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- 16- to 18-year-olds not in education, employment or training (NEET): 2008 figures
- Branding guidelines
- Briefing for LAs on 14 to 19 reform
- Call for evidence: Youth sector support arrangements - publication of the Government's response
- Communicating support for the Transition Support Programme (TSP)
- Contact point update
- Developing improved support for separating parents pilots: Expressions of interest
- Framework for Excellence (FfE) school sixth-form pilot
- Preventing child accidents in the home
- Safeguarding children
- Sure Start, Early Years and Childcare Grant and Aiming High for Disabled Children (AHDC) Grant LA funding allocations for 2009/10
LA email - 26 March 2009
In this issue
Information, updates and announcements
- ContactPoint Update
- Review of Safeguarding Arrangements in Independent Schools, Non-Maintained Special Schools and Boarding Schools in England
- Proportion of 16-18-Year-Olds Not In Education, Employment or Training (NEET): 2008 Figures
- Independent Educational Institutions Providing Part-Time Education
- Deadline for Early Adopters of School Recruitment Service Approaching
- Framework for Excellence School Sixth Form Pilot
- Expressions of Interest: Pilots to Develop Improved Support for Separating Parents
Funding
Publications, reports and guidance
- Responses to Section 11 of the Children Act 2004: Safeguarding and Promoting the Welfare of Children
- Publication of Statistical First Release (SFR) on Attainment of Young People
- Research Publication on Newly Improved Play Areas
- Publication of Literature Review on Play
- Guidance on Preventing Child Accidents in the Home
- Sure Start Children's Centres Branding and Advertisement
Consultations
Events
Information, updates and announcements
REF: 2603090003ContactPoint Update
Audience: Lead Members for Children's Services
Summary:
Please find attached a letter from Delyth Morgan, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Children, Young People and Families to correct recent misleading media coverage, which has suggested that ContactPoint has been halted. This is completely untrue. Work with you and your LA and national partner colleagues continues as planned, including ongoing evaluation and improvement.
Action required and due date:
To note
- Sender:
- Patrick Agius
- Tel:
- 020 7273 5093
- Email:
- patrick.agius@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk
REF: 2403090005Review of Safeguarding Arrangements in Independent Schools, Non-Maintained Special Schools and Boarding Schools in England
Audience: Local Children Safeguarding Boards, Local Authority Designated Officers, officers working with independent, non-maintained and boarding schools on safeguarding issues.
Summary:
Sir Roger Singleton, as Chair of the Independent Safeguarding Authority, has led a review of safeguarding arrangements in independent schools, non-maintained special schools and all boarding schools in England.
The purpose of the review was to examine the practical operation of the current statutory and non-statutory safeguarding arrangements that apply to these schools, and to make any recommendations where practice could usefully be improved.
You can read or download the full report, the press notice which outlines the Government's acceptance of the review findings, the written Ministerial Statements and the Secretary of State's letter to Sir Roger Singleton at the Teacher net website.
Action required and due date:
To note
- Sender:
- Sue Thomson
- Tel:
- 01325 391 218
- Email:
- sue.thomson@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk
REF: 1103090001Proportion of 16-18-Year-Olds Not In Education, Employment or Training (NEET): 2008 Figures
Audience: Connexions services
Summary:
Connexions data showing the proportion of 16- to 18-year-olds not in education, employment or training (NEET) are being published on the DCSF 14 to 19 website today.
The attached letter from Beverley Hughes, Minister for Children and Families, updates local authorities on the latest figures, and outlines the action being taken to drive forward this important target.
Action required and due date:
To note and action
- Sender:
- Gillian Cowan
- Tel:
- 0114 2593117
- Email:
- sue.thomson@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk
REF: 1203090008Independent Educational Institutions Providing Part-Time Education
Audience: Local authority staff with responsibility for placing children in educational settings operated by private providers of part-time alternative provision.
Summary:
The Department would like to alert local authorities (LAs) to the new definition of independent educational institution, this will include full-time independent schools and part-time independent provision.
From September 2010, part-time independent institutions will be required to register with DCSF and meet minimum standards if they provide at least 12.5 hours a week (primary) or 15 hrs a week (secondary) for at least 28 weeks per year.
Local authorities should not in future commission alternative provision from private providers which meet these thresholds unless they are registered.
To ensure those part-time providers meeting the new definition are informed by DCSF of arrangements for registration please use the email address below to provide the name(s) and address(s) of all part-time private providers of alternative provision.
Names and addresses of all part time alternative providers should be sent to DCSF, using the email address of Janet Bayles below, by the end of April 2009.
Please supply a nil response where your local authority does not commission alternative education provision from part-time private providers.
Action required and due date:
To note and provide alternative provision information to Janet Bayles
- Sender:
- Janet Bayles
- Tel:
- 01325 391186
- Email:
- janet.bayles@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk
REF: 1603090011Deadline for Early Adopters of School Recruitment Service Approaching
Audience: All school staff
Summary:
The DCSF is due to launch its online Schools Recruitment Service in spring 2009.
The service is being developed to create a more efficient, standardised application system for schools and local authorities through automation of routine administrative processes, better intelligence about candidate behaviour and attraction, and informed media performance.
We would like schools and local authorities wanting to become an Early Adopter to let us know by the deadline of Tuesday 31 March 2009.
The service will be exhibiting at several educational conferences this year:
- Education Show (26-28 March)
- National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) Annual Conference (1-3 May)
- National College for School Leadership (NCSL) Annual Leadership Conference (10-12 June)
- NCSL School Business Managers’ Conference (22-23 June)
- National Association of School Business Management (NASBM) Conference (12-13 November)
For further information please visit the Standards website
Action required and due date:
Sign up as an Early Adopter of the Schools Recruitment Service by Tuesday 31 March 2009 to have greater influence in the configuration of the system.
- Sender:
- Steve Garner
- Tel:
- 0114 259 3948
- Email:
- Sector.SHAREDSERVICES@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk
REF: 1903090001Framework for Excellence School Sixth Form Pilot
Summary:
Raising Expectations: enabling the system to deliver is committed to developing a clear framework for assessing institutional performance which is common across all post-16 providers of education and training for young people and adults, based on the Framework for Excellence (FfE).
We are currently developing plans for a School Sixth Form pilot from September 09 with key stakeholders including Ofsted, Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), Association of Directors of Children's Services (ADCS), Local Government Association (LGA), Sixth Form Colleges' Forum (SFCF), Association of Colleges (AoC) and head teachers.
The pilot will test the fitness for purpose, fairness and relevance to school sixth forms of the existing Framework for Excellence performance indicators as well as testing some new proposed indicators. We aim to identify a sample of 100-120 schools with sixth forms in 15-20 local authorities to take part in the pilot by May 09.
The attached note sets out further details and arrangements for local authorities and Schools to put forward expressions of interest to participate in the pilot.
If your local authority or school (with post-16 provision) would like to be considered for the pilot please complete an expression of interest form which is available from Learning and Skills Council website
The expression of interest form should be submitted as early as possible and no later than 10 May 2009. Please send the form to Frameworkforexcellence@lsc.gov.uk
PLEASE NOTE: the final selection of pilot schools and LAs will be based on fulfilling criteria for a structured sample and not expressions of interest alone.
Action required and due date:
To note expressions of interest should be submitted by 10 May 2009
- Sender:
- Steve Hunter
- Tel:
- 0114 2594870
- Email:
- steve.hunter@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk
REF: 1203090007Expressions of Interest: Pilots to Develop Improved Support for Separating Parents
Summary:
The Children's Plan, 'One Year On' confirmed the Government's commitment to improve support for parents and children experiencing family breakdown.
In December 2008, Secretary of State, Ed Balls announced plans to develop pilots that explored how to deliver enhanced support to separating parents. The aim is to minimise stress, conflict and potential poverty for parents, and to enable fathers and mothers to minimise the negative impact of separation on the child.
The pilots are being supported through the investment to tackle Child Poverty.
DCSF is now writing to local authorities (LAs) and Third Sector organisations inviting them to submit expressions of interest to deliver the pilots.
Please see the attached letter and annex for further details of how to respond.
Action required and due date:
Expressions of interest to be returned by 22 April 2009
- Sender:
- Jamie Kelly
- Tel:
- 0114 2594735
- Email:
- jamie1.kelly@dcsf.gs.gov.uk
Funding
REF: 1303090003Support for the Transition Support Programme
Audience: Please cascade this information to your transition leads in children and adult services, GO and PCT links
Summary:
The Transition Support Programme, part of the Aiming High for Disabled Children Programme, is a national programme to support disabled children and young people into adulthood.
Local areas completed a self-evaluation questionnaire for the National Transition Support Team (NTST) earlier in the year.
From April, universal support will be provided to every local area, including £10k to encourage the building of multi-agency engagement into your regular planning process. The funding will also support associated activity with input from relevant specialist services and greater engagement with young people about access to recreation facilities, work and training as well as completion of the annual NTST questionnaire.
Fuller information will be provided to the transition contact in your LA. Further information can be accessed at The Transition Support Programme website
Grant funding is attached and the Sure Start website will be updated to reflect these allocations in due course.
- Sender:
- Catherine Bradshaw
- Tel:
- 020 7783 8275
Publications, reports and guidance
REF: 1002090020Responses to Section 11 of the Children Act 2004: Safeguarding and Promoting the Welfare of Children
Summary:
Key messages from this research show that many organisations say they have made significant progress towards implementing the section 11 guidance. According to responses, top tier local authorities (LAs) and organisations from the health sector appear to be leading in some areas of implementing the section 11 guidance.
However, in order for all organisations to be functioning as they should be in terms of their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, there is still a considerable way to go.
In particular, to ensure that parents’, children’s and young people’s views are actively taken into account in policy making across organisations and in having IT systems in place to record information for management and planning purposes.
For more information please visit the DCSF website
Action required and due date:
To note
- Sender:
- Isabella Craig
- Tel:
- 020 7925 3802
- Email:
- isabella.craig@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk
REF: 1102090002Publication of Statistical First Release (SFR) on Attainment of Young People
Audience: Data and Analysis staff, those dealing with 14-19 performance
Summary:
The Youth Attainment Statistical First Release, published on 24 March 2009, shows we have met the SR2004 PSA target to increase level 2 and level 3 attainment for young people and is on track to meet the CSR2007 PSA target.
76.7% of young people aged 19 are now qualified to at least level 2 and 49.8% are qualified to level 3.
Data from England covering overall level 2 and 3 attainment by age, cohort and qualification type can be accessed from the DCSF website
Following issues around institutional data, figures on attainment by local authority (LA) and region will be made available at the end of April 2009, along with those on gender, Free School Meals, ethnicity and special educational needs.
Action required and due date:
LAs to note national performance against the targets and that data on individual LA performance will be available by the end of April 2009
- Sender:
- Julie Toher
- Tel:
- 0114 259 4937
- Email:
- julie.toher@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk
REF: 1302090004Research Publication on Newly Improved Play Areas
Audience: Local authority staff responsible for and involved in the Play Pathfinder and Play Builder programmes and/or play provision in general.
Summary:
A research report based on parents’ and children’s views/experiences of recently improved play areas is published today.
Ipsos MORI conducted the research to inform the national evaluation of Play Pathfinders and Play Builders.
The seven case study play areas were NOT funded by Play Pathfinder/Play Builder investment; however the type of improvements were similar to those that the government’s investment will fund.
The report presents users’ overall views and experiences then focuses on specific issues including safety, equipment, facilities, and the wider environment in which the play area is located. The final section considers the implications of findings and learning points suggested by local authority staff for delivering play areas improvements.
The brief and full report can be found on the DCSF website
Action required and due date:
To note
- Sender:
- Adele Rowe
- Tel:
- 020 7925 6461
- Email:
- adele.rowe@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk
REF: 1302090003Publication of Literature Review on Play
Audience: Local authority staff responsible for and involved in the Play Pathfinder and Play Builder programme and/or play provision in general.
Summary:
A summary of findings from a literature review on play is published today.
The review was completed by academics at the Institute of Education and Roehampton University to inform the national evaluation of Play Pathfinders and Play Builders.
It looks at how play contributes to children’s well-being, outcomes associated with play, obstacles to play and adult roles in supporting play. There is a general consensus that play contributes to children’s well-being in different ways but much of the evidence is conceptual. The national evaluation will add to the evidence base using a mixed methods approach to assess the impacts of the investment on outcomes for children and understand their play experiences.
The summary can be found on the DCSF website
Action required and due date:
To note
- Sender:
- Adele Rowe
- Tel:
- 020 7925 6461
- Email:
- adele.rowe@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk
REF: 1803090002Guidance on Preventing Child Accidents in the Home
Audience: FIS Managers,Local authority(LA) officials dealing with children's services, social workers employed by local authorities and the children's workforce.
Summary:
Accidents in the home are the biggest cause of injury to children under five. Tragically, around 500,000 under fives every year are admitted to hospital after an accident at home. Worse still, many of these accidents could have been prevented by taking simple steps.
To help parents of young children and the practitioners who work with them keep children safe from accidents at home the Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT) have produced:
- Accidents and Child Development, an easy-to-use guidance booklet for any practitioners involved with the safety, or care of children. You can download this document or order hard copies for free from the ECM Online Publications page or from the ECM Resources and Practice Page, reference DCSF-00255-2009BKT-EN.
- How Safe is Your Child at Home? - A short leaflet for parents and carers, covering common risks to children in the home and how they can be reduced. You can download this document or order hard copies for free from the ECM Online Publications Page or to the ECM Resources and Practice Page, reference DCSF-00254-2009LEF-EN.
To download the information please visit the Every Child Matters website.
Action required and due date:
To note
- Sender:
- Adam Lassman
- Tel:
- 020 7783 8039
- Email:
- adam.lassman@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk
REF: 1203090002Sure Start Children's Centres Branding and Advertisement
Audience: This information should be cascaded to Sure Start Children's Centres and to local authority (LA) teams responsible for them
Summary:
Revised branding guidelines for Sure Start Children's Centres are being published. They reflect the key role of Sure Start Children’s Centres and their importance in helping to improve outcomes for young children and their families.
They will be available from the Sure Start website.
Between 23 March and 3 April an advertisement for Sure Start Children's Centres will appear in a range of consumer and TV listings magazines. These include Pick Me Up, Love It!, Inside Soap, New!, Take a Break, Star, What's on TV, Chat, Bella, Woman, Best, OK!, TV Quick, Real People, TV Easy, All About Soap, Practical Parenting and Pregnancy and Birth.
Action required and due date:
To note
- Sender:
- Jerry O'Connell
- Tel:
- 020 7273 5631
- Email:
- Jerry.O'CONNELL@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk
Consultations
REF: 1002090017Consultation on Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators (SENCO) Regulations
Audience: Head teachers, teachers, SENCOs, LA SEN managers
Summary:
Public consultation on draft Education (Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators)(England) (Amendment) Regulations 2009, to require governing bodies to ensure that special educational needs co-ordinators (SENCOs) new to the role undertake nationally approved training.
Download the full Consultation
Action required and due date:
Consultation responses to be submitted by 22 May 2009
- Sender:
- John Perryman
- Tel:
- 020 7273 5054
- Email:
- john.perryman@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk
Events
REF: 2003090002Local Safeguarding Children Boards Third National Event
Audience: Safeguarding Advisers
Summary:
The LSCB Third National Event will take place on Wednesday 10 June, 2009, in London. Please note this date for your diary.
Lord Laming's report, The Protection of Children in England: A Progress Report, and the immediate Government response were published on Thursday 12 March, 2009. Both are available to download from the Every Child Matters website. The event will provide an opportunity to reflect on the report and the Government's response.
The report confirms that we have in place robust legislative, structural and policy foundations on which to build and that there is a widespread consensus that our Every Child Matters reforms are the right reforms to keep children safe. It shows that in many areas positive progress is being made. But it also shows that there is more to do to secure sustained good practice everywhere. All of Lord Laming’s 58 recommendations were accepted.
The Secretary of State has already announced a number of initiatives in the immediate Government response and has committed to publishing a detailed response by the end of April.
Further information on this event will follow shortly.
Action required and due date:
To note
- Sender:
- Rob Simpson
- Tel:
- 020 7925 6067
- Email:
- rob.simpson@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk
REF: 16030900061-2-1 Tuition Training Events For School Improvement Partnership Managers (SIP) & Heads of School Improvement (HSIs)
Audience: SIPs, Managers & Heads of School Improvement
Summary:
The DCSF is inviting School Improvement Partners (SIPs), Managers and Heads of School Improvement (HSI) to attend regional 1-2-1 tuition training events in June.
Each day will focus on three key areas:
- Supporting local authorities to locate 1-2-1 tuition within wider strategic and operational local authority (LA) plans
- Introducing monitoring, evaluation and reporting arrangements
- Sharing the key messages that could be used to support Governors and SIPs
The day will also include input from Making Good Progress pilot LAs.
Each local authority is invited to send up to 2 delegates. The regions and dates for these events are:
- 9 June - Leeds/Bristol
- 10 June - Manchester/London
- 11 June - Birmingham/London
For further details and to register to attend, please visit the 1-2-1 tuition website
Where possible please register for the event that covers your region. The registration website will be live from Thursday 26 March.
Action required and due date:
SIPs Managers & Heads of School Improvement please register to attend
- Sender:
- Claire Campbell
- Tel:
- 0207 783 8458
- Email:
- claire.campbell@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk
REF: 1803090001Youth Sector Support - Stakeholder Event - 1 April 2009
Summary:
In 2008, Children, Young People and Families Minister, Beverley Hughes launched a Call for Evidence, consultation to gather information, advice and views on current youth sector support arrangements.
The Government's response to the Call for Evidence launched 17 March 2009.
It provides details of our plans to improve support to the youth sector through new delivery arrangements and specific actions.
The Department is holding an event on 1 April 2009 at the Holiday Inn Royal Victoria, Sheffield for stakeholders interested in learning more about our future plans for youth sector support.
If you would like to register your interest in attending this event you should contact Sarah Clarke via email or by telephone on 0114 2594612 by Monday 30 March 2009.
For further information or to read the formal Government response document visit the Every Child Matters website.
Action required and due date:
To note
- Sender:
- Sarah Clarke
- Tel:
- 0114 259 4612
- Email:
- sarah.clarke@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk
REF: 1903090003Briefing for Local Authorities (LAs) on 14-19 Reform
Audience: Lead Members for Children's Services, Head of Inclusion Service,Head of SEN,PRU Manager,Principal EWO Managers of specialist services.
Summary:
We are offering all local authorities (LAs) the opportunity to hold a staff briefing giving an overview of 14-19 reform: changes to qualifications including the Diploma and functional skills, the increased availability of apprenticeships, the raising of the participation age and a high level look at the transfer of funding from LSC to LAs.
Lead 14-19 coordinators may wish to attend to help with discussion and local context. These briefings are modelled on those we have been running in schools and colleges.
There is more information in the attached invitation. Your unique login details will be sent separately.
You may wish to consider having a briefing in your sub regional grouping.
Action required and due date:
Please register by 30 April 2009
- Sender:
- Rosanna King
- Tel:
- 020 734 07954
- Email:
- rosanna.king@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk
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Last updated on 26/03/2009
