Better results, better value:commissioning for outcomes

A Provider’s Perspective

Paul RileyExecutive Director, Strategic Developments & Partnerships

• Founded in 1994 by social worker Jim Cockburn and foster carer Jan Rees

• Now operating across full spectrum of children’s social care delivery in over 10 countries

• Mission-driven: making a positive and lasting difference for children, families and communities

About Core Assets

Birmingham Children in Care Social Impact Bond

Birmingham City Council found that:

• 20% of its 180 children’s home placements were not appropriate

• Total cost of this was £2-3m p.a.

Aim of the Birmingham SIB:

• To transition up to 80 young people in residential care into intensive therapeutic foster care.

Birmingham SIB: Procurement & contract

Birmingham City Council:

• Defined outcome – 52 weeks placement stability in foster care

• Commissioned on a ‘black box’ basis

• Used the ‘competitive dialogue’ process

• Single point contract

Provider perspective:

• Flexibility in choice of interventions

• Able to explore risk allocation and risk costing

• Up to provider to find social investment partner(s)

• Reasonable contract horizon – 4 + 2 years

Residential to foster care evidence based intervention

Attachment based - Carers asprimary agent of change trainingand support.

Systemic - multi-disciplinary teamas a supportive scaffolding aroundthe YP and carer.

Thinking team can manage stressand contain risk, generate solutionsas different professions havedifferent things to offer.

Care experienced mentors engagewith YP right at start of process andthroughout.

Birmingham SIB: Engagement with education

Improved school attendance.

No exclusions since moves to foster care.

Mixed improvement in attitude to school.

Birmingham SIB: What the young people think

• Seeing an increase in positive activities (e.g. joining a hockey team; attending youth clubs; volunteering at a food bank)

“I feel safe, supported and happy.”

“It feels like home.”

Birmingham SIB: Reflection on the first year

• Healthy mix of evidence based interventions, innovation and flexibility

• Bridges Ventures relationship has brought not just social investment but operational support and useful discipline

• Nature and duration of contract giving ability to plan for the long term

• Outcomes improving for the significant majority of young people on the scheme.

• Birmingham City Council already achieved net cashable savings of £150k

• Lots of positive problem solving!