Title
Contents
Acknowledgements 7
The Authors 8
Abbreviations 9
Summary 10
1. Introduction 14
1.1 Policy background 15
1.2 Research methodology 17
1.2.1 Survey of districts 18
1.2.2 Case study areas 19
1.2.3 Respondents in each area 20
1.3 The structure of this report 22
2. Setting up Children's Centres 23
2.1 Introduction 23
2.2 The process of setting up Centres 23
2.2.1 Physical location and premises 24
2.2.2 Early involvement of Jobcentre Plus 25
2.3 Partners 28
2.3.1 Core partnership members 28
2.3.2 A wider constituency 29
2.3.3 Engaging with Children's Centres 30
2.4 Chapter summary 31
3. Services provided in the Children's Centres 32
3.1 Children's Centre core services 32
3.1.1 The core offer 32
3.1.2 Development of core services 36
3.1.3 Monitoring the core offer 37
3.2 Additional services 37
3.2.1 Early years 37
3.2.2 Health 38
3.2.3 Family support 38
3.2.4 Education for parents 39
3.2.5 Engagement 39
3.2.6 Consultation and evaluation 40
3.3 Models of provision 40
3.3.1 Provision of core and additional services 41
3.3.2 Evolution of services 41
3.4 Chapter summary 44
4. Employment and training services provided in Children's Centres 45
4.1 Introduction 45
4.2 Jobcentre Plus delivery of service in and through Children's Centres 45
4.2.1 Leaflets and posters 46
4.2.2 Vacancy boards 48
4.2.3 Job points, warm phones, internet access 49
4.2.4 Special events 52
4.2.5 Jobcentre Plus advisers in Children's Centres 54
4.3 Other Jobcentre Plus activities in, or with, Children's Centres 61
4.3.1 Exchanging information 61
4.3.2 Training in childcare 61
4.3.3 Using Children's Centres to access particular groups 62
4.3.4 Facilitating other activities 62
4.4 Chapter summary 62
5. Partnership working 65
5.1 Jobcentre Plus and Children's Centre Partnerships 65
5.2 Factors contributing to successful partnerships 65
5.2.1 Visibility: CPMs as Jobcentre Plus ambassadors 66
5.2.2 Getting involved early 67
5.2.3 Understanding other organisational targets and agendas 68
5.2.4 Promoting reasonable expectations 71
5.2.5 Working together so that services are complementary rather than in competition or repetitive 72
5.2.6 Having clear working arrangements 72
5.3 Factors inhibiting partnership working 73
5.3.1 Understanding the role of Jobcentre Plus in Children's Centres 73
5.3.2 Engaging with those living in less deprived communities 73
5.3.3 The role of the CPM in establishing linked local Jobcentre Plus contacts 74
5.3.4 Limited resources and narrow objectives 74
5.3.5 Importance of effective communication 75
5.3.6 Competing or conflicting targets 75
5.3.7 The scale of the CPM role and remit 76
5.4 Chapter summary 76
6. The views and experiences of users 78
6.1 Why people were visiting a Children's Centre 78
6.2 Views on the provision of Jobcentre Plus services in Children's Centres 80
6.3 Chapter summary 83
7. Perceived effects of Jobcentre Plus involvement in Children's Centres 84
7.1 Users 84
7.1.1 Explaining variation in effects on individuals 84
7.1.2 What kinds of effect were observed? 85
7.2 Effect on the Children's Centres 96
7.2.1 Partnership working at Children's Centre level 96
7.2.2 Children's Centre staff 97
7.3 Effects within Jobcentre Plus 99
7.3.1 Capacity building 100
7.3.2 Employment effects 100
7.3.3 The CPMs' work 101
7.3.4 Factors limiting success 102
7.4 Chapter summary 103
8. Conclusion and policy implications 106
8.1 Working with the Children's Centre partnerships 106
8.2 Developing the Jobcentre Plus 'offer' 107
8.2.1 The minimum offer 107
8.2.2 The enhanced offer 107
8.2.3 The importance of the linked adviser 108
8.2.4 Building on success 108
8.3 Inter-district consistency 109
8.4 Resources 110
8.5 Winning hearts and minds 111