1 Introduction

Our proposal is toimprove child protection and safeguarding outcomes for children in Torfaen by developing and implementing a performance evaluation frameworkfor the Torfaen Local Safeguarding Children Board (TLSCB) that is rooted in an Outcomes Based approach. As well as driving local improvements, the grant will also be used to benefit the South East Wales (Gwent) region by building on and refining the work that has already commenced within the South East Wales Inter-agency Child Protection (regional) forum around developing a common data-set for the five Gwent LSCBs. As well as ensuring collaboration with partner agencies such as health, police and education this connection with the regional forum will additionally ensure a wide dissemination of learning. In addition to this, one of the expected outcomes in developing a framework for evaluation would be to forge stronger connections between the TLSCB and the other key strategic partnerships within Torfaen through identifying points of overlap and commonality in evaluating for outcomes, as well as through the sharing of local knowledge and expertise. Torfaen is a Council that is already committed to an outcomes based approach to planning and service delivery and it is our view that our proposal, as set out below, will contribute significantly to this.

The idea for this proposal has been discussed within the regional forum and has the backing of the key members of that group. The proposal has the active support and engagement from members of the TLSCB.

2 Basis for the Proposal

The key driver for this proposal is the Self-Assessment process that was undertaken by Torfaen LSCB in December 2009using the Self-Assessment and Improvement Tool (SAIT) and the action plan arising from this, particularly in respect of dimension five: Improving Safeguarding Outcomes for Children. There was substantial discussion in respect of the 2 standards within this dimension, which fundamentally ask: How do we know we are making a positive difference? There was a recognition that as part of its improvement agenda the TLSCB needed to give serious consideration to ensuring that the activity of the Board actually improves safeguarding and child protection outcomes.

Aligned to this focus on demonstrating improved outcomes the action plan arising from undertaking the SAIT also identified a requirement for TLSCB to:-

  • improve its links with the key strategic partnerships within Torfaen and with the LSB;
  • consult with children and families about safeguarding and their experience of child protection service responses;
  • focus on frontline practice.

The basis for the proposal also draws from the CSSIW Review of TLSCB (published Oct 2009) which highlighted that having successfully managed the transition from ACPC and developed effective partnership arrangements the expectation on the Board is now to forge ahead in the pace and development of its work. Nationally this was reflected in the finding that few LSCBs “were strong drivers for practice” (Pg 11) and that,

“There is … no clear relationship between the effectiveness of the LSCBs and the quality of practice and services in safeguarding and protecting children” (pg 3)

It is our belief that the development of a comprehensive evaluation framework for LSCBs that seeks to assure quality of practice and outcomes through an inter-agency approach to performance management, data collection and analysis will be fundamental to the improvement agenda at both a local and national level.

3. Building on Local Achievements

As already highlighted the idea for this proposal is rooted in the work being undertaken within a task group of the regional child protection forum around developing a common data-set and performance management framework for the five Gwent LSCBs. This builds on the four dimensions suggested by Jan Howarth whereby LSCBs should be demonstrating an impact: Targeting areas that adversely affect children; working together to prevent harm; responding when children suffer abuse or neglect and ensuring that children are growing up in safe circumstances.

The group continues to benefit from the expertise within the regional forum including the active representation on the task group from Police, Health and Social Services, the first two agencies being Gwent wide. The group has achieved ‘sign-up’ from all five boards around the collection and sharing of the data and has reached an initial (though evolving) agreement of what data might be usefully collated. The group is now at the stage of beginning to populate the framework so that initial findings can be shared with the LSCBs before looking towards the next step of interpreting and analysing the information.

The achievements of the task group provides an excellent starting point for the proposal and demonstrates the level of inter-agency commitment and regional collaboration that is already established and can be built on. Of equal significance, however, is the potential for the proposal to overcome some of the difficulties and barriers that prevented this work having been taken forward at a greater pace including:- an increasing recognition of the complexity and scope of the work and a lack of resources including a key individual to manage the processes, partnership working, tasks and thinking involved.

4. The Proposal

To enable the proposal, Torfaen CBC would seek to employ (part-time for 9 months) a suitably qualified and experienced person to lead the project in collaboration with the TLSCB and the regional forum. The key tasks would include:-

  • Leading on the development of a performance evaluation framework for TLSCB using the principles of Outcomes Based Accountability (OBA) as a basis;
  • Leading the task group in the continuing development of the Pan-Gwent common data-set for LSCBs;
  • Contributing to the interpretation of data so that it is analysed for ‘what it actually means for safeguarding’ and supports board members in making decisions about future actions and objectives;
  • Contributing to the building of expertise across the region in regards to how an Outcomes Based approach to evaluation and performance information can drive improvements in safeguarding and protecting children and young people.

It is proposed that the development of the framework would occur around 3 tiers as follows:

Tier 1: Collection of wider population based safeguarding and child protection data and broad base-line information that will assist the TLSCB in the development of strategic priorities. This will draw on OBA as well as the regional work.

Tier 2: Developing ‘outcome indicators’ to measure specific strategic objectives for children within the TLSCB business plan 2010 – 2013 and the methods for ascertaining these (again drawing on ideas from within OBA).

Tier 3: Strengthening the methods for continual and routine monitoring and feedback around child protection and safeguarding matters with the view to ensuring that this remains as outcome based as possible.

One of the key aims in developing the framework would be to achieve an integrated and varied approach to evaluating for outcomes using both quantitative (how much did we do?) and qualitative data (how well did we do it and are children safer as a result?) across the three tiers including:

  • Engagement and Consultation with children, young people and families, particularly those having contact with child protection processes;
  • Engagement and Consultation with services and front-line practitioners;
  • Audit and performance information including S 28 audits.

Findings and Outcomes from evaluation would be integrated into the business planning and reviewing process.

It is anticipated that the project would have a time frame of 12 months outlined as follows:

Months 1 -3
April – June 2010 / Recruitment of project worker, job description and key objectives agreed with partners and the TLSCB. Development of a steering group.
Months 4 – 5
July – Aug 2010 / Scoping out what is required; drafting an outcomes based evaluation framework and developing range of evaluation methods; setting objectives and particular areas of focus; developing links with other strategic partners and the regional forum; working with the pan-Gwent data set around compiling and refining data to inform strategic objectives.
Months 6 –9
Sept – Dec 2010 / Implementing the framework with a prime focus on tier 2 (ie evaluating for specific outcomes within the TLSCB business plan). Refining the framework.
Months 10–12
Jan – April 2011 / Focus on mechanisms for sharing learning and reporting on issues / findings / what worked - write report, organise and host conference (for example). Making recommendations for how the work can be sustained and what next steps should be for TLSCB and regionally.

Proposed Budget:

Employment and support costs – ₤22,000

Dissemination of Learning - ₤8,000

5. Partnership and Collaboration

As discussed this would include:

  • Support and engagement with all members of the TLSCB
  • Collaboration across the five LSCBs and within the regional forum;
  • Local Health Board, NPHS Wales, Welsh Ambulance Service, Police, Social Services and Education represented on forum and are already committed to developing a performance management framework for local LSCBs;
  • Collaboration with other local strategic partnerships within Torfaen through communication and sharing; recognizing joint areas of focus and the potential for jointly evaluating outcomes across partnerships e.g. around substance misuse.
  • Collaboration with the SSIA and CCSIW in respect of linking with developments across other areas and in the dissemination of learning.

6. Anticipated outcomes

Measuring the overall effectiveness of the Board is a long term goal that would extend beyond the 12 months of the initial project. However, to have identified some key indicators for demonstrating effectiveness and how these will be measuredis an anticipated outcome within the timeframe.Within the 12 months, some interim measures will be identified thatwill actively demonstrate the Board’s progress towards the longer-term indicators.By the end 12 months the project will be able to offer an experiential (work in progress) account as to how useful an OBA approach is for demonstrating and improving safeguarding outcomes.

Other anticipated outcomes include:

  • An outcomes based performance evaluation frameworkis developed and implemented in practice, which can drive improvements in safeguarding and child protection and be shared with other Boards.
  • That the LSCB is able to demonstratesome interim measures of effectiveness.
  • That the LSCB increases and develops its consultation and engagement with children, young people, parents and with front-line practitioners.
  • That the framework is such that it embeds within the business planning process and is transmittable across plans and across specific objectives.
  • TLSCB members have increased knowledge and understanding of evaluating for outcomes and in the use of an outcomes based approach to setting strategic and business objectives.
  • Expertise is developed within the regional forum.
  • Learning and good practice outcomes to be shared across Wales.