Child Poverty Toolkit
In January 2008, the DCSF commissioned TfC to create a suite of support products to assist local authorities and children’s centres to address the child poverty agenda.
An incubator event took place on 28th February 2008, which brought together practitioners, government organisations, the voluntary sector and other key stakeholders to discuss and highlight the crucial elements needed for children’s centres to assist families living in poverty. The event involved a series of exercises that sought to draw out well-focused debate framed by a presentation from the new DCFS and DWP Child Poverty Unit, who have a key role in driving an integrated approach to tackling poverty.
In identifying the support products participants recognised the wealth of resources already in existence including TfC toolkits and the recently launched Child Poverty Toolkit from the Child Poverty Action Group and Centre for Economic and Social Inclusion. The TfC toolkit therefore seeks to complement existing products and signpost users to these resources.
We hope you find these products useful. If you have any feedback or further examples of good practice in child poverty work, we would welcome you contacting us at mail@togetherforchildren.co.uk
Sure Start Children's Centres - Governance Guidance
Sure Start Children’s Centres Governance Guidance – Quick Reference Guide to putting Guidance into Practice.
Exemplification of Models
Together for Children have created a quick reference guide, which is designed to support you to develop appropriate governance arrangements for your children’s centres.
This reference guide is intended to provide you with a practical interpretation of the recently published DCSF Governance Guidance for Children's Centres and Extended Schools.
Full Core Offer Process, Checklist and Support Documentation Updated : October 2008
Toolkit for Priority & Excluded families Updated : v6 July 2008
The toolkit launched by Together for Children provides practical advice and guidance for local authorities. The toolkit highlights the importance of understanding and analysing the local situation, consulting widely, and the need to treat children, their parents and carers as individuals rather than make assumptions based on their membership of certain groups.
Checklists provide questions and discussion points for local authorities, children's centre and partner organisations, covering groups such as teenage parents, fathers, minority and ethic families, disabled children and parents, partners and families of prisoners, parents with drug or alcohol problems and the homeless and families in temporary accommodation.
Supporting the successful delivery of rural children's centres July 2007
Together for Children, Local Authority and Voluntary Sector representatives and the Department for Children Schools and Families held a joint incubator workshop in July 2007 which brought together experienced contributors from across the country. The aim was to capture knowledge and experience from all sectors and create some practical products which can be used in rural areas and ensure that the extensive knowledge which has already been developed is made available through one site and put to full use.
The outcome is a suite of products and links to other specialist resources, designed to be used by all partners engaged in developing and sustaining rural children's centres.
Working with the PVI Sectors July 2007
| Together for Children (TfC) held an incubator workshop in July 2007 which brought together representatives from Local Authorities (LAs), Sure Start Children's Centres (SSCCs), the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA), private childcare providers, the Confederation of British Industry and national children's charities, including childcare. |
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The workshop explored how Local Authorities and the private, voluntary and independent (PVI) sectors might be able to improve the way they work together in the delivery of Sure Start Children's Centres and services.
The outcome of the incubator is this suite of products: a range of documents which are designed to be used by both colleagues in LAs and in local PVI organisations as they work together to deliver SSCCs and services in their communities. |
Improving Health Local Authority Joint Working Updated : September 2008
Together for Children and the Department of Health held a joint "incubator" workshop in June 2007 which brought together expert contributors from Local Authorities, Children's Centres, the Department for Children, Schools and Families, the Department of Health, the NHS and the Care Services Improvement Partnership. The aim was to capture knowledge and experience from both sectors and create some practical products which can be used locally to try and improve joint working arrangements.
The outcome of the incubator is a suite of products: a range of documents designed to be used by colleagues in both Local Authorities and in local Health organisations as they work towards their shared targets.
Toolkit for Business Planning June 2007
The Business Planning Toolkit has been developed to support local authorities, their stakeholder partners and individual children’s centres in considering different approaches to service and business plan development. It is based on a range of experience gathered from across England; and should be considered as part of a continuous improvement cycle. It includes:
- Signposting to other support and advice agencies, websites and resources
- References to guidance and policy documents
- Sample case studies
- Planning and review checklists
- Templates and schedules
TfC Glossary
The terms included in this glossary relate to the Children’s Agenda and focus specifically on higher level areas such as national and local bodies and senior management issues.
Role of a QTS
This paper results from discussion between TfC, the National Strategies Team and local authorities. It is intended as a guidance note for local authorities and relevant support agencies. Teacher support for children’s centres is of considerable concern to many local authorities and carries major funding implications for their children’s centre programmes.