The National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) is proud to be one of the core partners in the new Centre for Excellence and Outcomes in Children and Young People’s Services (C4EO). The Centre will help to transform outcomes for children, young people and their families by identifying and co-ordinating the best evidence of ‘what works’ at national, regional and local level.

NFER’s role in C4EO is to manage the production of 18 sets of knowledge reviews, based around three key lines of enquiry, or priorities, for six national ECM themes. These are: early years, disability, vulnerable children (particularly children in care), parents, carers and families, youth and schools and communities. The Foundation also leads on the last these themes.

The reviews will bring together a unique, quality-assured blend of qualitative evidence, quantitative data, and the best, validated local experience that has proved to be effective. They will include strategies and interventions which have already proved to be powerful in helping services improve outcomes and will examine the reasons for their success.

The reviews will underpin all of C4EO’s activities and will provide free, accessible and trusted sources of information to everyone who commissions, provides and works in children’s services.

NFER’s Dr. Sheila Stoney said: "This is an exciting and challenging opportunity for NFER, which builds upon both our burgeoning research role within children’s services and our long experience of undertaking high-quality, but rapidly delivered, reviews for national and local government. We are delighted to be working with such a prestigious group of national partners, all united with a strong purpose and shared vision.’’

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For more information contact Gail Goodwin, NFER Media and Communications Manager, on 01753 637159, g.goodwin@nfer.ac.uk

Notes for editors

1. The Centre is led by Christine Davies CBE, former Director of Children’s Services in Telford & Wrekin Council and Programme Director, Narrowing the Gap.

2. The consortium delivering C4EO is a voluntary partnership of organisations: National Children’s Bureau (NCB - www.ncb.org.uk), the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER - www.nfer.ac.uk), Research in Practice (RiP - www.rip.org.uk) and the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE - www.scie.org.uk). Other strategic partners are the Family and Parenting Institute, Improvement and Development Agency, Institute of Education, and National Youth Agency. Matrix Knowledge Management is a key delivery partner which will bring cost-benefit expertise to extend the review work.

3. The Centre is funded by the DCSF and works in close consultation and co-operation with the Association of Directors of Children’s Services, the Local Government Association and regional Government Offices.

4. The Centre is largely virtual, with an administrative base at NCB. Legal responsibility for C4EO is held by NCB, which is accountable to the DCSF.

For further media information on C4EO please contact Tom Thorpe, C4EO’s Head of Communications on 07779 269 182 or email tom.thorpe@C4EO.org.uk