Pathways to ProspectsWork Focussed Services in Redcar and Cleveland (Child Poverty Pilot)

Pathways to Prospects defined

• A joint pilot between Jobcentre Plus and Children’s Centres from January 2009 to March 2011, that provided:

A full time Jobcentre Plus Advisor based within one Children’s Centre in each locality

An enhanced package of support around training and employment

• Redcar and Cleveland were 1 of only 10 local authorities to be successful in bidding for the pilot

Aim of the project

• To reduce child poverty by engaging parents in labour market related activity in order to move them closer to employment

• Successful integration of Jobcentre Plus Advisors into Children’s Centres

• The target audience was parents of children under 5 living in workless households and parents in coupled relationships where only one parent was working

Background to the Bid

• Established history of positive joint working with Jobcentre Plus

• Excellent working relationships with other partners

• Established Children’s Centre volunteer programme

• Children’s Centre Assistant model

Relevance of the pilot for Redcar and Cleveland

• In 2007 Redcar & Cleveland ranked 50 out of 354 Local Authorities on the multiple deprivation index.

Grangetown Pilot

Children in families reliant on workless benefits

58%East Cleveland Pilot

Children in families reliant on workless

benefits 37%

Redcar Pilot

Children in families reliant on workless benefits 38%

Key Activities

• Engagement and confidence building activities

• Provision of a broad range of training both accredited and non accredited to develop work based skills and encourage aspiration

• Volunteering opportunities• Employment support• Financial support

• CRB clearances

• IT !

Challenges

Key Outcomes

• 708 parents engaged in the pilot across 3 children’s centres

• 621 parents accessed both accredited and non accredited training

• 227 parents achieved vocational qualifications

• 205 parents started work• 188 parents engaged in volunteering activity• 9 parents into self employment

Key Outcomes continued

• Effective engagement of the Jobcentre Plus target group

• Access to partners of claimants – previously not accessed by Jobcentre Plus

• Take up of service by those at threat of redundancy

• Qualitative evidence of increased confidence and aspiration of parents/carers

• Sustained attendance on training courses and course progression

Critical success factors

• Communication• Shared commitment and vision• Effective use of positive relationships established with

Parents/Children’s Centre team • Recognition of individual parent’s needs (a journey)• Holistic approach• Collaborative partnership working with broad range of agencies

eg training and employment providers, LEGI, CAB, Credit Unions, Voluntary sector

• Integrated service delivery• (Very) Flexible attitudes of Jobcentre Plus Advisors and partners• Designated member of Children’s Centre staff to support

Jobcentre Plus Advisor

• Additional knowledge and skills of both Jobcentre Plus staff and Children’s Centre staff

• Significant aspirational shift of parents towards employment

• Integrated service delivery

Key Learning

• Jobcentre Plus Advisors in Children’s Centres extended to March 2012 but with new remit

• Continuation of Children’s Centre support – development of Training and Employment Champion role

• Promotion of Money Tree Credit Union• Illegal Money Lending – staff awareness and

support for families• Fuel poverty workshops for staff• Financial workshops for families

Beyond Pathways

• Continue to build on the good practice developed through the Pathways pilot

• Locally the Wise Group has secured the Department for Work and Pensions contract to provide training and employment support to families with multiple problems.

• “Family Wise” is based on the successful Pathways to Prospects model and will have Family Coaches co located within Children’s Centres alongside Family Support teams

• Work collectively to implement the Child Poverty strategy for Redcar and Cleveland

Looking Forward

• The reduction of Child Poverty is a collective responsibility.

• Individually the efforts of any one agency can only provide a drop in the ocean

• However, together, they contribute to an ocean

Collaborative partnerships are key to reducing child poverty

Work-Focused Services in Children’s Centres Pilot: Final Report

Rachel Marangozov and Helen Stevens

http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd5/rrs-index.asp

A report of research carried out by the Institute for Employment Studies on behalf of the

Department for Work and Pensions