BARNSLEY METROPOLITAN BOROUGH COUNCIL

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1 BARNSLEY METROPOLITAN BOROUGH COUNCIL This matter is not a Key Decision within the Council s definition and has not been included in the relevant Forward Plan Joint Report of the Executive Director (People) and the Executive Director (Communities) OUTCOMES OF THE PEER REVIEW OF THE BARNSLEY EARLY HELP 1.0. Purpose of the Report 1.1 This report informs Cabinet of the key outcomes from the sector led Peer Review of Early Help conducted in October Recommendations 2.1 That Cabinet note the outcomes of the Review and the steps to be taken to instigate further improvement Background to the Report 3.1 As part of a process of continuous improvement Barnsley elected to be the subject of Peer Review (PR) of Early Help. The review took place on the 6 th, 8 th and 9th October 2015 and was undertaken by senior managers from Bradford and Leeds and managed and coordinated by the Sector Led Improved Manager for Yorkshire and the Humber. 3.2 The focus for the Peer Review was whether there has been overall improvement in early help since the Ofsted inspection in The framework for the Challenge was drawn from the 5 Local Government Association (LGA) Peer Review headings: Effective practice - application of thresholds, step up and step down processes, evidence based interventions, voice of the child Outcomes - are we making a difference, the impact of strategy Working together - partnership, the role of partners, multi-agency working, consistent understanding of thresholds Workforce and use of resources - advice, guidance and training for the workforce Vision and Leadership - strategy and embedding Methodology 3.4 As well as analysis of documentation, the process included a wide range of onsite activities, with over 60 participants. These activities included observation of practice, case file analysis, interviews and focus groups. The Peer Review Team met Officers at all levels within People and Communities, as well as partners.

2 4.0 Findings and Recommendations of the Peer Review 4.1 The Peer Review team identified over 110 strengths and areas for development, which were refined into the five headings of the LGA peer review framework. Strengths and Areas for Development 4.2 Strengths: Energy and drive from Council leaders for continuous improvement. A council wide commitment to early help, articulated by the council leaders. An openness and willingness to change. This culture was noted across all participants, including partners. Clear lines of accountability and governance at senior leadership level and across Council leaders for the early help agenda. Early help embedded in the Council s broader vision for people, place and communities for Barnsley s future. 4.3 Areas for development The vision, strategy and priorities for early help are not consistently understood or articulated. The new delivery model for early help is not yet widely understood and needs to be communicated more broadly and in simple terms. Deepen the partnership s understanding of the reasons behind Children s Social Care performance supporting the need to develop more sophisticated analysis of the story behind the statistics. Capture the breadth of early help activity to help it become more integrated and embedded across the system. Vision Strategy and Leadership 4.4 Strengths A strong political commitment to safeguarding and early help across portfolios and a recognition that this agenda is genuinely cross-cutting and demands this broader systems approach. The 2013/16 Think Family and Early Support Strategy provides a clear definition of early help and locates it in a broader vision for Barnsley. It talks about growing the economy and improving people s potential and the changing role between citizen and state. Evidence of strong Partnerships evidenced by the Think Families Board, Children s Trust and Health and Well Being Board, where there is challenge, albeit appropriately respectful. The early help vision is articulated with passion and clarity by senior council leaders. It is clearly rooted in a values base (getting the right support at the right time and in the right way; creating self-sustaining, independent families. and communities), as well as a pragmatic analysis of the cost efficiency that high quality early help can secure.

3 A clear, refreshed (draft at the time of the review ) Early Help action plan ( ) underpins the strategy for early help with a manageable number of priorities. 4.5 Areas for Development There needs to be a more consistent understanding across managers of responsibilities and accountabilities for early help. It was noted that the new arrangements are in their infancy and this is an area for development. There needs to be a greater understanding of how early help fits in Barnsley s broader ambition and relates to a changing public sector context. Early help needs to be understood more clearly as a continuum rather than something at the margins of statutory services. There needs to be a corporate mechanism for driving forward the Early Help action plan, with consideration of establishing a cross partnership group to oversee the Plan bringing a breadth of perspective and explicitly demonstrating a wide ownership of the agenda Effective Practice, Service Delivery and the Voice of the Child 4.6 Strengths A move towards children s centres as family centres which was widely welcomed. Use of Family Star tools and processes, and extension of Family Star to My Star/My Star Plus/Teen Star. The Peer Review Team were particularly impressed with the way in which Family Star is being used as a progress measuring tool and is becoming embedded. New Early Help Assessment (EHA) documentation is well designed and staff welcomed the EHA focus on whole family. Family Nurse Partnership and Troubled Families reported as strong and positive. 4.7 Areas for Development Referral pathways to early help and social care need to be clearly understood. Develop a means of tracking early help activity by case or in totality. Capture early help activity beyond EHA. Promotion of early help success stories could help to embed a more holistic view of what early help is about. Strengthen the system for step down arrangements. Outcomes, Impact and Performance Management 4.8 Strengths A positive trajectory of improvement over the last two years. There was a consistent view amongst those who were interviewed that things are getting

4 better. Strong business processes including clear and improved performance management arrangements. They noted a well-managed system, with processes in place to secure standards and consistency. Performance reporting is strong and features in a wide range of groups and settings. Some positive examples of the impact of early help identified e.g. Troubled Families, Family Star, and Stronger Families. Regular reporting on early help to LSCB. The Board understands its responsibilities in relation to receives regular performance reports and early help features in these A confidence that key PIs will start to move in the right direction as early help impacts. A consistent view was heard that the investment in early help would be rewarded with the dividend of changed performance, particularly in relation to reduced demand at the front door. 4.9 Areas for Development There is a need for more granular reporting. Improvements were suggested in respect of data analysis concerning contacts to CSC by organisation or institution. Clarify your priority PIs. identify some KEY PIs which are used across the system and are perhaps high level indicators of the health of early help Develop your ability to capture ALL early help assessments beyond EHA. Capture the qualitative as well as the quantitative. Case studies/vignettes will bring alive early help alongside the precision of quantitative recording Articulate aspirations for the pace at which certain indicators will begin to shift. Working Together 4.10 Strengths Some good examples of partnership joint working following inspection. The outcomes of the 2012 inspection were unwelcome, but powerful in that they galvanised the children s system and stimulated extensive, determined action and the development of strong cross organisation, cross sector partnership. We heard from several interviewees that in the last two years partnership has further strengthened and now has a greater edge to it, with a culture where partners provide and accept challenge as an essential part of the relationship. There was also recognition amongst those we spoke to of the need to extend partnership to embrace communities. Early help is starting to be promoted as everyone's business and rooted in local communities. There was evidence of strong communication across agencies. This was reported by leaders, managers and practitioners and brought alive by quotes from a multi-agency practitioner group We are good at communicating across agencies You can always speak to a social worker The MAC support function has been valued. Practitioners have valued the advice and support provided by MACs.

5 4.11 Areas for Development Engage in a conversation about the inherent tensions in making early help work. Reinforce expectations of partners in relation to their contribution to the early help offer. Need to fully engage partners in the oversight of the EH Action Plan. Consider how you might align early help functions and activities with the emerging MASH. Workforce, Capacity and Managing Resources 4.12 Strengths Confidence that early help approaches will remain central to Barnsley s vision as budgets bite harder. A receptiveness to new ways of working and continuous improvement. A wide range of learning and development activity, with high levels of participation, has helped staff manage early help activity more effectively Areas for Development Plan and deliver learning and development activity which helps all staff understand and have confidence in their role in the new early help arrangements. Need to measure the impact of early help training. Help staff to understand better the impact of early help through the provision of examples/case studies. 5.0 Consideration of Alternative Approaches 5.1 There are no alternative approaches to consider as the purpose of this report is to set out the findings and recommendations of the Peer Review and how these are to be used to instigate further improvement in the Service. 7.0 Proposal and Justification 7.1 Cabinet is aware that there is now, a collective responsibility among councils, to tackle under performance in the local government sector as a whole and to provide high quality public services, through sharing best practice, including through peer reviews. 7.2 The findings of the review be managed as follows : - That the newly formed Stronger Communities Partnership* and the delivery group Early Help Children drive the improvement actions on Early help - Overall accountability for early help for children young people and families continues to lie within the Children s Trust & TEG

6 - Those specific improvement actions that relate Children s Social Care will be imported into the Ofsted Service improvement Plan. *Note the Stronger Communities Partnership is planned to report into Cabinet in due course. 8.0 Implications for Local People and Service Users 8.1 None. 9.0 Financial Implications 9.1 There are no direct financial implications arising from this report. Any proposals to address the areas for development will be subject further reports at which point the financial implications will be assessed and reported Employee Implications 10.1 None 11.0 Communications Implications 11.1 None 12.0 Consultations 12.1 Consultation on the outcomes of the Peer Review have been undertaken with the Council s Senior Management Team Key Policy Considerations 13.1 Through effective partnership arrangements across People and Communities BSCB and the Children s Trust will improve outcomes for children and families Tackling Health Inequalities 14.1 Early help has a role to play in supporting children, young people and their families in making healthier choices and better decisions in their lives. An effective early help offer should be able to do this better Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Act (2006) 15.1 None 16.0 Consideration of Risks 16.1 None Health and Safety Implications

7 17.1 None 18.0 Compatibility with the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) 18.1 The contents of this report have no implications for compatibility with ECHR Promoting Equality, Diversity and Inclusion 19.1 Through developing and being better able to meet the needs of children and young people at the right time, Early Help should be able to have a positive impact on the inclusion of children and young people in the borough Reduction of Crime and Disorder 20.1 One of the key roles of the YOT is reduce crime and disorder. The recommendations in this report and in the YOT action plan will enable the YOT to be more effective in achieving this objective Conservation of Biodiversity 21.1 No impact on biodiversity 22.1 Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations PR Peer Review CSC Children s Social Care EH Early Help EHA Early Help Assessments 23.0 List of Appendices 23.1 There are no appendices to the report Details of Background Papers 24.1 Officer Contact: Wendy Lowder / Mel John-Ross Tel. No. Financial Implications/ Consultation 16 December 2015

8 (to be signed by senior Financial Services officer where no financial implications)