Chief Executives’ Task Force – Agenda item 08
WEST MIDLANDS CHILDREN’S IMPROVEMENT BOARD
PROPOSED IMPROVEMENT MODEL
NOVEMBER 2012
Introduction
The West Midlands Children’s Improvement Board (WMCIB) is the regional coalition that, with the support of the nation Children’s Improvement Board, is
driving the deployment of sector-led improvement (SLI) across the region’s children’s services authorities. Following recent discussions between the WMCIB
and West Midlands Association of Directors of Children’s Services, the following guiding principles for SLI in the region have been identified:
 Councils are responsible for their own improvement; collectively they are responsible for the effectiveness of the sector as a whole; and they are
accountable, first and foremost, to their communities;
 Leaders, Lead Members, Chief Executives, Directors of Children’s Services and Local Safeguarding Children Board Chairs all need to own, advocate and
drive SLI into day-to-day practice so that it becomes integral to the day job;
 Such collective leadership needs also to be based on mutual trust and respect borne of commitments to transparency and professional honesty about
performance and improvement successes and challenges;
 It is important in any model to recognise the full spectrum of performance: those that are excellent and good; those needing early sector support (ESS);
and those needing targeted sector support (TSS). Similarly, there will be differentials in terms of performance trajectory and capacity to improve;
 It is recognised that SLI in children’s services also needs to link to adult, family and corporate SLI agendas.
Priorities for the West Midlands
The stock take in the autumn of 2012 has indicated that it would be helpful to set out the regional approach to SLI in the form of an Improvement Model.
This model has been adapted from a national template and reflects the following priorities for the West Midlands:
 Securing effective, universal and annually cyclical Peer Challenge that is:
1. Broad and deep in scope;
2. Methodologically sound;
3. Supported by the right intelligence at the right time;
4. Culturally impactive;
5. Includes third party moderation (a challenge and confirm role); and
6. Predicated on sharing learning.
 Securing timely Early Sector Support based on an agreed framework and supported by proactive brokerage.
 Securing a longer universal cycle of Peer Reviews and Safeguarding Practice Challenges, but tailored to reflect individual circumstances and the
Ofsted inspection cycle.
 Producing at least annually a strategic overview of the effectiveness, performance trajectories and common improvement needs of the region’s children’s
services authorities
 Agreeing a Leadership Programme that addresses both the “here and now” issues, and a strategy for succession planning, recruitment and retention.
Governance
The Board is made up of representatives from the following groups: Lead Members for Children’s Services (3); Chief Executives (2); Directors of Children’s
Services (3); and Local Safeguarding Children Board Chairs (2). The Board will be supported by a Sector Led Improvement Manager linked to the national
CIB, and a West Midlands Children’s Programme Manager linked to Improvement and Efficiency West Midlands. Further advice will be provided by the Local
Government Association’s Principal Adviser. The Board will convene bi-monthly on a back-to back basis with meetings of the West Midlands Association of
Directors of Children’s Services and West Midlands Association of Directors of Adult Social Services.
Version 1.0
The Proposed Model
Pre-requisites (local/national):

The right intelligence

Assessment framework(s)

Bespoke/targeted tools - eg adoption
diagnostic and Safeguarding Practice
Challenge

Safeguarding Peer Review
Evaluation and dissemination of
learning
Peer Support Projects and Programmes
(national/local):

Leadership Programme(s):
development, succession planning,
recruitment and retention, etc

Grow your own (eg social workers)
Version 1.0
Broad and deep self-assessment
& moderated Peer Challenge
Timely and robust improvement planning,
especially Early Sector Support Plans;
supported by effective brokerage
(At least) annual West
Midlands Peer Challenge
Summit(s)