Steps 2 Success
Design and Delivery
Steps 2 Success
Presentation Objectives
To outline the:
 Overall design of the Steps 2 Success programme
 Role of Operational Staff/ Communication channels
 Eligibility and Referral Process
 Participation
 Returners
Steps 2 Success
Contract Areas
Northern Ireland will have 3 Contract Areas (Regions) each with1 Contractor
 Region 1: Andersonstown, Falls Road, Shankill, Holywood Road, Shaftesbury
Sq, North Belfast, Newtownards, Bangor, Lisburn, Knockbreda.
 Region 2: Newtownabbey, Antrim, Larne, Carrickfergus, Ballymena,
Ballymoney, Coleraine, Limavady, Foyle, Lisnagelvin, Strabane.
 Region 3: Magherafelt, Cookstown, Dungannon, Omagh, Enniskillen,
Banbridge, Lurgan, Portadown, Armagh, Downpatrick, Ballynahinch,
Newcastle, Kilkeel, Newry.
Steps 2 Success
Steps 2 Success Contractors
 Region 1 – INGEUS
 Region 2 - EOS
 Region 3 – REED IN PARTNERSHIP
Steps 2 Success
And what is not changing…..
 Steps 2 Success is additional & subsequent to the support the
Employment Service Advisers provide – it is not replacing it
 Many JSA customers may never be referred to Steps 2 Success – they
will get all the support they need to find work from Employment Service
advisory teams
 All referrals to Steps 2 Success will be made by advisers – while
Contractors may market their service they cannot recruit directly
Steps 2 Success
Payment by results
What is Steps 2 Success and why is it
different to previous provision?
Steps 2 Success
Operational Role - Communication
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Issue of Staff Guidance on ES Zone
Staff Awareness sessions – PMDB & Contractor
Clarification of issues raised – Updates via ES Zone
Contractors working with each office prior to and after
go live – October 20th 2014
 S2S mailbox for specific queries
 Ongoing co-operation between Contractor &
Employment Service
Steps 2 Success
JSA
various
FJR
Deferral/Exemption entry
(for
JSA
customers)
points
Fresh
Claim
Interview
Referral
Interview
Customer
Journey
JSA
Adviser
Support
Steps 2 Success
52 / 78 Weeks
Post
Programme
Support
Contracted
Support
First Contact
ESA
Key
JC/JBO Adviser
Claim
Work Capability
Assessment
ESA New Joiner
WFI
SSA
Provision
Steps 2 Success
IB/IS
Customer signposted to
JC/JBO to discuss
Voluntary referral
Steps 2 Success
Eligibility
 Clients will be eligible for mandatory referral to Steps 2
Success as follows;
 after 39 weeks on JSA for clients aged 18 - 24;
 after 52 weeks on JSA for clients aged 25 and
over;
 Eligibility Reports – 2 weeks before trigger points
Steps 2 Success
Early Entry Eligibility
 Early Entry to Steps 2 Success may be considered by an ES
Adviser from;
 the first day of a JSA claim for an ex-offender on release from
prison;
 at or from 13 weeks on JSA where they are persuaded that a
client has significant barriers preventing them from finding
work and these barriers cannot be addressed by the
Employment Service Customer Offer;
 These clients will have an ‘Attachment ‘ period of 18 months
 Once referred all normal participation rules, including sanctions,
apply to these clients
Steps 2 Success
Voluntary Referrals
While Steps 2 Success is primarily aimed at clients in receipt of JSA there
are some other clients who may also participate . These are;
Lone parents in receipt of Income Support with a child aged under 7
Income Support claimants with caring responsibilities
ESA clients in receipt of ESA(WRAG) prior to the start of Steps2Success
Clients in the Employment and Support Allowance Support group
Pension Credit claimants
As these clients have no legislative requirement to prepare for or take up
employment, sanctions will not apply if they fail to attend or participate on
the programme.
Advisers should satisfy themselves that S2S is the most appropriate route
for these clients before making the referral
Steps 2 Success
Referral Process
 Arrange a Steps 2 Success Referral interview via CMS dairy
 At the interview, give the client an overview of the programme, including
who their Contractor will be & what they can expect from the programme
 Discuss Service Guarantee – Section 10 of guidelines
 Ensure that mandatory clients are aware of their responsibilities and that
failure to attend or participate on Steps 2 Success without good cause
may result in benefit sanctions
 Ensure the clients details and Progress Review Record are up to date
 Input the referral details on CMS, print a Referral Notification and issue
this to the client
 Warm handovers, where appropriate, should be arranged with
Contractors. This issue will form part of the local delivery arrangements
 Step by step details are included in the Staff Guidelines
Steps 2 Success
Deferrals and Exemptions
 Advisers will be able to temporarily defer a referral to
Steps 2 Success where, for example – a client has an
imminent start date for a job or is awaiting the
outcome of a recent job interview.
 Exemptions can be considered in certain
circumstances; for example – where a pregnant client
is within 3 months of her due date.
 Examples of each are contained in Staff Guidance.
Steps 2 Success
CMS – TMS Interface







Programme Participation Screen
Client Referred- Referral notification issued
Client Attached
Participant ‘ Completer’
Post Programme Support
‘Returner’
Eligibility/Overdue Reports/Exit Reports
Steps 2 Success
Culture Shift
 Once a client is referred to Steps 2 Success they will remain with the
Contractor for 12 or 18 months and are no longer part of an ES Adviser
caseload
 If a client starts work while on the programme the Contractor should still
continue to provide support to help them sustain their employment
 Most JSA Clients participating on the programme will continue to attend
Fortnightly Reviews to ‘sign on’. The S2S Contractor will draw up a
Progress to Employment Plan which will include all activities that
participants are currently engaged in . Their participation on S2S may
form part of their evidence that they are actively seeking work
 All other appointments will be with the Contractor
 The Contractor decides the appropriate support, plus the method &
frequency of S2S appointments
Steps 2 Success
Culture Shift (cont’d)
 Only one referral will be made for the duration of the
Attachment period.
 Staff should liaise with the Contactor if a client leaves
benefit and returns to make a fresh claim while the
client status on CMS is showing ‘Attached’.
 The Contractor still retains responsibility for the
client/participant for the remainder of their Attachment
period.
Steps 2 Success
Participation
 Following referral Contractors will have up to 15 days
to engage with clients. All work related activity will
then remain the responsibility of the Contractor for the
following attachment periods:
 12 months for JSA clients;
 18 months for JSA Early Entrants and ESA (WRAG) clients;
and
 12 months for IS, Pension Credit, Carers and existing ESA
clients who volunteer to join Steps 2 Success
Steps 2 Success
Referrals to Decision Maker
Employment Service staff will continue to refer clients to the SSA
Decision Maker for any issues relating to availability or actively seeking
employment
S2S Contractors will make a referral directly to the SSA Decision Maker
for all issues relating to attendance and participation on Steps 2 Success
The procedures for this are currently being discussed with SSA
colleagues.
If not agreed by go-live date then existing arrangements will apply
Steps 2 Success
Returners
 Clients who claim benefit at the end of the S2S
Attachment period will return to the frontline for a
further 26 week period of support
 S2S Contractors will issue an exit report outlining what
the client has achieved during S2S
 The intensity of the support required will be dependant
on what has taken place while on S2S
 After 26 weeks of this support clients will be referred
back to the S2S Contractor for up to 12 months of
further support.
Steps 2 Success
RETURNERS
EMPLOYMENT SERVICE
JSA 18-24 - 9 mths
JSA 25+ - 12 mths
JSA Early Entry - 3 mths
ESA Flow
Voluntary
SUPPORT CONTRACT
CONTRACTORS
STEPS 2 SUCCESS
Max 12/18
months
-----------------------Return for further
12 months
EMPLOYMENT
SERVICE
Post programme
support
26 weeks
RETURNERS