CYP Now - Policy & Practice: Policy into practice - Shared purpose must unite professionals

Every day nearly two and a half million people dedicate themselves to working with children and families, and these people constitute an invaluable army of children's workers. Despite their vital role, the children's workforce retains a rigid and overly fragmented structure that inhibits the career options for professionals, and the services and support provided to children and their families.

Major challenges include pay, conditions, status, training and career development.

The childcare industry is targeting the recruitment of 180,000 new workers by 2006. But there is a significant shortage of qualified staff and turnover is high. Supermarkets are expected to recruit more than 90,000 staff in the next few years too, and the salaries they offer will often be higher than those offered for working with children.

Creating a new children's workforce is high on the political agenda and will be one test of whether Every Child Matters has had an impact. The challenge is to create an integrated workforce that will fostering multi-agency working, and also to simplify the qualifications and training options available to create a more navigable career structure.

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