Lisa holmes , director, and Rebecca Brown , Senior Research Associate, CCFR

1. Costs and outcomes of effective reunification Lisa holmes, director, and Rebecca Brown, Senior Research Associate, CCFR

2. Structure of session • Current context related to effective reunification • Case study examples • Small group discussion and feedback • Relating costs and outcomes of effective reunification and potential costs avoided

3. Current context related to effective reunification • Existing national data and research evidence base • Need for appropriate assessment, support and services for children and families on return home • Potential longer term costs avoided?

4. Current context related to effective reunification • Department for Education – Improving permanence for looked after children • Consultation autumn 2013 • Data pack published September 2013 • Expert working group • Publication of Research priorities 2014 • Commissioned two research projects

5. Current context related to effective reunification • Developing and implementing a new practice framework on return home from care (Bristol University and NSPCC) • Taking Care service • Three local authorities • Until July 2015

6. Current context related to effective reunification • Improving practice in respect of children who return home from care (NCB and CCFR) • Until March 2015 • Eight local authorities (case studies) • Learning sets and coaching model

7. Current context related to effective reunification • Evaluation of NSPCC Taking Care service • Nine local authorities • Two elements • Location studies • Case studies • Report available later in 2014

8. Current context related to effective reunification • Explore costs of reunification – (NSPCC) • Costs and outcomes research programme • How the research evidence has and can be used to inform practice and policy • Potential longer term saving of providing appropriate assessment, support and services

9. Costs and outcomes research programme • Explore the relationship between needs, costs and outcomes for vulnerable children and their families • Process driven approach • Bottom up costing methodology • Modelling unit costs using routinely collected child level data

10. Current context related to effective reunification • Explore costs of reunification • Costs and outcomes research programme • How the research evidence has and can be used to inform practice and policy • Potential longer term saving of providing appropriate assessment, support and services

11. Small group discussions Case study examples

12. Group discussion • Appoint spokesperson • Consider the case examples • What are the key decision points? • How could the reunification process be changed? • Assessment • Support • Services • What are the potential cost implications of these changes? • What potential longer term costs might be avoided?

13. Making use of aggregated data • Individual case studies may be useful to illustrate key decisions and outcomes • Aggregated information to inform strategic planning and commissioning: • Analysis by child needs or circumstance • Analysis by placement type, provider or service • Analysis by outcome

14. Costs of effective reunification • Make use of existing national data • Developed a series of assumptions based on existing research evidence • National cost estimations • Identified a break even point • Next steps • Customised versions for local authorities? • Short report

15. Further information • Lisa Holmes • L.J.Holmes@lboro.ac.uk • 01509 228878 • www.ccfr.org.uk