Effectiveness of children's services planning guidance: consultation analysis

Encouraging Inter-agency Collaboration

The third part of the consultation explored the role of the guidance in supporting, enhancing and strengthening inter-agency collaboration.

Q4. Do you agree that the guidance supports, enhances and strengthens inter-agency collaboration?

	Number	Percentage
Yes	27	56%
No	9	19%
No response	12	25%
Total	48	100%

Over half of respondents (56%) agreed that the guidance supports, enhances and strengthens inter-agency collaboration. One in five did not (19%) and the remainder gave no response (25%).

Reducing Variable Practice

The importance of multi-agency working is highlighted throughout the document, but one of the main concerns raised was that, while the guidance should, in principle, support inter-agency working, there was sporadic compliance around the country with differing levels of support and input to the process among partners in different localities.

While some areas already have good inter-agency working arrangements, others do not, it was suggested and this impacts on how well the guidance is being implemented. Cited features of 'what works' included strong leadership in local inter-agency relationships, effective communications (including all partners reading relevant reports), nurturing and building up relationships over time, active understanding of different partners' roles, awareness of specific challenges being faced by different partners and a shared set of values to underpin the working relationships.

There was suggestion among a small number that funding decisions (including budget allocations to local authorities by the Scottish Government) may be negatively impacting on working relationships in some areas as they come too late to allow local services to plan together with confidence. The guidance could usefully reiterate priorities for spend, it was suggested:

"Reductions in core budgets inevitably have an impact on how services are delivered and how plans are implemented…This can often lead to a trade-off between providing services which are aimed at prevention and those which are identified as being a priority for the Scottish Government…The guidance should emphasise that local decision making - and the funding to support this - should be focused on preventing poor outcomes for children and young people."

Encouraging Shared Ownership

Respondents were also asked how, if at all, the guidance could be enhanced to emphasise the importance of multi/inter-agency integrated collaboration in the preparation of Plans and the delivery of services. One of the main suggestions was reinforcing the message of 'shared ownership' which was, again, seen to be variable around the country at present:

"The degree to which Plans represent shared ownership and vision between agencies is variable, it is unclear to what extent these Plans represent the priorities and agendas of the range of agencies working with and for children within the localities."

Small changes to the wording and presentation of the guidance could also be made which emphasise the importance of inter-agency collaboration and shared ownership of Plans, it was suggested:

"By making it clear at the outset that the Children's Services Plan is the joint responsibility of the local authority and the relevant health board, the guidance may inadvertently signalling to others that their contribution and/or responsibility to contribute is lessened. We would seek a change in emphasis which stresses the value of planning on a truly multi-agency basis…We would welcome guidance which reflects more clearly the benefit of extending the planning group beyond those two statutory agencies."

One organisation suggested the production of a framework document to help stress the importance of inter-agency collaboration in the preparation of the Plan and in service delivery:

"A framework document could indicate what kind of time commitment is required for this planning work, so that [organisation] staff can dedicate time and give advanced thinking to the work. It could indicate what a local authority should be recording and against what kind of timescales. Statistics on their own are not always useful - the framework could indicate what statistics can be used for and also how they could be used… this kind of approach could minimise input and maximise effect for our managerial staff - but also for staff across the local authority involved in the development of the Children's Services Plan."

Similarly, organisations of different types suggested that the guidance could be enhanced by agreeing a suite of national indicators that all partners could work towards across agencies.

Third Sector Involvement

Providing greater clarity about the role of the third sector was seen as particularly important by a large number of respondents. The nature and level of involvement of third sector partners in developing Plans was seen as particularly inconsistent around the country:

"Although in some cases the specific and additional work provided by third sector or other agencies is included within the Children's Plans, this is not consistent across the local authorities. In contrast, in some Plans the focus is very much on what can be provided by statutory services. This may be as a result of different procurement timescales or commitments but in those cases, this does leave the Plan looking incomplete which is problematic in terms of being able to measure outcomes as a result of the aims or ambitions of a Plan but also by definition keeps those other agencies at arms-length and discourages buy-in. If all of the agencies involved in the aims and intentions of the Plan were involved from the start, and were fully consulted in the preparation, this may encourage greater investment on their part in ensuring the Plan was fully achievable and subsequently achieved."

"The role of the third sector as a partner in strategic development could be re-enforced to ensure effective use is made of the knowledge and experience that this sector can bring in supporting families through generic and specialist service provision."

"While we recognise the importance of allowing flexibility so the planning partners may shape their own approach in reference to their local context, it would be helpful to provide greater clarity about the role of the third sector, including the Third Sector Interface (TSI). Local Third Sector Interfaces play a valuable role in the broader consultation and planning process, mediating or coordinating responses from across the third sector. The guidance should also explicitly advise local authorities and relevant health boards to consider how they can support and resource TSIs to do this effectively."

Involving the third sector and community representatives as active and equal members of planning groups could be further encouraged, it was felt (beyond including them only in consultation). Although third sector contribution is already highlighted and there is a clear message about collaborative work in the existing guidance, this should also be monitored to ensure that it happens in practice, it was suggested. This should include better signposting to local Third Sector Interfaces (TSIs)^[7] and more consideration of how TSIs can be supported and funded to work with planning groups.

Other Suggestions for Enhancing the Guidance

Other suggestions to emphasise the importance of inter-agency collaboration in the preparation of Plans and the delivery of services included:

• offering examples of good practice of collaborative working;
• including a general list of potential partners to be involved in the process (e.g. a 'national directory');
• ensuring better communication between strategic decision makers and communities;
• making roles and remits of different partners even more explicit (especially the role of Corporate Parents, including their accountability);
• suggesting ways for inter-agency groups to self-evaluate their planning;
• clearer guidelines on transitions processes from child to adult services (including communication between partners working in both areas); and
• recording/minuting discussions or decisions which inform the final Plan to ensure transparency/auditability and to protect against individual agencies introducing bias.

Several respondents also commented that the guidance should cross-reference other advice/policy in relation to inter-agency working in children's services planning, including making reference to the Children's Charter, Framework for Standards, the National Guidance for Child Protection, Common Core and policies covering child poverty, addressing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), closing the attainment gap, Health and Social Care Plans, etc. It should also link to the Fairer Scotland Duty. The refreshed guidance should highlight the advantages of connecting each of these to achieve a greater impact collectively, it was suggested.

It was also posited that stronger alignment of national policy would better support co-ordination of strategic planning at the national, regional, and local level.

Overall, comments seem to indicate that while the content of the guidance does support inter-agency collaboration, adherence is variable. This could potentially be improved by closer monitoring/evaluation and reinforcing the importance of inter-agency collaboration within the document:

"The guidance has the potential to enhance and strengthen inter-agency collaboration but it is essential that adequate monitoring and evaluation is implemented in order to ensure effective collaboration and delivery."

"The guidance should highlight the effectiveness of collaborative working and how it can create a pathway for children that meet all of their needs, rather than delivering an assortment of services that does not meet needs or provide the interventions required to ensure better outcomes for children."