C4EO Brief No 2 (February 2009)
Updates
C4EO publishes the scoping studies for its Disability theme
On 16 February C4EO published the three scoping studies for its second theme Disability.
Scoping studies systematically compile the available 'what works' evidence from databases, websites, experts and other sources for each priority in each theme. They provide an overview of the type and nature of knowledge in relation to specific review questions. Scoping reviews are the start of the process that C4EO has developed to provide professionals with the best available evidence on improving outcomes for children and young people.
A study was completed for each priority which cover:
- Improving the wellbeing of disabled children (up to the age of eight) and their families through increasing the quality and range of early interventions.
- Improving the wellbeing of disabled children and young people through improving access to positive activities: extended services, youth work, inclusive play and leisure opportunities, sports and the arts.
- Ensuring all disabled children and young people and their families receive services which are sufficiently differentiated to meet their diverse needs.
More information on the scoping studies for the Disability theme is available on the C4EO website.
C4EO changes the order of themes: Schools and Communities Theme is moved forward.
The Centre has changed the order in which it will work on two of its seven themes. The Schools and Communities theme will swap places with the Parents, Carers and Families theme. The Schools and Communities theme, lead by National Foundation for Educational Research, will now start in June 2009. The Parents, Carers and Families theme, led by the Family and Parenting Institute (FPI), will start in December 2009. The change has taken place to align the work of the Schools and Communities theme with the current debate on the 21st Century Schools. The Centre is grateful to FPI for their support of this re-ordering of the themes. The new order of the C4EO themes is:
- Early Years
- Disability
- Vulnerable Children (particularly children in care)
- Child Poverty
- Schools and Communities
- Youth
- Parents, Carers and Families.
Child poverty cross-cutting theme – theme lead
The Centre is delighted to announce that Catherine Fitt, Director of Children's Services for Newcastle , has accepted the role of theme lead for the Centre for Excellence and Outcomes in Children and Young People's Services cross-cutting theme of Child Poverty.
The Theme Advisory Group will look at the local policies, strategies and interventions that are most effective in reducing child poverty and tackling inter-generational cycles of poverty, and at 'what works' to facilitate systems change that improves development and outcomes for poor children.
For more information contact Helen Goody, Assistant Director – Themes Coordination
C4EO seeks Child Poverty Sector Specialists
C4EO are looking for twelve Child Poverty Specialists to work across the nine Government Office regions. These are staff currently working in children's services who have a recognised expertise in Child Poverty and who can demonstrate a track record of achieving effective practice locally. The Specialists will help to spread knowledge about what works and will support outcome improvement work within their region. They will be accredited, trained, supported and deployed by the Centre, and will work for the Centre for up to 50 days over an 18-month period. There is backfill funding available for organisations who second their staff to C4EO in this way. Sector Specialists are not part of the field forces and will only work when invited into a locality. If you would like to discuss the role please contact C4EO Assistant Director Sue Rowley on 07917 663 785.
The Child Poverty Specialists information pack are available from the C4EO website.
C4EO launches 'one-stop shop' on what works in children's services
Delivering on the work of its first theme, Early Years, the Centre for Excellence and Outcomes in Children and Young People's Services (C4EO) has launched a major new knowledge resource and sector-led support programme.
At its heart is a free online 'one-stop shop' resource that focuses on effective family support and how best to narrow the gap in outcomes for vulnerable groups of young children. It contains the latest 'what works' evidence about systems and strategies that have been shown to improve outcomes in early years services. This will, for the first time, give children's sector professionals the latest data and evidence in one location. They will be able to search for information relevant to their context through an interactive search facility known as a Progress Mapping Tool.
This 'one-stop shop' concentrates on evidence for two priority areas:
- narrowing the gap in outcomes for young children through effective practices in the early years
- improving children's attainment through a better quality of family-based support for early learning.
The Centre is offering a programme of sector-led tailored support to help professionals to access the information. This support programme includes a series of nine regional knowledge workshops, one being held in each Government Office region. The Centre has also recruited and trained 21 Sector Specialists from across the children's sector as peer advisers. These specialists will be available, on request, to work with Local Authorities and their Children's Trust partners to use the evidence to improve outcomes in their local context.
Visit the Early Years theme on the C4EO website for more information.
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