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Children’s Workforce Network (CWN) case study

Scope

Hilary Barnard provided strategy implementation consultancy support to Children’s Workforce Network (CWN) between 2006 and 2008.  CWN was created to deliver more integrated working between Sector Skills Councils, regulators, local government and Central Government Departments around delivering the workforce implications of the Every Child Matters agenda. 


Approach

In January 2006, Hilary was commissioned by Children’s Workforce Development Council (CWDC) to provide policy and project management support to CWN.  Prior work had established the Network but it lacked effective organisation to deliver its responsibilities.  Working closely with the CWN Chair (Sir Paul Ennals), Hilary helped to align members’ efforts and contribution in a coherent plan and to facilitate Policy Group discussions on integrated qualifications, leadership development, sharing of data, induction of staff and the wider skills agenda.  He established an effective performance management system by which the partners in CWN could judge their outputs, outcomes and impact.


Hilary set up a regular series of CWN meetings with Ministers and took part in internal cross Departmental Government meetings.  He advised and supported civil servants in communicating key messages to the field. 


Hilary engaged the attention of a wider reference group of 500 organisations including many local authorities, private and charity providers, institutions of further and higher education and professional organisations and trade unions.  He organised and spoke at CWN events, including a major CWN national conference in 2007.

Benefits


"Hilary provided excellent project support to the government's Children's Workforce Network. This entailed understanding and responding to the interests of members drawn from diverse sectors, and managing the business of the Network. He worked effectively with the chair to bring coherence and deliver a work programme, where there could have been just a talking shop."  

Emma Westcott, Nursing & Midwifery Council


"Hilary's understanding of the children's workforce agenda always meant that the Network's strategy and direction met the trends of the day and ensured that it could develop a number of outcomes that could help the workforce resolve its differences and come together to deliver the Every Child Matters outcomes."  

John Bramson, Training & Development Agency for Schools