Developing Workforce Strategies and Action Plans: A VCS Perspective

Kevin Garrod

Regional Development Manager

Children Matter EastEast of England Children and Young Peoples

VCS Forum

The Concept

• A regional `platform’, `Council’ or Forum for the Children and Young Peoples VCS (CYPVCS)

• Representative and inclusive of the sectors partners

• Has a clear mandate and purpose• Has cross sector cross agency support • Fits with and develops the sectors

existing structures

Children Matter EastEast of England Children and Young Peoples

VCS Forum

Children Matter East

Children’s Trusts and Association of Directors for Children’s Services Regional

Change for Children agents , CWDC,TDA, TfC, YJB

WSPP leads Network

Voluntary Youth Services

NationalVCS support partners- NCVYS, CE, and NAVCA

DCSF, Go East Team leaders and CSA’s

Regional non CYP specialist VCS support, i.e. BME, Rural

Children England regional Network

Generalist

VCS support

services

Supported by an Executive, COVER and VCS Engage capacity

Children Trusts &

LSCB VCS

representatives

Children & Peoples

VCS Forums or Networks

Health in the region/Funders

Work Strands

• Developing the `partnership’• Work with GOR – NI7 Healthy Third sector • Workforce Development • Support to smaller organisations (opt out) • Support to local partners • Safeguarding – regional delivery of

National Third Sector Safeguarding Unit

Children Matter EastEast of England Children and Young Peoples

VCS Forum

Delivery

• Research and advocacy, Clear Expectations • `Census’ , Benchmarking & comparative data • 2x year Forums and a larger conference • Website/ knowledge hub • Vetting and Barring Scheme road shows • Developing a regional commissioning

framework for the sector, including guidance for the VCS / partners on; Safeguarding, Quality , Workforce and Integrated Workforce

Children Matter EastEast of England Children and Young Peoples

VCS Forum

Local WSPP learning and reflections

• Required continued support • Milestone management crucial to

success • Supporting the right part of the

sector?? • Lots of good practice and

achievement• Models of delivery = distance to

travel

Children Matter EastEast of England Children and Young Peoples

VCS Forum

Regional WSPP pilots evolve

• Focusing targeted support to WSPP

• Providing a cohesive view of activity

• Filling up the gaps

• Providing a route for future development

• Complementing the local offer

• Very strategic

Children Matter EastEast of England Children and Young Peoples

VCS Forum

What does best practice look like?

• Proportionate and recognises LA and VCS need

• Supports all CYPVCS (not Ofsted)

• Provides immediacy in terms of quick wins

• Has a committed steering group and membership of LA workforce Steering group

Children Matter EastEast of England Children and Young Peoples

VCS Forum

Outcomes

• Post holders to support the sectors engagement around integrated practice and workforce

• Better recognition

• Better access to training/ CPD- individual and organisational

• Safer sector

Children Matter EastEast of England Children and Young Peoples

VCS Forum

More then just workforce

• 47.4 % of VCS

• 30% of all those working in the VCs are with CYP organisations

• The sector will remain fragile

• Workforce is not a silo on its own in the sector

• Commissioning, marketing and management all have training needs

Children Matter EastEast of England Children and Young Peoples

VCS Forum

Embedding the VCS in Strategies

• Partial

• Dependent on local leadership and relative strength

• Needs higher (Trust) level sign up /NI 7 Healthy third sector indicator

• Some approaches are not helpful

• Integration for the VCS is only developing now and slowly

Children Matter EastEast of England Children and Young Peoples

VCS Forum

Embedding the VCS in Strategies

• Requires a whole CYPVCS articulation – organisational not personal

• In context

• Equality

• Ready to accept the cost implications

• Understanding commissioning intentions

Children Matter EastEast of England Children and Young Peoples

VCS Forum

Fitting it all together

• Generic third sector support (3SWDC)

• Volunteering support

• Gap in Ofsted Frameworks

• Drive to raise standards

• Section 10

• On the inside

Children Matter EastEast of England Children and Young Peoples

VCS Forum

Key Messages

• WSPP future remains unclear • Integration and integrated practice

are still works in progress • Commissioning is still a work in

progress • The sector has its own needs • Safeguarding has to be a VCS

priority and is a microcosm of current challenges and opportunities

Children Matter EastEast of England Children and Young Peoples

VCS Forum