local Network fund (LNF).
The work captures data that indicates over £10m pa is invested
in commissioning services through these three funds alone from the
VCS across the region, and that the loss or significant reduction
in this investment could have irreversible consequences.
Destinations Unknown report [pdf 540kb] and executive
summary [pdf 369kb]
Workforce Development
A lot of work has
gone into supporting the local areas bids for the Workforce
Strategy Partners Programme (WSPP) funded through the
Children’s Workforce Development
Council (CWDC).
Additional support
As in other regions,
focused support is going to three areas, where Local Authorities
will complete a Self Evaluation Tool (SET) to establish how
effective their engagement with the VCS is, in order to develop an
action plan for development. The areas involved are:
Luton and Thurrock
With the aim being to create a
Children and Young People’s VCS network, for the LA to engage and
involve in planning, designing and delivery of services for
Children & Young People.
Hertfordshire
Work will be focusing on the move to
district based commissioning, as the VCS face significant
challenges in engaging effectively with the Children’s Trust which
plans to devolve significant parts of its activity around planning
and commissioning to its ten district partnerships which make up
the county.
Good practice
Examples of good or emerging
practice will be added to this section:
Suffolk Youth VCS
[pdf 100kb]