Children's Fund fiasco

January 23, 2004

From April 2004, Newham ñ through Social Services, will receive a total of £1.9 million to provide services for vulnerable and disadvantaged children and young people, living with mental health or those with a disability or refugees.

If you are a service provider offering a service in this area, do not get excited, as you will be unlikely to get the opportunity to bid for a share of this money. Instead of this fund being open to all projects that provide services in this defined area, this money is merely being rolled over to the existing 36 projects that have been funded for the past 3 years. Such practice from a department who are normally so transparent and open in their grants is quite breathtaking.

Late Discussions

After much discussion, the Childrenís Fund Partnership Board, the body responsible for the allocation of this fund, decided to seek expressions of interest. However, the Director of Social Services subsequently overturned this decision. Many reasons were given not to accept expressions of interest and none of them stack up. However, it is the usual much loved Council practice of leaving it to the last minute before deciding how the fund should be allocated. Now, at the 11th hour there remains insufficient time and insufficient resources to conduct a fair process, affording those other than the current 36 funded projects, to participate in service provision with money from this fund. This now appears to be no more than a closed shop. Well shame on you Social Services.

Posted by webmaster at 04:06 PM