Appendices Appendix one – Ealing LAC and Care Leaver Commissioning Strategy Action Plan 2014 to 2017 Appendix two – West London Alliance (WLA) commissioning strategy Appendix one – Ealing LAC and Care Leavers Commissioning Strategy 2014 – 2017 Action Plan 1. Foster care What we are trying to achieve Key actions Lead Timescale and update Increase capacity of in house fostering and adoption service To increase number of in house foster carers by at least 14 in 2014/15 To the learning from the Impower work to improve the recruitment of foster carers To work with West London Alliance Boroughs to identify additional areas for joint working between borough based fostering services Operations Manager – Children’s Placements AD Safeguarding and Support By 31 March 2015 We increased the numbers of foster carers in 2014/15 by 9. This was not as many as anticipated but compares very well with local IFA recruitment monitored via the WLA IFA Framework. The target for 2015/16 is to increase the number of carers by 21 by the 31st March 2016. Set up an in house therapeutic fostering service Establish local specialist fostering placements thus ensuring local provision for difficult to place young people. Operations Manager – Children’s Placements By Summer 2014 This programme will go live in spring/summer 2015. This is to allow this project to be included in the wider Brighter Futures project to enable professionals/teams to be put in place to support these placements
To utilise the framework for mini tenders to develop specialist fostering provision Senior Integrated Commissioning Manager Several meeting have been held with framework providers to look at mini tenders to support carer provision for the Brighter Futures project. This work is ongoing. Improve quality of provision To use intelligence from IROs to monitor outcomes and to assess ability of providers to deliver these Operations Manager – LAC and Care Leavers AIDHOUR Contract and Commissioning Manager Senior Integrated Commissioning Manager is now attending regular meetings with Aidhour. Further work to be undertaken to ensure feedback from IRO’s is properly utilised. Establish clear protocols for you people aged 18+ can “stay put” within fostering households. Currently in process of being agreed and implemented. Operations Manager – LAC and Care Leavers Summer 2014 Policy and process are now contained with Ealing’s Policies & Procedures. Further work required to ensure all young people approaching 18 years of age are fully aware of post 18 placement options available to them. Senior Integrated Commissioning Manager to ensure this item is included in meeting with IRO’s Make use of the IFA framework agreement to develop standard staying put practice across all providers and the 9 WLA members. WLA LAC/Care Leaver category manager Summer 2014 An agreed protocol has been agreed between WLA partner boroughs and is operative. 2.Kinship care What we are trying to achieve Key action Lead Timescale To achieve optimum use of family and friends placements, where appropriate. Identify potential kinship placements. Continue to develop in kinship services to assess and support kinship placements Operation Managers- LAC & Leaving Care, Locality, Hospital, CWD. Operations Manager – Fostering and Adoption As and when required on an ongoing basis. Ongoing 3.Residential care What we are trying to achieve Key actions Lead Timescale Increased supply of residential provision in west and north west London areas Engage with the private & voluntary sector. The intention being to work in Senior Integrated Commissioning manager Already underway, with two (9 units) already open. Further work with other
Establish clear lines of reporting to alert commissioners. This is to ensure issues are dealt with promptly, to avoid escalation and prevent potential placement breakdown. Senior Integrated Commissioning Manager September 2014 Commissioning Officers will be more involved in the ongoing placements within their particular portfolio. See above re IRO intelligence 5. Semi-independent and independent accommodation What we are trying to achieve Key actions Lead Timescale Increase supply of provision Negotiate with YMCA for 20 additional within St Mary’s Road development (the development includes providing more units in 2015). Commissioning and Contact Manager (ART) Summer 2014 Spring 2015 when the second tranche is available Achieved Improve quality, value for money and capacity of local provision Set up an approved list of independent sector providers that have been quality and checked Arrangements may include elements of payment by results to incentivise providers to focus on outcomes for young people LB of Hounslow to lead for contract. Senior Integrated Commissioning Manager to represent LBE.- Process to be managed by LAC/Care Leaver category manager, under auspices of WLA July 2014 – advertise Feb 2015 – list goes live This is now on hold due to technical difficulties. The lead borough, Hounslow, are indicating a possible live date in autumn 2015. Expand availability of semi-independent and independent accommodation Re-brand and re-launch Host Families services and expand capacity Senior and By March 2015 Achieved Two new CO’s will be taking responsibility for Leaving Care provision. As well as working with providers they will also be attending Leaving Care & 20+ Team meetings to ensure feedback on provision is acted upon.
semi-independent provision) Regular analysis of data and trends Develop Careplace to facilitate needs analysis, to help manage discounts, to help identify vacancies and to provide a service directory for internal and external usage Senior Integrated Commissioning Manager and Head of Children’s Commissioning Process to be developed and managed under auspices of WLA System to go be loaded with borough information April 2014 and to start to go “live” summer 2014 Delays in development due to data protection and complexity of different data types within different LA’s. Data upload testing is currently taking place. This project should now go live in summer 2015. Support the market – internal and external to work together and to achieve value for money and to share intelligence Regular meetings of west London residential providers to take place Care providers to be offered opportunity to work together to realise benefits of collective approach to the supply chain Process to be developed and managed under auspices of WLA. Process to be developed and managed under auspices of WLA Ongoing This has been implemented since early 2014 and has proven a valuable intelligence source regarding C.S.E. and gang activity Ongoing New developments since this action plan’s inception What we are trying to achieve Key actions Lead Timescale Introduction of CarePlace e-brokerage system to manage referral across all WLA boroughs. This will aid market analysis regarding location and type of provision currently supplied. Commissioning officers are currently involved in user acceptance training. WLA and partner LA’s Ongoing currently with a view to go live summer 2015.
Introduction of an team under the Brighter Futures umbrella for LAC clients most at risk of placement breakdown and introduction of Edge of Care teams Recruitment of Staff training Team development Selection of cases Project Manager for Brighter Futures Operational Managers in Safeguarding and Support June 2015 Development with Housing Services of newly re-furbished studio housing units for care leavers Bid for external funding led by Housing and if bid unsuccessful identification of other funding sources Refurbishment of housing block (s) if bid successful Head of Children’s Commissioning 2016 Potential development of new housing using prefab small units This would be led by West London YMCA alongside a private sector partner. Ealing to work in partnership with West London YMCA once a private sector partner has been identified to ensure any development is fit for purpose and an attractive option for young care leavers. Senior Integrated Commissioning Manager 2016 Identify resources to provide specialist support to young women at risk of sexual exploitation. Set up a contract with the & Girls Network Head of Children’s Commissioning Achieved Develop alternative options for young people currently held inappropriately in police cells over night or during weekends. Identify alternative provision that can provide safe and secure accommodation on an out of emergency basis. Senior Integrated Commissioning Manager, Head of Offending Service & partner WLA boroughs Early 2016 Evaluating current At Risk of Homelessness Panel to ensure it is meeting the current needs of 16 & 17 year old young people with housing and/or social care needs. The current panel has been running for several years successfully. However we recognise that such panels need to be on a periodic basis to ensure they still fulfil their function within current Senior Integrated Commissioning Manager, Operations Manager for LAC & Leaving Care Summer 2015