The Children's Workforce Development Council is encouraging employers,local authorities and other stakeholders to sign up to the 'big deal' -the Sector Skills Agreement for the children's workforce in England.Those who sign it pledge their support to investing in staff trainingand professional development and identifying needs in training andskills.
Earlier this month Leeds City Council and Education Leeds became thefirst to officially back it. Chris Edwards, chief executive of EducationLeeds, said, 'By investing in the training of our professionals andsupporting their professional development, together we will be betterequipped to deliver outstanding outcomes and ensure every child ishappy, healthy, safe and successful - whatever it takes!'
Raising expectations for new fund
The sector is asking for clarification on how the new Graduate LeaderFund will be accessed when it supersedes the 250m TransformationFund in April this year.
The Graduate Leader Fund provides 175m to support theintroduction of graduate level leaders into the PVI sector between 2008and 2011. Meanwhile money for training other staff will come from the'outcomes, quality and inclusion' block of the 4bn which wasannounced under the recent Comprehensive Spending Review.
The Transformation Fund remains significantly underspent. At the end oflast year a Parliamentary session revealed that only 37m had beenspent from 2006-07. However, spending is expected to have increased inthe final phase.
Purnima Tanuku, chief executive of the NDNA, identifies the barriers totake-up. 'Feedback from some providers highlighted how some of theconditions attached to an application were too stringent withrestrictions upon fees, while the process for applying could betime-consuming.
'Many were also concerned by its long-term sustainability. For example,how could they afford graduate salaries or what would they do if therecruitment strand was taken up and the graduate then left part-waythrough their training?
'NDNA hopes the process for applying for the new Graduate Leader Fundwill have increased flexibility to make it easier for nurseries toaccess these funds. It is also important to recognise the need tocontinue funding training at lower levels.'
Ms Tanuku also says the NDNA would like to see a long-term commitment tothe fund being made available to support salaries once these graduatesare in place.
'This is necessary to ensure that increased costs are not passed on toparents.'
