A coalition of 29 children’s charities and trade unions, including Barnardo's and Action for Children, have joined forces to call for a restructure of commissioning in children’s services.
The coalition, which is being led by Children England and the TUC, argues that the current system is having a damaging effect on service users and organisations delivering the service.
It has called for procurement decisions based on quality rather than price, long-term funding settlements, wider use of grants, more transparency and accountability, an end to zero-hours contracts and a commitment to the Living Wage.
They have signed a ‘Declaration of Interdependence’ warning that: “The reliance on price-driven competition in children’s service commissioning is eroding, rather than building, our collective capacity and sense of common cause.”
Kathy Evans, chief executive of Children England, said: “If we could put fluorescent markers on every taxpayer and charity pound being spent purely on the processes of competing for contracts then we might all be able to see more clearly the sheer scale of resources being drawn away from the ‘front line’ of children’s services.
“Yet there is surprisingly scant research evidence or data to justify this contracting merry-go-round.”
Javed Kahn, chief executive of Barnardo’s, said: “These reforms must result in the creation of an arena where charity and state resources can complement each other, rather than compete.”
Sir Tony Hawkhead, chief executive of Action for Children, said: “Spending on preventing harm to vulnerable children, rather than picking up the pieces when it’s too late would change lives and save millions in taxpayers’ money.
“Commissioning that focuses only on cost savings in the very short term doesn’t encourage the shift to preventative spending that is needed.
The full list of signatories is:
- 4 Children
- Action for Children
- Adfam
- Advice UK
- Barnardo’s
- Bromley Y
- Care Leavers
- Foundation
- Childhood First
- Children England
- Children’s Links
- Civil Exchange
- Family and Childcare Trust
- Foundation
- NAVCA
- NCIA
- NCVYS
- NYAS
- Reading Matters
- The Who Cares? Trust
- Together Trust
- TUC
- UNISON
- Unite
- West Mercia Rape & Sexual Abuse
- Support Centre
- Women’s Resource
- Centre
- Working with Men
