VCS Engage Action Plan The Journey so far …..

1. VCS Engage Action Plan The Journey so far….. Matt Buttery, Family Matters Institute

2. Journey so far….. • Where we’ve come from • Development of the Action Plan • Progress we’ve made so far.. • Are we there yet? / What’s next..

3. ECM : Children’s Services Reform • Radical improvement in opportunities and outcomes for children • Whole-system reform of the delivery of children’s services • Build services around the child, young person and family • Support parents and carers • Develop the workforce, changing culture and practice • Integrate services across the age range 0-19, with positive role for ‘third sector’ in strategic planning, commissioning and delivery of services

4. Building Brighter Futures, 2007 “Children's Trust to have in place by 2010 consistent high quality arrangements to provide identification and early intervention for all children and young people who need additional help…These arrangements will be delivered through effective commissioning of services, including through private, voluntary and third sector providers, not by an old style command and control approach.” Chapter 7 “Making it happen”

5. Partnership in Public Services Action Plan “The third sector’s strength is its ability to do things differently and put an individual’s needs at the heart of things. We want to ensure that what the sector has to offer is an integral part of our aim to transform public service delivery.” Phil Hope MP, Minister for the Third Sector PSAP One Year On. Dec, 2007

6. Herts & VCS Engage • VCS Engage Programme • Improving the capacity of the VCS to engage with Children’s Trusts, and • Increasing their ability to deliver services on behalf of strategic partners. What is ‘engagement’? • More than communication or involvement • Long term partnership • Co-designing and planning • Transparent commissioning and delivery structures • Democratic and sustainable • Clear lines of accountability

7. The VCS Engage Action Plan: How it was produced… • Built on existing activities at County & District Level across the Partnership • Joint away day 28th February 2008. Self Evaluation Toolkit to gauge & review level of engagement with VCS, across : • Governance • Strategy • Processes • Frontline Delivery • Development of draft 3 year action plan, circulated to delegates and wider VCS for comment.

8. Radar Plot Showing Average Answers from HCTP Leads & Away Day Delegates

9. Key areas for development • Communication • LSCB Representation • Diversity of Voices • Resource Allocation • QA & Performance Management • Asset Management

10. Progress …. • Strengthening VCS representation on the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board • DCTP stakeholder group pilots in Stevenage, Broxbourne and East Herts • Direct representation of the youth sector at County & District levels through Pro-Action • Increasing funding in Prevention 513 commissioning process, (62% overall funds commissioning VCS compared to 42% cent through the Children's Fund). • Acknowledging the need to develop a communications strategy; Children’s Partnership News Articles early outputs • HCTP/VCS Joint Induction Day Pilot • Establishment of a HCTP VCS Strategy Group….

11. Are we there yet? (Oct 2008) • VCS considers itself least influential. • Positive about participation. • Key themes : • Purpose of engagement • Ways of working • Valuing the sector

12. What’s next? • Development and review of the VCS Engage Action Plan : • VCS Stakeholder Events • VCS Strategy Group & Small Group • HCTP Strategic Partnerships Manager post • Representation at HCTP & DCTP • Development of a communications strategy • Clear Expectations study : • http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=Z_2bsm7ZoLm4M9aAUhx_2bS_2fsA_3d_3d