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Birmingham Children's Fund
The Children’s Fund is a government-funded initiative, to provide a flexible and responsive approach to meeting the needs of children aged 5-13 who are at risk of social exclusion. The Fund aims to develop good practice for preventive services, for such children and their families, thus supporting them and their families in breaking the cycle of poverty and disadvantage.
On behalf of the government, the Children and Young People’s Unit (CYPU) is rolling out the Children's Fund initiative in three waves. Birmingham is one of 40 areas in the first wave. A partnership of agencies, providing children’s services in the city, put together an ambitious Programme proposal to the CYPU and was successful in procuring £18 million, for the period to March 2004, to spend on preventive work with children in specified areas and in target groups.
The overall objectives of the Programme are to provide additional resources, to engage and support voluntary community organisations in playing an active part, and to ensure joint working by the full range of children’s service providers.
The intended outcomes of the Fund are:
- Improved educational performance
- Reduced youth crime and reconvictions
- Improvements in social care and health-related measures
- Increased use of existing services by commonly excluded groups.
NCH, one of the five largest children’s charities in the country, is the Lead Agency for the programme in Birmingham.
Birmingham City Council is the Accountable Body.
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