Strategy gives workforce boost

By Lauren Higgs Thursday, 11 December 2008

The government will today (Thursday 11 December) unveil a new partnership body designed to represent the entire children and young people's sector as part of the 2020 workforce strategy.

Youth workers training. Credit: Christopher Jones

A review of regulation and registration across the workforce, a reassessment of the role of sector skills councils and a review of workforce support arrangements will also form part of the long-awaited strategy.

The so-called common core of skills and knowledge for the workforce will also be expanded so all those working with children and young people understand emotional health and wellbeing and the needs of disabled children.

And in youth work, the strategy promises training for 5,000 youth service leaders and managers and the introduction of a new youth professional status for youth workers. Training provider Ford Partnership has won the Children's Workforce Development Council contract to deliver the training.

Local authorities in England will also share £3.25m to develop local plans for youth workforce development, which follows proposals first set out in the government's Aiming High for Young People 10-year strategy.

John Chowcat, general secretary of children's services union Aspect and a member of the government's workforce expert group, said the new partnership body represents an important step forward. "We need a channel of open dialogue. This will give the workforce a voice in all of the reforms," he said. He added that the investment in youth services was "unprecedented".

John Dunford, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders and also on the expert group, said: "There have been major reforms in the school workforce in the past five years, which have not been matched in the rest of the sector. This is an attempt to bring coherence to a very muddled picture."

A new Social Work Taskforce has also been announced. It will be chaired by Moira Gibb, chief executive of Camden Council. Deputy chairs will be Andrew Webb, director of children's services at Stockport and Bob Reitemeier, chief executive of The Children's Society.