Voluntary sector consortium becomes DfE strategic partner

The partnership replaces the department’s previous five separate VCSE strategic partners, which included 4Children for early years and the National Council for Voluntary Youth Services (NCVYS) for youth.

The DfE has provided £1.2m of funding over two years to cover core work, although it could award extra money – up to £1m each year – for specific projects.

4Children and the National Children’s Bureau (NCB) will lead on early years, adoption and care within the group, which includes Barnardo’s, the Family and Childcare Trust, NCVYS and NSPCC.

The two organisations have formed a separate partnership within the consortium called the Children's Partnership.

Anne Longfield, 4Children’s chief executive, said the DfE hoped partnering organisations would strengthen joined-up working within children, young people and family services.

“The partnership is exciting as we can start to make good strategic connections by working together, add value to the sector and try innovative approaches,” said Longfield.

She said two ideas the partnership was considering included exploring how children’s centres could play a role in adoption, and how the Early Intervention Foundation could work within the children and families’ sector.

4Children is to lead on early years and childcare elements and build on the work it has done in its previous two-year partnership with the department.

This will include extending the resources and policy updates for early years providers and parents available through 4Children’s foundation years website.

NCB and Barnardo’s will focus on adoption and children in care, and plans to address speeding up the adoption process, narrowing attainment and health gaps, and improving foster care.

Hilary Emery, chief executive of NCB, said the partnership would act as “the voice for the voluntary sector”.
 
“Times are challenging for the sector, but they are especially hard for the many families that access voluntary sector services,” said Emery.

The DfE awarded the strategic partnership funding in addition to grants some of the consortium members have already received through the DfE’s VCSE sector funding programme.

The DfE will retain a separate special educational needs and disability partnership, which will be led by the Council for Disabled Children.