Agenda item

Report of the Deputy Chief Executive and Director for Families and Communities

Members were reminded that the new arrangements had come into place in April 2018.  The service was receiving an increasing number of referrals from schools, with 707 referrals received in 2018/19.  Often the needs of these families were complex and therefore the time taken to achieve referrals could be longer, but again these were starting to be achieved at increasing pace.  There had been positive engagement with the family support providers and the SEND prototype work, the DIPs and other local arrangements to ensure that the Family Support Providers were available within schools’ existing arrangements to meet the needs of families.  The Family Support Contract was in place prior to schools buying into this support.  Procuring a new service jointly would allow schools a greater involvement in shaping the design of the service they required.  It had been agreed that Schools Forum would be regularly updated in relation to Early Help delivered on behalf of schools across the County.  Members received a brief overview of the service that had been commissioned and an overview of the performance to date.  They were requested to commit to continue with the existing arrangements, allowing districts/boroughs to be involved in co-designing the service going forward.  Schools Forum were required to make an annual decision on the use of DSG funding.  This decision was due to be in October.  However, from a commissioning perspective this created tight timelines to work with providers and was particularly the case as a procurement of this size would take a minimum of 12 months.  Therefore an early decision would help in any planning for the coming year.

In the first quarter of the current year 300-400 referrals had been made and if this demand was met over a full year the whole of the budget would be used.  Providers were paid on receipt of the service, based on a payment by results model.  It was recognised that this method was valuable in terms of ensuring outcomes were achieved.  However, there was a balance to be struck, as utilising this model of payment had resulted in the providers being unable to recruit additional staff to meet the demands being placed upon the service as they could not afford to pay staff in the absence of outcomes payments.

Members stressed the importance of evaluation to ensure that the funding was spent as effectively as possible.  Reference was made to the development of a protocol around the work being undertaken in Leek and South Staffordshire.  The learning from the rolling out of the service would be applied and there would be flexibility in working with each of the Districts.

Members were pleased that the service would be looking at attendance.  Officers confirmed that they would investigate whether they were having referrals and if interventions were having an impact.  A member had visited the Moorlands SEND hub and the South Staffordshire SEND hub and commented how different they had been, for example all headteachers attended the South Staffordshire meetings.  It was acknowledged that some hubs might need more Family Support than others, and that more joined up working would be helpful. 

A member questioned how providers were selected and was informed that this was done through a competitive procurement process.  In relation to a question around the capacity of providers it was acknowledged that it may be beneficial to offer them more funding upfront.  There was an issue of short-term recruitment in East Staffordshire.  Members also questioned how schools would be engaged in re-designing the service.  They were informed that this would be done via the school bag and attendance at District Inclusion Panels and other meetings.  The Chairman suggested that members may also wish to contact Natasha Moody directly.

RESOLVED – That:

a)    The financial position be noted, recognising that although all allocated money had not been spent it was committed to utilising payment by results and as such had been carried over to year two;

b)    It be noted that due to the procurement regulations in place for contracts of this value a 12-month lead in was required to have a service in place; and

c)    It be agreed in principle that the work jointly with Staffordshire County Council on a district footprint delivering family support covering all phases be continued.