Challenges and opportunities facing the independent sector

Challenges

Early intervention Thresholds, Assessments, and care plans Commissioning Continued growth?

Opportunities

Right-sourcing Partnerships

Early intervention

Emphasis of social work practice – keeping children in their families where it is safe and in the child’s best interests

Impact: Key reports – ‘Couldn’t care Less’ (CSJ) & ‘In Loco Parentis’ recommend early intervention and investment in preventative services

Investment: ‘Backing the future’ report (NEF) highlights that For every £1 invested in targeted services, designed to catch problems early and prevent problems from reoccurring, society benefits by between £7.60 and £9.20

Down-side: Should intervention prove ineffective problems are more complex to address

Thresholds, assessments and care planning

Thresholds - impact of cost saving & budgets and social work decisions

Quality of assessments Quality of information Emergency placements Outcomes and care planning

Commissioning

Key issue: Level playing field

Spot Purchase (with discount)Cost and volume (discount)Preferred Providers (single or consortium)Single providerOutsource part or whole of service

Quality improvement?

Cost Effectiveness?

Effective Commissioning Relationships

Key Issues Structure & process Support systems Cultural differences Threats & myths Trust & transparency Monitoring & reporting on outcomes & service

delivery

Continued growth?

Impact of Spending Review Commissioning IFA’s as a last resort Outcomes for children – placement choice 14% rise in IFA placements 11,200 in 2009 to 12,800 in 2010,

1,600 out of 3,300 Shortage of carers – ‘Bursting at the Seams’ report

(Fostering Network) Provision of appropriate placements – capacity and meeting

needs

Right-sourcing

Insourcing & outsourcing Delivering on

– Confidence & trust– Carers and placements– Staffing and infrastructure– Sustainability – price– Value for money – quality

Partnerships

Is outsourcing a threat or an opportunity?IFA acting as the local authorityDifferent delivery models – joint ventures– Private/3rd sector/LA

Summary

Intervene early but delivery has to be right Thresholds need to be appropriate and need good quality

information Establish desired outcomes at the outset and enshrine in the

care plan Commissioners need to decide what they want, form good

relationships and monitor performance and delivery of services and outcomes

Opportunities will remain to develop services Right source Our sector to develop partnerships??