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Our Sector

For the children's voluntary sector, there are a range of agencies and government departments which direct workforce reform and lay out new requirements, regulations and guidance on best practice.

As part of a review of arm's length bodies clarification is still awaited on whether some of these bodies will either be abolished altogether, or their function devolved to government or other bodies. 

Primary sources which direct workforce reform are:

• The Cabinet Office
• Care Quality Commission
• Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS) (Under Consideration - Being considered by the Family Justice Review Panel as part of a full review of the family justice system, reporting in 2011)
• The Children's Workforce Development Council (Under Consideration - Options being considered with an announcement being made before the end of 2010)
• Department for Business, Innovation, and Skills
• The Department for Education
• The Department of Health
• Health Professions Council (HPC)
• The Independent Safeguarding Authority
• National Association for Voluntary and Community Action (NAVCA)
• National College for Schools & Children's Services (Under Consideration - Options being considered with an announcement being made before the end of 2010)
• National Council for Voluntary Youth Services (NCVYS)
• The Office of the Children's Commissioner (Under Consideration - Subject to a formal review to be finalised by the end of November 2010)
• Partnerships for Schools (Under Consideration - Subject to the overarching review of Department for Education's capital expenditure, to be completed in December 2010)
• Safe Network
• Skills Third Sector
• Social Enterprise Coalition
• Social Work Reform Board
• Training and Development Agency for Schools (Under Consideration - Options being considered with an announcement being made before the end of 2010)
• The College of Social Work
• Young People's Learning Agency (Under Consideration - Subject to education structural reforms)

Working together to co-ordinate provision, making user access easier, and sharing key information and safeguarding children and young people lie are key priorities.  Improved induction, working to common standards laid out by the Children's Workforce Development Council, are the first rung on the ladder. The Department for Education Ministers will set out the Government's priorities for children, young people and families in the coming months.

• The Cabinet Office

The Cabinet Office leads work across Government to support voluntary and community groups, social enterprises, charities, cooperatives and mutuals.

• Care Quality Commission

The Care Quality Commission is the independent regulator of health and social care in England.

• Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS)

Cafcass looks after the interests of children involved in family proceedings.

• Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC)

The Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC) leads change so that the thousands of people and volunteers working with children and young people across England are able to do the best job they possibly can.

CWDC want England's children and young people's workforce to be respected by peers and valued for the positive difference it makes to children, young people and their families.

CWDC advise and work in partnership with lots of different organisations and people who all want the lives of all children and young people to be healthy, happy and fulfilling.

• Department for Business, Innovation, and Skills

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has an important role at the heart of government as the ‘department for growth'.

• The Department for Education

The Department for Education is responsible for education and children's services. 

• The Department of Health (DH)

The Department of Health (DH) exists to improve the health and wellbeing of people in England

• Health Professions Council (HPC) 

The Health Professions Council is responsible for setting standards of conduct and practice for social care workers and their employers, and for regulating the workforce.  The HPC are a regulator, and they  were set up to protect the public. To do this, the HPC keep a register of health professionals who meet their standards for their training, professional skills, behaviour and health.

• Independent Safeguarding Authority

The Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) was created as part of the Government's Vetting and Barring Scheme (VBS) to help prevent unsuitable people from working with children and vulnerable adults. It is a Non Departmental Public Body, sponsored by the Home Office. 

The ISA work in partnership with the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) to help ensure that there is 'no known reason' why individuals who work or wish to work or volunteer with children or vulnerable adults shouldn't do so.

• National Association for Voluntary and Community Action (NAVCA)

NAVCA is the national voice of local third sector infrastructure in England. We aim to ensure communities are well served by the local third sector by supporting our members and their work with over 160,000 local groups and organisations. NAVCA believes that local voluntary and community action is vital for healthy and inclusive communities.

NAVCA provide members with networking opportunities, specialist advice, support, policy information and training. NAVCA is a vital bridge between local groups and national government.

NAVCA's specialist teams take a lead on the issues that matter most to local third sector infrastructure organisations. We influence national and local government policy to promote local voluntary and community action.

Until 14 June 2006, NAVCA was called NACVS (National Association of Councils for Voluntary Service).

• National College for Schools & Children's Services

The National College for Leadership of Schools and Children's Services works to develop and inspire great leaders of schools, early years settings and children's services so that they can make a positive difference to children's lives.

• National Council for Voluntary Youth Services (NCVYS)

The independent voice of the voluntary youth sector was established in 1936. The National Council for Voluntary Youth Services is a diverse and growing network of over 170 national organisations and regional and local networks that work with and for young people. Our mission is to work with our members from voluntary and community organisations to build thriving communities and sustainable networks that help all young people achieve their potential.

• The Office of the Children's Commissioner

Promotes the views and best interests of children and young people in England.

• Partnerships for Schools

Partnerships for Schools (PfS) is the government's delivery agent for capital investment programmes into schools, helping to ensure that taxpayers get the best value from every education pound spent.

• Safe Network

The Safe Network is jointly managed by the NSPCC and Children England, and was created as a result of the Government's Staying Safe action plan. Working with six delivery partners with access to networks and expertise in different areas of work. Together Safe Network work to identify areas of safeguarding to support where it's needed most.

• Skills Third Sector

Skills - Third Sector is a sector-led, independent charity which helps ensure the third sector has the skills and learning it needs to do the best possible job. Their vision is for third sector organisations have the staff, volunteers and trustees with the diversity of skills and people they need to make an ever growing contribution to their communities. 

Established in 2009, Skills - Third Sector aims to provide the coherent voice that third sector organisations need to influence strategy and policy in relation to their skills development, underpinned by a strong and credible research base. At the same time, Skills - Third Sector will provide a focal point for exchanging knowledge and good practice in skills and workforce development, working to drive up demand for and an investment in learning and workforce development in third sector organisations.

• Social Enterprise Coalition

The Social Enterprise Coalition represents a wide range of social enterprises, regional and national support networks and other related organisations.

• Social Work Reform Board

One of the recommendations of the Social Work Task Force is for the creation of a single national reform programme for social work, overseen by a reform board, to drive delivery of the Task Force's recommendations as a result of this the Social Work Reform Board has been established.

The Board actively engages with both front-line practitioners and service users to ensure that their voices are heard throughout its work and their views are embedded into all social work reform.

• Training and Development Agency for Schools

The Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) is the national agency and recognised sector body responsible for the training and development of the school workforce.

• The College of Social Work

The College of Social Work is being established following a major review of adults' and children's social work services in England by the Social Work Task Force. 

• Young People's Learning Agency

The Young People's Learning Agency champion education and training for young people in England. 

 

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