NAVCA welcomes the Audit Commission's report on Children's
Trusts as an independent assessment of the Trusts and how they are
working. Whilst it is concerning that there is little evidence that
Children's Trusts are delivering real changes for children, the
report points the way forward and offers a framework for future
improvement. Clearly these new structures and arrangements are only
worthwhile if they can be demonstrated to bring changes for
children and their families and NAVCA believes that voluntary and
community organisations have a key role to play. We have long had
concerns that the sector is not being appropriately and fully
involved in the children's trusts arrangements despite the large
contribution that the sector can make. We are pleased that this
independent report has corroborated this concern and are please
with the seriousness with which the issue is taken. We also welcome
the Commission's commitment to take the findings of their report
into account in the Comprehensive Area Assessment that starts in
April 2009.
Neil Cleeveley, NAVCA's Director of Policy and Communications says
"Everybody involved needs to make sure that Children's Trusts
arrangements work for children and bring them real benefits.
Voluntary and community organisations can make a real difference to
children. It is disappointing but not a surprise that the Audit
Commission has found that in general trusts are not sufficiently
engaging with the third sector, indeed our Frontline Hopscotch
report identified many of the problems. Statutory bodies need to
reach out to third sector organisations and transform the way
services are delivered. All too often they have just made
structural changes but continued to deliver services in the same
way or even taken more services back in house. This will fail the
children the reforms were designed to benefit."
Are we there yet? Improving governance and resource management in
children's trusts (Audit
Commission).