SOMERSET VCS FORUM – 5th September 2013
GLASTONBURY
Speaker: Peter Lewis, Director of Children’s Services (SCC)
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Peter was genuinely pleased to be able to speak at the Forum and
sustain the on-going relationship and promote a discussion about how
the sectors work together
He particularly wanted to look at the changing landscape for Children’s
Services – and as a part of the whole council
Peter acknowledged the establishment of the Forum to ‘facilitate coproduction’, as a conduit for information sharing and a reciprocal
relationship to identify strategies for early intervention
Whilst the voice of the child is being heard well in Somerset there is
much more we can do
The VCS must be better at evidencing impact, innovation, working
together and implementing a business-like approach.
ISSUES
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Number of children in care – 525 YP in care
Early Help Strategy and Delivery Plan – how do we take strategy to
disaffected young people?
Meeting acceptable standards
Raising Achievement – KS4 – putting the challenge to schools – great
passion for C&YP to get best possible deal – challenging the norm
‘Managing austerity’
Implementing new laws – Public Law / Children & Families Bill
Accommodating the welfare reforms
COMMUNICATION
CHANGES
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Structural change to Children & Social Care (CSC)
Early Help & Intervention
New rigour around placements - best value for money
Clearer roles for LSCB, Children’s Trust and individual partners
Clarifying issues around ‘power’, responsibility and impact - how much
power we (SCC) have to influence, accountable in law – best interest
of the child and accountable to the tax payer
CHILDREN’s SERVICES PRIORITIES
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Compliance
Quality – ‘adequate is inadequate; good is not good enough’
Consistency
Measurable improvement in outcomes for children & young people
VISION
Make sure that C&YP….
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Are safe, healthy and cared for
Are treated fairly and equally
Achieve full potential both in and out of school
Build self-esteem and aim high
Have better employment opportunities
Benefit from family wellbeing and local prosperity
Have integrated support to meet their needs
For discussion and feedback Peter set delegates two questions:
1. What is the USP for the 3rd Sector; what can we bring to the
table; what do we do better?
“we all bring something different; passionate about multiagency working”
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Innovative/creative/fresh with the ability to use resources well
Tailored/personalised/not time limited
Ability to bring in money/funding for work with YP that council
can’t access – grant funding/match funding i.e. DEFRA
Ability to respond to needs of YP
Sharing information within/across organisations
Strong links to community / grass roots orgs / galvanising
communities
A fresh set of eyes
Identify / fills the gap
We can challenge the LA
Pool of local knowledge
Open to curious questions
Reach/flexible in response
Value added
Respected
Volunteers – but not a free workforce
Specialist expertise/wider networks
Ethics led / outcomes focussed
Non-threatening service – families feel comfortable with
Continuing support to children, YP and families after the contract
runs out….
Fantastic value for money
Right people around the table
‘we can do’
2. What are we going to do in the next 3-5 years to make the lives
of C&YP better?
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Revisit the COMPACT – Chris Phillips (SCC)
Information sharing
Smarter partnership working
Brought a challenge to LA
Better access to resources
Speaker: Vicky Thomas, Strategic Manager – Children’s Centres and
Traded Units
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Presently 151 key deliver points across the county supporting
families through a multi-agency approach
41 CC currently registered and subject to Ofsted inspection
24 managed by SCC
12 contracted to voluntary or community sector
5 managed by schools
Arranged in 14 Clusters
CHALLENGES
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£1.4M budget cut
New inspection framework
Greater responsibility on LA
Different operating models
PROPOSALS (subject to public consultation)
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14 clusters reduced to 5 operational areas
Services would still be delivered from approximately 151 community
access points.
Improved outcomes for deprived areas
80% of available funding to meet families “in greatest need of
intervention or further support”
Early Help Strategy
Reduction in back office costs
Improved reach
Improved OFSTED ratings
Improved relationship between Early Years providers, schools, PVI
sector, other agencies and Children Centres
TIMELINE
August 2013
November 2013
April 2014
Public consultation
Cabinet review consultation
New structure goes live
Speaker: Kate Mulford, Category Manager – People Strategic
Procurement
• From 1st June 2013 the strategic procurement function returned to
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Somerset County Council
Somerset now part of ‘Supplying the South West’ portal
www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk
Review of current spend and contracting arrangements across the
authority
Although the new tendering portal was welcomed as fair and
transparent concern was raised by delegates on the identification and
use of social value. It was also noted that VCS organisations are being
used as Bid Candy by bigger organisations when tendering for
contracts. It was agreed by delegates that SCC should be holding
organisations to account and enforce post contract monitoring to avert
such situations.
Angela Kerr (ViSTA Projects) offered to meet with Kate Mulford to
discuss the use of Social Value Indicators/measures.
ACTIONS TO TAKE FORWARD
The reinvigoration of the VCS COMPACT
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Chris Phillips (SCC)
Central Resource point of key SCC staff
on to new CHYPPS website
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CHYPPS
Agenda items for next VCS Forum
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CHYPPS
“What can we offer as a Sector?”
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VCS organisations