1.
Introduction
2.
Strategic Commissioning in Salford
3.
Children’s Services Business Plan 2013-14
4.
Better Off in Salford: a strategy to end poverty and improve life chances
5.
Family Poverty Commissioning Framework
6.
Social Value
7.
Salford City Mayor’s Charter for Employment Standards
1.
Children’s Services Business Plan 2013-14 – one page Summary
2.
Children’s Commissioning Intentions Plan (2013-2015)
3.
Children’s Services Commissioning Intentions Plan (completed/In progress)

This is our first attempt to formally share Children’s Services commissioning activity with providers. The Children’s
Services Commissioning Intentions Plan 2013-2015 has been produced in response to feedback from providers, and we hope it will provide a helpful insight into the current strategic commissioning context in Salford, as well as a schedule of ongoing and planned investment / commissioning activity. We hope this will help inform your business and procurement plans and will assist in the preparation of tender documents.
We will keep the schedule of planned commissioning up to date via the Chest and Via the
Council’s website.
Appendix One summarises the Children’s Services Business Plan 2013-14, a one page summary of the vision, key outcomes and objectives and named leads for the directorate.
Appendix Two contains the Children’s Commissioning Intentions Plan (2013-2015), a summary schedule of commissioning plans up to March 2015.
Appendix Three (the Children’s Services Commissioning Intentions Plan - completed/In progress), outlines the commissioning activities which have already been completed or are in progress as at 5 th July 2013)

The City Council is developing an approach to designing and providing services that is about citizens, councillors and staff working co-operatively to design local services that deliver the right outcomes.
The approach is based on strategic integrated commissioning.
What is strategic commissioning?
Strategic commissioning is an approach which:
 assesses needs
 identifies priorities
 develops policies and service models
 delivers the outcomes we want
 identifies value for money

Learns to inform future commissioning
We use an extensive range of information and intelligence to understand
‘need’ and identify those who are most at risk.
The commissioning cycle helps describe how commissioners arrive at their final commissioning intentions.
Strategic context
Understanding Need
Needs assessments
Data and Intelligence
Priority needs & outcomes
Market / Gap analysis
National / local Priorities
Budget / Funding
Commissioning / Procurement
Planning and Deciding
Prioritising
Strategy/policy/legislation
Stakeholder Engagement
Community Impact
Assessment
Developing specifications
Reviewing
Monitoring Outcomes
Evaluating Impact
Reviewing Priorities
Future needs
Collaborating
Delivery
Communicating priorities to providers
Stimulating demand
Managing delivery
Procurement/commissioning
Market development
Table 1: Strategic Commissioning Cycle
A key point to note is the real shift in our commissioning process, from grant funding to strategic commissioning, based on need and targeting our investment. This is how we are expected to do business now.

The
Children’s Service’s Business Plan sets out our priorities, opportunities, methodology and determination to deliver great services for children and young people. It has been produced within a corporate context, with the publication of the
Mayor’s City Plan expected in 2013.
For 2013/14 we have set out a vision to:-
To work together with children and young people and families to continuously improve outcomes and work opportunities so that their experiences, opportunities and lives are as at least as good as they are for all nationally
The directorate has defined a number of high levels objectives which support our overall vision.
These have been arranged under the Every Child Matters headings to show the main outcomes that each objectives supports. See Appendix
2 - to see the one page Summary.
The plan feeds into relevant corporate and partnership plans aligning itself where relevant with their objectives, and is supported by our Service Plans and individual work plans.

Moving towards a joint investment framework for Family Poverty
The Family Poverty Strategy provides a new framework through which we can all work together to improve life chances. It sets out how we will build on what we know works, as well as being innovative in the way we join up investment, services and community effort.
The Strategy sets out the key outcomes we need to achieve for families and aims to target and shape service delivery towards groups most at risk. The strategy sets out Salford’s commitment to a prevention and early intervention approach that tackles problems early on, breaking the cycle of poverty and raising the ceiling of ambition for families.
We consulted widely with providers and with service users to develop the strategy. For some individuals, the odds of living in poverty are significantly increased as a result of their family circumstances and we know that Salford has a high prevalence of poverty risk factors. We have concentrations of multiple deprivation, a high proportion of lone parents, a growing minority ethnic population and a higher proportion of our families are larger than average.

Salford City Council has introduced new commissioning plans in relation to family poverty for 2013-2016.
A Family Poverty Commissioning Framework has been established to provide a single structure for joint investment around shared outcomes for families. This
Framework responds directly to the commitment made in Salford’s Family Poverty Strategy. It aims to align resources to improve the life chances of the poorest families in Salford fastest by better targeting support for individuals and families at greatest risk of poverty, and ensuring provision is accessible to those communities with greatest needs.
What is a Framework?
A framework is an umbrella agreement setting out the terms and conditions for subsequent commissioning.
The benefits for providers of being on this framework include being eligible to compete for contracts that are let under the Family Poverty Framework. Future requirements will be available through a process of mini competitions based on service or outcomes specifications.
Schedules of delivery requirement, payment terms, etc. will be agreed at this stage to form a legally binding contract between Salford City Council and the Provider.
Duration of the Framework
The Family Poverty Commissioning Framework will last for up to a maximum of 3 years (2013 - 2016).
During this period, commissioning opportunities relating to the above outcomes will in the main be open to those Providers on the
Framework.
The Framework was approved in August 2012, and a significant investment was made by the Council, working in partnership with Salford CVS to engage providers through:
• 6 provider briefing sessions
• 4 staff briefing sessions
• 3 procurement training sessions
• 1-2-1 support for Third sector organisations
• 2 Chest training sessions
186 Expressions of Interest were received, which resulted in
119 applications, of which 114 providers were accepted onto the Framework.
We will continue to work with SCVS to support providers, build capacity and develop the market.
This Commissioning Intentions Plan supports this work.

Salford City
Council’s corporate objectives in this area include maximising employment opportunities, reducing worklessness (long term unemployment) and the wider regeneration of the communities that it serves.
This includes but is not limited to:
1.
Generating employment and training opportunities for long term unemployed people including young people
Not in Education Employment or Training (NEET);
2.Provision of training opportunities for young people;
3.Promoting
supply chain opportunities to new and small enterprises, including those based in and around the area where the contract is being delivered;
4.Demonstrating
a commitment to disadvantaged communities;
5.Increased
benefits for the local economy .
We have built evaluation of social value into our Family
Poverty Framework and other commissioning activity, asking providers to demonstrate their organisation’s commitment social value through contract delivery particularly focusing on the environment and economic prosperity.
A
Mayor’s Charter for Employment Standards is in development that proposes a suite of pledges which the
City Council and its current and potential suppliers, the wider business community, public sector partners and third sector organisations would be encouraged to apply for.
The Pledges are focused on the following areas:
 Investing in the Local Workforce: maximising access to employment and training opportunities
(including work experience, apprenticeships and
‘on the job’ training) and making links with local schools
 Doing Business Locally: increasing opportunities to local businesses through supply chain opportunities
 Having Excellent Standards: supporting and developing a motivated workforce, including the introduction of a living wage

Debbie Fallon (Head of Partnerships and Commissioning) - debbie.fallon@salford.gov.uk (0161) 778 0530
Emily Edwards (Senior Commissioning Manager) - emily.edwards@salford.gov.uk (0161) 793 2534
Steve Titley (Commissioning Manager) - steve.titley@salford.gov.uk
Anne Hayton (Commissioning Manager) - anne.hayton@salford.gov.uk
Ursula Hurst (Procurement Officer) - ursula.hurst@salford.gov.uk
(0161) 793 2435
(0161) 778 0537
(0161) 793 6294