HOW THE WEST (MIDLANDS) WILL BE WON

Carole BrooksWest Midlands Associate

How are we doing?

8 out of 14 local areas have higher deprivation (Indices of Deprivation Affecting Children) than England’s 21.1%

8 out of 14 local areas have higher family homelessness than England’s 1.7 – some considerably so.

Infant Mortality rate worse in WM (6.0) than England (4.3) Teenage pregnancy rates in WM (34.9) considerably higher than

national (30.7) and wide variety in the region. 9 out of 14 local areas have higher % of children in year 6 who are

overweight or obese than England (33.9%) – WM average is 36.3% 7 out of 14 local areas have higher rate per 100,000 of children

aged 0-15 killed or seriously injured in road traffic accidents than England overall (22.1).

Variances between localities mask a range of demographic factors and needs.

West Midlands vs England:

Source: Child Accident Prevention Trust, June 2013

“1 in 5 West Midlands children come close to death or serious injury before they leave school “

Children’s Social Care Activity

The child’s journey: How do you know early help and step up/step down is effective?

1: Children whose needs are met

2: Children whose health or development needs may be affected

3: Children whose health or development is being impaired

4: Children at risk of, or who have experienced significant harm

EVIDENCE – ARE WE EFFECTIVE?

“Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted.”

Albert Einstein

England West Midlands

Planned spend of net expenditure of individual schools budget per local authority

£4,350 £4,437

% change on previous year -3.1% -3.8%

Planned spend of net expenditure on children's and young people's services per local authority (per capita)

£670 £675

% change on previous year -5.4% -7.3%

2013/14 Planned Expenditure

Source: DfE Statistical First Release, 24 Sept 2013

Structure/ Culture

Governance, resources, business management

PLAN

DO

REVIEW

REFLECT

Improvement cycle Based on reflection, the vision and purpose, self assessment, statutory responsibilities, needs, review of inputs, outputs, outcomes

http://shropshire.gov.uk/CouncilPlan/index.html

Plan

Structure/ Culture

Governance, resources, business management

PLAN

DO

REVIEW

REFLECT

Improvement cycle

Provide services according to plans to meet desired outcomes

Suffering from a ‘knowing-doing gap’. Confusing meetings and talk, with action and

implementation. Encouraging a learning, not a blame culture –

celebrate success too. Doing the wrong things & decommissioning. Doing once and sharing or pooling resources

Challenges we all face in ‘doing’

Structure/ Culture

Governance, resources, business

management

PLAN

DO

REVIEW

REFLECT

Improvement cycle

Performance monitoring: Quantitative and qualitative data, case audits, views of CYPP and professionals, complaints, evaluations, scrutiny

1. Data - statistics

The Evidence ‘Trio’

3. Voices

2. Research and Evaluation

Triangulating the Evidence “Trio”

Did you reach everyone? Did you make a difference?

Were you cost effective in doing so?

Data

Voices of the

Customer

Research &

Evaluation

Having the Right Intelligence

Context is critical

Structure/ Culture

Governance, resources, business

management

PLAN

DO

REVIEW

REFLECT

Improvement cycle

What difference have we made?

21

asking challenging questions (why …?) reflecting on all possible hypotheses – consider

alternative explanations or causes looking outside the organisation – what conclusions

have others reach in similar cases? being informed (we know from research, children

tell us ….) explaining the rationale for conclusions and

decisions keeping a focus on outcomes:

What difference have we made?

Winning Analytical Behaviours

  QUANTITY QUALITY

EFFORT

How much did we do?

How well did we do it?

EFFECT

Is Anyone better off?

Quantity Percentage

CHANGE

Action planning:What do we do to improve and when will we

know we have?

Outcomes Based Accountability

Pick one of the outcomes below (or think of your own):

1. Early help - knowing that we are making a positive difference, earlier:

E.g. are we reducing risk factors? Is help early enough? Are we improving life chances?

2. Children and young people have the qualifications, skills and aspirations they need for a successful transition into adulthood

NEET, Leaving Care, life skills

3. Our vulnerable children are achieving outcomes which are as good as their peers

Children with disabilities, young carers, etc – WT13 list of 5

4. We have a stable, capable workforce E.g. recruitment, retention, workforce development

Your turn: Outcome focus on.....

Carole Brooks, West Midlands Associatecarole@carolebrooks.com

Thank you!