West London Children’s Efficiency ProgrammeLAC & Care Leavers Overview

Why we need to work together• Coalition Government Deficit Reduction Programme• Impact of Comprehensive Spending Review (October

2010 and June 2013) – Local Government worst hit AGAIN!

• Consequences – Councils continue to face high reductions in budgets

• Statutory duty to ensure sufficiency of local placements for children in care – Likely to be strengthen in coming months following the outcome of a DfE consultation that is currently running

• Can’t achieve it without working together – West London Alliance

What is the West London Alliance• An informal partnership comprising at its core Barnet, Brent,

Ealing, Harrow, Hillingdon and Hounslow• Hammersmith & Fulham, Westminster and Kensington &

Chelsea are partners in some programmes• Clear governance: Leaders and Chief Executives set strategy

and policy• Lead Chief Executive and Financial Director for each main

efficiency and improvement programme• Funding by contributions by boroughs and from grants

awarded• Monthly Directors of Children’s Services Board provides

direction and accountability. • LAC Commissioning Managers Board is responsible for delivery

against priorities

Children’s Services• Areas of focus:

• Special Educational Needs (SEN) - £50m pa• Looked After Children & Care Leavers (LAC):

• £70m pa external spend on placements • £25 pa million internal spend on placements• £95 million on placements for looked after children and care

leavers• March 2012 - WL Councils looked after 2338 children in care - 3.8% of

the total children in care population for England and Wales.• Data sharing across West London showed boroughs are being charged

different prices for the same care by the same providers • By working together we can obtain that care more efficiently without

impacting on quality• Understanding how we buy and how we work with the market can

unlock innovation and create opportunities to achieve more than working alone

Vision

‘To increase the quality and value for money boroughs achieve from the Children’s private

and voluntary sector by working together’

DCS Programme Board

Assistant Director’s Group

LAC Commissioning Managers Group

IFA Project Group

Residential Development

LAC/Care LeaversCommissioningStrategy

Parent & ChildAssessment

SemiIndependent Provision

Looked After Children in West London

2009/10

2010/11

2011/12

Tot

al N

umbe

rs o

f LA

C e

xclu

ding

Sho

rt B

reak

Pla

cem

ents

2200 2250 2300 2350 2400 2450 2500 2550

WLA

WLA

WLA

Total Numbers of LAC excluding Short Break Placements

2009/10 25212010/11 23882011/12 2338

WLA LAC Forecast for next 5 years

Children’s Efficiency Programme

LAC & Care Leavers

Categories:Fostering

ResidentialP&C Assessment

Care LeaversBusiness Plan

Benefit’s Realisation

Market Intelligence:Placement Data (CarePlace??)Provider Capacity/Capability

Provider Bus Dev Plans

Commissioning Strategy:Short/Medium/Long Term

Current/Future Needs (demand)Links to Internal Services

Local/National Policy

Market Engagement:Forums

Co-ProductionCommercial Negotiation/Development

Contract/Performance Management

Residential Development

Block Contract

Contract/ Performance Management (Block/Spot)

Local Spot Development

Commercial Negotiation with

Spot Providers

Joint Funded Placements

(SEN/Health)

Procurement Vehicle (Spot Purchasing)

Internal Cost/Supply Residential

Semi Independence

Select List (Spot Purchasing)

Local Spot Development Ceiling

Rates/Cap

Supported Lodgings Staying Put

(Link to Fostering)

Housing Benefit

Housing Supply

StandardT&C’s and Spec

Commercial Negotiations with

Spot Providers

Performance/ Contract Management

(Select List/Block/Spot)

Semi Block Contract (SP Framework)

Internal Cost/Supply of

Semi

Fostering

Call-Off Blocks of Service

(Framework)

Internal Cost/Supply of

Fostering

Alternative Models of Delivery

(SE/Mutual)

Staying Put(Link to Semi)

Sub-Regional Recruitment

Opportunities

Commercial Negotiation with

Spots

IFA Framework

Local IFA Capacity Development

Performance/Contract

Management(Framework)