Announcing its remit for the coming financial year, the council said it will continue to drive workforce development in social work, early years, educational psychology, families and parenting and sector-led support until next April and has committed to continue beyond 2012 despite the loss of government funding.
After March next year, most of the council’s work will be transferred to the Department for Education after the government decided to cease funding for the sector skills council’s work as a non-departmental public body.
Jane Haywood, CWDC chief executive, said: "At the moment, employers are making some tough frontline decisions. We want to support them in this role, and make sure we build on what we know works so we can continue to make a difference to children and young people’s lives.
"This will be our key task and we are confident there is a place for CWDC’s important work beyond March 2012. We will spend time over the next 12 months discussing with our employers and frontline workers how best we can support them. Whatever path CWDC takes, improving the lives of children, young people and their families will remain our raison d’être."
The £113.4m will be invested in the following areas:
- £79.9m for social work of which at least £43.9m will be allocated to the Social Work Improvement Fund
- £16.85m for early years
- £5.2m for educational psychologists
- £0.5m for families and parenting
- £25,000 for residential care workers pilot
- £11m to support sector-led developments including young people’s workforce, safeguarding, integrated working, poverty, disability and fostering, together with organisation running costs such as office and staffing costs
