Listening to you, working for you Bexley’s Children’s Services Prevention Agenda Thriving Families Service Vision Children do not wait Everyone speaks up for and works for children and their families to ensure they get the best help they can to be safe and achieve in every way. Risks are recognised, responded to and reduced to the lowest possible level. MISSION To deliver joined up integrated services, including children’s, schools, health, police, as well as adult services, to enable genuine integrated effective supports for the children and families of Bexley that offer the help they need, when they need it and ensure improved outcomes and life chances for all. Thriving Families is a key part of a joined up prevention strategy, organised around the family. The service is designed to target London Borough of Bexley (LBB) families identified as benefitting from support to prevent entry into higher tier Children’s Social Care services and to accommodate those families stepping down..

Listening to you, working for you Listening to you, working for you Listening to you, working for you Thriving Families Service Levels of need

Listening to you, working for you Listening to you, working for you Listening to you, working for you Key Characteristics i.An overarching prevention approach – as the model matures and more information and data is gathered, we will have access to a more sophisticated understanding of the triggers across a range of needs allowing prevention services to be targeted earlier with a much better chance of success ii.A whole family approach – delivering a new model of prevention not a ‘stand- alone service’ ensuring that interventions are evidence based and high performing and are designed around the assessed individual needs of the child and family iii.Importance of the Family Key Worker – the role is pivotal in providing challenge and support to families. The introduction of the family key worker role signifies a shift in power, control and accountability. Families will be supported to achieve improved outcomes for their children and themselves, enabling them to become more resilient, capable, and motivated to become independent of social and welfare agencies and to sustain the positive changes to avoid re referral to statutory services. iv.It is the scale and ambition of our Thriving Families service that is new and innovative. It is about making more intelligent use of the investment in prevention services now to prevent growing spend on statutory services whilst at the same time improving outcomes for our children and families.

Listening to you, working for you Listening to you, working for you Listening to you, working for you Thriving Families Service Implementation  Phase 1 (prototype) launched in December 2013 with 3 Family Key Workers in post  Roll out of service commenced in April 2014 and completed by 30 th September 14  Communications strategy in place to ensure partners and Council Staff are fully aware of the new service once in place and referral process and pathways for children clearly understood and as agreed within LSCB.  Current provision for early intervention and prevention remains in place and transitional planning for children and families open to these services will be smoothly implemented when appropriate.  Supports and services (both internally provided and externally commissioned) for early intervention/prevention will be in place for Family Key Workers to draw on in addition to providing direct support where required and appropriate.

Listening to you, working for you Listening to you, working for you Listening to you, working for you CHILDREN’S SERVICES FRONT DOOR  The Front Door is a single point of contact for LBB Children’s Services which was launched in October  Safeguarding risk management in relation to contacts within the Front Door is managed by CSC.  In January 2014 BSCB established a Task and Finish (T & F) group to review the referral process and pathways for children with a brief to report back a proposal to the BSCB in May  In May 2014 the BSCB agreed to go forward with the T & F proposal of a single multi agency referral form for Children’s Services via the Front Door.  Common Assessment (CAF) form was revised  Multi agency briefings to take place in summer 2014 to introduce new referral process and pathways in September  Pilot new system for 6 months and report back to LSCB in March 2015 progress and any proposed changes.

Listening to you, working for you Pathways for Children

Integrated Children and Young Peoples Commissioning Background Current commissioning arrangements Approvals Joint Commissioning LBB and Bexley CCG Key drivers for change Thriving Families Service Stakeholder Day Consultation on outcomes

Proposed New Commissioning Arrangements Benefits of change Proposed themes of services to be included in new commissioning arrangements Indicative budgets Cost efficiencies Next steps & bidders event Procurement timeframe

ACTIONDATE Advert placed & PQQ period1 August-8 September 2014 Bidders event20 August 2014 Evaluation PQQ8-12 September 2014 PQQ shortlist, notify contractors and invite shortlist to Competitive Dialogue (CD)15 September 2014 Issue draft Invitation to Tender (ITT) to CD invitations15 September 2014 In competitive dialogue22 September-10 October 2014 Issue ITT & ITT period10 October-21 November 2014 Close and receipt of ITT21 November 2014 Evaluation of ITT24 November-5 December 2014 Award recommendations produced by:12 December 2014 LBB and CCG Governing Body ratify award15-19 December 2014 Contract standstill and then award period19 December January 2015 Sign contract9 January 2015 Mobilisation periodJanuary-April 2015 Commencement of serviceDate to be established as potentially phased mobilisation required.

Public Cabinet 15 th July &MId=27574