Programme methodology and scope The programme was conducted through three key phases:
In the context of the Families First reforms; of the policy direction of shifting services to be more preventative; and of the wider, existing evidence base on the benefits of a child growing up in the care of their family network, this work specifically seeks to understand the whole system opportunities to make ‘shifts’ that: • Support more of the families that could benefit from early support, more effectively, as needs emerge, so that fewer children need to be taken in to care (secondary prevention). • Support the families of children in care so that more children positively exit the care system back to their family or family network (tertiary prevention). These objectives have been met by building an evidence-based understanding of the patterns in the journeys of children who have been in care. These journeys and patterns have then been analysed to identify high priority ‘system shifts’ which have the greatest chance of promoting the preventative outcomes referenced. The potential quantified impact of making these shifts on children and public sector resources and finances has subsequently been modelled. Although this work has focussed on those children who enter the care system, this is a small group relative to the large number of families supported to stay together by the existing multi-agency children’s services system. More than 99% of children live with their families. Even when narrowing the focus to consider the 90,000 children who begin a statutory social care plan in county and CCN unitary member authorities each year, 94% of them remain with their family xiii . As a result, this programme’s findings are distinct recommendations within a much wider system – one that is already anchored in prevention but with a policy aspiration, shared by many across the system, to move even further in that direction.
Prevention begins with connection: when communities and services work together, families thrive and fewer children are taken by the system.” Care experienced young person Engagement conducted through this programme suggests that there is widespread agreement across the sector that the whole system of support is already one of ‘prevention by design’ and that further progress in this area would be beneficial. However, there is less clarity and agreement about the priorities on which to focus , to make this happen. This report therefore provides sector leaders with an evidence base to help them prioritise their efforts and resources toward the changes most likely to reduce the number of children entering care. To achieve this aim, the programme has deliberately taken an ambitious, challenging perspective and has identified priorities which will consequently require fundamental shifts across the wider children’s social care ‘ecosystem’ as a whole, not just within local authorities.
• Individual practitioner reviews of a further 280+ children’s case notes to identify needs and support. • Additional data analysis to further build on the findings from the data phase. • Drawing on insight from previous Newton programmes with local authorities across England. 3. Testing phase to verify the conclusions from the previous phases; contextualise with perspectives from across the sector; and identify existing good practice. This comprised: • Engagement with more than 40 senior local authority officers and elected members through multiple round table discussions. • Extensive engagement with care experienced young people undertaken in conjunction with Coram Voice (a leading children’s rights organisation). This has been invaluable for helping to contextualise and test the programme’s findings and recommendations with individuals’ real-life experiences.
1. Data phase to create a foundation of objective data analysis to inform further detailed evidence gathering. This comprised analysis of data returns from nine local authorities to understand demand and spend, and cohorts of children. It was also used to establish lines of enquiry for deep dives xiv . 2. Deep dive phase with five local authorities to determine the type and scale of opportunities to improve outcomes for children, and the system changes needed. This comprised: • Understanding the views of children, young people, and their wider family through engaging care experienced young people. Existing intelligence gathered by the lived experience networks within participating local authorities was also drawn upon. • Facilitating local practitioners to complete multi-agency case reviews of 100+ children who had been in care to understand the system-wide opportunities to support those families differently.
24
25
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs