Childcare and Education News January/February 2008

• The National Council of Voluntary Childcare Organisations has published a new survey on the government’s new children’s fund. The fund was launched in November 2000, but as of April  this year, funding will be ringfenced, and local authorities have been given the power to decide how to use the money. The survey revealed that 65% of children’s fund managers expect voluntary and community sector services to be de-commissioned, 58% of service providers expect their project or service to come to an end in march 2008, and 38% of voluntary and community sector organisations expect to issue redundancy notices. For more information see Survey on the Governments New Childrens Fund