Towards child-centred commissioning -Messages from DfE childrens homes support and improvement programme

1. Towards child-centred commissioning -Messages from DfE children's homes support and improvement programme September 2011

2. Agenda Context Messages from the Children’s Homes programme area studies Commissioning: care planning and location. “Sufficiency”. Children’s Homes programme : next steps. Conclusions – children’s homes placement of choice or last resort? For Discussion.

5. Published revised regulations, guidance and NMS on children’s homes Carried out Area Studies within 2 regions, the South East (Surrey and Hampshire) and the West Midlands (Shropshire, Dudley and Stoke on Trent) with high concentrations of children’s homes; Given training to children’s homes registered managers and local authority commissioners about the implications for their services of delivering the revised regulatory framework for children’s homes: and Mapped children’s home locations, analysed DfE Data on children’s homes and published the Children’s Homes Data Pack Since September 2010 we have:

6. Key findings: In many areas children’s homes are making a positive contribution to improving outcomes for looked after children but success depends on number of crucial factors - 15% of UASC are in homes and hostels15% of UASC are in homes and hostels

7. Barriers to quality children's homes care

8. Commissioning (1)….Care Planning

9. Where are children placed? 2,300 (47%) of the children placed in regulated children’s homes were placed outside the LA area On average LAs placed 55% of their children in children’s homes outside the local authority area Twenty-two LAs placed all children outside the local authority area Who is responsible for the children placed in children’s homes? On average 49% of the children living in children’s homes in a LA area were the responsibility of another LA Nineteen LAs had no children placed in their area by other LAs For eighteen LAs the only children living in children’s homes in their area were the responsibility of other LAs Do Local Authorities fully utilise the provision in their own areas? Most LAs (130: 86%) simultaneously placed children in residential care outside their area and had children placed within their area from other LAs LAs may be looking for specific specialised support when they decide to place outside of their area

10. Data mapping demonstrates that bulk of the national supply of children’s homes is concentrated in only three English regions - South East, West Midlands and the North West.

11. No useful findings by need and ageNo useful findings by need and age

12. The data suggests a range of questions for individual local authorities to consider in reviewing commissioning strategies and in deciding on placements for individual children. These include: Are there groups of children whose assessed needs are such that placement in a children’s home is likely to be the best option; and how is this understanding reflected in the range and numbers of children’s homes placements commissioned by the authority? Does the authority have access to sufficient children’s homes placements, so that a move to residential care enables young people to continue to be supported by suitable local services? Where children are placed at a distance from their local community how will the local authority support them, so that they can make a planned transition when they are ready for the next move in their lives? How does the authority work with children’s homes to promote children’s emotional health and well being, so that the child can access to additional mental health support where necessary? Does the authority maximise sustained outcomes for individual children so that the costs of placement represent real value for money? Questions??

13. ‘Sufficiency’ and Children’s Homes A number of factors must be taken into account when decisions are made to place a child out of the area … the placement must be approved by a senior officer who has been nominated by the authority. The nominated officer must ensure that: The child’s wishes and feelings have been ascertained The placement is the most appropriate placement for the child and will meet the child’s needs as set out in their care plan The parents wishes and feelings have been ascertained where the child is provided with accommodation and (where possible and appropriate) where s/he is subject of a care order the local authority for the area in which the child is to be placed has been notified, and The IRO has been consulted. [1] The Care Planning Guidance 3.1-3.61. & Children’s Homes Guidance 3.5

15. A. Universal Programme

18. C. Developing a sector led approach… Hold seminar with children’s homes providers, on how to develop a ‘peer to peer’ model of support and challenge – between those homes deemed to be ‘outstanding’ and those homes experiencing difficulties. This would explore such issues as: How can we develop a ‘quality mark’ system for children’s homes, to identify those providers that are outstanding/excellent. 2. How can we enable those homes that are outstanding to support homes experiencing challenges? This discussion will inform how we take our programme forward

19. Conclusion: Children’s Home placement - positive choice or last resort? To be a positive choice, children’s homes need to demonstrate – High standards of care over and above NMS. Genuine capacity to meet the needs of children (depends on thorough assessment and congruence between homes SoP and child’s care plan). Staff have the skills necessary to respond to support children to develop positive behaviour and respond to the full range of their needs – education, health, enjoying and achieving. Staff able to offer effective interventions based on an understanding of child development. [A system to measure effectiveness is in place and agreed with the responsible authority]. Flexibility – to maintain continuity with children‘s local communities and support gradual planned transition.

20. Conclusion: children’s home placement - positive choice or last resort? (2) For children’s homes to be a positive choice, LAs (commissioners) need to demonstrate – Understanding of both the capacity and limitations of residential placement. Transparency about what “value for money” will mean. Meaningful partnerships with providers that allow services to be tailored to the needs of specific children. Agreed understanding about how effectiveness is measured (shared with SWs and IROs) Processes for taking the child’s wishes and feelings into account.

21. ….but through the eyes of the child Children’s worlds are smaller and more immediate – it’s the little things which count.