The Supporting the Third Sector project supports the third sector to strengthen its role in children’s services planning at both a local and national level. To achieve this, we work very closely with a range of partners.

The success of the STTS project relies on our partnership work with our colleagues across the sector, including the Scottish Government, the Children Services Planning Partnerships, Children in Scotland members, the Strategic Forum, as well as the input of the wider sector.

What are the Third Sector Interfaces?

One of our key partner groups is Scotland’s Third Sector Interfaces, also known as TSIs. TSIs play an important role in the third sector landscape. They are a key point of intelligence about local third sector organisations and volunteering. They understand the local landscape and how it affects the third sector's ability to contribute to local outcomes and national strategies (such as health and social care and community empowerment). They are well positioned to identify support needs for local community groups, voluntary organisations, social enterprises and around volunteering. TSIs can identify third sector issues and perspectives that can feed into both local and national policy."
Scottish Government view of Third Sector Interfaces

What is the role of a TSI in children's services planning?

The Statutory Guidance for Children's Services Planning makes specific reference to the TSIs in their role to facilitate broader consultation and planning process, mediating or co-ordinating responses from across the third sector. (Section 10: 90) The same Guidance also suggests that the local TSI could offer smaller groups and organisations a range of opportunities to provide assistance, allowing the groups and organisations to determine their own level of engagement. (Section 14: 146).

Many TSIs facilitate a local Children’s Services Forum to enable third sector organisations to engage collectively with the strategic planning and delivery of local children’s services. In addition, many offer networking and training events for local third sector service providers.

To find out what your local TSI has on offer, or how you could engage with children’s services planning, contact them direct.
Click here to access the details

How do we work with TSIs?

TSI Reference Group

The STTS project is supported by a TSI Reference Group which comprises seven TSIs. The group informs and influences our work. Members are not representatives of TSIs but advise on project activities and co-design TSI Network meetings.

Click here to read the the Terms of Reference and click here to meet our Reference Group members.

TSI Children’s Services Network

The STTS project hosts the TSI Children’s Services Network in Scotland. The network brings TSIs together to strengthen their capability to support the local third sector’s engagement in children’s services planning and their confidence to contribute to children’s services policies and practice issues.

The network meets quarterly.
Click here to read the Terms of Reference

Local Children’s Services Forum

From time to time, TSIs invite the STTS project to support them and the local Children’s Services Forum on a specific piece of work relating to Children’s Services Planning.

To discuss how the STTS may be able to help, please e-mail girfec@childreninscotland.org.uk