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. Primary sources are:

• The Children's Workforce Development Council
• 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
• National Council for Voluntary Youth Services (NCVYS)
• The Office of the Third Sector
• Safe Network
• Skills Third Sector
• Social Work Reform Board
• The College of Social Work

Working together to co-ordinate provision, make user access easier, share key information and safeguard children and young people lie at the heart of the government agenda. 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 Children, Schools and Families laid out its overall vision for workforce development within The Children's Plan (December 2007) for this country to be the best country for children and young people to grow up in. Those who work or volunteer with children and young people are critical to achieving this. April 2008 saw the DSCF publication of 'Building Brighter Futures: next steps for the children's workforce' which led on to the vision created in the 2020 strategy.

• 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.

• 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.

• Office of the Third Sector

As part of the Cabinet Office, the Office of the Third Sector (OTS) leads work across government to support the environment for a thriving third sector (voluntary and community groups, social enterprises, charities, cooperatives and mutual's), enabling the sector to campaign for change, deliver public services, promote social enterprise and strengthen communities. The OTS was created at the centre of government in May 2006 in recognition of the increasingly important role the third sector plays in both society and the economy.

• 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 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.

• 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. 

The College of Social Work does not exist yet. A major consultation exercise will be carried out between May - October 2010 to agree the purpose and functions of The College.   

A Development Group is guiding the first phase of consultation and development. The Group is independent of Government and is being supported by the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) .