Yorkshire & Humber Regional Update - December 2019

The Yorkshire & Humber Regional Update

Work Plan

The 2019 work plan for sector-led improvement is being progressed and monitored. It has a particular emphasis on:

• Addressing key regional priorities including quality and sufficiency of placements

• Customised support for individual LAs with greatest need (front door health checks/every LA a PIP)

• An enhanced role for CXs and lead members through the Children’s Improvement Board

• A slimmed down self-assessment process

• Introduction of quarterly reporting using a web-based platform.

Regional Priorities

There has been a particular emphasis on quality and sufficiency of placements, including increased regional investment in a refreshed regional commissioning framework and a commitment to regular compilation and analysis of sufficiency information.

Quarterly Performance Reporting

The new arrangements are now in place. The report for Q2 was produced in early November. We are utilising ‘Tableau’, a web-based solution which is offering greater reporting flexibility. Further work is being undertaken on inclusion of workforce related indicators around caseload/ vacancies/ agency staff and experience.

Governance

There are new terms of reference for our Children’s Improvement Board with increased expectations of lead members and chief executives, giving it a more assertive role. Membership has been extended to include the LGA and there are further reflections on how best to engage the DfE.

Scrutiny and Challenge

Front door health checks (FDHC) have been introduced in 2019. A business process has been developed and teams comprising of staff with a deep understanding of the front door at various levels have been recruited to undertake the checks. We are aiming to complete six health checks in 2019/20, the first two of these in January 2020.

A business process for children’s mental health (CMH) peer challenge has been updated to ensure JTAI compatibility. This is in the process of being piloted in one LA area and will be evaluated in January 2020.

Our annual self-evaluation process has commenced. All LAs are engaged in completing a slimmed down self-assessment schedule which encompasses an expanded signatures of risk section. A regional event in January will enable each LA to receive peer scrutiny and challenge of their self-assessment.

Lead Member Network

There is an active lead member network which meets bi-monthly. Our most recent meeting was a joint one with lead members from the North East, which both groups agreed will be repeated annually.

Every LA a PIP

DfE funding has enabled us to pilot an approach which provides some financial support for LAs (other than PiPs) that exceed normal expectations in the provision of brokered support to others. The model is based on the premise that all LAs have the potential to provide improvement support to others. Our intention is to wrap a coordinated package of support around one or more LAs, drawing on PiP and other regional support. We have commenced activity with one LA and are in discussions with another. Scoping conversations are being led by PIP DCSs to draw upon their experience of negotiating improvement support to others.

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