Social Exclusion

Supported by:

Wednesday October 22nd 2008, QEII Conference Centre - London, 08:45 - 16:30

Inside Government's National Social Exclusion Event: Tackling Social Exclusion Through Partnership - Removing The Barriers

“For over ten years now, the Social Exclusion Task Force and its predecessor, the Social Exclusion Unit, have been working with other government departments, local authorities and the third sector to help support those facing multiple disadvantages in our society.”

Rt. Hon Ed Miliband MP, Minister for the Cabinet Office, January 2008

Overview

The Government in its action plan on social exclusion (August 2006) set out the next steps in its drive to tackle the root causes of deep–seated disadvantage. It stated its priority as reaching the one million people at risk of persistent social exclusion, who have not yet benefited from opportunities that the majority of people can now take for granted.

The Government aims to tackle deep-seated social exclusion with the help of five guiding principles:

Better identification and early intervention;
Systematic identification of what works;
Better multi-agency working;
Personalisation, and rights and responsibilities where appropriate;
Supporting achievement and managing under performance.

Due to the sheer complexity and scale of social exclusion, people facing multiple disadvantages are chosen because they run a high risk of slipping though the net of uncoordinated service provision. They are disproportionately likely to be jobless, potentially consigning them to a lifetime of exclusion, at high human cost to them and their families, and huge financial cost to society. There remain many challenges in reaching those hard to reach groups, caught in a cycle of disadvantage. The new Public Service Agreement on socially excluded adults is a key way to ensure higher priority is given to these groups locally and nationally.

Agenda

08:45	Registration and Coffee
09:45	Chair’s Welcome Address Rt. Hon. Hilary Armstrong MP, Former Secretary of State, Cabinet Office
10:00	Keynote Addresses: The Government's Drive Against Social Exclusion The Social Exclusion Taskforce: moving the agenda forward Using Public Service Agreements and Local Area Agreements to tackle exclusion Working in partnership to deliver the socially excluded adults PSA Ann Watt, Deputy Director, Social Exclusion Task Force, Cabinet Office
10:30	Tackling Social Exclusion Through Partnership A joined up approach to social exclusion Cohesion and collaboration across policy and services Narrowing the gap between policy and delivery Building communication and collaboration on the social exclusion agenda across policy and services at all levels of government Developing coherent and formal strategies at local level within Local Area Agreements and Local Strategic Partnerships to combat Social Exclusion Investigating the successes of new approaches piloted in the £6million ACE fund Understanding and developing the links between the many social issues which contribute to exclusion – e.g. mental health, poverty, employment and skills Identifying those groups most at risk and considering their common traits and backgrounds Simplifying complex systems to provide coordinated and tailored support Identifying and tackling key transition points for those at risk of chronic exclusion, such as prison leavers and those leaving long term care Ensuring that those at risk of chronic exclusion are informed and guided around the services and systems available to them Case studies: Preventing, Tackling and Working with the Excluded Stephen Dodson, Director, DC10plus Helen Milner, Managing Director, UK Online Centres Peter Holbrook, Chief Executive, Sunlight Development Trust / Sunlight Social Enterprises CIC David Morris, Programme Director, National Social Inclusion Programme, NIMHE
11:15	Questions and Answers Session
11:45	Coffee and Networking
12:00	Early Years: A Lifetime Approach to Social Exclusion Is eradication of child poverty by 2020 still a realistic aim? The work of the Families at Risk Review and the Sure Start Programme Early intervention: identifying those at risk and establishing lasting support Developing effective partnerships and engaging communities How to ensure that child support payments reach and benefit children? Stronger and more accessible services – Building on and expanding thesuccess of children’s centres and increasing childcare provision New initiatives and pilot projects - The Child Development Grant initiative and new grants for local authorities The role schools can play in tackling social exclusion Kate Green, Chief Executive, Child Poverty Action Group George Hosking, Founder, CEO and Research Co-ordinator, Wave Trust Roy Blatchford, Founder, National Education Trust
12:45	Questions and Answers Session
13:15	Lunch and Networking
14:15	Adult Years: Improving Outcomes for Everyone Working with socially excluded young people aged 19-25 with mental health issues, learning difficulties, offenders, leavers and those in temporary housing care Developing ways that work most effectively with those groups of young people to break the cycles of deprivation and exclusion Nick O’Shea, Head, Adult Facing Chronic Exclusion Programme, Communities and Local Government Fran Harrison, Manager, Fairbridge West Oliver Batchelor, Director of Non-Residential Support, Tyneside Cyrenians The nature of social exclusion among older people Government activities in this area and whether they are tacking the problems Setting the agenda: Help the Aged on what the Government should prioritise in this area? David Sinclair, Head of Policy, Help the Aged
14:45	Questions and Answers Session
15:15	Coffee and Networking
	Breakout Sessions: Delegates have the choice of attending one of two seminars. The other seminar presentation will be sent to delegates after the event
15:30	Session A: Tackling Social Exclusion Through Technology Experience first hand the positive impacts of ICT/Digital inclusion projects with our local hero’s The positive work that digital inclusion projects do in terms of addressing social exclusion issues How future trends in ICT and other innovations can help address social exclusion Digital Inclusion and Digital divide Social inclusion through technology for those who matter: children, older people, the homeless, disabled groups e-Inclusion: ICT methods of best practice Linking service transformation to digital inclusion through focussing on neighbourhood empowerment, efficiency and effectiveness How ICT can build personal capacity, helping individuals to address some of the key drivers of social exclusion, which reduce life chances, such as early years disadvantage, worklessness, homelessness, health inequalities and crime Stephen Dodson, Director, DC10plus Guy Giles, Operations Director, Kirklees Borough Council
	Session B: Financial Exclusion & Financial Capability The role of the Government, the Financial Services Authority and other bodies and organisations in promoting financial inclusion; Incentives and barriers to saving for people on below average incomes; Financial education and access to financial advice; Access to banking services and affordable credit; Financial inclusion for those who matter: children, older people, the homeless, disable groups Financial capability and income maximisation Financial capability in the community sector Digital Inclusion and Digital divide Best practice guidance for building financial capability in the UK Sarah Hatcher, Senior Policy Associate, Financial Services Authority John Rhodes, Head of Financial Capability, Citizens Advice
16:30	Close

*programme subject to change without notice*

Audience

Delegates will be drawn from central government departments and bodies, trade unions, think tanks, businesses and employers, regional development agencies, adult and community learning providers, technology leaders, academia, legal and voluntary sectors, local authorities, local strategic partnerships, social inclusion officers, community safety teams, housing organisations, primary care trusts, youth offending teams, police officers, children’s trusts, welfare groups, local, regional and national health services, regional development agencies, UK online centres and all those involved and interested in the social exclusion agenda.