The Children's Workforce Development Council is due to announce thefunding for local authorities and partners in the next fortnight.Details are still being finalised, including the formula for allocatingfunding, said the council's chief executive Jane Haywood.
She admitted that the amount of cash per area would be relatively smallbut hoped it would kickstart bigger projects.
"We think it can be used as seed-corn funding for common core trainingand to support multi-agency teams or childminding networks," Haywoodsaid. She hoped some local authorities would join forces and use themoney to attract further funding.
The council is also leading efforts to create a new qualificationsframework for people working with children and young people by 2010.Today (5 April) it announced its main goals for the next two years, andin October it will publish a detailed plan for building theframework.
The aim is to agree exactly how the framework will operate by October2007 after testing it with employers, workers and professionalbodies.
In January 2008 work will begin to decide which qualifications will beincluded.
The announcement follows the publication of six research reportshighlighting the scale and complexity of the task. The studies bySheffield Hallam University also reveal gaps in training and concernsabout funding.
Researchers compiled a job and qualifications database. They foundtraining gaps in subjects like behaviour management, working withdisabled children and family support. And a shortage of different levelsof qualifications in specific parts of the workforce such as a lack ofLevel 4 and 5 qualifications in social care.
Haywood said qualification strategies being developed by sector skillscouncils would clarify gaps. These will be reviewed in July. The councilalso hopes to have regional teams in place this summer. One of theirroles will be to make sure the children's workforce is seen as a fundingpriority at regional and local level, said Haywood.
- www.cdwcouncil.org.uk.
