Applications are invited for a share of funding that represents £30m for each year in 2013 - 2014 and 2014 - 2015. Funded projects will have a remit to meet key objectives which contribute to policy thinking and have a positive impact on delivery on the ground:
- Promote excellence in early education and childcare, so enabling all children to achieve success in their early years and later education
- Develop and reform services that support children with SEN, disabilities and other health needs
- Develop and reform safeguarding services that protect and support children at risk of harm
- Develop and reform the care system and speed up the process of adoption
- Focus and develop local services to improve outcomes for vulnerable and disadvantaged young people
Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Pre-School Learning Alliance, said, ‘From a position of being told by the Department that "come March 2013, that’s it, you need to be self-sufficient", this is great news for the voluntary sector. It’s also deserved recognition of the support providers need as they continue to operate in incredibly difficult economic conditions.
‘It’s good to see that intervention is entrenched within the prospectus for, as an organisation that supports thousands of providers to deliver early intervention, we must confess that the thought of withdrawing funding and destroying a critical infrastructure did seem ludicrous to us.’
Mr Leitch said that the main theme areas are key and the PLA supports the Government’s focus. ‘We also welcome the change in heart regarding innovation, which was absent from the last round.
‘Like most in the sector we would like to see funding directed towards those delivering frontline services, rather than on partnerships to deliver transformational change.’
Under the last tranche of funding in 2011, 4Children was awarded a total £1m over two years to be the strategic lead for a group of organisations under the banner Foundations for the Future.
- The deadline for applications for future funding is 30 November.
