REVIEW OF EARLY YEARS, CHILDREN’S CENTRES AND FAMILY SUPPORT PROPOSALS FOR CHANGE

Review process Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Review of national research and best practice Establishing what is done well and what needs improvement Developing recommendations Development and Appraisal of options for change Consultation on Options for Change Development of a detailed delivery model and implementation Plan February to July 2014 August to December 2014 January to June 2015 Implementation July 2015 onwards

The need for change At the moment we have nursery schools, nursery classes in mainstream schools, children’s centres and PVI settings all offering provision to under 5s in the city. Access to is not equitable to children and is very much a lottery depending on where they live. The type of provision they have, as well as the quality, varies massively, and we don’t commission all this spend coherently or strategically to make sure all our children get what they need and deserve. The three main criteria for the review will be looking at how we can: 1. Improve education and health outcomes 2. Reduce child poverty 3. Close the inequality gap in terms of education and life chances. Cabinet Member for Children’s Services

Initial findings The overall conclusions from the evidence collected during the first phase suggested that: There is the potential for a more collaborative approach between providers, including further integration of provision Improving front line relationships with health, including the possibility of joint commissioning, would significantly enhance the system’s ability to identify and support vulnerable families Greater stability of funding is required and the relationship with the schools sector via the Schools Forum needs to be more formalised

Initial findings There is significant scope to improve the take-up of services – notably amongst vulnerable groups. Further improving outreach and proactive work would enhance early intervention The quality of provision needs to be improved for the most deprived families There is potential (and a pressing need) to develop a more cost effective model of delivery Relationships between the local authority and local providers need to improve

Our vision for the service Our vision is to have an early years’ offer in Birmingham which supports the multi-agency early help strategy and which ensures an integrated early years’ service bringing together health, family support and early education to provide both a universal and targeted offer, improving outcomes for children.

The Big Question How does Birmingham City Council deliver its vision for services to pre- school children and their families as effectively as possible within a significantly reduced financial envelope

Proposals for change Key elements ‘One Vision’ – A clearly articulated view of what we want to achieve for our young children and their families More devolved responsibility to local Districts (the 10 Birmingham parliamentary constituencies) One organisation in each District to take responsibility for the local early years service

Proposals for change Key elements Lead organisations in each District to be chosen through a tendering process (3 year contracts) Contracts to be ‘outcomes based’ (Clear expectations of what must be achieved) Lead organisations must demonstrate how they will ‘join-up’ local services Both national and local organisations / groups will be supported to tender

Early years– A commissioned service Partners Central Commissioning Team Single District contract. 3 years duration. Outcomes based. Tender process District lead organisation Single supplier, Supply chain (Subcontracts) or formal Partnership Agreement Providers

Early Years - Dispersed Leadership Central Commissioning Team District Joint Commissioning Boards x 10 Lead Organisation x 10 Strategic Commissioning Board (Including Partner Agencies) District Leadership Outcomes based contracts Level of detail in specifications to be determined (e.g. Number and location of centres) Shared Commissioning with District Joint Commissioning Boards BCC Cabinet Strategic Leadership

Early Years – An integrated service District Children’s Centre ‘Cluster’ Outreach Outreach venues EEE providers (PVI & Maintained) Health providers Job centre plus Other partners Joint District Commissioning Board Lead District Organisation Community / Voluntary provision District Children’s Centre ‘Cluster’ (Dedicated venues) Outreach Venues Quality Support Coordination Integration

Centrally managed functions Development and ‘ownership’ of the strategic vision Specifying the service & managing the tendering process Contract monitoring (Compliance/Quality) Strategic management & development (Info. and data) Strategic ‘challenge’ (Outcomes/Ofsted) Commissioning city-wide projects Facilitating city-wide services EEE planning and administration

Supporting quality Whilst the council would retain any statutory responsibility, this responsibility would primarily be exercised through the tendering and contract monitoring process. Contract monitoring would focus on challenge to District lead organisations rather than individual settings (Achievement of outcomes, responses to Ofsted etc) There would be a requirement placed on District lead organisations through the service specification to ensure appropriate support to individual providers.

Supporting quality Possible delivery models: District support teams managed by the lead organisation (Implies the TUPE transfer or ‘secondment’ of staff currently undertaking the role) An ‘external’ support service commissioned by each lead organisation (BCC staff team could offer this as a traded service or establish an employee run company)

Budget proposals Total Spend 14/15 Income 14/15 Net Spend 14/15 Savings in 15/16 Savings in 16/17 Savings in 17/18 £21.8m-£2.2m£19.6m£5.0m£6.0m (+£1.0m) £10.1m (+£4.1m) Controllable expenditure Implications Changes required in advance of review implementation Shadow structure to be developed for each of the next three years Consultation with TUs and staff additional to Review and TUPE consultations

Have your say Consultation meetings Questionnaire On-line Survey