Lone Parents/Worklessness Little Hulton Contents of presentation 1. Rationale, process and stakeholders 2. The baseline and the story behind it 3. Our current response 4. Key issues and principles for a reformed approach 5. Improving outcomes - The key challenges 6. Questions and answers The SPOTLIGHT process Week (up to) 1 2-3 3-4 5-6 Monthly Stage Planning The issue The response Delivery Agreements Stock takes Key Products & Tasks Agreed case for SPOTLIGHT; Team established; Resources secured; Methods planned; Stakeholders engaged; Analysis of the systems, structures and incentives in the delivery chain Immediate, medium and long term commitments to improve delivery – made to high level panel of LSP Exec. Regular high tempo checks on delivery against commitments Analysis of the issue and its cause and effects on families, individuals, neighbourhoods ‘Quick wins’ – supporting local ideas Little Hulton: A changing area, where the challenge of Connecting People is critical 1. Rationale, process and stakeholders 2. The baseline and the story behind it 3. Our current response 4. Key issues and principles for a reformed approach 5. Improving outcomes - The key challenges 6. Questions and answers Employment – The comparative picture Employment rates in Salford and UK wide Employment Rates Nationally Average UK employment rate 100% 90% 80% 70% Salford 60% Little Hulton 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Source: Average & National employment rates: Annual Population Survey 2006/7 Little Hulton: Census 2001 Benefits – Highlighting the issue Benefit claimant rates by ward JSA IB Lone Parents Carers Others on Income Related Benefits Broughton LITTLE HULTON HULTON Langworthy Ordsall Pendleton Blackfriars Barton Winton Weaste and Seedley Walkden North Kersal Pendlebury Eccles Swinton North Cadishead Claremont Irlam Walkden South Swinton South Worsley and Boothstown 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% Benefit claimant rate as a proportion of the working age population Source: DWP Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study May 2007 40% Definition of a Lone Parent • Census definition: ‘A parent living without a spouse (and not co-habiting) with his or her never married dependent child or children aged either under 16 or from 16-19 and undertaking full-time education’. • Income Support definition: ‘The person responsible for a child under the age of 16 who lives in their household. The "living in the household " is usually determined by the person who actually receives Child Benefit for the child as there is no provision in the system to spilt Child Benefit between parents/carers who live apart’. Lone Parents – The big picture • Significant increase in the number of lone parents between 1981 – 2001 census Little Hulton Salford Source: Census 2001 1981 3.3% 2.4% 1991 10.4% 5.9% 2001 13% 8.6% Lone parents – Who are they? Little Hulton: Lone Parents Lone parent Income Support claimants in Salford: 8% Male 67.2% 5.2% Work full time Work part time 92% Female 17% 19.9% Work full time Work part time Census 2001 709 Census 2001 Little Hulton: 72% ? ? Income Support claimants (508) JSA claimants IB claimants DWP May 2007 Age: 25% 40% Aged under 25 Aged 25 – 34 Family Size: 1.9 Average number of children DWP May 2007 Benefits – Highlighting the issue Lone parent income support trends in Salford 1999-2007 500 450 400 350 300 Little Hulton Salford Average 250 200 150 100 50 0 Aug-99 Aug-00 Aug-01 Aug-02 Aug-03 Aug-04 Source: DWP Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study Aug 1999 - May 2007 Aug-05 Aug-06 Benefits – The impact on children Children of DWP benefit claimants in Salford JSA IB Lone Parent Other IS Carer 18000 16000 Number of Children 14000 12000 10000 8000 6000 4000 2000 0 Aug- Feb- Aug- Feb- Aug- Feb- Aug- Feb- Aug- Feb- Aug- Feb- Aug- Feb- Aug- Feb99 00 00 01 01 02 02 03 03 04 04 05 05 06 06 07 Source: DWP Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study May 2007 66% 1 2 7 4 3 6 5 8 Break Points: 0.0-1.9% 1.9-3.8% 3.8-5.7% 5.7-7.6% 7.6-9.5% >9.5% Lone Parents – Who are they? Duration of claim and family size of lone parents in Salford 100% 90% 80% 70% 5 years and over 2 - 5 years 1 - 2 years 60% 50% 6mths - 1 year up to 6 months 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Total 1 Child Source: DWP GIS mapping tool 2008 2 Children 3 Children 4+ Children Skills - What the data tells us Proportion of population by highest level of qualification No quals Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4/5 Other/ unknown 100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% Little Hulton Salford GM NW • High estimated level of skills for life need England Census 2001 Lone parents – Causes of worklessness • ‘Hotspot’ for teenage pregnancies • Second highest number of 16-19 year old NEET in Salford – 59 • Low educational attainment – 4 out of 8 Little Hulton primary schools operating below national average at Key Stage 2 – Low levels of educational attainment e.g. Harrop Fold only 19% achieving 5 A-C grade GCSEs inc. Maths & English Lone parents – Other causal factors • Declining marriage rates Little Hulton Salford 1991 38.5% 41.6% 2001 34.2% 36.8% • Increasing divorce rates Little Hulton Salford Source: Census 2001 1991 6.7% 5.7% 2001 10.9% 9.2% A highly complex issue - Different perspectives Lack of confidence & stigma Skills Lifestyle choice LONE PARENTS Barriers to training Crime Postcode Inflexibility part-time jobs Unaware of services WORKLESSNESS Fear of debt DELIVERY Workless culture Peer pressure/ role models PARTNERS Benefit trap Perceived fraud Confusion Benefit trap Transport Low level skills Engagement Value local employees EMPLOYERS Skills shortage Childcare Poor perceptions Benefit trap Lack of social skills Crime in Little Hulton Period April 2007 – March 2008: • 2,009 criminal offences recorded: – Constitutes 7% of all crimes in Salford – Third highest area for crime in Salford • 1,627 incidents of anti-social behaviour (ASB): – Constitutes 8% of all ASB incidents in Salford – Third highest area for ASB in Salford • 724 incidents of domestic violence reported: – Constitutes 11% of reported domestic violence incidents in Salford – Highest area in Salford Crime in Little Hulton 1 2 3 1. Rationale, process and stakeholders 2. The baseline and the story behind it 3. Our current response 4. Key issues and principles for a reformed approach 5. Improving outcomes - The key challenges 6. Questions and answers The current delivery system for lone parents (in Little Hulton) – an overview JCP/DWP/ LSC provision, Sure Start, Connexions Local enhanced provision e.g.IAG Skills & Work Children’s Centres, Health Services, Welfare & Debt advice, Learn Direct, Youth Service Local engagement & support services e.g. One Stop Shop, ICT in the Community, Salford Foundation, Age Concern, CRIIS, FACL UNIVERSAL SERVICES LOCALITY PROVISION ‘COMMUNITY FOCUS’ The current Jobcentre Plus advisory system: Work focused interventions for lone parents Date of claim Initial Work Focused Interview 6 mths 12 mths 1st Work Focused Interview 2nd Work Focused Interview 14-15 Age of Youngest Child? Annual Work Focused Interviews 0-4 5-13 6 mthly Work Focused Interviews Quarterly Work Focused Interviews The Jobcentre Plus advisory system: New Deal for Lone Parents (NDLP) Lone parents are eligible to participate in NDLP if they: • Are aged 16 or over • Have a dependant child under 16 • Are not working or • Working less than 16 hours a week • Are not an asylum seeker (unless they have exceptional leave to stay or have refugee status) Jobcentre Plus – Support for Lone Parents • Training for up to 52 weeks per 2 year period • Access assistance with: – Childcare & registration fees costs for min 16 hrs per week – Travel costs – Training allowance £15 per week for min 6 hrs training per week – Course fees & equipment on approval The Jobcentre Plus advisory system: Increase in Lone Parent Obligations – Nov 2008 Date of claim Initial Work Focused Interview 6 mths 12 mths 1st Work Focused Interview 2nd Work Focused Interview 10-11 Age of Youngest Child? Annual Work Focused Interviews 0-4 5-9 6 mthly Work Focused Interviews Quarterly Work Focused Interviews The Jobcentre Plus advisory system: Additional incentives • • • • Guaranteed Job Interview - where possible Options & Choices Events Greater flexibility in the use of work trials In Work Credit - £40 tax free per week up to 52 weeks • In work Advisory support • In work emergency discretion fund Jobcentre Plus – Support for lone parents Many lone parents face multiple barriers: • Confidence • Childcare • Debt • Victims of domestic violence • Mental health conditions • Alcohol and drug dependency • Skills Finance issues: A lone parent case study Out of Work In Work 16 hrs+ Income Support Working Tax Credit Inc. childcare element CHILD TAX CREDIT CHILD BENEFIT Financial issues for lone parents • • • • • • • • Sonia gets a job on 1 November 2006 Lone parent with one child aged 10 Job 35 hours per week. Gross annual salary £15,000 Childcare costs £40.00 per week Rent is £50.00 per week Council Tax £15.00 per week Passported benefits e.g. free school meals Finance issues: A lone parent case study Tax year 2006 - 2007 Tax year 2007 - 2008 Tax year 2008 - 2009 Gross income £6410 £15,000 £15,000 Previous year Nil £6410 £15,000 Weekly Tax Credits CTC £44.38 Max WTC £108.50 CTC £44.38 WTC £100.05 CTC 44.38 WTC £39.10 Weekly better off in work by: £99.71 £91.81 £30.86 Real lives: What it’s like to be a workless lone parent in Little Hulton • Case Study: – Single parent aged 25 years – 3 children aged 3, 5 & 8 – Lived in LH all her life – Left school no qualifications – Became single parent after separating from a violent partner – Attempted to get back into training & employment without success We have mapped our current response using the stages of commissioning Understanding need Planning & deciding Quantitative Data Perception Data Community Engagement Strategy Operational Planning Procurement Reviewing Delivering Performance Monitoring Evaluation Learning Changing Delivery Operational Delivery Understanding need Strengths • Accurate DWP claimant count data available at SOA level and some other local data • Accurate Crime statistics • Feedback from consultations • Salford Childcare Sufficiency Audit Weaknesses • DWP data is currently 12 months out of date and does not segment lone parent claimants • Reliance on Census data for overall lone parent population, skills levels and family composition • No sense of levels of new claims or churn in the system • Unable to measure the true level of need due to family support and ‘other’ networks • Unable to share data between agencies • No detailed management information on impact of lone parent provision at small area level e.g. Little Hulton Planning and deciding Strengths • Clear governance and accountability at Sub-Regional and City-wide levels (Team Manchester, City Strategy, EDLSP) • Established and emerging structures at local area level (Neighbourhood Partnership Board, Little Hulton Task Group) • The new system for lone parents defines where additional service delivery is required Weaknesses • Lack of locally focused provision due to bulk service commissioning arrangements (DWP/LSC) • Lack of integration and devolution around planning and decision making • Lack of co-ordination and management of engagement activities Delivering Strengths • Some locally based services e.g. Skills & Work, Children’s Centre, One Stop Shop. Learn Direct • New delivery opportunities in healthy living centres, extended schools, libraries, RSLs • Increased support for lone parents through legislative change from November 2008 Weaknesses • • • • • • • • • • • • • Numbers of workless lone parents are increasing Significant issues with engagement with service provision Short term funded projects and initiatives, unstable service provision Impact of service provision unknown or limited Lack of third sector presence/ no community anchor Low take up of Salford based provision Inflexibility to take up provision in Bolton Low level referrals for Skills for Life diagnostic assessments – are skills needs being met? Limited skills and work provision located in Children’s Centre Poor performing schools and low levels of educational attainment Lack of in work and ongoing support for lone parents Lack of integration between delivery agencies Finance including childcare costs seen as a major barrier to moving into work Reviewing and Learning Strengths • Claimant count performance monitoring city-wide and by ward • Some services measured for impact on lone parents • Through Spotlighting: • have developed a better understanding of how the Little Hulton community has evolved • Services have learned the impact of their policies through engaging in the process e.g. housing Weaknesses • Performance monitoring city wide not by neighbourhood and ward (except for LAA & CS targets) • Impact of mainstream contracted provision not understood at local area level or systematically shared • Impact of some lone parent provision unclear • DWP contracted & Skills and Work provision currently only tracked to 13 weeks in work • Distance travelled not measured 1. Rationale, process and stakeholders 2. The baseline and the story behind it 3. Our current response 4. Key issues and principles for a reformed approach 5. Improving outcomes - The key challenges 6. Questions and answers “An integrated system that can engage, remove barriers and supports lone parents into skills and jobs” JCP/DWP/ LSC UNIVERSAL SERVICES LA level additional provision Local engagement and integrated services: Pre-conditions: Support from Government, Communities & Employers Flexible & integrated system LOCALITY PROVISION ‘WRAP AROUND’ A collective approach Right services for the right people Clear referral routes Services to scale Everyone on board – an urgent service and community priority 1. Rationale, process and stakeholders 2. The baseline and the story behind it 3. Our current response 4. Key issues and principles for a reformed approach 5. Improving outcomes - The key challenges 6. Questions and answers Summary of the key strengths Some good local & 3rd Sector provision Employment opportunities in Salford Governance Lone Parents in Little Hulton Community venues Legislative changes Summary of the key issues for lone parents Understanding the lone parent cohort Finance Measuring impact of provision Integration of planning & delivery Crime Childcare & Transport Lone parents/ Worklessness in Little Hulton Skills Employer perceptions Weak third sector Culture of worklessness Community identity The achievements so far 1. Improving understanding of needs • Extensive local stakeholder consultation including: 63 lone parents; 50+ strategic and front line workers; and 5 employers 2. Strategic commissioning of new services • Successful ESF bid for short course provision • LSC allocated additional £458K for Personal, Community & Development Learning prioritising Little Hulton • Financial Capability worker recruited for Little Hulton • New and innovative wraparound provision commissioned The achievements so far 3. Improving capacity of local delivery • IAG front line worker capacity building sessions delivered in Little Hulton • Re-launch of Skills and Work service to increase engagement and improve IAG The remaining challenges in reversing the spiral of dependency 1. Use of real time data • Segmentation of lone parent data to inform planning & commissioning • Lack of skills data 2. Raising aspirations & changing perceptions • Break cycle of inter-generational worklessness amongst lone parents & raising ambition • Improving employer perceptions of Little Hulton • Address low community self-image The remaining challenges in reversing the spiral of dependency 3. Developing the Delivery System • Establishing shared approach to planning, commissioning & performance management (EDLSP) • Market development & capacity building to establish a diverse delivery system (including the 3rd sector) • Review location & access of provision 4. Responsiveness & Personalisation • Engagement, outreach & flexible ‘wrap-around’ support • Ensuring skills for life assessment & diagnostic for all lone parents • Review childcare sufficiency & appropriateness • Financial inclusion strategy & ‘independent support’ The remaining challenges in reversing the spiral of dependency 5. Crime • Consider action to address Crime issues linked to worklessness Questions and answers