Policy Statements and Initiatives
WAG: Social Justice Minister, Carl Sargeant recently highlighted the action being taken to help community development workers acquire the skills they need to support disadvantaged communities in Wales.
The Welsh Assembly Government has joined forces with Lifelong Learning UK, Community Development Cymru and other key stakeholders to develop an Action Plan for the next 3 years.
The Welsh Assembly Government has joined forces with Lifelong Learning UK, Community Development Cymru and other key stakeholders to develop an Action Plan for the next 3 years.
Press release ~ Communities First ~ Working with Communities - The Community Development Workforce Action Plan for Wales
MLA: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has confirmed it will not fund a new round of the £1.8m Strategic Commissioning programme – which links museums & schools – after the programme ends in March 2011.
CLG: Housing Minister, Grant Shapps last week urged councils & housing associations to help unlock their tenants' entrepreneurial talents and allow them to set up businesses from their homes. Research has suggested that as many as 96% of housing associations can require tenants to get written permission to be able to work from home - with many tenants believing that permission would be denied.
DfE: The Secretary of State for Education has allocated £110m to establish an education endowment fund (EEF) designed to raise standards in underperforming schools. The EEF will distribute money to local authorities, academy sponsors, charities and other groups that bring forward innovative proposals to improve performance in our most challenging schools.
Those bidding for funds from the EEF will have to outline how their proposals will raise attainment. Bidders must also demonstrate how they will be held accountable for the success of their proposals. Organisations will be able to apply to administer the EEF from 5 November 2010.
Press release ~ Information about how to apply will be available at: Contraxonline ~ Supply2.gov.uk ~ DfE Research website
WAG: Education Minister, Leighton Andrews, has welcomed the launch of a new Welsh Medium scholarship which will help to engage more students in Welsh medium higher education. He has also reaffirmed the Welsh Assembly Government’s commitment to establishing Coleg Ffederal in Wales.
Press release ~ Welsh Language Skills ~ Coleg Ffederal ~ Strategy for Welsh Medium Provision in Higher Education
DfE: As part of a speech to mark National Adoption Week, Children’s Minister, Tim Loughton last week called on local authorities & voluntary adoption agencies ‘not to deny children a loving home with adoptive parents solely on the grounds that they do not share the same racial or cultural background’. Statistics show that the number of children placed for adoption fell by 15% in 2009/10 and that more children are waiting longer to be adopted.
To help break down barriers & reduce delay in the system, the Government has set up an advisory group on adoption to provide expert advice on a range of practical proposals. Local authorities should also be making use of the Adoption Research Initiative, which provides guidance to frontline practitioners on planning & decision-making, family finding, adoption support and the costs of adoption.
In addition, the Government will shortly be reissuing updated statutory adoption guidance, including advice on matching for BME community and mixed ethnicity children. The BAAF is also developing new practice guidance on promoting a child’s ethnic identity in adoption and balancing this against unnecessary delay.
Press release ~ British Association for Adoption and Fostering (BAAF) ~ BAFF: Adoption Champions Scheme ~ Adoption Research Initiative ~ Existing statutory adoption guidance
DfE: All evidence & experience suggests stronger partnerships, greater integration of services and a shared purpose for all those working with and for children & families lead to better services for children, young people & families – especially the most vulnerable.
But the current system needs urgent reform and the Coalition Government is determined to let local professionals come together in the way that best fits local circumstances & needs.
But the current system needs urgent reform and the Coalition Government is determined to let local professionals come together in the way that best fits local circumstances & needs.
Coupled with this is a programme of reform to devolve power & information to local areas, from councillors to community groups to individual citizens – ‘the people who together know what works best for their neighbours and their neighbourhood’. As of 31 October 2010:
* Statutory children’s trust guidance, which no longer reflects Government policy, is withdrawn
* Children & young people’s plan regulations are revoked
DWP: Details on how the State Pension age will rise to 66 have been published. A sustainable State Pension - When the State Pension age will increase to 66 follows a review and Call for Evidence on the timing of the increase in State Pension age.
MoD: In a speech to defence industry members, Minister for Defence Equipment, Support & Technology, Peter Luff, has announced that, by the end of 2010, a Green Paper will be published that sets out plans for defence industrial & technology policy.
MoD: A new programme of defence co-operation between the UK & France has been announced by British Prime Minister, David Cameron and French President, Nicolas Sarkozy. The programme is to be delivered through an overarching Defence Co-operation Treaty, a subordinate treaty relating to a joint nuclear facility, a letter of intent signed by Defence Ministers and a package of joint defence initiatives.
HO: In her first major speech on counter-terrorism, the Home Secretary has said that tough decisions will be taken to protect the British public from further attack.
DCMS: Talented arts graduates from less affluent backgrounds will be given an opportunity to kick start a career in the arts or creative industries, under a new bursary scheme formally launched by Culture Minister, Ed Vaizey. The DCMS Jerwood Creative Bursaries Scheme for new arts graduateshas been developed and is managed by Jerwood on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).
The programme will make careers in the arts more accessible by giving up to 40 recent graduates, who could otherwise not support themselves through an unpaid internship, the opportunity to take up posts with arts & cultural organisations for up to 12 months. Scheme will initially run for 2 years. A decision on continuing the scheme will be taken following full evaluation.
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