Evaluation of the SEND Pathfinder Programme: Interim Findings

1. Evaluation of the SEND Pathfinder Programme: Interim Findings August 2012

2. Outline • The findings reported are based on • The second monitoring returns provided by all Pathfinder areas • Are areas own perceptions of progress • Are based around the Common Delivery Framework (CDF), which sets out a series of themes and elements which it was anticipated each Pathfinder would need to address • Covers the period April to the end of June 2012 • Additional qualitative evidence from the ten in-depth case study areas gathered during a second round of visits undertaken between June-July 2012

3. The CDM

4. Overarching Programme progress • Half-way through the Programme • Majority of the Pathfinder areas had reached the end of their initial set-up phase • Most were part-way through developing the infrastructure required to deliver the new approaches – but with some distance to go before we can say what is / will work • Stronger progress reported against some elements of the CDF, whilst progress against other elements remained at early development stage …emerging findings against each theme of the CDF are illustrated on the following slides

5. Theme 1. Organisational engagement and cultural change

6. Stakeholder engagement • There remained a group of stakeholders that were common to almost all areas • Had also seen an increase in engagement from some groups, such as colleges since the previous quarter • …but was still some groups less represented than might expect – but may reflect local focus / circumstances

7. Market development and the local offer • Consultation with providers and development of the local offer remained at a relatively early stage of development – a lot of discussion taking place but issues to be solved • Development of the local offer in the most advanced cases implied that areas intended to develop either • A broad brush strategic offer setting out their multi-agency intentions • Or a provider based directory • And…although some progress had been made drawing together the social care and education elements of the local offer, limited discussion appeared to have taken place in relation to health

8. Theme 1. Majority moving towards completion of their set-up phase • 12 areas judged at least a two-thirds of the 16 progress measures of this theme to be fully in place • Only 4 areas were still in the early stages of developing (or had not yet begun) a third of their progress measures

9. Theme 2. Engaging and involving families and young people

10. Themes 3 and 4. Setting up the infrastructure and Safeguarding and risk management

11. Assessment and planning • Emerging evidence indicated that the assessment and planning pathways were more commonly expected to consist of… • Assessment – a set of assessments by different agencies being brought together. These are not new assessments, but rather a summary to enable planning • Planning – single planning events and/or the use of a planning coordinator to create the plan with the family and liaise with relevant professionals • Evidence from the case studies illustrated a number of commonalities between the developing single plan templates • Key/basic information - containing information about the child/young person and their family and the set of services they were currently being supported by • A headline assessment/pen picture – including an evidence-based picture of the strengths and dislikes (including the identification of needs) of the child/young person and their priorities • The identification of outcomes – a table to record outcomes (both short and longer term) and means of measuring these • An action plan – to show how each outcome would be achieved and which agency/service would be responsible for delivering each action • Appendices – to include supporting information such as assessment evidence

12. Themes 3 and 4. Overall mixed progress made by areas

13. Progress is being made • Vast majority of areas have management and development structures in place and the most of the key players involved • Many have made good progress in developing their Pathway for families and shaping the Single Plan document • Change management, including staff training, and family recruitment has begun, and in some cases are well advanced • However, it is still too early to draw conclusions against the four key objectives for the evaluation, which seek to assess whether the Pathfinders • Make the current system more transparent, less adversarial and less bureaucratic • Increase choice and control and improve outcomes • Introduce greater independence into the assessment process by using the voluntary sector • Demonstrate value for money …. ways in which Pathfinders intend to deliver on these issues remain as set out in the March Quarterly Evaluation Report

14. Issues arising Current pace of progress and associated recruitment of families and young people will limit the evaluation (especially findings around key sub-groups), unless the data collection and reporting period is extended

15. Contact Graham Thom Director SQW t. 07766 916897 e. gthom@sqw.co.uk w. www.sqw.co.uk Meera Prabhakar Senior Consultant SQW t. 07715 071574 e. mprabhakar@sqw.co.uk w. www.sqw.co.uk