3P: the ICSEI network for policy makers and administrators

The 3P network has been established to serve as a professional practice and research network for all those engaged in the policy determination, planning and delivery of services to children and young people.

Traditionally, this group of practitioners, who are sometimes collectively referred to as “policymakers and administrators”, has often worked in isolation from the other elements of service provision. Given the context of change in the delivery of services to children, young people and families, this way of working is no longer appropriate or sustainable and, consequently, a new paradigm of collaboration is required between;

• Policymakers (at differentiated levels)
• Politicians (at differentiated levels)
• Practitioners - those managing administration, providing training, consultancy, guidance and advice to the delivery “system i.e.  in schools and in other strategic and operational networks and stakeholder organizations e.g. youth offending teams, early years teams, pupil welfare teams, sports and recreation services, early years and day care agencies etc

As a result these respective groups will require new competences, knowledge, skills and behaviours - in areas such as;

• Providing direction
• Leading and managing change
• Managing information
• Communicating and engaging effectively with children, young people, parents and carers
• Managing networks
• Working with partners and stakeholders.

The question is - how can we work on building the capacity of all those involved (the three Ps) in improving outcomes for children and young people? The key is to foster capacity building so that local educational and children’s services policy is developed in such a way that;

• it really stimulates and facilitates school improvement,
• school improvement becomes integrated into the broader construct of community and lifelong learning and the notion of “giving more children the opportunity to develop optima forma” ( viz. “it takes a village to raise a child”),
• professional groups with different backgrounds (the 3 Ps) get to know each other, respect each other’s ambitions and concerns, understand each other’s day to day work and, through this interaction, develop a common culture which underpins the improvement of schools and other agencies involved in the delivery of services to children and young people.

How does it work?
The “3 P – network” meets annually during the ICSEI conference. In between these meetings members of the networkl aims to share practice through;

• “virtual” communication through video conferencing, tele-conferencing, internet, newsletter, e-mail etc
• life encounters on ad hoc basis i.e exchange meetings called occasionally to consider specific “hot issues” of the day leading to;
• management seminars

Thus, at its core, the “3 P – network” aims to provide opportunities for:

• exchanging professional practice
• reflecting on professional practice
• developing a collective intelligence base
• providing the impetus for research into local authority capacity building.

It is hoped that this focus will serve to promote the professional development and competence of all staff working in the strategic management and operational delivery of education and children's services at local authority level and, through this, increase the effectiveness of that sector of provision which sits between national government and schools.

To register interest in joining the 3P Network, please contact: anton.florek@virtualstaffcollege.co.uk

3P at ICSEI 2011
During ICSEI 2011 the 3P Network will provide a number of opportunities for network members and other interested colleagues to engage in discussion and share practice. These are:

January 3
Pre-congress Seminar - Research into Practice

3P annual planning forum – non members are also welcome to join the discussion and influence the work of the network for the coming twelve months.

January 5
3P Network Symposium