Latest update
Published

Implementation of the Advice Hub & Spokes – Phase 2

  • Discussion with Chief Executive and Directors held to inform way forward for Central Hub. Work is underway to consider additional option including detailed plans and costings.
  • Dawson Housing and Finance office based within Dawson centre are now closed completing the change from One Stop shops/housing/finance offices to Advice Hubs and Outreach service.
  • Project performance indicators to be discussed at upcoming Frontline Services Delivery Group meeting, with a view to informing the non-financial indicators section.

Closer to Home

  • Supported Accommodation for Care Leavers
    • Site visit undertaken with support provider to finalise decoration and furnishing of the location.
    • Proposed three bed provision at another locale has been reviewed and is now unfeasible due to cost. A lessons learnt log will be completed.
  • Family Support Services
    • Family Support development day scheduled for August 28, building on the first event held in March. This will be one of the key milestones for progressing the project and all staff have been invited to attend.
    • Advice and support from Procurement and Commissioning to help scope out phase 2 of this project looking at third sector family support services.
  • Foster Care Recruitment
    • Foster Care Open Evening arranged for 31st August.
    • The summer is traditionally not a a time when people  explore the idea of fostering. We do know, however, that interest peaks again once schools return and we have arranged our next open evening to utilise this opportunity.
    • The open evening is the first face-to-face meeting between the Council and potential carers and it is a challenge of find suitable attractive council accommodation for open evenings and subsequent preparation groups remains.. Independent agencies use attractive and easily accessible hotel-type accommodation which incurs costs.
  • Best Practice in Child Protection Systems
    • Care Inspectorate audit tool and associated guidance training is being delivered to a number of workers across the service including managers, senior workers and front line social workers. This training will take place on July 31st and will allow Children’s Services to progress a routine programme of self -evaluation and quality assurance activity across the service.
  • Procuring for the Future
    • Costs analysis and mapping of spend (and providers) on all contract and spot purchased services has concluded and identified £14.7m for detailed segmentation. 
    • Sustained progress in respect of supported accommodation for care experienced young people in. Formal contract award concluded and contract mobilisation phase fully engaged.
    • Work to review, update and implement extensions to joint working agreements for grant funded family support services has concluded with new contract paper work issued to service providers to sign.
  • Family First Approach
    • Shifting the balance of care and resource forum scrutiny has seen a move in the numbers of children placed within residential settings. The budget savings for Closer to Home for this year has been taken from the budget and current budget projection is £1.6m overspend, a reduction from this period last year.

Closer to Communities

  • Savings of £150K for 2019/20 will be achieved.
  • Staffing reductions of 4 FTE will be achieved.
  • Plans in development for 2020/21.
  • Hackathon exploring co-dependencies with locality planning scheduled for August 14th..
  • Community engagement linked to proposed consultation process for SPR/FCT.
  • Need for a “One Council” approach to community engagement (Doing with, rather than doing to).