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Background
The Children's Fund is a central part of the government's
agenda for children and families. It aims to make a real difference
to the lives of children and young people at risk of social
exclusion. Voluntary organisations, local statutory agencies,
community and faith groups have come together to form the
149 Children's Fund partnerships in England which are responsible
for delivering locally coordinated strategies of preventative
services for five to 13-year-olds. The fund is part of the
Every
Child Matters agenda.
In mid November 2000, education minister David Blunkett and
Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown launched a £450
million fund to prevent vulnerable children turning to a life
of truancy, crime and drugs. Local councils were asked to
apply to the Children's Fund to set up joint schemes with
the voluntary sector to help youths.
The new services, aimed at those aged five to 13, include
schemes in which older children can talk to younger pupils
about the risks of getting involved in crime. Local groups
will provide counselling for children at risk and advice for
refugees and non-English speaking families. They will also
offer after school activities, summer schools, and parental
education. The new projects will be designed to fill the gap
between Sure Start, a scheme to help families in deprived
areas with children under five, and Connexions, a project
to ensure that school leavers at 16 do not drop out of education,
training and work. The NSPCC said when the idea was first
floated: ". The unit must not become a political football
between ministries."
The initiative is headed by the Children, Young People and
Families Unit. Responsibility for the CYPFU is spread around
Whitehall: main unit in the Department for Education; day-to-day
minister at the Home Office; overall boss in the Treasury.
The idea is to get people to break out of the traditional
department bunkers - the old coordinating system of a lead
department meant others paid no attention.
The 2002 Comprehensive Spending Review allocated £600
million to the Children's Fund, meaning local partnership
will be able to continue funding services until 2005-6. Between 2005-08 £411.5m has been allocated to the Children's Fund. This will be available to partnerships flexibly over the period, so the partnerships will be paid £130m and £149m in each of the three years. This means that by the end of the spending review period, Children's Fund partnerships will have received over £780m in the years 2003-08. This equates to an average of £156m each year. How to apply
The fund is not distributed directly to individuals and organisations
that deliver services to children and young people. Money
is paid as a grant to local partnerships which administer
funding to services to meet local need.
If you are part of an organisation or group that runs a project
or scheme, which you think may link in with the aim of the
Children's Fund, get in touch with your local Children's Fund
programme manager - the Children's Fund team in your local
Government regional office will be able to tell you who this
is.
For more recent information visit
www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/strategy/childrensfund
or
www.teachernet.gov.uk/management/atoz/c/childrensfund
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