"Jim Moores, CHL’s MD, took the call from TiE and, with Mike Barlow - CHL Director and ASSET Project Manager – is looking forward to installation as soon as possible. ASSET is used in more than 55 sites around the UK, from Elgin to Bournemouth, and is fast becoming the de facto standard for software in Supported Employment. Many of the sites are Workstep providers. The Training into Employment scheme (TiE) is an employment service, which has been specially designed to help people with disabilities to find work. Contact Information : Telephone: 0161 911 4799 Fax: 0161 911 3803 E-mail: psd@oldham.gov.uk Address: Physical and Sensory Disability Services, The Link Centre, 140 Union Street, Oldham, OL1 1DZ Opening Hours: 8.40am to 5.00pm Mon-Fri For a free demonstration of ASSET or for further information please call 0870 112 0421 and ask for Christine or Karen; or email asset@chl-system.co.uk."

ETC’s popularity is growing. Recognised as one of the most user-friendly Training Management Systems in Social Services it is now installed at Rochdale MBC’s , Social Services Training Section. This takes our list of users to 16. Thank you to Carol and the Training Team at Foxholes House, and see you again soon… ETC now includes Finance Tracking, NVQ monitoring, Practice Placement management (including outcomes/assessments), Resource Loans, Workforce Development and links to HR systems. For further information please call our office on 0161 237 1872 and ask for Jim Moores.

Thanks to the training team and to Phillip (IT) for making our lives very easy for the installation in December 2004. In January 2005 we paid another visit to pick up on issues and to load the latest version. On 18 April 2005 we will be on site again to see how the Team have been getting on and to make sure everyone is happy. Once again, thank you to Debbie, Carol and the Team for all their help, Jim, Chris and Lorna – CHL For further information please call our office on 0161 237 1872 and ask for Jim Moores.

CHL is pleased to announce that we have been selected to deliver a complete Management Information System for Victim Support National Office. In a statement on their extranet Victim Support said "We are now pleased to announce that a Manchester based company called CHL will be supplying our management information system. The company has been known to us for many years and has a particularly high respect from its users for the quality of its support, and its real understanding of the needs of users. We are delighted to have made this appointment." Mark Collins, Project Manager for Victim Support at CHL said : "After many years of involvement with Victim Support Branches around England and Wales I am really pleased that we have now been given the chance to offer the same level of commitment and support to National Office. I am looking forward to working closely with the National Office Project Team. My thanks go to those Branches that have supported us over the years and to National Office for giving us this opportunity."

Trafford MBC, Social Services is the first beneficiary of CHL's innovative approach to e-Government. As from 15 October 2004 information is shared,electronically, between the Human Resources Team and the Employee Development Team. No more duplication of effort - when a new staff member starts, the details are entered only once. From the main HR database the information is "passed" to CHL's ETC (Enrolment, Training and Certification) system. Training Managers can now be confident that all staff will be quickly identified for essential training. This unique initiative - linking systems from two entirely separate suppliers - takes advantage of the benefits of both systems without costly investment in an overarching computer system that "does everything". Jim Moores, MD of CHL, said :"Trafford Social Services saw, immediately, that this innovative approach would save money and time. I am delighted that their foresight will offer them returns in efficiency. This implementation also means that they can have complete reassurance that HR and Employee Development are always in sync - not a claim that can often be made in any major organisation. Well done to all the staff at Trafford Social Services." Gillian Jones, Employee Development Manager, Trafford MBC said : "I am very pleased that we in Employee Development are playing our part in Trafford MBC's drive to deliver modern accessible services representing best value to our community. One of the key areas of the Council's 'Implementing Electronic Government Return 2003' is : 'Interoperability - To ensure that all systems and process developments are delivered jointly, appropriately and facilitate multi-agency information sharing.' With CHL's help we have taken the best of our existing staffing systems and linked them together to save time and ensure data is stored only once. As well as saving taxpayers money we can also make sure that training is delivered to all staff in a timely fashion so that services offered to the Trafford community are of the highest standard." For further information you can talk to Gillian Jones (Trafford MBC) on 0161 912 4204. or Jim Moores (CHL) on 0870 112 0421."

Leading charity, the British Association for Adoption & Fostering today commented on being declared preferred bidder to run the National Adoption Register on behalf of the Secretary of State for Education and Skills. Felicity Collier, BAAF's chief executive said: "I am delighted that BAAF has been given the opportunity to run the National Adoption Register in England and Wales for the next three years. This Register has a vital role in helping to find families for children where a local family cannot be found for them. Our priority will be to work closely with social workers across the country to increase the number of children placed for adoption. I believe that BAAF is ideally placed, with its knowledge and experience, to take the Register into its next phase." "BAAF already enjoys an excellent relationship with local authorities and voluntary adoption agencies across the country and also with Adoption UK, the organisation supporting adoptive families. We want to complement the excellent regional work that is already taking place by groups of agencies working together in the adoption consortia. We know how concerned social workers are about the children for whom they cannot find families. Every child has the right to a secure and loving family and we want to help make this possible." BAAF intends to continue to use the CHARMS computer system from Computing Help Limited (CHL) to support the Register. Jim Moores, Managing Director of CHL said: "I am very pleased to be given the opportunity by BAAF to continue to support this national initiative. We have worked very closely with Norwood over the last three years to help establish a unique, national resource that has helped to identify families for those children in greatest need of a permanent home. The next three years will be even more exciting as new ideas will be put into action." Contact: If you would like to interview Felicity Collier, please contact Gabriella Brooks, Media Manager, 020 7593 2053 or 07767 444 589 Notes to Editor · The British Association for Adoption & Fostering (BAAF) is the UK's leading adoption and fostering charity. For more information visit BAAF organisation · The National Adoption Register was set up in 2001 with the aim of increasing the number of children adopted each year. This national database contains the details of children needing adoption and of all approved families waiting to adopt. The database then 'matches' children with prospective families. · Computing Help Limited (CHL) is a Manchester based software company and is one of the fastest growing providers of systems to the Social Care Community in the UK.

The Suffolk County Council website announced : ADOPTION AGENCY TO ACQUIRE NEW DATABASE Suffolk Adoption Agency is to equip its staff with an Access type database which has been tailor made for use by adoption and fostering agencies and is already in use by several adoption agencies, adoption consortia and the Adoption Register for England and Wales. The software (called CHARMS) will enable agency staff to: Check children and applicants progress through the system to avoid drift Assist the matching of children with adopters who meet their needs Record key data for auditing and management control purposes and much else besides A project team is about to start work and implementation is planned within 6 months. See more about CHARMS

The second Annual Report of the Adoption Register for England and Wales, with a foreword by Margaret Hodge Minister for Children, Young People and Families, explained : “The Adoption Register is a government project based on an IT system which has proven to be reliable and flexible. The Charms system, developed by Computing Help Ltd. has been adapted to changing service requirements. The register team has had discussions with their provider to plan for the development of the system as the government moves further into electronic information transfers. The system can be made more accessible and user friendly to agencies and individuals, with good security in place. It is also encouraging that the register’s software system is being used by many adoption agencies. This can only ease communication in the future.” Ruth Fasht, Director, Adoption Register said : “The heart of the register's work is its unique database containing more than 10,000 records of all children and approved adopters.” Craig Barrie, Project Manager, CHARMS said : “The work that CHL has undertaken over the last two years to ensure that the Register was able to operate continuously has now been recognised across the adoption community. CHARMS is the foremost adoption and fostering management system in the UK. With over 30 sites and 150 licenced users and with interest from many other service providers it is fast becoming the national standard. Work has now been completed to integrate CHARMS with other Client databases so that referrals are recorded only once; and CHARMS is automatically updated. Further announcements will follow.” For further advice or to arrange a FREE demonstration in your own offices, please call 0870 112 0421.

ASSETWeb is launched Meridian East Assistant General Manager, Suzi Heybourne, today announced the launch of an interactive, internet based facility to allow Training Employment Consultants to manage clients’ progress records any time, anywhere. This unique approach, used nowhere else in the UK Supported Employment Community, will mean that client information may be accessed from any computer with internet access. Taking advantage of the Broadband revolution, Meridian East recognised that in Social Care up-to-date information in respect of client needs and achievements is crucial to providing them with the best service possible. Using the latest in security technology (as operated by many banks and other financial institutions) Training and Employment Consultants and other Staff can “logon” to the Web and can update client records to reflect progress – for example when a review or assessment has taken place. Suzi Heybourne said : "I am delighted to announce this innovative approach which puts Meridian East at the forefront of the Supported Employment Community. Our IT partners, Computing Help Limited (CHL), have driven this project forward having recognised that Meridian East is the sort of forward thinking, voluntary organisation that would immediately see the tremendous benefits for clients. The initial IT software package was purchased by Meridian East to meet the demands of a county-wide service. The development of the inter-active, internet based service has been entirely funded by CHL – with no input from Government – but it is hoped now that the benefits of this approach on a National scale will be recognised." Jim Moores, Managing Director, CHL said: "I am very excited by the enlightened way that Meridian East has grasped this unique opportunity. We have worked very closely together to drive the project forward. I am certain that many other Supported Employment Agencies will see the benefits and will move ahead in the same way over the coming months – interest is pouring in from all over the UK." Meridian President, Ian Gibson, MP, said : "I welcome this exciting initiative which will lead the way in Supported Employment and in social care. I am particularly pleased that disadvantaged people in Norfolk will be some of the first beneficiaries of even more improved services as a result." Notes to editor 1. Meridian East is a Norfolk wide organisation which offers high quality, individually tailored supported employment and training opportunities for people with mental health problems, learning and physical disabilities. 2. Computing Help Limited (CHL) was founded by its Managing Director, Jim Moores, in 1996 in recognition of the need to provide cost-effective computer database systems to Social Care. A former IT Manager in Central and Local Government Jim Moores has led CHL to its position as one of the leading providers of systems to Statutory, Voluntary and Private social care providers in the UK. Since its formation in 1996 CHL’s userbase has grown to over 150 sites (from Inverness to Isle of Wight). Over 1,500 licenced users logon to CHL’s systems every day. In the coming year this figure is set to double. More than 50 sites in the UK now use ASSET (Access System for Supported Employment and Training). 3. Public enquires to Meridian East on 01603 667525 . 4. Technical Enquiries to Computing Help Limited on 0870 112 0421. For further advice or to arrange a FREE demonstration in your own offices, please call 0870 112 0421.

With the active support and hard work of the staff of The Arts Support Service, CHL has implemented a unique, integrated computer system to help manage Music, Dance and Drama activities for pupils in Nottinghamshire; and to help keep track of instruments loaned to pupils. Special thanks to Alex, Tracy, Jenny, Hilary, Margaret, Sue, Richard, Lesley, Kelly and Jenny M. The new system pulls together information from ten different databases so that support to pupils can be offered more efficiently; and management reports may be generated across the whole Service. The Arts Support Service website describes the service as follows : ’In Nottinghamshire we have established a model of arts provision which develops and enriches the curriculum for pupils, students and adults in school and beyond. The provision is designed to ensure access to arts opportunities of the highest quality and forms part of the Nottinghamshire Education Entitlement Curriculum. We work with schools to: - provide high quality teaching and learning of musical instruments and support to the music and arts curriculum - provide high quality workshop and performance experiences in music and theatre to challenge able and talented pupils - provide high quality opportunities to pupils beyond the school day that increases their knowledge and understanding of music and the arts.’ Jim Moores (Managing Director of CHL) said "This nationally recognised service will be even better placed to help pupils in Nottinghamshire to take advantage of the opportunities offered in performing arts. Their forward thinking approach to the use of IT means that information is readily to hand and users of the service will be the immediate beneficiaries." Tracy James (Senior Administrator, Arts Support Service) said "This major development has been coordinated by CHL and has now resulted in a unique computer system that allows the whole Arts Support Service to better track services offered. By pulling together many different systems this major project has led to improvements in efficiency and in greater user satisfaction. We look forward to delivering even better services to young people interested in the performing arts.” For further advice or to arrange a FREE demonstration in your own offices, please call 0870 112 0421.