VCS Engage Action Plan The Journey so far…..

Matt Buttery,

Family Matters Institute

Journey so far…..

• Where we’ve come from

• Development of the Action Plan

• Progress we’ve made so far..

• Are we there yet? / What’s next..

ECM : Children’s Services Reform• Radical improvement in

opportunities and outcomes for children

• Whole-system reform of the delivery of children’s services

• Build services around the child, young person and family

• Support parents and carers

• Develop the workforce, changing culture and practice

• Integrate services across the age range 0-19, with positive role for ‘third sector’ in strategic planning, commissioning and delivery of services

Building Brighter Futures, 2007

“Children's Trust to have in place by 2010 consistent high quality

arrangements to provide identification and early intervention for all children and young people who need additional help…These

arrangements will be delivered through effective commissioning of services, including through private, voluntary and third sector providers,

not by an old style command and control approach.”

Chapter 7 “Making it happen”

Partnership in Public Services Action Plan

“The third sector’s strength is its ability to do things differently and put an individual’s needs at the

heart of things. We want to ensure that what the sector has to offer is

an integral part of our aim to transform public service delivery.”

Phil Hope MP, Minister for the Third Sector

PSAP One Year On. Dec, 2007

Herts & VCS Engage

What is ‘engagement’?– More than communication or involvement– Long term partnership– Co-designing and planning– Transparent commissioning and delivery structures– Democratic and sustainable– Clear lines of accountability

VCS Engage Programme •Improving the capacity of the VCS to engage with Children’s Trusts, and •Increasing their ability to deliver services on behalf of strategic partners.

The VCS Engage Action Plan:

How it was produced…• Built on existing activities at County & District Level

across the Partnership• Joint away day 28th February 2008. Self Evaluation

Toolkit to gauge & review level of engagement with VCS, across :

• Governance• Strategy• Processes• Frontline Delivery

• Development of draft 3 year action plan, circulated to delegates and wider VCS for comment.

Radar Plot Showing Average Answers from HCTP Leads & Away Day Delegates

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Representation

Diversity

Shared Values

Resource Allocation

CYP Plan

LSCB

Workforce Development

CAF

Information SharingAsset Management

Communications

QA & Performance Management

Participation of CYPF

Encouraging VCS Service Delivery

Sustainability

Role in Locality Working

Integrated Outcomes for C, YP & F

Delegate Avg

HCTP Draft

Key areas for development

• Communication

• LSCB Representation

• Diversity of Voices

• Resource Allocation

• QA & Performance Management

• Asset Management

Progress ….• Strengthening VCS representation on the Local Safeguarding

Children’s Board • DCTP stakeholder group pilots in Stevenage, Broxbourne and

East Herts• Direct representation of the youth sector at County & District

levels through Pro-Action• Increasing funding in Prevention 513 commissioning process,

(62% overall funds commissioning VCS compared to 42% cent through the Children's Fund).

• Acknowledging the need to develop a communications strategy; Children’s Partnership News Articles early outputs

• HCTP/VCS Joint Induction Day Pilot • Establishment of a HCTP VCS Strategy Group….

Are we there yet? (Oct 2008)

• VCS considers itself least influential.

• Positive about participation.

• Key themes :

1. Purpose of engagement

2. Ways of working

3. Valuing the sector

What’s next?

• Development and review of the VCS Engage Action Plan :– VCS Stakeholder Events– VCS Strategy Group & Small Group– HCTP Strategic Partnerships Manager post– Representation at HCTP & DCTP– Development of a communications strategy

• Clear Expectations study :– http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=Z_2bsm7Zo

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