Children in Need Commissioning Strategy 2012-2015 “To develop a continuum of integrated family and carer support services for children and young people in need that is effective in protecting them from harm and promotes wellbeing”. 19 Table of Contents Foreword 2 Introduction 3 Our vision 5 Our purpose 5 Our values 6 Our priorities 6 Our principles 7 National policy context 9 Local policy context 11 Delivery Model 14 Mapping Children and Family Services 15 Commissioning 16 Monitoring and review 18 Summary Needs Analysis 19 1 Foreword I am delighted to be able to introduce the Newport Children’s Services Children in Need Strategy, which will provide an overarching strategic framework for the services being delivered to children and families in Newport. This Strategy is the result of a comprehensive and collaborative needs analysis that highlighted the need to change the way we deliver services to our local families and young people. Changes in National Policy, such as the introduction of the Families First Programme and the Integrated Family Support Service (IFSS), have clearly identified the responsibilities of local authorities to address the needs, such as those identified by the Poverty Agenda, in the local communities. Newport clearly shows, via this document, the intention to deliver appropriate and effective services that meet these Agendas. Within the IFSS arena Newport has proved a leading authority due to being a successful pilot pioneer, which has given the opportunity to work with a preferred partner to deliver ongoing innovative and aspirational services. This dynamic document captures the transformation that has been taking place through the pilot schemes and the robust strategic partnerships that have been formed which have shaped the direction of travel. All this evidences that the approach adopted by Newport Family Services works and can be developed into a full, long term strategy; the result of which, means beneficial, effective family support services and less children into care as a result of the investment in more efficient services. Councillor Bob Poole Cabinet Member for Education and Young People 2 Introduction We believe statutory services will not be able to respond to increasing need without developing models of integrated family support services in conjunction with targeted preventative approaches that empower, safeguard and sustain children and families for later life. The Children in Need Commissioning Strategy sets out how Newport City Council will use commissioning to underpin the ongoing transformation of children’s services, to create integrated family focused services, that are firmly rooted in a holistic and preventative approach. The Strategy focuses specifically on the commissioning activity that will support the transformation of services for the most vulnerable children. The Strategy aims to: • • • • • establish the national policies that inform the direction of travel explain the local documents that provide the overall strategic context and objectives summarise the key findings of our needs analysis and review define what is meant by commissioning establish the commissioning priorities for 2012-2015. The Children in Need Commissioning Delivery Plan provides more detailed information on the review of each specific service area and the activity that will be undertaken to meet the overarching outcomes. A high level action plan is at the end of this document. The Welsh Government (WG) has directed that effective public services in Wales must deliver integrated services to children and families and provide holistic support at every level of need. The policy paper, ‘Sustaining Social Services – a framework for action’ (WG Feb 2011), makes it clear that collaboration and integration are expected rather than encouraged. Collaboration and integration have been highly valued in Newport at both a strategic and operational level. This Strategy is firmly rooted within the strategic context of the wider partnership arrangements and will necessitate a co-ordinated response across all areas of the City Council as well as with partners to build the models of networks of support within localised and integrated community settings. We believe commissioning requires a holistic approach, involving whole system change to promote the transformation of front line practices, and professional relationships that will necessitate a realignment of resources and operational responsibilities. The continued success of this Strategy is dependent on implementing new and collaborative ways of working and developing local partnerships to create a range of innovative approaches based on the Integrated Family Support Services model of practice. At the core of this, is early intervention and targeted prevention so that children and families are supported early on, and in a way that is right for them. To achieve the aims of this Strategy, Newport City Council is committed to making a shift in the way it assesses need, commissions for services, and provides its children’s services functions. 3 As part of our Agenda, we are placing great value on the role played by the third sector, particularly their contribution and delivery of preventative approaches in local communities. Our commitment is evidenced by the development of a third sector preferred partnership commissioning framework which explores innovative ways of collaborating and re-designing children and family support services. This development forms part of our key strategic intention to shape a mixed economy of social care delivered locally in order to establish tailored solutions within a collaborative commissioning framework. We want to encourage and stimulate a strong, vibrant and mixed range of providers that deliver choice, control and quality. We want those providers to embrace an outcomes based approach and think about the differences their services will make to the lives of our most vulnerable children and young people. 4 Our vision “To develop a continuum of integrated family and carer support services for children and young people in need that is effective in protecting them from harm and promotes wellbeing”. PROTECTION PREVENTION Families with additional needs REMEDY Receiving targeted resources for either singular or multiple needs. E.g. involved in anti-social behaviour or school truancy; or at risk of abuse or neglect Families with no additional needs Receiving universal services. E.g. schools, health care Families with complex needs Receiving statutory or specialist services. E.g. looked after children We have embraced the principles of holistic, integrated, family focused assessments that are evidence based and lead to the delivery of appropriate, timely, outcome focused services. This involves safeguarding children and developing preventative approaches to ensure that individuals and families receive the most appropriate level of assistance at the time they require it to avoid the need for long term support delivered or commissioned by statutory agencies. Our Purpose In order to achieve our vision we have developed a strong focus on our core purpose: • • • Protection To play a lead role in the protection of children at risk of harm Promote Wellbeing To aim for children looked after to have the same life chances that we would want for our own children Prevention By engagement with partners, to commission, develop and participate in the delivery of high quality preventative services to vulnerable children and families. 5 Our Values Underpinning our purpose are our values. JUSTICE- children’s needs and rights are paramount and must be protected To protect from harm and promote welfare we must •hear the voice of the child •listen carefully •understand the needs of the child and family •investigate thoroughly •take action to protect •challenge our own poor attitudes and those of other colleagues HOPE- people can change To prevent risks and promote family resilience we must •meet with people at the point of their need •realise the potential for change in every person •engage with people calmly and positively •celebrate small steps •hold out hope HUMILITY- we can be wrong To be professional and to retain our we must humanity •listen carefully and openly when we are challenged •be passionate about learning how to improve •be empathetic and compassionate with people •actively ask for feedback on our performance •consider how it feels to be on the receiving end of our own behaviour These values create an inherent tension between protecting the child or young person whilst having hope that families can change. In order to do this, we need to retain our humility and recognise that sometimes we are wrong. We need to listen to children, young people and families and ensure that their views are at the heart of our services. Workforce development and strong leadership are crucial to ensure that this is adopted in our daily work. Our Priorities 1 Support children to safely remain with their families This will involve a whole system approach that includes early intervention and preventative services to support children in their families. We must be effective by focusing our work on those families most at risk of requiring increasing levels of service provision. 6 2 Improve outcomes for children in care and care leavers Children do better in well matched stable placements. We will build upon our relationship with the market, to deliver an increased choice of quality services that are able to meet the needs of our children and care leavers locally, ensuring a better transition into adulthood. 3 Make best use of resources We will listen to what children and families tell us is effective, and work with our partners and the market, to deliver more with fewer resources. We will work both locally and regionally, on a strategic and operational level, to ensure that the services we commission are delivered more effectively and prevent the escalation of need. Our Principles • • • • • Family Focused We will develop a family focused approach that responds to the needs of a child and their family through the use of evidence based assessment and interventions. This will require Children’s Services and Adult Services to work seamlessly to provide services tailored to the needs of the family as a whole Prevention is better than cure We will develop a continuum of services that work with the Families First Programmes locally to ensure that children and families can access services at an appropriate level to meet their needs and prevent crisis from arising Children belong at home We will develop services that support children, including young carers and disabled children to remain safely within their family Collaboration We will work at a strategic level with all our partners, including children and families, to ensure that services are coordinated, integrated and responsive to local need Outcome focus We will ensure all our services are outcome focused and that children and families play an active role in setting the goals that are appropriate for their situation 7 • • • • Mixed market We will ensure we have a mixed market of provision where all services, including in-house provision, is clear about their specific remit within the continuum of support Transparent, needs based commissioning We will commission in a legal, ethical and transparent way that involves all stakeholders in the development of services to ensure they meet local needs appropriately. We will understand the costs of services that we commission and ensure value for money in all our services A well skilled and supported workforce We will ensure that the workforce working with our most vulnerable children and families are appropriately trained and supported to deliver services and use skills such as motivational interviewing and goal setting in a consistent way Innovation We will value brave and innovative solutions that can deliver real outcomes for children and families. To this aim we will decommission services that are not meeting identified needs to release funding for reinvestment. 8 What is the National Policy Context? The Child Poverty Strategy The Child Poverty Strategy sets out the Welsh Government’s vision for tackling child poverty in Wales and improving outcomes for children and parents living in low income families. Social needs closely relate to levels of relative inequality in communities and deprivation in Newport has deteriorated in the past three years to the point that Newport is the 4th most deprived Local Authority in Wales. The Index of Child Deprivation (2011) shows that the relative distribution of deprivation for children in Newport is considerably higher than that for the general population. Young Newport (part of the One Newport Local Service Board) is a partnership of all services, organisations and individuals concerned with the wellbeing of children, young people and their families. The reduction of child poverty and its effects is their overriding priority, leading to a commitment to develop local support that helps with issues such as employment, education, health, housing, parenting, benefits, debt, skills, and substance misuse. They have committed to making local delivery: • family focused and will offer families help to improve their chances of escaping poverty • bespoke and tailored to individual family circumstances • integrated so that help from different organisations is effectively coordinated • proactive and will seek out families where early intervention will be effective • • intensive and adaptive to the changing needs and circumstances of the family reflective of the needs and circumstances of the local community. The Children and Families (Wales) Measure The Children and Families (Wales) Measure 2010 provides the framework for the new approach starting with two key developments in: i. New ways to tackle poverty through targeted approaches to coordinate the delivery of preventative services to families (at tiers 1 and 2 of need) in vulnerable groups or communities; and ii. The establishment of Statutory Integrated Family Support Services (IFSS) where both local government and their respective health boards will have collective responsibility to ensure the integration and provision of seamless services to families with complex needs, where a child/children can be at risk (tiers 3 and 4 of need). 9 Newport has responded positively to these directives by being a pioneer for developing both an Integrated Family Support Team (IFST) and a virtual Team Around the Family (TAF). The learning from these pilot initiatives will help us ensure all our services follow the Integrated Family Support Service model. Families First Families First is an innovation programme that promotes the development by local authority areas of effective multi-agency systems and support, with a clear emphasis on prevention and early intervention for families, particularly those living in poverty. It sits alongside the support offered by other flagship programmes such as: Flying Start, Communities First; and the Integrated Family Support Service. The Agenda clearly states that the best way to support children, particularly those living in poverty, is by working with the whole family. Evidence suggests early support can reduce the likelihood of families developing more complicated and costly needs. Families need different levels of support depending on their circumstances. Complicated problems will need more intensive support. However, some families may need help to overcome smaller problems to avoid them becoming complicated. Newport is again a pioneer for the Families First Programme and has developed a virtual Team Around the Family that will work with those families who do not reach the threshold for statutory intervention to prevent an escalation in need. Fulfilled Lives Supportive Communities Commissioning Framework and Guidance This circular provides Statutory Guidance on Commissioning Social Services and is issued under Section 7 of the Local Authority Social Services Act 1970. The Framework and Guidance applies to commissioning by local authority social services, and also to commissioning by wider partnerships, where social services are engaged. The Guidance strongly encourages partnership working. The Commissioning Framework is further supported by the Value Wales Procurement Route Planner which can be found at www.buy4wales.co.uk/prp 10 What is the Local Policy Context? The Community Strategy The Community Strategy ‘Feeling good about Newport’ contains the One Newport Local Service Board’s vision for improving Newport over the next 10 years. The priorities are: • to have a prosperous and thriving city • to have a better quality of life • to have vibrant and safe communities • to deliver better public services This Commissioning Strategy seeks to support all the outcomes of the Community Strategy. In the shorter term, it mainly contributes to priority 2 and 4, but in the longer term, by improving outcomes for our most vulnerable children, it actively contributes to priorities 1 and 3. The Children and Young People’s Plan The CYPP is the defining statement of strategic planning intent that guides all services, organisations and individuals working with and for children and young people across Newport. The fundamental principles of the plan are: • the partnership doesn’t bring up children - parents do • all children have the potential to succeed • children and young people need to enjoy life • services need to be shaped by and respond to the needs of children, young people and their families • it is always better to prevent failure than tackle a crisis later • we will work together to improve outcomes for children, young people and their families. 11 The 7 core aims of the plan are: 1. a flying start in Life 2. a range of education and learning opportunities 3. the best possible health 4. access to play, sport, leisure and cultural activities 5. listened to and treated with respect 6. safe homes and communities 7. not disadvantaged by poverty This Commissioning Strategy fully embraces the principles of the CYPP and aims to support it to deliver all of the core aims with particular reference to the most vulnerable children. It is recognised that tier 1 and 2 services are delivered by universal services and are beyond the scope of this Strategy. However, the strategic and operational partnerships that are formed through the CYPP will ensure they are seamlessly integrated. Corporate Parenting Strategy Following the collaborative needs analysis, the Corporate Parenting Strategy was developed as part of the transformation of Children’s Services. It makes 5 Pledges to Looked after Children: • Home – to provide looked after children with good quality, stable placements where they feel safe, valued and cared for by excellent carers • Education – to ensure that looked after children achieve the best possible educational outcomes • Health – to improve the health outcomes of looked after children and to provide them with appropriate health care and advice • Leisure – to support and encourage looked after children to enjoy a wide experience of leisure, cultural, sport and social activity to enable them to fulfil their potential • Leaving care – to support looked after children and care leavers to prepare for the future and make positive choices for independent living, in order to become successful, fulfilled members of society. 12 This Commissioning Strategy is critical to the delivery of the Corporate Parenting Strategy. The analysis undertaken consistently demonstrated that getting the placement right has a positive effect on all other domains. It also highlighted that the trend of increasingly complex cases requiring placements is leading to an increase in the use of more costly, disruptive out of area placements. This Commissioning Strategy prioritises developing the correct range of good quality, cost effective local services. Young Carers Strategy The Young Carers Strategy provides a strategic plan for Newport City Council and relevant partners. The Strategy improves outcomes for young carers ensuring that they and their families have the same opportunities as others and are not disadvantaged. 13 What will our new delivery model look like? Distribution of assessments for social care, CAF and universal services in Newport Children who have acute needs CONTINUUM OF NEEDS Children in need Children thought to be vulnerable Children whose needs are met by universal services Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 LEVEL 4 350children Children in need core assessment LEVEL 3 650 children LEVEL 2 9,000 children LEVEL 1 23,000 children Children in need initial assessment CONTINUUM OF ASSESSMENTS Common assessment framework Universal screening assessment tools There are approximately 23,000 children within Newport. The majority of these children have their needs met through universal services provided by statutory agencies such as Health and Education and may be involved voluntarily in third sector provision. It is important that universal screening tools are in place to identify any children who may be vulnerable and for staff working with these children to know how to access additional support services where necessary. There are around 9,000 children who are considered as vulnerable but are below the criteria for statutory intervention. These children and young people may be identified by a wide range of professionals including schools, GPs, or services being accessed by their parents/guardians. The Families First Programme and Team Around the Family pilot is specifically targeted at this group of individuals. It aims to identify any areas of need promptly and deliver effective focused services to avoid any further escalation of need. There are currently around 650 children who have been identified as having needs at a level great enough to require statutory support from the Local Authority but are typically remaining within their family environment. These needs may be due to disability, neglect or abuse. Services to this group of individuals aim to prevent any further escalation of need whilst ensuring ongoing protection and family support. There are currently around 350 children and young people within Newport that we deem to be the most vulnerable and require looking after by the Local Authority. This population includes around 270 Looked After Children (LAC); children in youth custody, those with complex learning or physical disabilities, or those with acute mental illness. It is known that outcomes for this group of children and young people are generally poorer than non LAC so it is essential that, where possible, support is provided to enable young people to remain with their families and that any placement made away from the family is suitable and stable. 14 Mapping Children and Family Services Key: Frontline social work teams and business support Family support services Services to children in care Preventative services This diagram shows the services that are available for the most vulnerable children and young people (levels 3 and 4 above). The spine of the services is made up of the front line teams and the business functions that support them. To the right of the spine is the range of services that are available to Looked After Children. They include placement services (both internal and external) and services that seek to ensure the stability and quality of placements made. Respite services for disabled children are also within this segment. To the left of the spine are services to support children in need and are focused on ensuring good quality family support that prevents further escalation of need. The key to this is early intervention so that services intervene promptly and in a manner that is appropriate to the situation. 15 What is Commissioning? Commissioning of public services is about public sector agencies working with purchasers, providers and, most of all, communities, to identify and understand end users’ needs so that services can be designed to meet them. This is done by working within a structured and planned process, called a commissioning cycle (see below), which ensures services are improved and developed against past experience and current community need. Commissioning is increasingly recognised as the primary mechanism for delivering better outcomes, while using resources more efficiently. We have adopted the Welsh Government’s definition of commissioning: ‘Social care commissioning is a set of activities by which local authorities and partners ensure that services are planned and organised to best meet the social care outcomes required by their citizens. It involves understanding the population need, best practice and local resources and using these to plan, implement and review changes in services. It requires a whole system perspective and applies to services provided by local authorities, as well as public, private and third sector services.’ PRINCIPLES OF GOOD COMMISSIONING • Understand the needs of those using the • • • • • • • • service Consult provider organisations when setting priorities Put outcomes for users at the heart of the process Map the fullest practical range of providers Consider investing in the provider base Ensure contract processes are transparent and fair Ensure long term contracts Allow for risk sharing Seek feedback to review effectiveness of the commissioning process. 16 Why do we need to change our current model and service? During 2011 detailed collaborative needs analysis was undertaken by Newport City Council in partnership with NHS and third sector colleagues. This needs analysis has underpinned all of the transformation agenda implemented to date and has heavily contributed to Newport gaining additional revenue to pilot initiatives ahead of a comprehensive strategy. The needs analysis is the very cornerstone of our Commissioning Strategy and gave us clear indications that we must change the way we currently commission and/or provide services for children in need and their families. The full needs analysis can be accessed via the City Council’s web site – www.newport.gov.uk. The table on page 19 provides a summary of the salient points. 17 Monitoring and Review This Commissioning Strategy has set out our priorities for remodelling children’s services which will have significant measurable benefits for our most vulnerable children, young people and families. In order to achieve our ambition we recognise that we will need to monitor and review progress against the Strategy ensuring that commissioning decisions and service user experiences remain at the heart of what we do. We will routinely gather and collate information from a range of sources. We will closely monitor responses and systems of support delivered by providers in terms of outcomes for service users, best value and best practice. The approach will involve: • adopting a Results Based Accountability model that will align with corporate aims, and the performance targets for teams • enabling a contribution to be made from the experiences of service users to inform the review of key priorities of this commissioning plan and demonstrate that they are clearly linked to the outcomes specified by individuals in their care plans • evaluating progress achieved against specific priorities using local and national performance indicators and benchmarking our performance against other local authorities • continually reviewing our responses against the current and projected need within strategic and performance management frameworks to ensure there is sufficient capacity to meet any shifts in service user demand • adjusting our approach to build on existing good practice to accelerate the implementation of good ideas which strengthen the key elements of our vision • ensuring that the Commissioning Strategy is reviewed on a yearly cycle in order to align and refine priorities with corporate and wider partnership priorities. 18 Summary Needs Analysis Demographics Establishing Sustainable Service Models Service User & Carer feedback Performance Finance 4th most deprived area in Wales Need to develop family focused approach that mitigates risks and establishes a mechanism for reducing the dependency on permanent long term care arrangements Children with Disability Review has identified frustrations that agencies do not work collaboratively Generally performance against targets is good and above benchmark group 43% of the total current budget is spent on placements and 53% on employee costs Higher than Wales average alcohol dependency levels % of smokers in Newport is above Welsh average – for the LAC population 48% smoke compared to 28% of non LAC Significant growth in the use of Independent Fostering Agency placements nd Newport has the 2 most diverse population in Wales, and a disproportionate representation of LAC from the ethnic minority community Sibling placements are commonly made out of area Significant increase in Children with Disabilities accessing services Educational attainment of Care Leavers is below that of non LAC which contributes to a continued cycle of poverty Difficulty in meeting the needs of challenging young people locally The consultation supporting the Corporate Parenting Strategy identified a number of issues with communication between staff in different agencies Findings from Fostering Services Review identified frustrations with the way placements are made and the support provided to carers – leading to placement breakdowns Reviews of complaints demonstrate that the lack of clear point of access causes frustration for people trying to access services Overall downward curve in number of LAC, although the number of LAC placed with their parents has declined Placement changes are higher than WG target (method of recording being developed) Placements affecting school changes are well below benchmark group, yet LAC achieving Key Stage 2 and 3 are below benchmark average Referral rates are higher than benchmark group All children on Child Protection Register have an allocated Social Worker In terms of service costs, 65% are attributable to Children in Care and only 14% towards Family Support Safely reducing the number of children in care will release funds to divert into greater family support and preventative services During 2011/12 a 4% budget saving was achieved without decommissioning preventative services Further savings at a minimum of 3% required in the following 2 years The Newport Junior Safeguarding Board regularly gives feedback on the issues that are most pertinent to them 19 Strategic Priority 1: Support children to safely remain with their families What will we do? (Condition of Wellbeing) How will we do it? Who? All families, including the most vulnerable, are able to access the services that enable them to remain as a family unit, negating the need for further services Ensure there is a continuum of support that works with the Families First Programmes Service Manager – Integrated Family Services/Assistant Director of Children Services Barnardo’s Cymru/Assistant Head of Education (Inclusion)/Families First Extend the remit of the IFST to work with families who have risk factors other than substance misuse, such as domestic violence or mental health Develop a single point of referral to the IFSS so the most appropriate resource can be deployed according to need Implement and evaluate the Team Around The Family pilot and ensure that lessons learnt are applied to future commissioning activity Develop a single point of access to Families First (made up of the Preventative Services Group (PSG) and the Early Intervention and Prevention Service (EIPS)). We will be able to offer intervention packages to families below the statutory threshold, and ensure that any referrals to the Duty and Assessment Team are appropriate By working with our third sector partner to commission appropriate support services that respond to needs identified through the assessment processes and target evidence based interventions on those children and families most at risk of requiring local authority care or needing increased protection within the home Service Manager – Integrated Family Services/ Barnardo’s Development Children Services Manager/Families First By when? April 2012 Review March 2013 March 2013 Evaluation March 2013 How will we know if we are succeeding? (How much? How well? Who better off?) By contributing to safely reducing the number of children in care, in proceedings and on the Child Protection Register and/or expediting care proceedings for those children who are not safe enough in their home environment By reducing the number of children removed from families before a full assessment of risk has been completed The number of young people that have been diverted away from the CPR/ LAC/PLO Improvement in family resilience and reduction in risk using distance travelled tool within preventative services December 2012 (schedule for each element developed) Overall there are less referrals to the Duty and Assessment Team (those that need signposting or minimal intervention will have been filtered out). Of those referred, more families have assessments completed 20 What will we do? (Condition of Wellbeing) How will we do it? Who? By when? How will we know if we are succeeding? (How much? How well? Who better off?) By contributing to safely reducing the number of children in care, in proceedings and on the Child Protection Register Families will be supported to identify the outcomes that they want to achieve and will be able to identify they have succeeded Staff from preventative services as well as statutory ones will be trained to use goal setting and motivational interviewing so they can support families to identify the most important outcomes and the steps needed to achieve them. This will be embedded in the range of family support services, through training, and then cascaded to front line teams to incorporate into care business Service Manager – Integrated Family Services/ Assistant Head of Education (Inclusion) December 2012 Discreet training for teams March 2013 Develop tool for care management March 2014 Full implementation Children and families with substantial needs receive coherent assessments of their needs that enable them to access services supporting them to remain as a family unit There is support to families of children with additional needs that enables them to continue to care for their children at home As part of the Families First Programme, develop a preventative service based on the family support model specifically for children with additional needs Undertake a collaborative review of services for disabled children and work to create more ‘joined up’ services that are focused on the family Service Manager – Assessment & Care Planning /ABHB / Torfaen CBC Service User feedback demonstrates a reduction in unmet need Increase in number of staff attending motivational interviewing training and goal setting Number of courses run and number of individuals trained Demonstrating that families receiving services have reduced assessed risk factors March 2013 Increase in customer satisfaction / reduction in number of complaints regarding lack of service September 2012 Number of young people who have been diverted from residential care March 2013 Outcomes demonstrated through the distance travelled tool 21 What will we do? (Condition of Wellbeing) How will we do it? Who? By when? How will we know if we are succeeding? (How much? How well? Who better off?) Review arrangements for short breaks and respite services to ensure there is sufficient service to meet need August 2013 % increase in the number of assessments and subsequent allocations of equipment Review the use of Assistive Technology to ensure that families are equipped with the support that they need March 2013 % increase in the number of direct payments March 2014 Number of young carers diverted away from statutory services Encourage the uptake of direct payments so that parents can take a more active role in deciding which services would meet their children’s needs Young Carers are supported to have a life beyond their caring responsibilities and do not require reception into statutory services Children and Young People with emotional and mental health problems are encouraged to live as independent a life as possible, and are able to exercise choice and control Integration of Newport CC & Torfaen CBC Children with Disability Teams Implement the actions of the Young Carers Strategy (2011) which will demonstrate that the design and delivery of services has been influenced by the voice of young carers By providing high quality emotional and mental health services that are available at the point of need and can demonstrate lasting benefits to the individuals that use them Assist in the development of an integrated, comprehensive CAMHS service and develop a joint approach for improvement (e.g. joint training) Develop greater integration of the Family Support Service within CAMHS Carers Development Officer Service Manager – Child Protection Barnardo’s Development Children’s Services Manager Service Manager – Integrated Family Services General Manager, Family & Therapy Services, ABHB Assistant Head of Education (Inclusion) Service Manager – Residential and Resources Outcomes demonstrated through the distance travelled tool April 2014 Outcomes demonstrated through the distance travelled tool Feedback from service users on accessibility and effectiveness April 2014 22 Strategic Priority 2: Improve outcomes for Children in Care and Care Leavers What will we do? (Condition of wellbeing) How will we do it? Who? By when? How will we know if we are succeeding? (How much? How well? Who better off?) Children in care have a permanent stable home environment Increase the number and improve the timeliness of children moving from care to permanence through adoption, guardianship or residency orders Service Manager – Residential and Resources October 2012 By increasing the % of permanent placements made Invest in front line teams to increase capacity and reduce caseloads Ongoing Reduce time taken in agreeing and identifying permanent solutions Work with partners through the South Wales Adoption Agencies Consortium (SWACC) to improve access to adopters December 2012 Reduction in the number of placements per child Ensure processes for residency orders and guardianship arrangements are understood by staff and can be safely utilised Ongoing Participate in a Gwent wide collaboration to produce a regional adoption team April 2013 Explore the potential to develop concurrent planning arrangements Children and Young People who are received into the Care System experience stable placements that allow them to continue with their education and social networks and, where appropriate, family contacts We will improve placement stability by ensuring a range of placements are available locally to meet the needs of Children in Care by always considering family or connected people before placing children elsewhere Service Manager – Residential and Resources Planning & Development Project Officer April 2013 Review Reduction in the number of placement changes % reduction in the use of out of area placements 23 What will we do? (Condition of wellbeing) Children are placed with Foster Carers who are local, well trained and able to meet their needs appropriately How will we do it? Who? By when? How will we know if we are succeeding? (How much? How well? Who better off?) Reviewing out of area placements to identify what factors have prevented a local placement from being made Ongoing Improved mental wellbeing of Children in Care, demonstrated through LAC reviews Review the cases where there have been numerous placement breakdowns to understand what preventative measures could have been used and then ensure these lessons are learnt going forward Ongoing Increase in number of supervised contacts Increase in satisfaction reported through LAC reviews Implement the learning from the Strengths and Difficulties questionnaire pilot to ensure that the emotional needs of Children in Care are understood and appropriately addressed Partnership Manager April 2014 Develop systems to capture the unmet needs of the LAC population to better inform future commissioning plans Service Manager Assessment & Care Planning April 2013 Provide opportunities for supervised family contact that are family friendly and where families and other stakeholders report that contact has been a positive Service Manager – Integrated Family Services Ongoing Extend the remit of the Family Contact Service (FCS) to include supervising family contact for families not yet in care proceedings Implement the findings from the Fostering Services Review that seeks to band foster carers into 3 tiers, and improve the training and support available Increase in satisfaction reported by families within family contract reviews July 2012 Service Manager – Residential and Resources April 2012 Outcomes demonstrated through the distance travelled tool Increase in number of supervised contacts facilitated by FCS (include Section 20 cases and those less frequent) Year 1 provide baseline information % decrease in the use of placements made through independent foster agencies 24 What will we do? (Condition of wellbeing) Ensure all Children and Young People, including those with the most complex needs can access good quality services close to home How will we do it? Who? By when? How will we know if we are succeeding? (How much? How well? Who better off?) Grow a new therapeutic support team that will design and deliver therapeutic services to carers, residential units and to children in care. Includes a crisis intervention team and clinical psychology October 2012 Improve the recruitment and assessment of foster carers December 2013 Increase in the number of new foster carers October 2012 % decrease in the use of placements out of area Undertake a joint review of all jointly funded placements, that are out of area to gain an understanding of the services being purchased and consider whether these needs can be met locally Analyse and plan to meet the need for local integrated services for disabled children, particularly those with Autism and challenging behaviours Develop a distance travelled tool for 16+ Explore options for developing a local provision for young people with Autism Service Manager – Assessment & Care Planning/Deputy Head of Education (Inclusion)/Principal Commissioning Officer Children Services Children’s Specialist Placement Manager ABHB General Manager, Family & Therapy Services ABHB Barnardo’s Development Children’s Services Manager Service Manager – Residential and Resources % reduction in the number of children placed in out of area specialist services October 2012 Outcomes demonstrated through the distance travelled tool March 2013 April 2013 Feedback from service users on accessibility and effectiveness 25 What will we do? (Condition of wellbeing) How will we do it? Who? By when? How will we know if we are succeeding? (How much? How well? Who better off?) Ensure young people leaving care are equipped with the skills and have the required support to transition into independent living Undertake an accommodation review to assess level of need and develop a greater range of accommodation options for care leavers including the George Street Scheme Service Manager Assessment & Care Planning April 2013 Increase the number of care leavers who continue into further education / training / employment Increase number of supported lodging placements Aftercare Manager April 2014 Develop a 16+ yrs LAC service, with funding of £100k to support new provision Enable care leavers to access education and employment opportunities Housing Needs Manager Service Manager Assessment & Care Planning December 2013 April 2014 % of former looked after children in education employment or training at age 19 increases Service Manager Assessment & Care Planning Principal Service Manager (Adult Services) October 2012 Reduction in the number of complaints Service Manager – Child Protection Ongoing Care Leavers, including asylum seekers have happy, healthy prosperous and inclusive lives Ensure the transition from Children’s Services to Adult Services is seamless and does not cause unnecessary distress to young people and their families Children and families feel that they have oversight of our strategic intentions and are empowered to hold us to account for the services that we deliver Develop a range of apprenticeship schemes and educational opportunities that can be accessed by care leavers (Corporate Parenting Strategy Actions 5.2) Develop a system of budgetary management to enable future costs to be predicted and planned for Establish a shared culture between Children and Adult Services that focuses on the outcomes for the young person Regularly attend the Newport Youth Council, Junior Safeguarding Board and the Children in Care Council to update on key activities Ensure engagement with children and families using services is an integral part Reduction in the number of Young People presenting as homeless reduces March 2013 Results of satisfaction surveys Head of Children and Family Services Ongoing 26 What will we do? (Condition of wellbeing) Homeless and vulnerable 16 and 17 year olds have the same aspirations as Looked After Children (have happy, healthy prosperous and inclusive lives) How will we do it? of service review Ensure lessons from the Southwark Ruling are learnt and implemented within the Social Care Support and Housing Services Who? By when? How will we know if we are succeeding? (How much? How well? Who better off?) Supporting People Team Manager Housing Services Aftercare Team Manager April 2012 Reduction in number of 16 and 17 year olds presenting as homeless An in principle agreement to progress joint commissioning is established to underpin the approach within Newport to deliver efficiencies and improve outcomes for young people April 2012 Improve prevention at the point of crisis by delivery of a seamless joined up homelessness prevention and assessment service for young people in housing need/at risk of homelessness April 2013 Review of services being delivered to young people presenting as homeless Feedback from service users 27 Strategic Priority 3: Make best use of resources What will we do? (Condition of wellbeing) How will we do it? Who? By when? How will we know if we are succeeding? (How much? How well? Who better off?) Ensure our Care Management Teams are as effective as possible Improve the quality of assessment and planning and case management and maintain a focus upon outcomes for children Service Manager Assessment & Care Planning Service Manager – Child Protection Ongoing % reduction in vacancy levels % increase in retention rates % reduction in absence levels Ensure safeguarding and quality is delivered effectively Streamline the transfer of work between teams and increase capacity where necessary April 2013 Support new Social Workers and ensure manageable caseloads and low vacancy rates Ongoing Support the professional development of all staff Develop policy, procedures, aide memoirs and audit arrangements for social care and partner agencies that support consistency of best practice Ongoing Service Manager Safeguarding & QA April 2013 Quality Assurance of assessments. Audits produce positive results % reduction in absence levels Feedback from service users Findings from case audits Ensure legacy commissioning arrangements are still fit for purpose, decommissioning any that Ensure that Independent Reviewing Arrangements support best practice care planning June 2013 Review Fully implement ICS and a document management system to create ‘paperless files’ Review of historical voluntary sector spend to ensure that services align with the Families First Programme and the priorities of this Strategy April 2013 Head of Children and Family Services April 2013 Outcomes demonstrated through the distance travelled tool 28 What will we do? (Condition of wellbeing) are not, so that funds can be reinvested according to identified needs Utilise all collaborative working arrangements to ensure that maximum value for money is achieved Ensure that all funding is used to maximum benefit How will we do it? Remaining committed to the regional collaborative and engage in the review of all fostering and placement arrangements in the independent sector Disability Review will include exploring integrating budgets Ensuring a collaborative approach to commissioning that seeks to realise funding from multiple sources Ensure a mixed market of provision where services are delivered by the most capable provider Develop a confident and capable workforce By implementing transparent commissioning arrangements and conducting best value reviews on services to ensure they are delivering the outcomes required Undertake a training needs analysis and develop an appropriate action plan Who? Service Manager – Residential and Resources. Principal Commissioning Officer Service Manager Assessment & Care Planning Service Manager – Residential and Resources Service Manager – Child Protection Service Manager Safeguarding & QA/Principal Commissioning Officer Service Manager – Child Protection Corporate HR Officer/ Principal Training Officer By when? Ongoing September 2012 How will we know if we are succeeding? (How much? How well? Who better off?) Feedback from service users on accessibility and effectiveness Reduction in the average unit cost for placements in the independent sector Efficiency savings realised Ongoing Ongoing Unit cost benchmarking March 2013 Training plan in place Number of individuals trained Retention levels 29 If you would like this information in another language or format, please contact the Social Services Public Information Officer on 01633 656 656 or email [email protected] www.newport.gov.uk
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