1 Overview of Sector-Led Improvement Models SERVICES FOR CHILDREN Polly Reed Programme Manager, Children’s Services, IEWM – on behalf of the Children’s Improvement Board

Rationale for sector-led improvement  Councils responsible for their own performance  Accountability to local people a key driver for further improvement  Councils have collective responsibility for performance of sector as a whole  Sector-led improvement more sustainable and cost effective  Children’s Services taking the lead in taking forward systematic arrangements, with strong DfE support  Local Productivity Programme closely aligned with sector-led improvement

Towards Excellence in Children’s Services In the context of Government and LA priorities:  Galvanise Children’s Services to achieve best possible outcomes for children and young people, and avoid service failure  Build capability to diagnose improvement challenges, identify risks and commission effective solutions  Systematic sharing of knowledge about ‘what works’, with brokerage of best practice support  Contribute to development and implementation of policies to improve the lives of children and young people

Current Position  Governance through Children’s Improvement Board (CIB)  Ministerial support and funding approved  Early adopter programme to mobilise new system  Targeted support in LAs with priority improvement needs  Pilot work on sector support for policy implementation  Delivery team to drive forward project  Transitional year to test the model and build resilience  Phased devolution to regional framework  Talking to OFSTED about complementarity with inspection

PEER CHALLENGE  Leads peer challenge process  Helps identify areas for improvement and signposts the LA to improvement support products LA MANAGES ITS OWN IMPROVEMENT SUPPORT IMPROVEMENT SUPPORT  Knowledge Hub  Sector Specialists  Data support for LAs and Peer Challengers  Framework of approved providers  Future products developed in response to commissioning priorities agreed by CIB, drawing on intelligence from brokerage Each LA makes available a self-assessment and improvement plan for peer challenge. No required format – support tools available The Core Improvement Model

Universal Offer 1.External ‘peer challenge’ (5 days per LA, ‘gifted’ DCS time) 2.Peer Review (Safeguarding – once over 3 years) 3.Best Evidence and Key Findings from Research 4.Localised Data Analysis plus Tools 5.Evidence of validated effective local practice 6.Cost Effectiveness Tools 7.Access to improvement programmes, products and tools 8.Sector support for policy implementation:  Children’s Centre Sufficiency and PBR Pathfinder  Productivity

Targeted Model PEER CHALLENGE  Identifies key concerns about performance and underlying reasons  Initiates involvement of broker and maintains dialogue with LA and broker to ensure that support package covers the right issues IMPROVEMENT SUPPORT  Knowledge Hub  Sector Specialists  Data support for LAs and Peer Challengers  Future products developed in response to commissioning priorities agreed by CIB, drawing on intelligence from brokerage BROKERAGE FUNCTION  Small Central Team to ensure quality and consistency  Works with LAs in intervention or concerns about performance risk to commission packages of sector-led support as part of overall Improvement Plan  Operates within commissioning and procurement framework set by CIB  Provides intelligence to inform CIB’s commissioning of future Improvement Support products

Early Adopter Programme: Improvement Cycle  Early adopter LAs test and evaluate the key phases of the improvement cycle  Peer-led support to a range of LAs at different points in the continuum of risks, particularly those LAs where performance is declining or subject to intervention  Develop and test a range of support products, including data and self –assessment tools  Develop and test the peer challenge function