from vision to reality transforming outcomes for children and families contents

section one: overview page 2 5 Embedding change Organisation options; children’s trusts; information infrastructure; after the debate: workforce development; performance and audit; evaluation and feedback meeting the challenge section 3: case studies of what works page 22 four guiding principles: partnership; leadership; managing change; learning and evaluation 1 Hertfordshire

a strategic framework 2 Bolton

involvement 3 Croydon

clear leadership and outcomes focus 4 Cambridgeshire section 2: a practical guide page 7 5 Nottinghamshire 1 Building a compelling story 6 Portsmouth Honest assessment of performance; deciding needs and priorities; energising people in the field; picturing how things might be 7 Telford and Wrekin different 8 Essex 2 Piloting change 9 Sheffield Developing capacity for change; integration: planning, commissioning, information; frontline work: assessment, case 10 Brighton and Hove handling; encouraging innovation; enrolling champions for change; identifying enablers and blockers common characteristics 3 Giving leadership further information page 27 Accountability; the law; governance; leadership capability

4 Risk management Setting up the safeguarding board; continuity of service while transforming section 1: overview from vision to reality: transforming outcomes for children and families

after the debate • achieve cultural and organisational change; four guiding principles change and time must be spent in community capacity building. Lord Laming’s inquiry helped begin a far-reaching • plan services that make sense, and use resources Our belief in local engagement has led us to identify debate, and revealed remarkable consensus on the effectively; four guiding principles in bringing this change Any initiatives must address how to manage this need to reform children’s services. A year before the about. These are: partnership; leadership; the complex change, and be comprehensive – with government’s green paper, Every Child Matters, and • improve outcomes for all children and for those that change process itself; and the need for learning and programme planning, project management, and publication of the first section of the National Service are vulnerable or need extra support, active evaluation. These four principles underpin section timescales. Some of the following are needed: Framework (NSF) for children, the LGA in partnership protection, or alternative care. two of this booklet, where we discuss how to turn with the NHS Confederation, the Association of vision into reality. • a transparent strategic plan, where progress is Directors of Social Services, Association of Chief Over the next few months there will be a lively tracked, and there is opportunity to revise and Education Officers and Confederation of Education debate about the government’s white paper and the 1 partnership adjust; Service Managers produced a document, Serving best approach to take. Each of the partners in the children well, setting out some proposals for a new Inter Agency Group will be contributing to that Local authorities can lead change, but cannot drive it • an approach which incorporates professional vision for England’s children. debate and there will sometimes be some without the engagement of communities, as well as intelligence from stakeholders, as well as differences of emphasis between agencies. This is the public, voluntary, private and independent organisational information and data; In this second document, as members of the Inter the sort of debate that needs to take place both at sectors. Housing, early years services, children’s Agency Group (IAG), (a more inclusive group of national and local level for the best approach to be centres, schools, play services, transport, leisure • clear rationale and adequate information to agencies, including the voluntary sector and other developed. The differences that will arise will services, Primary Care Trusts, GPs and health minimise risk and possible confusion and key agencies) we look at how these proposals can be however be minor and will not detract from the services, education and social services – all these incoherence; translated into reality – offering a tool to assist local central messages and suggestions in this booklet shape the experience of local children and their authorities, primary care trusts, other local which we all share. families. The voluntary sector is a significant part of • adequate resources and support; stakeholders, the voluntary sector, and communities the community infrastructure which is central to to translate their own vision, and the proposals by meeting the challenge family life. • regular scrutiny of progress; government, into processes and practices that work in their local context. From vision to reality aims to High-quality universal services, such as education 2 leadership • communication that is comprehensive, two-way and support local partners to: and primary health care combined with high-quality effective. services which keep children safe and protected Integrating services will not itself create community • improve outcomes for children on a sustainable should be at the heart of public services. However champions, or enthuse sponsors to promote the 4 learning and evaluation basis; outcomes for many children receiving specialist change. The drivers are many, and as a consequence services tend to be poorer than for children who do leadership has to be effective. This requires people Everyone involved needs to be open to learning. • create a whole system approach; not. This cannot be right. The challenge is to change who are recognised, respected and mandated to Each step needs to build on good practice, useful the way we behave and organise ourselves. We must create change by local stakeholders. Someone must data and evidence, and the experience of others. • ensure local delivery of improved services for all integrate services to fit the needs of children, rather take the lead and offer the vision. When something is not working, open disclosure children with an emphasis on strengthening than to suit our organisational imperatives. We must and debate will enable the plan and/or the practice preventative and universal services and on create sustained change. 3 managing change to be adjusted. safeguarding children. Fundamental change must be rooted in the Change rooted in the community is not easy or fast; There needs to be a structured and monitored Genuine reform requires profound change by people community, with its engagement and involvement it is inevitably time-consuming and complex, process of evaluation in place from the beginning. and organisations. This document also provides from the very start. Local communities, local families, resource hungry and people heavy, and probably The effectiveness of changes, new ways of working, some suggestions about how to: children and young people can and should be asked slower than anticipated. It is crucial that the process and integration of services must be evaluated, and to contribute. not be rushed, but be taken at a reasonable pace. the outcomes inform the next stages. This learning • design a change process; and evaluation will reassure the community and The local authorities’ role is to lead community everyone on the frontline across stakeholder groups.

from vision to reality 2 from vision to reality 3 Change driven by the community, with different Developing the vision, assessing needs, and Functions of a strategic body should include: A checklist for improving outcomes: forms of partnership, adds up to a tall order. As we identifying a plan must be supported and, to an ten steps respond to the challenge to change, local authorities extent, led by the community (even though • leadership; and primary care trusts must engage with leadership rests with the local authority). • audit needs of local children; stakeholders and communities and begin preparing • co-ordination and co-operation; to create something different. We do not achieving ‘whole system’ change • establish strong mechanisms for involving underestimate the challenges. • accountability for improved outcomes; children and young people, families and Community involvement is essential for bringing communities in improving outcomes; a strategic framework about ‘whole system’ change covering the spectrum • determination of priorities; of services, from universal mainstream to highly • agree and publish a shared local vision; An overarching strategic body must operate at local specialist and restricted. • planning; level. It can ensure that every stakeholder is engaged • identify and source resources; at its most senior level and buys into and supports For much of this spectrum, statutory agencies, • governance (performance, standards, and delivery of a local strategic plan for children’s service providers, schools and hospitals, the professional and financial audit); • produce a comprehensive plan; services. It also needs to relate to the local strategic voluntary sector, and service users must work partnership. together to define and secure the outcomes. It is • change management; • ensure services are set against national therefore necessary to understand the whole system standards and outcomes; In most areas the strategic body which already exists and the degree to which different services are • workforce development. as the Children and Young People’s Strategic tailored, to make effective and sustainable use of • support plan with integrated commissioning; Partnership. It is probable that the bill will propose those resources. It is also necessary to invest in that the statutory director of children’s services capacity building of the whole system. • monitor performance; should be charged with ensuring that all the relevant Arrangements may need to be made to enable local bodies work together in partnership, and the voluntary alliances and forums to properly voluntary and community sector • hold overarching shared accountability for strategic body provides the vehicle for this to participate. It is also important that there are clear effectiveness; happen. and effective processes to hold members to account. The voluntary sector has a history of being community and user-driven and has the experience • engage in culture change. This body is fundamental. It should be the driving A strategic plan is required, using needs assessments that needs to be built into any change. These force of change, empowered and enabled to achieve and resource mapping, which shows how outcomes organisations understand how families can use their real transformations, at the same time as adopting for children will be improved locally. The plan needs own resources to improve outcomes when they are policies and strategies informed by children, their to focus on early intervention and development of given support. The sector also has a history of role could also have permanent responsibilities for families and communities. family support and preventative services. It should developing innovative services. Its help in planning managing the system and ensuring that outcomes clearly outline how children are to be better the local vision is critical. are achieved. As part of any change, local areas need to decide safeguarded. It will be a blueprint, but with concrete how this body works, its terms of reference, proposals for change. Goals and strategies need to clear leadership effective safeguarding delegated authority and governance, and be supported by individual business and project membership. plans across all the agencies and organisations There is no doubt that to create change requires Within the overall accountability framework, it is contributing. high-quality leadership. It is also critical that the crucial that the specific responsibilities to safeguard There is no one single model. It could be collegiate, whole system continues to be directed, with clear children are recognised and fulfilled. federal, a simple partnership, a more formal joint involvement leadership responsibilities vested in key people and committee or partnership board, or even a new organisations. We would expect the Safeguarding Board to monitor board. The choice should not cause undue start with children, families and communities the overarching body regarding its safeguarding complexity, but must fit into the area’s strategic It is important to identify one role with the responsibilities. planning context and make appropriate links. Involvement should be from the beginning. responsibility for the entire change programme. That

from vision to reality 4 from vision to reality 5 section 2: a practical guide

outcomes focus This section is intended to give some practical ideas, outcomes for children; using a range of local authorities who have already The focus for everyone has to be on improving made significant steps. The Serving children well • schools, head teachers, governors, GPs and other outcomes for children. The strategic framework pathfinders have agreed to share their experiences more autonomous bodies are totally involved. needs to follow a clear path to ensure that this is not and expertise. lost. There is no single way to go about the process. The government is also piloting some models for Similarly no one can say ‘this is where you will finish, change through the Children’s Trust Pilot Authorities and this is exactly what it will look like’. and the Information, Referral and Tracking Pathfinders. The message is that everyone is thinking 1 building a compelling story about change, and there will be the opportunity for a lot of mutual support. honest assessment of performance

There are also organisations that can offer ways to The first task is an assessment of how well children manage change through information, advice and are, or are not, being served locally. This will also give helpful tools to use. local partners the opportunity to engage with communities, children, young people and their Change can be extremely costly. There has to be families, and frontline staff and volunteers. The way absolute confidence that the end product will deliver to go about this can include: the vision and improve outcomes for children. The process has to be well-managed from the start, even • an assessment of statutory agencies against national before the first formal steps are taken. performance indicators and frameworks;

Preliminary discussions within the local authority and • use of frameworks that measure outcomes for with partner agencies must identify leadership children and their families, such as the Save the responsibilities and roles and identify a named senior Children Model or the Communities Count model person to lead. A shadow overarching strategic body from Vermont; may need to be set up to drive the process. A time frame of between two to four years must be set so • review of user feedback including complaints; that plans progress realistically but impetus is not lost. Dedicated resources need to be identified early. • focus groups with users;

Throughout partners need to ensure that: • group work with front-line staff of all various agencies; • the whole health economy in all its diversity is involved; • analysis using GIS mapping of local authority, health and police data, as well as national data; • the voluntary sector is central; • cost assessments using Best Value and national • children and families are involved; comparators.

• strong links are made between the school To use all this information, agreement is needed on attainment and inclusion agendas and improving what is considered successful and what outcomes

from vision to reality 6 from vision to reality 7 sought. This, in itself, involves local people and deciding needs and priorities the people that matter, especially children and young Central questions professionals in defining problems and solutions, people, their families and communities and frontline and signals shared ownership and participation. Once this information has been collected and staff. It ensures that the daily experience of a • Which services to integrate? Sharing of information, and laying bare the different analysed, discussion about improving outcomes (a paediatric nurse, or a local nursery nurse, a play language used to describe the same things, helps ‘what works’ test) can take place. Time needs to be worker or a teacher, can inform the strategic plan • Do they target gaps and areas of poor break down barriers and creates enthusiasm. spent on identifying exactly what needs are unmet and the change programme from the beginning. performance? and identifying and agreeing different definitions Indeed it engages people in changing before they The Vermont approach is a good example, as is the and levels of need. even realise. The commitment of staff and their • Will it reduce inequality and increase work in Portsmouth and in North Lincolnshire based knowledge and expertise can be used as the inclusion? on Mark Friedman’s work. Evidence from Different types of mapping exercise can understand powerhouse for change. Communities that Care in the UK shows that having and describe these needs, and show how what • Is it fundable and sustainable? an outcomes framework as part of an honest works can be put in place or reinforced. Decisions As staff contribute, there are likely to be real assessment helps promote cross-sector activity and must be made about what areas are going to be differences of view about solutions. But encouraging • Is there local support and commitment? underlines the need for frontline integration. considered first, how strategic is the analysis (the frontline staff to say what does not work for them more strategic, the less detailed), and what will form must be balanced by requiring them to contribute • Does it meet national requirements? the subject of detailed consultation. constructive ideas to make things work better. This Questions will create energy, reduce cynicism, and generate • Have we explored everyone’s views? Gap analyses can be conducted against the data solutions not perceived by staff who are not part of • What is the outcome that communities want, collected and against the views of stakeholders, and the frontline. Inter-professional dialogue will create • Have we the capacity to manage these and what does it really mean? communities (neighbourhoods, and various debate, as will conferences, workshops, and changes? communities such as black and minority ethnic learning events. • What does it mean to children and young groups, teenage mothers, parents of young people • Can we learn from others? people? at risk of offending, etc). This all needs to be Examples of success elsewhere can be showcased to considered in the light of national levers, against help craft a vision and agree desired outcomes. • What can be done quickly and what will take • What are the problems in the system? established national and local priorities, and against Teams and groups of staff need to work to identify time? resources and potential increases in resources. core groups and agree objectives and outcomes. • How should it be measured? Such exercises help people understand that much of • How must we change existing plans, policies, Time must be taken to decide in the light of evidence their work is common to that of others, so that co- people, processes and structures? • What services contribute? what works well already. A ‘build on what’s good, operation makes sense. Group exercises that tell life change what needs changing’ approach is much stories using case information, or create a picture of • Can we create collaborative working • What changes to service provision will meet easier when supported by agreed outcomes wanted, how services have been provided, will contribute. practices? this outcome? an assessment of performance against those Staff and service users need to be engaged, as do outcomes, and consensus about the need to staff in a cross-professional and inter-agency way. • Which systems need improving or upgrading? • Is there evidence of reducing risk or improve. This takes time. Those areas already at promoting protection in achieving outcomes work estimate 18 months to two years. It will require This calls for leadership and sponsorship by chief • What changes in attitudes and professional that can be used? major investment in community engagement and officers and senior staff of all agencies and practice are needed? consultation. organisations. They must also be part of the dialogue • What is the cost? and debate, and not be a ‘smoke-filled rooms’ model • What evidence do we need to gather and Croydon is one example, Cambridgeshire another. of change. What must be avoided is starting with learn from? • Will it make a real difference to children, their how services are structured and organised. families, and in particular, vulnerable energising people in the field Politicians too need to be engaged. Ward councillors children? can make or break sign-up to the programme. All this work stimulates interest and engages with

from vision to reality 8 from vision to reality 9 A detailed framework for this engagement, and for area specialist services. A number of models are set framework and seek formal legitimacy The leadership team need to ask the following utilising the energy and products of debate, needs to out under further information. (democratically and organisationally) for the questions: be managed, and regular reports on outcomes overarching strategic body, and the appointment of brought to the leadership team setting up an Consultation also needs to include neighbouring a director of children’s services. • Are we innovators or not? overarching framework. authority areas and the region to ensure commonality where necessary. The outcome will A project plan and milestones should be agreed, • Are we up for change? Two good examples are Portsmouth and North have to be agreed through each and every agency whether the process is ‘big bang’ or incremental, Lincolnshire. Portsmouth has applied results-based executive and decision-making body. Camden is an whether it will be preceded by pilot phases or • Big bang, progressive, or slow change? accountability informed by Mark Friedman’s work at example of extensive consultation. Durham shows developed in full before implementation, and what the University of Santa Fe. how to engage with children and young people. organisational development will support it. Project • How successful is our record of change? work streams and learning sets help cultural change, picturing how things might be different The plan following on from the vision needs to mutual understanding, and organisational and • Where are our strongest partners? identify options available locally, set out possible individual growth. A toolkit for this has been Debating change should culminate in agreement of models, and identify what happens when. It needs developed in Portsmouth. • Do we focus inward or look outward? a vision for the children of the area and how to set out the objectives agreed in terms of outcomes everyone will contribute to that vision – one that all but also what partners want for service user These practical elements assist in convincing people • Can we learn from each other and from can identify with, even if some struggle to sign up to experience, organisational efficiency, better that the process will happen, and in generating outside? it, and sufficiently concrete to give confidence that it safeguarding practice, and evidenced-based confidence. has practical meaning. practice. • How mature are our inter-agency Symbolic action is also important. Launching the relationships? Specific outcomes cannot be achieved in isolation – The degree of change must be set out, and what will vision is an important way of creating engagement, a there needs to be a recognition that particular stay unchanged specified. There will be no clear signal to the voluntary sector and local • Do we hold each other to account? services must work together, particularly health, confidence in a grand plan if it is unrealistic. communities about what the future holds and their education, social services, early years, play services, Commitment needs to show in each agency’s relationship with the local authority and the primary • Are we mutually interdependent and do we youth justice services, and the police. Evidence organisational plans, as well as be modelled by care trust. Following this, the strategic framework recognise this? acquired in the first stages should set out a route senior staff. This is challenging for agencies whose model is the vision in terms of how it is done. Formal map for everyone to see, described in simple, primary purpose is not explicitly linked to services for contracts are one tool, drawn up and exchanged • When things go wrong, is it mutual common language and understood by individuals as children. between agencies, to specify the commitment made responsibility or blame of others? having personal meaning. What it does not need is a (as in Portsmouth). Similarly, agencies can agree ‘job fat document. Examples of both the end result and Proposals for change arising from the vision and its descriptions’ for each member of groups to steer the • Can we reallocate resources, and share the product can be found in Sheffield and other outcomes should be set out at three levels: the process (as in Leicester). Another tool is a compact budgetary planning and control? areas. individual (children, young people, their families and between the voluntary and community sector, carers); the local level (the way services relate to each schools and GPs, about mutual responsibilities in the • What are the physical, geographical, As well as the outcomes wanted, the vision requires other); and the whole system. They need to be strategic partnership. technological, and financial constraints? a preferred model for how things will be organised explicitly linked and relate to the outcomes agreed. and the way in which services will be provided, Clear objectives which set out the desired outcomes 2 piloting change • Where are the barriers and resistances? options for levels of integration, and choices of for children and families, describe intended balance between mainstream and specialist services, improvements in services (from the way they are developing capacity for change • How can we share responsibility for failure as the range of needs that are met, and the location of provided to the quality of their content), and state well as success? services. There are many theoretical options, but the initial focus for change. There needs to be clear Integration is complex and potentially destabilising. models include establishment of Children’s Trusts, information about who is leading the changes and There first needs to be a realistic whole system • Are we determined to improve and do we merger of departments and wholesale organisation why and how staff and service users can be involved assessment, and a willingness to change at individual have the will to invest? change, or creation of local integrated services with at each step. It also needs to set out the strategic and organisational level.

from vision to reality 10 from vision to reality 11 integration: planning, commissioning, The way it is supported should also be considered in will soon be learning arising from Pathfinders. One Questions to ask include: information the light of the various models and options available. early exercise is to map systems that exist across the whole area, and identify their content, overlap and • What to commission together and at what Whatever the plan, the real change is people, Commissioning creates the levers for service change synergies, and the opportunities that they offer for level? processes and policies, not organisations. Many and reconfiguration allows for shared prioritisation improvement. Another is to capitalise on the areas go for a ‘form follows function’ approach. and development of integrated assessment and care leverage created through developing a significant • A joint approach, a fully integrated approach, Indeed, as is set out in Clive Miller and Ann management, and stimulates engagement with sized system investment programme. or lead arrangements? McNicholls book Integrating Children’s Services – community groups, the voluntary sector and service Issues and Practice, ‘integration is a means to an providers outside the silos of local government. frontline work: assessment, case handling • Will resources be pooled, joint, or separate? end’. The logical outcome of improving service-user experience and organisational efficiency is the Integrated commissioning will bring schools, the Work then needs to begin on processes in the • Will staff from one agency access the service creation of integrated services delivered through NHS acute hospitals and GPs, and criminal justice frontline, mapping them and finding opportunities commissioned, will it be open to a range of multi-disciplinary and multi-agency teams at area agencies into the whole system. It also brings to integrate them. This can be both exciting and staff, or open access to service users without and local levels. innovation, value for money, and improved services challenging. One way is using care pathway models referral ? that cut waste and duplication. to describe what needs to happen, and then re- Improved outcomes will mean process changes, as engineering systems to achieve this. Requirements of • Will staff managing care plans from all well as a significant change in how staff work in In due course, it should be the vehicle for delivering the system need agreement: initial access to services, partner agencies commission across services every agency. It may also mean structural change. the strategic plan and for monitoring progress identification of individual need, assessment of or cross-refer people to individually Strategic processes that need to be looked at are against that plan. However the structure of an area is need, planning to meet need, review and commissioned units of service? those that support strategic planning, developed, the platform for gearing and delivering adjustment in changing circumstances, and a commissioning and contracting, and how service change is the commissioning one. cessation of services. • How to aggregate information to inform information at the aggregate and the individual level future decisions? is collected, analysed, and exchanged. Safeguarding children must be part of integrated The principle has to be that services ‘wrap’ round the commissioning, and the relationship between the child rather than that the child moves through • How to use commissioning collectively to The first step is to decide on managing strategic strategic overarching body, the safeguarding board, services – the child’s journey needs to be understood, manage our markets and influence what is planning collectively. This may mean sharing the commissioning board and/or the trust board so duplication is identified, and ways to integrate available locally? information, sharing resources to work on the needs to be explicitly described and properly services are found. This developmental process must information, and investing in dedicated integrated managed. involve staff and service users, and be followed by • How to engage with the voluntary sector in resources and systems. It certainly will mean sharing production of appropriate tools and procedures and joint commissioning? data about resources to inform the planning process, Underpinning strategic planning and commissioning protocols. and negotiation on priorities for strategic action. is the collection, analysis and manipulation of data. • How are we going to keep the system open to Overarching strategic bodies need to agree a Information sharing is needed at a number of levels. New tasks and roles should be identified: for review and monitor and implement changes? preferred approach, identify how to use the Financial, activity , commitment and demand data example a care co-ordinator or key worker role, a resources they have, and create a map of how the are all required at individual and aggregate level. This single assessment framework or a shared care or process links to other strategic planning processes in Language to define commissioning varies across means sharing and transfering of information in service plan. Protocols to support the redesign need every agency. Cheshire, Croydon and Bolton have agencies, and can mean purchasing goods or ways that are accessible, consistent and compatible. to be developed and implemented. The most critical good examples. services, organising and arranging the provision of The presumption has to be that, as new systems are are likely to be protocols governing information care to individuals, or individual or block contracting designed, they need to be linked. Decisions must be sharing. The best example is the Bolton Child This needs to be supported by decisions about or brokerage. What we mean is the whole process of made on how case data is collected, held and Concern model. commissioning – whether integrated commissioning assessing need, identifying resources available, shared. is used for lots of individually defined commissioning planning how to use the resources, arranging service Once developed it all needs to be tested and then exercises, or for several defined specific areas, or delivery, and the reviewing of service and reassessing A joint ICT strategy has to be a priority. This can be introduced with a high level of training so that staff indeed for all children’s services. of need. based on the development of IRT systems, and there can use the skills required with confidence.

from vision to reality 12 from vision to reality 13 encouraging innovation enrolling champions for change than creating wholesale change, or on focussing on and must be updated as the change process rolls out a very small area of change as a first step. with new requirements coming into place. Process changes can be challenging. What is Change needs to be led well, but also needs important is agreeing what will happen when, and championing by a whole range of people. The A detailed development checklist, such as in Millar The relationship between accountable individuals what will be piloted before it is applied across the change team need change agents across all the and McNicholls (see further information), can ensure and accountable organisations needs to be explicitly system. A simple joint assessment process can be constituencies of the system. One committed that the process is not subject to stops and starts described in formal agreements: contracts, Service developed, for example for a group of children, and teacher can influence a whole school, a committed depending upon the people involved and their Level Agreements, or compacts. Contractors need evaluated to see if it can be applied across the board. head teacher several schools. A GP will shift the capacity to influence, enhance or sabotage the explicit accountabilities built into their contract. It could be that staff from different disciplines views of peers far faster than a primary care trust process. Legal advice and correct legal vehicles should always develop a shared caseload in a single school, or commissioner. A police officer seeing the strengths underpin accountability arrangements. family group conferences are introduced for all of preventative approaches can change a whole 3 giving leadership young people in need of services as the primary area’s street patrols. Arrangements need to be properly understood by assessment method. It can be as simple or as accountability staff: who is in charge, what the whistle-blowing complex as is found appropriate. Effort needs to be made to identify these people, procedure is, and how to raise concerns openly and and formal as well as informal ways to use them Creating change requires high-quality leadership. It honestly. This is important in integrated services Often staff along with service users themselves have found. They need roles in the process, in events and is also critical that the whole system continues to be where multi-professional and multi-agency teams simple but effective ideas. A culture can be created exercises, team events and days out to enthuse, directed, with clear leadership responsibilities vested will be managed by people who are not their that allows for ideas, and innovation can be engage and facilitate. A little investment in their in key people and key organisations. The leadership professional or organisational managers. celebrated. Innovations forums could be set up and training, and creation of a peer network, will help function should be co-ordinated by the overarching resources be made available for experimentation and them function as champions and not be dismissed by strategic body at a local level. In a ‘whole system’, with complex management, it is evaluation. However, these pilots should be their peer group or constituency. particularly important to have a single point of controlled and evaluated so that outcomes assist in A principal reason for such comprehensive change is accountability. The Director of Children’s Services will informing change – failure needs to be seen as part They should include community representatives, to give clarity of accountability, from top to bottom hold accountability and be responsible for: of the purpose of piloting. Innovation does not have young people – often the most convincing of the system. Accountability has to be explicitly to be large scale or expensive. Evidence from champions – and parents and carers. Those whose recognised and embedded formally into • convening the strategic partnership body and seeing development agencies and standards bodies (Social bad experiences have driven them to fight and win governance. One way is to undertake some worst that it produces a plan on schedule; Care Institute for Excellence, National Institute for improvements can be the most effective advocates case scenario planning and identify how best to Clinical Excellence, Improvement and Development for change, creating a cultural shift that even the record and explain who is accountable to whom for • ensuring systems are in place for partners to deliver Agency, and the Modernisation Agency) and from most charismatic leader will not. Investment in them what, when and how. This is then agreed and against commitments; academic and research bodies (Joseph Rowntree will pay dividends. confirmed in written policies, procedures and Foundation, National Children’s Bureau, Research protocols, including contracts, service agreements, • ensuring that the safeguarding board operates into Practice, the Royal Colleges, etc) can underpin identifying enablers and blockers and job descriptions. effectively and independently; experiment to minimise risk. So too can sharing of best practice in local, regional and national settings, Change will meet resistance: passive and aggressive, Formal accountability in statute and through fiscal • monitoring the whole local children’s services system formal and informal. Networks at local and regional overt and covert, individual and organisational. arrangements is not the same as being managerially (especially health, education, social services and the levels will support learning from doing. Blockages need to be identified, and strategies or organisationally accountable. Democratic police) and see that it is both safeguarding effectively developed to unlock the blockages and deploy the accountability is different from formal accountability and delivering high-quality universal services; Learning from doing requires evaluation. Local levers and enablers. These may be engagement with as senior officers. Professional accountability is also overarching strategic bodies need to agree how to key personnel, or convincing politicians of the separate from organisational accountability, and is • arranging integrated commissioning and service evaluate progress from the beginning. They can benefits of change. Levers could be creating a fiscal subject to the codes held by professional bodies. provision; engage an external evaluator, link with a local safety net, or identifying an area of critically poor Standing orders, financial standing instructions academic institute, set up peer review, and develop performance where there is an imperative to change. (FSI’s), schemes of delegation and terms of reference • putting in place information sharing and referral service user panels and juries. Other levers include building on what’s good rather are all needed in time for each stage of the process, protocols;

from vision to reality 14 from vision to reality 15 • accepting integrated inspection regime findings and own responsibilities. Having a named person and an ‘The procedures associated with the decision- programme rolls out. It is important not to swamp being responsible for follow-up action plans. overarching body should not absolve each agency of making, performance and control of organisations, the process with a superstructure of accountability making sure that its governing body has explicit with providing structures to give overall direction to that creates bureaucracy, stifles innovation, and Beyond these minimum functions, the role must be performance and audit reports. the organisation and satisfy reasonable expectations prevents cultural change and growth at board or able to develop and grow to best meet the needs of of accountability to those outside it’. council level. local communities. There are different ways to do this and to be clear about who is accountable for what and how. Some This discussion paper has been produced by those leadership capability There are a range of models for this role in those areas use compacts, some contracts, and some job councils and NHS trusts that have set up care trusts, areas that have already integrated services. descriptions. and the point is made that good governance is The nature of this change process is enormous. synonymous with good organisations, good services Before beginning, the leadership team needs to and good outcomes. decide how to invest in the leaders required through • Essex County Council has created strategic • Portsmouth City Council has a contract the system to drive the programme, and on suitable leadership through the post of the deputy agreed by all agencies and organisations Another source of advice is the recent Audit staff to take on key roles, especially the director of chief executive, who is responsible for both setting out outcomes and expectations of Commission report on governance (see further children’s services, and named director in the primary education and social services but who their own and each others’ actions. information). care trust, as well as the accountable senior office in manages neither. the police. • Brighton and Hove has established a Chief Partnerships do present a governance challenge • Hammersmith and Fulham has appointed a Officer Group to ensure joint commitments to whether legally constituted bodies or otherwise. The Leadership development at local level, supported by director of children’s services, who is the key objectives of the service and take extent to which that partnership is collectively and a sub-regional or regional programme, would be one strategically responsible for all local authority responsibility for key budget decisions separately accountable for spending public funds or way, or a coaching and mentoring system, or even children’s services and for children’s primary regarding the Children’s Trust. discharging local democratic responsibilities is an employment of a critical friend. Leadership learning healthcare, as director of the Children’s Trust. area of complexity and potential confusion. sets are another method. the law • Milton Keynes has an executive director for The change programme has to have a formal 4 risk management children who is strategically responsible for It is likely that there will be a new statutory governance framework that ensures that roles are education, early years and children’s social framework governing some of these issues. Local clear, member performance is properly appraised setting up the safeguarding board services. overarching bodies need to be satisfied that their and managed, openness and transparency are arrangements comply both with primary child care founding principles, and that there are clear One of the most important pieces of work is • Northamptonshire has agreed that the chief legislation and with other legislative requirements. standards, accountabilities and codes of conduct. establishment of the safeguarding board, using as a executive should be the strategic leader for A legislative framework does not, however, dictate The strategic, policy and performance management platform the local area child protection committee; children’s services. how compliance is achieved nor does it define the tasks of the governing body need to be explicit and clarification of responsibilities on the board; and models, approaches and solutions to ensure supported by clear processes including practice maintenance of child protection and safeguarding • Brighton and Hove has a single director of legislation is implemented. Equal opportunities, audit, serious incident review, and performance practice through the change programme – children children, families and schools covering disability discrimination and human rights law need monitoring. There also needs to be clear financial cannot be put at risk because of changes to improve education, children’s services and the pilot to be complied with, as do data protection and governance, accompanied by good risk their safety. A clear message of ‘business as normal’ Children’s Trust. freedom of information law. management. should be given.

The Director of Children’s Services is responsible for governance Professional governance (often referred to as clinical Safeguarding needs a distinct work stream within local systems and bears lead accountability for any governance or practice governance) is separate but the change programme and safeguarding needs to system failures. However, the Director cannot be Governance is defined by the Integrated Care related, and requires a similarly explicit set of formal be integrated ‘like a stick of rock’ as well as be clearly ultimately responsible for services or organisations Network in its discussion paper Integrated Working requirements. visible in the overarching strategic plan. Relevant outside the control of the local authority. Each and Governance, (see further information) from outcomes and performance measures need to be agency at its most senior levels must accept their Hodges et al 1996, as All this needs to be developed as the change identified.

from vision to reality 16 from vision to reality 17 The board needs to be clear that current protocols organisation. The options may be shaped to fit local There must be clarity about review and reassessment and procedures are in place while new ones come Questions that need to be asked include: circumstances, but a wide range of models are of services, and clear escalation of concern along, and needs review and audit of practice to possible. The degree of integration, multi- procedures where risks appear to be unacceptable, continue. The board need to focus on ‘governance’ • What change do we want? Top down, disciplinary and multi-agency teams, common or where children and young people are at severe of safeguarding practice and on maintaining bottom up, or both? processes, and the framework for governance, risk of offending. All this depends on information knowledge and skills, without losing sight of its own strategic planning, commissioning and safeguarding and information-sharing. development. It needs to use the information that • Do we want to pilot, and then introduce the will inform the local organisational shape. every area gathered in their Climbie Audits and package in one go? Ways of building an information infrastructure are ensure that improvement is progressed. children’s trusts being piloted in 10 areas. These are committed to • Do we want incremental change? sharing their learning, and again local areas need to Priorities for the board will include an audit and This model is being piloted in 35 areas. Each is look at them. The infrastructure is a top priority, as review of practice, response to changes in • Do we want new senior staff first, or start different, but fundamentally there are three types: far as possible to be introduced with the rest of the expectation, process and practice, creation of tools with staff development? commissioning trusts, service provider trusts, and change programme. as part of common assessment practice, and a look commissioning and provider trusts. They are variable at new ways to engage families in safeguarding. Pilot • How do we not divert attention from day-to- in size, from whole service trusts such as Key tasks include ratification of information sharing work on information sharing, referral practice, and day work? Hammersmith and Fulham, to single service trusts protocols, inclusion of all relevant children on a tracking children and their families is intimately such as Nottinghamshire. The trust boards also vary shared data base, fully trained staff, and access to linked to better practice and needs to inform the • How do we assure business continuity? from entirely separate, to ones that are also the the information at the right level. Additional board’s developmental programme, and vice versa. overarching strategic partnership body. For some elements can include access to personal information • What to keep and build on, rather than trusts the lead officer is the director of children’s by subjects, and links between the information The relationship of the board with the overarching change. services, for others a children’s trust officer or system and the strategic planning and body, and with the partner body boards, including director, reporting to the director of children’s commissioning process. children’s trust boards where established, has to be services. unequivocal. The safeguarding board must be able Messages about business continuity flag the reality The system must support the new ways of to audit the work of the overarching body in terms of of change but also maintain staff confidence. Development and learning is part of the pilot stage measuring and driving performance improvement, safeguarding, and hold it to account. It should be of a children’s trust, and local areas need to look at and make people feel that it is an essential aid rather accountable to the local authority. This requires a full 5 embedding change these pilots to inform their own development. than a constraint. The mark of a successful service level agreement, or contract or compact infrastructure is that it works without people depending on circumstances. The director of organisation options It is not essential that a children’s trust is established, noticing it. children’s services has to take clear responsibility for although doing so may be felt by partners locally to ensuring the board is established, and has to be a key Integration has to be multi-layered: at the service be the best vehicle for change. workforce development member. user and individual level, at the local service network level and at the whole system level. information infrastructure All this requires workforce change. There are a range continuity of service while transforming of workforce issues in many agencies, and a serious Creating new and better ways will result in structural Behind strategic and organisational changes there workforce shortage in many professional disciplines. Continuity of service must be maintained. The change to a lesser or greater degree, but such needs to be integrated and comprehensive There are very different approaches to recruitment project plan and change process needs clear change needs to make sense and be relevant to staff information about provision and signposting to and retention, pay and conditions, and professional business continuity at all stages. Local decisions will and service users. services, and single points of access. Information and development. There are also differences in the be made about how the agenda progresses. signposting must lead to common assessment knowledge base of different staff groups, and an Section 3 contains some examples. processes, shared priorities, shared eligibility criteria, absence of single or multi-agency training in care pathway models and joint care planning safeguarding practice. There is also no coherent When the developmental and piloting phase draws models, single key worker roles, and a range of planning of skills in the voluntary and community to a close, decisions need to be made about services for early intervention and family support. sector.

from vision to reality 18 from vision to reality 19 In any change programme there are three elements – bodies and engagement used to establish the The process has to be supported by a clear process, policy and people. process need to be maintained to give feedback on workforce development strategy which will service user experience. ask questions such as: Staff need new skills and new tools, to know how to use them and to be confident with them, if they are • Which skills are required where by whom? to work differently. Staff in all our organisations need to move from a collection of professions to a • What are the core competencies that all workforce that values different professional skills but should have? equally recognises commonality of purpose, endeavour, and indeed some practice. • Who will need new skills?

Investment in breaking down professional barriers is • Are people clear why and what they need to needed through multi-agency training, and multi- change? professional groupings of staff. The shared development of some generic competencies for all • Are differences in role understood and who work in the children’s sector will also help to valued? break down barriers and grasp new opportunities to work differently. • What will make staff feel recognised?

It is the workforce that will make for sustainable • What will hinder change, and how to change; it needs to feel valued and understood, overcome this? protected and supported.

• How willing are staff to develop new Staff need integrated supervision, appraisal and professional responsibilities? personal development, and access to learning and development opportunities in order to meet their • How far is a child-focus part of the role? skills gaps and enhance their contributions.

• What will ensure that staff work with users as There also needs to be an integrated workforce partners? development plan and a joint training and development strategy. • What will make the improvement and performance management agenda an performance and audit integrated part of everyday practice?

To ensure sustainable change there must be a comprehensive programme of performance management, local inspection and audit. The overall agenda. overarching strategic body needs regular reports on progress, an annual plan for inspection and audit, evaluation and feedback and improvement plans arising from them. Each team and member of staff in the system needs their Throughout the programme there needs to be own performance and improvement programme, evaluation of the impact of change and the and to know how their work contributes to the improvement achieved. The groups, community

from vision to reality 20 from vision to reality 21 section 3: case studies of what works

1 Hertfordshire County Council nationally recognised, and has a strong track record three years. The initial phase is CAHMS, primary care trusts and district councils within its for partnership working. Identification and Assessment Services, and aspects boundary. The county is recognised as the model example for of services for children with a disability. During year integration of education and children’s social The council has a wide range of initiatives and one, assessments will establish need and resources in The county has had a children and young people’s services. services for children, particularly for vulnerable each geographical area of Croydon, and develop strategic partnership since 2001. Membership is children. It also has a well established local strategic integrated services linked to extended schools in one both wide and inclusive. This has recently been Hertfordshire took a long term approach but decided partnership and a new community strategy. area after another. reviewed and revised, to ensure ‘buy in’ and the actual change would be ‘big bang’. Preparation ‘ownership’. The partnership’s role is as the took two years, steered by the chief executive and a It and its partners have taken the incremental In year two the rest of services for children with a overarching strategic planning body, and it will senior level group. It remained a focused and narrow approach to change. They agreed two key changes disability will be transferred, plus family support become the overarching commissioning body. change despite the size and number of staff were needed: at strategic level; and in strategic services (both provided and commissioned). In year involved. commissioning. They identified the need for an three the final geographical stages will be The county and its partners take a bottom-up overarching ‘body’ to take responsibility for driving completed, plus educational support services, child inclusive approach to change, through stakeholder The new structure is led by the acting CEO and forward outcomes. health services and the rest of children’s social events using a discussion paper by a task group, a reports to a strategic director responsible through services. subset of the partnership that has the specific remit heads of service for both children’s social services They took the view that most arrangements were of developing and integrating children’s services. The and for education. The post of statutory director of working well, and that partnership developed as a The new identification and assessment service paper aims to establish an agreed baseline for social services remains the responsibility of the process rather than a new structure. comprises education welfare, social services initial aspirations. This approach is seen to create a change strategic director of adult and community services contact and duty services, the SSD assessment team programme appropriate for such a county. They therefore set up a children and young people’s and hospital services, plus representation from The council invested in consultancy and change partnership. Its remit includes developing a vision, primary care trust, health visiting, police, and In the meantime the council is piloting elements in management over the two years to ensure that every considering demographic trends etc, identifying of CAHMS professional. The focus is on child an integrated service that will include an extended member of staff understood the change and its needs, gaps and priorities, development of outcome protection and the most vulnerable children. schools pilot and also an identification, referral and vision and values. The process was micro-managed measures and targets, and an overview of service tracking trailblazer. from the top, with detail worked out prior to and joint service commissioning. The partnership has The trust is building on what is done already, implementation using data on needs in each district, a wide membership. And it would be linked to the responding to what is known that people want, and 5 Nottinghamshire County Council resources available, and locations from which to wider strategic framework locally. redesigning within and across services without any provide services. Schools were engaged throughout. additional resource. Nottinghamshire is mixed semi urban and urban but They have appointed a children’s services manager to with rural areas. It was badly hit by the collapse of This approach was dictated by the size of the council support the partnership, which will be supported by The trust relates to a wider children and young mining but has a developing mix of light technical and the complexities of a number of primary care a joint commissioning group. people’s strategic partnership, and contains its own and distribution industries. It contains seven primary trusts and district councils who all needed to trust commissioning unit. A director of children’s care trusts and a number of district councils. It is a understand the change. The council has taken an incremental approach to services reports to the trust management board, pathfinder children’s trust. developing new service models at local level, rather which includes the two chief officers, for education The council was able to carry the cost of double than a significant structural change, in order to and social services. Education and social services The county already has a health and social care running in the two years of preparation, with preserve and maintain its current good practice, and remain separate organisations. partnership board and a children’s strategic investment into services continuing while the focus on improved co-ordination. partnership. The latter has joint planning and change was rolled out. 4 Cambridgeshire County Council commissioning of children’s services through a joint 3 London Borough of Croydon commissioning group. The trust board reports both 2 Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council Cambridgeshire has seen significant improvement in to and through them to their constituent agency Croydon has a three year timetable for change, the last four years. It is discussing and developing governing bodies. Bolton has, over six years, developed an integrated through becoming a children’s trust in March 2004, proposals with a view to agreeing by May 2004. A model of assessment and access to services which is and moving additional services into the trust over large rural county, it has a complex combination of The trust is concerned solely with services to disabled

from vision to reality 22 from vision to reality 23 children. The governing partnerships include all executive directors’ group, the director of social primary care trust. A detailed needs analysis time the council entered into section 31 agreements seven primary care trusts, provider hospital trusts, services. underpinned the decision to apply for trust status. with the primary care trust covering adult social care, the voluntary sector, and the council. It has been later incorporated into a new directorate of housing developed based on needs and resources mapping It is driven by the Portsmouth city partnership board The trust is supported by three joint commissioning and city support. In 2003, the council, together with involving parents, carers and children and young for children and young people, which will over time managers. It will co-ordinate planning for children, the care trust and the provider NHS Trusts, bid people by the Children’s Fund work stream for set up, direct and manage the Portsmouth children’s and ensure linked strategies and a focus on successfully to set up a children’s trust, and a disabled children. Intelligence from the county’s 10 trust. It is supported by the partnership’s prevention and safeguarding. children’s services commissioner was appointed in Sure Start programmes has been included. commissioning group. summer 2003 to establish the children’s trust, as a 8 Essex County Council joint post at assistant director level between the The trust is a commissioner and provider, is governed The initiative is based on developing what is in place council and the primary care trust. by a board with senior representation for all partner and working well including projects and pilots linked In Essex the post of deputy chief executive (learning agencies, and is supported by a project manager. The to government initiatives. The needs assessments and social care) has the statutory accountabilities of The vision is for a single unified service for children, board will appoint in due course a trust director. and analyses indicate the most deprived areas. The the chief education officer and director of social young people and their families, covering education, focus for the trust will be to develop integrated services. The post is at a strategic level, with social care and healthcare, and partnership The trust is only part of the range of children’s services geographically, starting with the most managerial responsibility for service delivery resting arrangements with other statutory bodies (police, services. Child protection is shared with Nottingham deprived area. with several heads of service. The deputy chief probation, housing, etc) and the voluntary sector. city council, a unitary authority which adds a further executive will face the challenge of taking a hands- The children’s trust will not be a separate level and militates against a whole-service approach. 7 Telford and Wrekin Council on approach in managing the new safeguarding organisation – it will, in effect be the commissioning children boards – without background experience. mechanism for establishing this unified service. The 6 Portsmouth City Council A unitary authority in the Midlands, the area overall As a result of its experiences of this structure, Essex aim over five years is to review all services and to is highly deprived with significant economic believes that authorities will need specialist expertise recommission them as part of the children’s trust. Portsmouth, a unitary authority, has recently challenges. The council is a children’s trust to provide support, and that there is scope for received a good children’s services inspection. It has a pathfinder. different solutions in different councils. Under the single director, the children, families and relatively dense and small population with high areas schools service directorate is managed by two of deprivation, and linked issues of transient nature The overarching body is the Children and Young 9 Sheffield City Council assistant directors primarily responsible for schools, relating to the naval base. People’s Strategic Partnership, chaired by the one for children’s social services, one for community director of education, but with senior social services Sheffield’s children and young people’s strategic and family services, a children’s services The council has an outcome-focused and representation. It includes all key agencies, and partnership board has agreed to have ‘One commissioner, and a head of child protection. As community development-based approach to representatives from all relevant partnerships, Partnership, One Plan’, completed by April 2004. well as being a pathfinder children’s trust, Brighton & building integrated services, using eight strategic (police, probation, Youth Offending Team, Learning This plan works toward a children’s trust for Hove is also a pathfinder for extended schools, and outcomes chosen by Portsmouth children as the and Skills Council, Early Years, Children’s Fund, Sure Sheffield, investing in infrastructure arrangements the two strategies go hand in hand. driver for change. Start, Connexions, Children and Family Court rather than setting up projects. Early changes include Advisory and Support Service, race equality panel, joint commissioning, identification, a tracking and Although the new directorate came into being The council is a children’s trust pathfinder. Its etc). referral project, reconfiguring services to children quickly, it built on existing partnership work between approach focuses on integrated commissioning, with disabilities, and a comprehensive review of child the former services, culminating in a three-way Best provision and prevention. It is inclusive of the fully The body is supported by five subgroups each led at protection. Value review of children’s services in 2001. Its integrated arrangements in place for children with senior level. Each group lead a particular work findings informed much of the agenda for service particular needs (eg, disability). It is designed to stream and the chairs meet to co-ordinate. 10 Brighton and Hove City Council and structural integration. complement existing integration of strategy, joint operational standards (the compact), commissioning The trust is a commissioning-only trust. Its vision is A full structural merger of education with children’s Governance for the children’s trust, and hence the and new inter-agency teams. The trust will be led by that of the body, and the partnership being the social care was decided in 2001, and a children, new service, is straightforward. A board comprising a trust manager reporting to the director of foundation for all its activity. The active trust partners families and schools directorate came into being in the council’s children, families and schools sub- education and lifelong learning and, through the are, however: education, social services, and the 2002 under the director of education. At the same committee together with a subcommittee of the

from vision to reality 24 from vision to reality 25 further information

primary care trust board, and observers from other For a list of Serving children well authorities and bibliography stakeholder bodies, makes the strategic, political contacts, go to www.lga.gov.uk decisions. A chief officer group, chaired by the ADSS, NHS Confederation and Local Government council chief executive, with the children, families Children’s Trust pilots are: Association, Serving Children Well – a new vision for and schools director, the primary care trust chief children’s services – August 2002 executives, the provider NHS trusts, the local police Barnsley, Bexley, Blackburn with Darwen, Bolton, www.lga.gov.uk/Documents/Publication/ commander and the chief executive of Sussex Brighton and Hove, Calderdale, Cambridgeshire, servingchildrenwell.pdf Connexions, meets quarterly to take executive City of York, Croydon, Darlington, Devon, Ealing, decisions. Below that, there are three strategic East Yorkshire, Essex, Gateshead, Greenwich, Cabinet Office Innovation in the Public Sector partnership groups: the children and young people’s Hammersmith and Fulham, Hampshire, consultation document on the Cabinet Office strategic partnership, the safeguarding children Hertfordshire, Leicester, Newcastle, North Website – October 2003 board, and the Connexions local management Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Portsmouth, www.strategy.gov.uk/ files/pdf/ committee. They take service development forward Redbridge, Sandwell, Sheffield, Solihull, South pubinov1-2.pdf across all partners. Parents, young people and the Tyneside, Sutton, Telford and Wrekin, Tower voluntary and community sector, all have a central Hamlets, Trafford, West Sussex and Wokingham. Department of Health Safeguarding Children: a joint role in the process. Chief Inspectors’ Report on the arrangements to a list of identification, referral and tracking safeguard children, 2002 common characteristics trailblazers (IRT): www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/06/08/33/ 04060833.pdf • shared vision; Bolton, Camden, East Sussex in partnership with West Sussex, Gateshead in partnership with Department of Health National Service Framework • strategic partnerships at the highest level; Newcastle Upon Tyne, Kensington and Chelsea, for Children: template for the children’s NSF undated Knowsley, Leicester in partnership with Leicestershire www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/ • agreed and negotiated local framework for the and Rutland, Lewisham, Sheffield, Shropshire in Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/ whole system, with explicit links to the wider system; partnership with Telford and Wrekin. PublicationsPolicyAndGuidanceArticle/fs/ en?CONTENT_ID=4005662&chk=RlmFc/ • outcome measures, objectives and targets; Serving children well pathfinders France A and Crow I CTC – The story so far: an • needs and gap analysis; Barnsley, Bolton, Brighton and Hove, interim evaluation of communities that care, York Buckinghamshire County Council, Cheshire County Publishing Services 2001 • a leadership process and suitable capacity to lead the Council, LB Camden, LB Croydon, Durham County change; Council, LB Greenwich, LB Harrow, Herefordshire Friedman M Results Based Accountability County Council, Hertfordshire County Council, LB www.resultsaccountability.com • specific accountable officer; Hounslow, LB Kingston, Knowsley, Lancashire County Council, Lincolnshire County Council, HMSO Government Green Paper Every Child Matters • strategic joint commissioning; Mid-Hampshire pct, Manchester City Council, Autumn 2003 Norfolk County Council, North Lincolnshire, www.dfes.gov.uk/everychildmatters/pdfs/ • resource sharing and shared prioritisation; Newcastle City Council, Nottinghamshire County EveryChildMatters.pdf Council, Northamptonshire County Council, North • preparation, planning and development time of two Somerset Council, Plymouth, Portsmouth, HMSO Children Act (1989) or more years. Rotherham, Sandwell, Sefton, Sheffield, South www.hmso.gov.uk/acts/acts1989/ Birmingham pct, Sunderland, Tameside, Telford & Ukpga_19890041_en_1.htm Wrekin, Tower Hamlets, Wirral

from vision to reality 26 from vision to reality 27 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form Hogan, C D Vermont Communities Count: using or by any means, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, or stored in any results to strengthen services for families and retrieval system of any nature, without the prior permission of the copyright holder. Copyright Inter-Agency Group March 2004 children The Annie Casey Foundation, Baltimore Published by LGA Publications, the Local Government Association, Local Government House, Smith Square, London SW1P 3HZ 1999 Tel: 020 7664 3131 Fax: 020 7664 3030 www.conhogan.com/mp3pdf/ Code No F/SS108 VermontCommunitiesCount.pdf ISBN 1 84049 374 7

Miller C and McNicholl A Integrating Children’s Services – issues and practice. ODPM 2003

Peck Prof. E Integrating Health and Local Authority Cultures: presentation paper www.integratedcarenetwork.gov.uk

Utting D, Rose W, and Pugh G, Better Results for Children and Families involving communities in planning services based on outcomes NCVCCO 2002

Integrated Care Network Integrated working and Governance, Hodges et al 1996 www.integratedcarenetwork.gov.uk

Audit Commission Governance and Excellence in 21 Century Wales: How strategic regulation can help www.audit-commission.gov.uk

from vision to reality 28 members of the Inter-Agency Group who have jointly produced this publication

For further information or Local Government Association comment, please contact the Local Government Association of Directors of Social Services Association at: Local Government House National Children’s Homes Smith Square, London SW1P 3HZ

The Connaught Group or telephone LGconnect, for all your NHS Confederation LGA queries, on 020 7664 3131 Barnardos or email [email protected] Fax 020 7664 3030 SOLACE www.lga.gov.uk For a copy in Braille, in National Children’s Bureau larger print or audio tape, Confederation of Education Service Managers contact LGconnect Association of Chief Education Officers National Council of Voluntary Child Care Organisations NSPCC

Code No F/SS108 ISBN 1 84049 374 7 Printed by Newman Thomson Ltd Design by Tattersall Hammarling & Silk Photography by Third Avenue