Pathways to Prospects
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Transcript of Pathways to Prospects
Pathways to ProspectsWork Focussed Services in Redcar and Cleveland (Child Poverty Pilot)
Pathways to Prospects defined
• A joint pilot between Jobcentre Plus and Children’s Centres from January 2009 to March 2011, that provided:
A full time Jobcentre Plus Advisor based within one Children’s Centre in each locality
An enhanced package of support around training and employment
• Redcar and Cleveland were 1 of only 10 local authorities to be successful in bidding for the pilot
Aim of the project
• To reduce child poverty by engaging parents in labour market related activity in order to move them closer to employment
• Successful integration of Jobcentre Plus Advisors into Children’s Centres
• The target audience was parents of children under 5 living in workless households and parents in coupled relationships where only one parent was working
Background to the Bid
• Established history of positive joint working with Jobcentre Plus
• Excellent working relationships with other partners
• Established Children’s Centre volunteer programme
• Children’s Centre Assistant model
Relevance of the pilot for Redcar and Cleveland
• In 2007 Redcar & Cleveland ranked 50 out of 354 Local Authorities on the multiple deprivation index.
Grangetown Pilot
Children in families reliant on workless benefits
58%East Cleveland Pilot
Children in families reliant on workless
benefits 37%
Redcar Pilot
Children in families reliant on workless benefits 38%
Key Activities
• Engagement and confidence building activities
• Provision of a broad range of training both accredited and non accredited to develop work based skills and encourage aspiration
• Volunteering opportunities• Employment support• Financial support
• CRB clearances
• IT !
Challenges
Key Outcomes
• 708 parents engaged in the pilot across 3 children’s centres
• 621 parents accessed both accredited and non accredited training
• 227 parents achieved vocational qualifications
• 205 parents started work• 188 parents engaged in volunteering activity• 9 parents into self employment
Key Outcomes continued
• Effective engagement of the Jobcentre Plus target group
• Access to partners of claimants – previously not accessed by Jobcentre Plus
• Take up of service by those at threat of redundancy
• Qualitative evidence of increased confidence and aspiration of parents/carers
• Sustained attendance on training courses and course progression
Critical success factors
• Communication• Shared commitment and vision• Effective use of positive relationships established with
Parents/Children’s Centre team • Recognition of individual parent’s needs (a journey)• Holistic approach• Collaborative partnership working with broad range of agencies
eg training and employment providers, LEGI, CAB, Credit Unions, Voluntary sector
• Integrated service delivery• (Very) Flexible attitudes of Jobcentre Plus Advisors and partners• Designated member of Children’s Centre staff to support
Jobcentre Plus Advisor
• Additional knowledge and skills of both Jobcentre Plus staff and Children’s Centre staff
• Significant aspirational shift of parents towards employment
• Integrated service delivery
Key Learning
• Jobcentre Plus Advisors in Children’s Centres extended to March 2012 but with new remit
• Continuation of Children’s Centre support – development of Training and Employment Champion role
• Promotion of Money Tree Credit Union• Illegal Money Lending – staff awareness and
support for families• Fuel poverty workshops for staff• Financial workshops for families
Beyond Pathways
• Continue to build on the good practice developed through the Pathways pilot
• Locally the Wise Group has secured the Department for Work and Pensions contract to provide training and employment support to families with multiple problems.
• “Family Wise” is based on the successful Pathways to Prospects model and will have Family Coaches co located within Children’s Centres alongside Family Support teams
• Work collectively to implement the Child Poverty strategy for Redcar and Cleveland
Looking Forward
• The reduction of Child Poverty is a collective responsibility.
• Individually the efforts of any one agency can only provide a drop in the ocean
• However, together, they contribute to an ocean
Collaborative partnerships are key to reducing child poverty
Work-Focused Services in Children’s Centres Pilot: Final Report
Rachel Marangozov and Helen Stevens
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd5/rrs-index.asp
A report of research carried out by the Institute for Employment Studies on behalf of the
Department for Work and Pensions