DCSF cuts will target field forces

By Lauren Higgs and Ross Watson Thursday, 07 January 2010

Field forces are to bear the brunt of cutbacks at the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), CYP Now has learned.

Children in early years setting. Credit NTI

Last month's Pre-Budget Report earmarked savings of £350m between 2011 and 2013 to be made by the DCSF.

CYP Now understands that at least £200m of this will come from a radical scaling back of field forces, which aim to support services to improve and cost in the region of £500m every year. The remaining cash will be saved by streamlining various pilots and programmes.

It is thought some contracts for support, which are coming to an end, will be cut, and others will be trimmed.

Capita's contract for running the £64m-a-year National Strategies programme, for raising pupil attainment ends in 2011 and is not expected to be renewed.

Together for Children's contract for work in children's centres is likely to continue, but on a smaller scale.

Andrew Cozens, strategic adviser for children, adults and health services at the Improvement and Development Agency, said the sector is supportive of field force cuts. "There are too many, they need to be rationalised," he said. He added that the DCSF is likely to reorganise the way it distributes cash to councils to make further savings.

"The DCSF has a history of pilots related to new policy initiatives. Since Every Child Matters, lots of money has gone in to support all 152 local authorities to deliver new programmes," he explained. "In the current climate there will have to be a different approach with support targeted on specific local authorities."

Anne Longfield, chief executive of 4Children, said government is likely to restructure youth provision.

"There is a whole plethora of programmes such as positive activities and targeted provision, each with individual funding streams," she said. "Young people would be better served if these were joined up and it would be cost effective.

"The Sure Start approach brings together pots of money and adds value. There's a need to do the same for young people."

Barry Sheerman, chair of the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee, suggested the DCSF could follow the example of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, which plans to scrap around 30 skills quangos.

He said: "There is scope for more efficiency. If you can cull quangos in the skills area, then you can do the same in education."

A spokesman for the DCSF was unable to say where the cuts would fall. He claimed work is ongoing to identify how savings can be made across the department's programmes.