Commissioning

The way in which local authorities commission children’s services is changing. The new commissioning framework, which is moving away from grants and placing a greater emphasis on contracts, is due to be in place in all regions by 2008.

Many organisations within the VCS have become reliant and dependent on grant funding regimes to support their organisations, and the move to this new style of commissioning presents real challenges.

Commissioning is in itself an emerging concept within the children, young people and families VCS, and there is uncertainty amongst VCS organisations as to what the term ‘commissioning’ really means.

If the VCS is to succeed under the new framework, it must develop its understanding of the processes and how to operate within them. VCS organisations also need help to develop the necessary skills and working practices so they can meet the new requirements.

Our work

A recent study commissioned by VCS Engage aimed to identify what commissioners are looking for when awarding service delivery contracts, and examine the extent to which the VCS has the skills and understanding to fulfil these requirements.

The report puts forward recommendations for training within the VCS and highlights areas where commissioners can take the lead in making the commissioning process more understandable and accessible for VCS organisations.

Click here to download the report.

Taking the recommendations put forward in the report, VCS Engage is delivering a national training programme for VCS organisations on the new commissioning framework.

The training will run in each of the nine Government Office regions from December 2007 until March 2008.

For more details about the training, and to book online, visit training and events.

To spread the reach of the commissioning training even further, VCS Engage is now coordinating cascade training in commissioning. Two organisations from each Government Office region will be trained to become trainers, and each of these trainers will then be required to train ten organisations in their region.

To find trainers in your region, please check our cascade training page.

Resources

A wide range of useful information about commissioning already exists and is available to the VCS. Click here to access our comprehensive signposting page.

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