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							NAFWC 25/01




                                                  Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru
                                                The National Assembly for Wales


To: Chief Executives
     Directors of Social Services                      Parc Cathays / Cathays Park
     Local Authorities                                          Caerdydd / Cardiff
                                                                        CF10 3NQ
     Directors or Chief Officers of
     interested Voluntary
Organisations                                                        Eich cyf / Your ref
     (see attached list).                                              Ein cyf / Our ref

                                                    Dyddiad / Date 14 August 2001



Dear Sir / Madam


CHILDREN AND FAMILIES ORGANISATIONS GRANT

Introduction

1. The purpose of this Circular is to describe arrangements for the National
   Assembly for Wales support for child and family voluntary organisations following
   the quinquennial review of the Support for Child and Family Services Grant, and
   to invite grant applications under the re-defined scheme. Grant is payable
   under Section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968. Financial
   provision for this scheme has been made in the Assembly’s budget.

Future of the scheme

2. The quinquennial review of the Support for Child and Family Services Grant has
   recently been completed. The Minister for Health and Social Services has
   decided that the scheme should be re-defined so as to concentrate on core
   funding for national voluntary sector organisations and Children in Wales. The
   re-defined scheme will be known as the Children and Families Organisations
   Grant and will focus on the following themes:

    National representation of bodies providing services for children in Wales;
    Daycare;
    Looked after children (including advocacy, fostering and adoption);
    Disabled children;
    Parenting;
                                                          -1-      Ffon / Tel: 029 2082 5736
                                                                             GTN: 1208 5736
                                                                  Ffacs / Fax: 029 2082 3142
                                                                     Minicom: 029 2082 3280
                                                                             E-bost / E-mail:
                                                           Caroline.Ingram@wales.gsi.gov.uk
   Child protection;
   Children from ethnic and other minority groups;
   Play.

Structure of the scheme in 2001-2002 and beyond

Core Funding

3. The Children and Families Organisation Grant offers core grant support to assist
   the central administrative costs of national voluntary organisations providing
   services to children and their families in Wales. We envisage that £357,000 will
   be available for distribution in this financial year, rising to £873,000 in 2002-2003
   and £1,161,000 in 2003-2004.

4. New applications for core funding are invited from national organisations that
   meet the eligibility criteria detailed in the enclosed grant application guidance
   note. Funding will be offered to successful applicants from the final quarter of
   2001-2002, with indicative funding until 2004-2005, subject to Assembly approval
   of budget provision. Funding will be managed on a three-year rolling basis with
   a progress and objective review held in the second full year of funding.

5. Organisations currently in receipt of core funding under the Services for Child and
   Family Grant Scheme will be eligible for renewal of funding in 2002-2003. They
   can be assured that, subject to receipt of satisfactory reports and accounts, they
   will receive at least the same level of grant in 2002-2003 as at present, with an
   allowance for inflation. Existing grant recipients will be invited to apply for
   funding, on a three-year rolling basis, from 2003-2004 onwards as part of next
   year’s bidding round. We will write separately to relevant organisations.

6. In addition to bids from organisations not previously funded, existing grant
   recipients may, if they wish, make a case for increased funding from 2001-02.

7. In submitting bids for the current year, organisations will wish to bear in mind that
   there will be effectively one quarter in which to incur expenditure. They will
   therefore wish to bear in mind that non-recurring expenditure can be submitted
   for consideration.

8. Separate application forms are available for each category of funding and are
   listed in the grant application guidance notes.

Project Funding

9. Bids for new project funding will not be eligible for support under the Children and
   Families Organisations Grant. Instead, the funding for projects under the
   Children and Youth Partnership Fund is to be enhanced.

Further Funding for Existing Projects

10. In 2002-2003 the Assembly will provide a further final year of grant support on a
    tapering basis for existing projects whose 3-year approval ended in March 2000
    or during the financial year 2000-2001. We will write separately to relevant
    organisations.
Children and Youth Partnership Fund

11. The Children and Youth Partnership Fund is to be enhanced by £900,000 a year
    from the current financial year. This will provide local Partnerships with the
    means to meet the needs of children aged 4 to 7, who are not currently covered
    by either Sure Start or the Children and Youth Partnership Fund. Separate
    advice on this funding is being sent to Children and Youth Partnerships.

Support for Children Under Eight

12. County voluntary councils and others operating the Under Eights Small Grant
    Scheme on behalf of the Assembly may apply for renewal of grant for 2002-2003
    onwards from funds to be made available to the local Childcare Partnerships.

Holiday Playschemes for Children in Need

13. Funding for holiday play provision for children in need will no longer be eligible
    under this scheme. Interested parties should apply for funding under the Play
    element of the Children and Youth Partnership Fund via the local Partnerships.

Progress Reports

14. Successful applicants will be expected to comply with the following evaluation
    requirements, with effect from 2002:

      to submit a written half-yearly report (by 15 October each year);
      to submit annual reports and audited accounts for the previous financial
       year(by 15 November each year);
      to attend an annual review meeting with officials of the National Assembly to
       review progress and agree objectives and/or performance indicators for the
       following year (if appropriate). This will entail providing the required
       documentation prior to the meeting.

   In the second year of the three-year funding cycle, a more comprehensive
   assessment of targets, objectives and achievements will be undertaken. This
   meeting will be used to help determine whether funding will continue beyond the
   three-year cycle.

All Grant Awards

15. Grant awarded towards a voluntary organisation’s core costs will be made over
    a rolling 3-year period, subject to the approval by the Assembly of financial
    provision for this scheme in the years concerned.

16. Awards of grant will be subject to National Assembly standard conditions. In
    addition to the standard condition requiring submission of the organisation’s
    annual report and accounts, the chief officer will be required to certify that the
    grant was spent for the purpose specified.

Submission of Applications
17. Applications must be submitted no later than Wednesday 31st October (but would
    be appreciated prior to that date) and should be addressed to:

Mr Richard Williams
Children and Families Division
National Assembly for Wales
Cathays Park
Cardiff CF10 3NQ

Applications received after 31 October 2001 will not be considered.

Enquiries

18. Any enquiries about this circular may be made to the Child and Families
    Programme Team (Tel: 029 2082 5736).


A Welsh version of this letter will follow shortly.

Yours faithfully




Alison Machon
Child and Families Programmes Team
Children and Families Division




NATIONAL ASSEMBLY FOR WALES CIRCULAR 25/01 ON CHILDREN AND
FAMILIES ORGANISATIONS GRANT: PRINCIPAL VOLUNTARY SECTOR
ADDRESSEES


ABCD Access for Black Children
After Adoption Wales
Association of Voluntary Organisations Wrexham
Barnardos
BAWSO
Bridgend Association of Voluntary Organisations
Bridgend CBC
Bridgend Valleys Home Start
British Agencies for Adoption and Fostering
Caerphilly CBC
Cardigan Women's Aid
Carmarthenshie Association of Voluntary Services
Carmarthenshire CC
Ceredigion Association of Voluntary Organisations
CHICS
Childline
Childline Cymru/Wales
Children in Wales
Clwyd Community Chest
Colcot Community Project
Conwy CBC
Cynon Valley PALS
Epilepsy Wales
Family Friends 5’s to 11’s
Family Holiday Association
Flintshire CC
Flintshire Local Voluntary Council
Gingerbread
Gwent Association of Voluntary Organisations
Gwent Deaf Children’s Society
Home Start Caerphilly Borough East
Home-Start Consultancy UK
Interlink
Mantell Gwynedd
Monmouthshire CC
MYM
NACRO
National Family and Parenting Institute
National Federation of Women's Institutes
National Youth Advocacy Service
NCH Action for Children
NCMA
Neath Port Talbot CBC
Neath Port Talbot Council for Voluntary Services
Newport & District Crossroads
Newport CBC
Newtown Play Assocation
NSPCC
Pembrokeshire Association of Voluntary Organisations
Pembrokeshire CC
 Play Wales
Pontypridd Women's Aid
Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations
Powys Challenge Trust
Powys Victim Support
Rhondda Cynon Taff CBC
RNIB
SANDS
Save the Family
Swansea Council for Voluntary Services
Tarian
The Children's Society
The Community Foundation in Wales
Torfaen Voluntary Alliance
Torfaen Women's Aid
Voices From Care
Voluntary Action Merthyr Tydfil
Wales Assembly of Women
Wales PPA
Welsh Women's Aid
Wrexham CBC
Ynys Mon CC
Ynys Mon Voluntary Services