Appendix to Supporting People 5 Year Strategy

Borough of Poole

Supporting People

5 Year Strategy

2005-2010

Supporting People Commissioning Body

Signatories to this Supporting People 5 Year Commissioning Strategy

Contents

Part C

Commissioning Strategy

Part D

Value for Money

Part E

Part F

Needs & Supply Analysis of Housing Related Support Services

Inherited Services

Part G

Part H

5 Year Strategy Development Summary

Part I

Risk Management

Part J

Glossary Of Terms

Appendices

The Supporting People 5 Year Strategy

For Poole

As part of the Supporting People programme local authorities are required to publish a five-year Supporting People Strategy, the document is to be submitted to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) in March 2005. The purpose of this Strategy is to set out how the programme is being realised and embraced locally & what direction will be taken in order to ensure that all Supporting People funded services are strategically relevant, diverse and inclusive, good quality & value for money. This 5 Year Strategy should be seen as the Supporting People position statement identifying, the local vision for Supporting People, what the current situation is with regard to the supply of housing related support services in the Borough (refer to appendix 1, a definition of housing related support eligible tasks), and priorities for ensuring that the programme is meeting local, regional and national objectives. This strategy is a working document and as such will be annually within the business planning process.

This 5 Year Strategy builds on and is a review of the developments as highlighted in the previous Shadow Strategy. This document also takes account of & encompasses strategy guidance & information documents “Focus on the future” & “The Essential Guide to Developing The 5 Year Supporting People Strategy”. Service user group terminology and definitions have been determined by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

This strategy has been developed on the basis that there will be no increase in Poole’s Supporting People Programme 2005/6 grant of £5,166,505. The assumption is that, Poole will receive further cuts in funding from the ODPM in both 2006/7 and 2007/8 (refer to appendix 2, Forecast Spend vs Grant Allocation) Commissioning decisions will be subject to the financial constraints of the Poole Supporting People budget, but we will work in partnership with key stakeholders to ensure the maximisation of funding streams for the delivery of services is obtained.

Executive Management Summary

The Supporting People Programme and the 5 Year Supporting People Strategy are supported and owned by the Commissioning Body and its constituent partners, the Borough of Poole, Dorset & Poole Primary Care Trust. This strategy reflects local priorities and builds on the solid foundations already forged within the local Supporting People Programme. The vision has been developed in consultation with key stakeholders and in agreement with the Commissioning Body and is intended to reflect what we feel is the aim of the programme locally . The vision has been widely approved as:

To maintain & jointly commission, with our partners, housing related support services that are diverse, effective, good quality, flexible & engaging to people needing support in order to maintain or increase their life opportunities.

The Commissioning Body has agreed that over the next 5 years, we need to change some services to ensure that they are meeting the needs of people needing support to remain independent. In achieving this, the following priorities have been agreed by the Commissioning Body as the following:

• Review Service Provision for homeless people

For many young people needing high levels of housing related support, currently funded supported accommodation cannot normally be accessed. Referring agencies regularly contact the Supporting People Team to discuss their frustration at not being able to place young people with high levels of support need. The majority of units for homeless people are provided by one provider located in the town centre. It is clear that the accommodation is well utilised by people at risk of, or being homeless however we need to consider and research further whether the accommodation is needed by people needing support and if it is meeting the needs of referring agencies. Supporting People and key stakeholders need to address the whole issue of Supporting People services to homeless people especially in light of the emerging need for accommodation for marginalised young people.

• Increase supporting people services for marginalised young people

For many young people, there is a need for services that provide high levels of support on a very individual basis. Some marginalised young people could have a history of criminal activity, behavioural problems, drug and alcohol issues or mental health problems.

• Facilitate Joint Commissioning

The Borough recognises that there are options for joint commissioning of services with our partners. We have a ‘Home from Hospital’ and a ‘Rapid Response’ scheme of which Supporting People needs to forge links and consider providing funding to cover some aspects of these services. This should facilitate speedier discharges from hospital and reduce admissions to hospital.

• Ensure value for money in learning disability services

Through the review process, contract negotiation and by becoming involved with the financial planning of Adult Social Services, we plan to reduce the overall cost of support services in this area whilst maintaining and improving the quality of service provision.

• Review current supporting people services for people with drug and/or alcohol problems

At present supporting people funds nine units of accommodation. Understanding the substance misuse statistics locally would suggest the we have insufficient supporting people services and therefore we need to ensure that the services we have are strategically relevant, demonstrating good outcomes for people and that they represent good value for money. The Borough should also consider its need for supported accommodation for people in drug/alcohol rehabilitation programmes.

• Review current supporting people provision to older people

We believe that the needs and aspirations of older people are changing and supporting people needs to research the need for its current and future support services. A particular feature of the research will be on the need for rented sheltered housing. We will also work with housing, social services and health to investigate how, through joint commissioning of services, we can meet the holistic needs of older people and people with chronic illnesses.

• Research the support needs of black and ethnic minorities

To date, information in regard to the needs of black and ethnic minorities has been ‘patchy’. Supporting people needs to understand how better we could reach these groups and if needed, provide socially inclusive support services.

• Facilitate move on accommodation

Affordable, good quality housing is in short supply locally and because of this many people no longer requiring supported accommodation are unable to move on into independent living. This impacts on the ability of support providers to accept new referrals to their service. With our partners in housing, we need to ensure that people no longer needing supported housing have access to affordable good quality move on accommodation.

Part B - Supporting People in Poole

The Local Context

The Supporting People programme complements, and needs to be viewed within the context of Poole’s ‘Community Strategy’. The vision for the Community Strategy considers the future of Poole in three ways, as a place, as a community, and that is forward looking. Supporting People links with specific aims under each of these headings.

Poole…..as a place

• that has homes to suit the means and hopes of all
• that is enjoyable to live in
• that is safe and secure

Supporting People complements the Housing Strategy 2002/5 in it’s endeavours to ‘enable all households in Poole to live in decent, warm, affordable homes within safe communities’. The housing strategy focuses on 5 core themes more homes, better homes, more choice, better services & empowerment.

Poole….as a community

• a place where community spirit is high
• a community where all have equal access to learning & leisure
• a community where all respect diversity & care for one another
• a community where people are offered help to enjoy healthy & independent lives
• a community where we all know where to get help & advice

Supporting People promotes, through it’s joint working with partnership agencies & service review process, a culture of respect for people of all walks of life regardless of status, age, race, sex or health. It enables people to maximise and maintain their independence and compliments the objectives of the local Health Improvement Programme. It also helps to ensure that people needing a support service know where to get further help and advice.

Poole….that is forward looking

• where young people have the best start in life and help to shape a positive future
• where all may learn and develop skills
• where inequalities are tackled and opportunities are open to all

Supporting People is committed to ensuring that housing related support services target & meet the needs of young people needing a support service. We are also committed to supporting families with children who are living in difficult circumstances, for example, in domestic violence situations. Supporting People encourages and supports people to develop their skills as well as linking people into appropriate education facilities. Supporting People is having a positive impact into tackling inequality within Poole and offer opportunities to some people not able to access other community care services.

The Vision

The vision for Poole's Supporting People 5 Year Strategy was drawn up following consultation both at the Housing and Housing Related Consultation Day and use of the Poole Supporting People newsletter. The vision statement was proposed by the Commissioning Body following the feedback gathered at the above event. The vision received widespread approval, by people receiving a support service, support providers & stakeholders. Stakeholders were also asked to considered key priorities for the programme in Poole and the local values of supporting people, the feedback of which has been fed into this document.

The vision statement has been widely approved as:

To maintain & jointly commission, with our partners, housing related support services that are diverse, effective, good quality, flexible & engaging to people needing support in order to maintain or increase their life opportunities.

Supporting People Values

At the Housing & Housing Related Support Consultation Event in November 2004 delegates including voting members of the Commissioning Body, were asked for their views on what they felt the Supporting People programme in Poole should convey. From the event we established 4 basic principles Consultation and inclusion, choice, planning, and quality of service provision. These values were conveyed in the Supporting People Shadow Strategy however delegates thought that the meaning of them had changed and therefore the values and the context in which they should be seen should be undated in this document.

• Consulting and Including People

Supporting People needs to consult and include all key partnership agencies in its business & planning processes. The benefits of this are wide ranging including more joint & effective planning, joined up ways of working, ensuring that services are not funded more than once & ensuring that all agencies are working towards an agreed common aim. It is vital that Supporting People establishes links with service users from all organisations involved and that the views of service users are taken into account in the every day working practices & decision making processes of the Supporting People Programme. Supporting People is an inclusive programme & as such should aim to correctly identify and provide for the needs of people from black and minority ethnic populations who can be marginalised within our community. Supporting People should allow for person centred planning and flexibility of services to reflect individuals needs and wishes.

• Giving Choice

The recent needs mapping exercise has identified gaps in services. However it is important that needs mapping is updated on a regular basis in order to capture changes in need. It should also be recognised that needs mapping by way of questionnaires etc is only one way of capturing need & that Supporting People and it’s key partnership agencies should consider additional methods of gathering information. Supporting People should also work with Bournemouth, Dorset and Somerset to ensure that access to Supporting People Services is not restricted unfairly by cross authority boundaries. Supporting People needs to continue to encourage holistic approaches to meeting diverse needs. It should create more choice for people, allowing for flexibility of individual needs. Supporting People needs to work with its partnership agencies in order to facilitate a greater range of move-on accommodation from supported housing.

• Ensuring Positive Outcomes

Supporting People is an inspiring programme designed to help people maintain and maximise their independence. Through the review process, monitoring of data & consultation, Supporting People needs to ensure that services are effective, responsive, flexible and able to evidence positive outcomes for people needing a support service. Where services appear to be in-effective Supporting People should work with its key partnership agencies, including providers, in an attempt to address issues thereby improving the chances of a positive outcome for service users. There is also a recognition that housing related support services, as well as demonstrating positive outcomes, should also be needs led rather than service led.

• Ensuring Quality of Services

Supporting People is the body responsible for ensuring high quality of housing related support. It is essential that Supporting People not only ensures quality but maintains standards whilst striving for excellence in its provision of housing related support. The provision of high quality support services is key to the programmes success & indeed to the outcomes for people receiving a support service. Supporting People should also recognise that effective high quality services cannot be achieved without the revenue to employ capable, competent professional support staff and therefore quality and value for money go hand in hand. There is also a recognition that assessment of quality differs around the country and that we should liaise with other Supporting People Teams to ensure that we are working in unison and that where information can be shared, this should happen. In this way it is hoped that the burden and bureaucratic nature of regulation, felt by some providers will be eased but quality of service provision maintained. We recognise it is essential to work in Partnership with other Commissioning and Provider organisations, and have established extensive networks and attend joint meetings in order to do this. This Strategy is jointly owned, and reflects the emphasis put on partnership working. (See Strategic Links Table).

Borough of Poole Values

Supporting People should also be viewed in the context of the Borough’s shared vision ‘Poole is a town of opportunity of which we are proud. We will tackle its problems, shape its development and maintain its beauty for this and future generations’. Demonstrating the corporate commitment to improvement is echoed in the mission statement ‘Striving for Excellence’

Supporting People is committed to ensuring ‘excellence’ in Supporting People services. We believe that, by providing support to those most in need, Supporting People will help to tackle problems therefore shaping & developing our community for all people to enjoy

The Borough has set its current priorities in the following areas:

• Supporting Young People-the best possible start in life
• Vibrant economy-balanced, strong & sustainable
• Clean, green & safe-making a difference to our environment
• Strong sense of community-encouraging togetherness & shared action
• Health & wellbeing-helping people keep fit & active

Supporting People is committed to working with colleagues in Children’s services, Education and Health in order to understand & plan for change in the needs of tomorrow’s ‘young’ adults. We will work with our partnership agencies to ensure that the health & wellbeing of people needing a support service is maintained. Supporting People firmly believes that people needing a support service should have access to housing & community resources that are provided in a safe environment.

National Probation Service Statement of Values