Children’s Workforce Development Council
Minutes
Members Meeting
Date:
8 July 2010
Time:
13:00 – 14:45
Venue:
CWDC Offices, Leeds
Signed by Paul Ennals: ……………………………
Present:
Dame Gillian Pugh
Russell Norman
Maggie Jones
Purnima Tanuku
Michael Freeston (Proxy Steve Alexander)
Matt Buttery
Bridget Robb
Ian Ward
Paul Ennals
Dorit Braun
Jane Haywood
Javed Khan
Jon Richards
Nigel Pursey
Liz Garrett
Member
Member
Member
Member
Member
Member
Member
Member
Chair
Non Executive Director
Chief Executive
Non Executive Director
Non Executive Director
Non Executive Director
CWDC Attendees:
Brian Tytherleigh
Dave Poulsom
Deirdre Quill
Keith Brumfitt
Philippa Mart
Director of Business Development & Performance
Director of Finance & Company Secretary
Director of Early Intervention & Prevention
Director of Children’s Trusts
Executive Support Manager
Apologies:
Bruce Clark
Carol Jones
Cllr Rita Krishna
Eamon O’Hearn Large
Jackie Harrop
Linda Baston-Pitt
Pauline Webster
Robert Tapsfield
Roger Morgan
Peter Allenson
Sonia Sharp
Member
Member
Member
Member
Member
Member
Member
Member
Member
Member
Member
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Susan Reid
Howard Cooper
Jonathan Vickers
Jane Held
Steve Crisp
Member
Non Executive Director
Non Executive Director
Non Executive Director
Director of Sector Delivery
1. Welcome, Apologies and Minutes of Previous Meeting
The Chair welcomed attendees to the meeting which provides a very timely
opportunity for Members to feed into the discussions on the spending
review process and to inform the meeting with the Minister taking place on
Monday 12 July.
Minutes of Meeting
Minutes were agreed
Matters Arising
Minute 3 – the issue of clarifying the responsibility for the early years and
the nursery workforce remains outstanding and will be taken forward in the
forthcoming reviews of workforce bodies.
It was noted that until further clarity is reached on the future of the
organisation the review of the members group would be postponed.
2. Chair’s Report
The Chair reported on discussions with Senior Government Officials
relating to the budget reductions, the spending review and the forthcoming
ALB review.
Since the election he has taken up less speaking engagements in the light
of the restrictions on communications.
3. Chief Executive Report
The Chief Executive highlighted that due to restrictions, delivery over the
first three months has been very slow, and she noted that this had been a
frustrating time but the Remit Letter has now been agreed for the
remainder of the year.
The Members noted that the Youth Professional Status is not being taken
forward and that £1m has been taken out of the staffing budget. The
recruitment freeze means that current employees are being transferred
internally to fill vacancies. The Early Years budget has been reduced and
we are still awaiting final decisions which will be reported to Members
shortly. Communications work across the organisation is being severely
constrained. When agreeing the £15m cuts, front line workers have been
protected as has funding to the third sector.
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Members emphasised the importance of providing clarity to front line
workers on practice delivery issues and the Executive agreed to explore
means of communicating this information, in the light of current restrictions
on allowable communications activity, by using the communications
channels of member’s organisations.
Partnership working with TDA and NCSL is continuing in certain areas
although the ability for any of the organisations to retain field forces is
unlikely in the current climate.
Action
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The Executive to produce some information and messages that can JH
be sent through the member’s communication channels.
JH
The Executive to produce Q&A for the web site.
4. Workshop on Future Strategy
The Director of Children’s Trusts presented the attached presentation
(annex A), inviting views on his summary of areas where central workforce
development work adds value, inviting commentary on priorities for the
future, considering the specific needs of the VCS and exploring options for
the configuration of workforce support.
The Members held a wide ranging discussion which will inform the CWDC
submissions to the Spending Review and ministerial meeting; key areas
being:
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Need to go back to basics – what does the children, young people
and families workforce need?.
Clarification of future arrangements for regulation and registration of
the chidlren’s workforce, in the light of the proposed abolition of
GTC
Need to recognise that the re-shaping of national and local services
may be more radical than we had previously imagined.
Need to ensure our proposed offer is aligned to what Government
want
The Government will need some effective mechanisms to ensure
that the conclusions of some of their current reviews are translated
into revised actions by the workforce.
The distinction between the needs of voluntary sector and private
employers may be less important than the distinction between the
needs of small and large employers, regardless of sector
Support and development of volunteers may require input in the
coming years, if Government perceives that volunteers are
expected to assume some of the delivery roles currently undertaken
by paid staff. Any such initiatives would raise sensitivities with the
paid workforce.
Need to build upon some ways of delivering services that can work
– in particular the digital strategy and use of intermediary bodies to
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help information sharing - making sure that we can work effectively
with the employer groups.
Field forces are the past.
The government will still need a structure to support the children,
young people and families workforce.
Moving to a situation whereby an increasing proportion of CWDC’s
services are available for draw down from employers, rather than
provided to all.
Date of Next Meeting: 11 November 2010 AM– location to be confirmed
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