Speaking Out Briefing No. 7: Placeshaping

Placeshaping is a term that has been recently revived in local government circles to capture the new duty on local authorities to bring together service provision in local areas, rather than just delivering services directly.

Local government is not just about the provision of services and recent debate has focussed on the wider, strategic role local government can play in helping to develop and deliver a vision for its communities - a role referred to as ‘place-shaping’. For example, the Children’s Plan explicitly recognises the place-shaping role of local authorities in relation to Children’s Trust partnerships and gives prominence to the principle that services need to be shaped by and be responsive to the children, young people and families who use them.

This briefing paper examines:

• the policy context for the concept of place-shaping;

• the legal context;

• relevant findings from research and practice;

• possible implications for voluntary and community sector children and youth organisations; and

• useful resources in relation to this agenda.

To download the full briefing: Speaking Out Briefing No. 7: Placeshaping (PDF)
Published May 2008

To request hard copies of this or any other Speaking Out briefing paper, please contact us on 020 7278 1041 or email policy@ncvys.org.uk.