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1 Looking at Empowering the Children’s and Young People’s Workforce: An introduction
Simon Brownhill
Take a moment to consider the following:
• Imagine if there were no drugs and alcohol workers who could support children and young people who had become dependent on solvents…
• Imagine if there were no play workers to support and enrich the learning experiences of young children…
• Imagine if there were no sports coaches to support children and young people with a passion and skill for netball or tennis…
• Imagine if there were no learning mentors to deal with the challenging behaviours of children and young people with low self-esteem in various learning environments…
It is hard to imagine the above. The existence of Children’s and Young People’s Services (CYPS) and its powerful ability to transform the lives of children and young people cannot be underestimated; it is recognised that ‘[s]ince the publication of the Every Child Matters (ECM) Green Paper in 2003 there ha[s] been a preoccupation in England with the better [presence, quality and] integration of children’s services’ (CfBT, 2010: 2) to help improve outcomes for children, young people and families. Laming (2009) acknowledges how the underlying philosophy which underpins the way in which CYPS operates continues to receive ‘overwhelming support’ across political parties and professionals, and there is evidence to suggest that most children and young people are doing well from the huge investment in ECM (CIAG, 2009). We recognise that this improvement could only have been made as a result of important strategic decision making at a national level, industrious co-ordination and management at a local authority/regional level, and the hard work, dedication and commitment from those individuals who work at a ‘shop floor’ service level. But how do we sustain what has already been achieved, supporting those who are new to the 0–19 workforce (DfES, 2003) while continuing to make improvements in CYPS, particularly as evidence suggests that there are still many children and young people whose life chances remain poor — CIAG (2009) cite the figure of 20 per cent — and who are not benefiting from what might be regarded as the ‘presence and power’ of CYPS (see NCB, 2011; Brandon et al., 2012). Indeed, with an increasing number of high profile child protection cases — Victoria Climbié (2003), ‘Baby P’ (2009), the Oxford grooming sex gang (2013) — it is imperative for us all to take a shared responsibility to ensure all children and young people are well protected, cared for and supported to the very best of our abilities. It is our firm belief that ‘targeted support’ is the best way to continuously develop, enrich and strengthen provision and practice in the 0–19 sector. This book serves as a way of targeting support by empowering those who work/wish to work on the 0–19 front-line.
Looking at this book and why it has been written
For a number of years now practitioners and those training in the 0–19 workforce have had limited access to relevant professional/academic literature to support their studies and practice. Much of the available literature about the 0–19 workforce tends to focus its attention on teachers, children and schools, which alienates those readers who regard themselves as practitioners or professionals, who work with service users, young people or learners and who are employed/training in settings. This book sets out to utilise and promote key and transferable terminology, themes, concepts and ideas which are applicable to specific and various sectors which make up the 0–19 workforce (see pages 3–4).
For the purposes of this book we have decided to use the generic terms practitioner/professional and setting to describe those who work/train in the 0–19 sector, the service that they provide for children, young people and families and the location where this service is offered.
This book aims to respond to a real need for up-to-date and relevant literature to support practitioners and those training in embracing the core values and principles which are an integral feature of quality practice and are applicable to all who work/train in the 0–19 sector. This book sets out to empower the reader by critically examining professional knowledge, practical skills and personal values which will lead to an enriched understanding of policy and practice to support the workforce; in turn this will develop the reader’s capabilities in critical reflection, analysis, responding positively to change, embracing innovation, and utilising professional standards and ideas to offer a ‘world class’ service for the benefit of future generations.
This book locates itself within the heart of a national time of change and turbulence in the 0–19 sector. A change in UK government in 2010 resulted in radical changes and concerning cutbacks being made to service provision for children and young people; an exploration of these changes is highlighted in many of the chapters offered in this book. The ‘scaling down’ or abolition of local authority (LA) departments, reductions in the number of workforce employees and budgetary constraints have all impacted, and continue to impact, on the availability, quality and consistency of provision which service users have access to (see Action for Children, 2010). This book considers the implications of the above in relation to key themes and ideas that are integral to working in CYPS, e.g. roles and responsibilities, parents, carers and the community, and different types of learners/service users. The calling for more qualified and competent people to work in the 0–19 sector is positively embraced by this book as it supports initial and continuing professional development (IPD/CPD) in select areas and aspects of CYPS working which are paramount for effective provision, e.g. communication, communities of practice on a local, national and international level, and work-based learning.
Look at who this book is for
Empowering the Children’s and Young People’s Workforce has been written for those individuals who work/wish to work with children, young people and their families in CYPS. It is principally written to empower those individuals who are initiating their professional studies in CYPS at a Higher Education (HE) level and those who are undertaking practice-based courses to complement their academic understanding and enrich their established practice in the sector. Table 1.1 is an adaptation of Figure 1.2: The Children’s and Young People’s Workforce (DCSF, 2008: 14) and is presented by way of acknowledging many of the readers that this book aims to serve.
