Service Specification Guidance

This guidance includes the key sections and details your service specification should contain. Red text details what you should cover.

1. Aim of the <service> Why is the service being provided? Describe the local analysis of needs to evidence the above, including

reference to specific groups if appropriate eg disabled C&YP, boys/girls, minority ethnic groups.

What involvement of C&YP in identifying needs has there been, including if appropriate those from specific groups (who may have specific or additional needs)?

What do you hope to achieve and how? Describe the background of the service, is it new or existing? What will the noticeable impact be? Briefly cover who the service will be provided for, how they are referred

and/or access the service, and how long the involvement is expected to last (this gets covered in more detail later on). How will this be managed?

What are the overall outcomes that the service will contribute to? (refer to Somerset Children and Young People’s Plan 2009-2011 and Local Area Agreement). Outputs expected to achieve this outcome also need to be detailed.

Describe the agreed principles or values underpinning the service.

2. Service Scope Who will the service be provided to? Age, disability, boys/girls, minority

ethnic groups, specified need, relate to other work e.g. escalated beyond a level.

Where do referrals come from/how is it accessed and what is the process for this?

What will the service include, how will it be delivered (e.g. one-on-one or group)?

What elements of partnership working will there be?

If the service relates specifically to direct delivery to children and young people/parents then the following must also be addressed:

What assessments/documentation will be provided? e.g. Common Assessment Framework.

What tier is the service working at, and which services are in the tiers either side? Describe the relationship between them.

3. Application of Resources How is work to be divided over the geographical area and how will this be

managed and co-ordinated?

How many service users do you expect there to be and how many is this per area?

Are caseloads/involvement time limited and if so then for how long? If not, what will signify the end of a case/involvement?

How much engagement is there after a closed case? Is there a further role in training or supporting partners? Detail expected partnership links.

4. Engagement of Service Users How do people find out about the service? Detail the referral

pathway/access process. What provision will there be to reach out to groups who may not hear about the service through standard channels? What provision will there be to support communication with people who have limited literacy, fluency in English or need information in different formats or languages?

How will it be promoted or marketed? Which agencies are expected to be the key referrers? Can service users

or parents self refer? Do service users have a choice as to whether they use the service, or is it

mandatory?

5. Exits and Opportunities to Re-engage Detail how service users will exit the service, in the case of end of

successful programme or escalating to next level. Is it time limited or dependent upon reaching a certain level/tier/threshold?

How are these levels defined? What happens to the service user after leaving the service – is there a

follow up or referrals to other agencies?

6. Staff Support and Review Detail specifics required in staff training and induction – legal requirements

or good practice elements. Specify staffing levels, training qualifications and experience expected. State your requirements for the management of staff e.g. professional supervision and HR/employment standards. Include continuous supervision and training and not just entry level induction.

What policies and procedures do you expect to be in place? How will complaints, compliments and user involvement be promoted and

managed? How will equality and diversity in employment be demonstrated? What

procedures are needed to ensure fairness in recruitment and management of staff?

How will safeguarding be ensured? Specify required compliance with local or national service standards and

guidance.

7. Information Management, Monitoring and Service Review Specify who needs to give the information to whom. How will success be measured? What are you asking for in terms of service review, and how frequently?

Include required attendance at meetings and any other appropriate monitoring arrangement e.g. spot checks. Specific content e.g. data can be mentioned in an appendix.

The County Council has a legal duty to promote equality of opportunity through work it commissions. What measures will need to be broken down by gender, ethnicity, disability or other factors in order to judge this (this might include participation and outcomes data, or feedback from service users)?

What requirements are there for significant complaints or cases of legal action (taken against the provider after contracts are issued) to be disclosed?

This is where you tell the providers what you are measuring them on. Make sure the clear service based outcomes link back to Somerset Children and Young People’s Plan 2009-2011 and Local Area Agreement objectives, and make reference to this.

8. Glossary of TermsWhat do you need to clarify here, to ensure all understand the same terms? Also include commonly referred to acronyms.

Service – what you are commissioning Service Users – who is using the service Provider – who is delivering the service Lead Officer – contact point in the service Commissioners – you!! Somerset County Council based team.