Options for the Children’s Services Directory Presented to the ISA Steering Group on 10 th March 2009 Russell Smith, Alison Gradwell and Steven Wheeler

Running Order The current Children’s Service Directory (CSD) Changes to the requirements and the timescales Description of the options available Comparison of the Options Conclusions

Current Arrangements The Children’s Services Directory (CSD) is currently: –Updated using the Integrated Children's Information Service (ICHIS) system –Managed by Early Years service and the Policy Unit –Systems provided by Opportunity Links –Linked to and

Changes to the Provision of Information The DCSF 'Parent Know How' programme A strand of this is called the Information Systems for Parents and Providers (ISPP) An integrated approach combining information from both childcare and family support services Replaces the existing Children's Services Directory with an Enhanced Childcare Directory (ECD) and a Family Services Directory (FSD) Data uploaded into a national ISPP system to allow users to search across multiple authority data

How the ISPP will work Childcare Non Childcare Admin Interface Lancashire website SVCR DirectGov website Ofsted Local Authority ISPP Supplier FSD ECD

Timescales Required to have an ISPP compliant ECD and FSD by September 2009 The current ICHIS system and CSD database will be discontinued by September 2009 Early Years service have selected a replacement Childcare system that includes an ECD Existing records will be moved over to the new system Records held in the ICHIS system will remain static unless they are maintained separately

Options Available Two main options: To build an in-house system To upgrade or purchase a system, a number of these available including: –Opportunity Links (suppliers of the original ICHIS system) –Tribal Group (providing the replacement ICHIS to Early Years service)

In-House Development The Shared Services Directory Project The Project aims to deliver a web-based toolkit offering a directory of services and events provided by Lancashire County Council and it's partner organisations. Replacing a number of existing separate databases and systems (could include the ECD and FSD) with a single system. It is designed to reduce : –Duplication of effort, information and data; –Accessibility and usability issues for end-users –Disjointed information management processes

Third Party Options Evince (Opportunity Links) An ICHIS replacement system by Opportunity Links (who also host the existing CSD system) and offers an upgrade path. Tribal FSD Module The FSD module is an extra part of an overall ICHIS replacement that the Early Years service have already purchased. Other Options There are a number of other software packages on the market offering a solution and they all have the potential to deliver the features required.

Lancashire website DirectGov website ISPP Supplier Ofsted The Tribal System Childcare Admin Interface SVCR Local Authority ECD The Early Years Tribal System (ICHIS replacement) Non Childcare 1 FSD

Ofsted Lancashire website DirectGov website ISPP Supplier The Tribal System Childcare Non Childcare Admin Interface SVCR Local Authority FSD ECD 2 The FSD Module of the Tribal System

Separate FSD System Childcare Admin Interface SVCR Ofsted Local Authority ISPP Supplier FSD ECD Lancashire website Non Childcare Admin Interface SVCR DirectGov website Using an FSD solution from a separate supplier

In-HouseEvinceTribal Time scales Estimated to be at least 9 months (Dec 09) Subject to discussion (hosted system) Follow on from implementation of FSD (end July 09) Initial Costs Unknown at this stage (needs full specification) £20,400 (inc estimate for training) £13,350 (inc training) Ongoing Costs Unknown at this stage£2,400 (based on 1 user) £2,200 For Built to our requirements Potential medium to long term cost savings (but not for ECD/FSD alone) Quick to implement Guaranteed compliance Experience of the company Reduced risks in moving the existing data Web interface may be easier to provide Early Years already using the system All in one package Guaranteed compliance Tribal are the chosen provider for the national ISPP system No charge for extra users Against Unlikely to be ready in time Costs for future changes to the specification Cost per user per year (  £400) Complex solution (full ICHIS replacement) Users need to learn two different systems Potential double entry of data Package chosen based on the needs of the Early Years Requirement to modify the existing web interface (costs not known) Comparison of Options

Temporary Holding Position The current contract with Opportunity Links expires in March 2009 and an extension to this will cost: £1,000 This will ensure the authority has: –the ability to continue to provide and maintain a CSD –time to purchase, install and test a replacement

Issues with the implementation of an FSD The Authority is late in choosing a solution so that it is possible it might not meet the deadlines for testing Any delays in decisions may also threaten the ability to implement for the September deadline Responsibility for implementing and managing the FSD module is not clear The number of licences needed for the FSD is as yet unknown The costs and time scales for redeveloping the web interface on are not yet known

Procurement Process Although the authority has already entered into a supplier relationship with the Tribal Group, the requirements did not explicitly state the need for an FSD option, so if this is the preferred system we will either need to : –seek a waver of the standing orders in order to purchase the Tribal solution, or –request formal quotations from three suppliers and select the best solution

Recommendations The steering group is asked to consider the following recommendations: –To agree to the temporary extension to the agreement with Opportunity Links –To agree to the procurement process for an FSD system to supplement the Tribal childcare system –To support the ongoing development of the Shared Service Directory project as a means of rationalising the many partnership databases in use within the Authority

Questions