What Makes a Quality Provision? Janet Greaves-Stocker, Commissioning Officer – Plymouth City Council Peter Taylor, Senior Commissioning Officer – Devon County Council

Safeguarding Management Oversight Independent Robust Scrutiny Systems Participation Inclusion Vulnerability Training Supervision Culture Working Together

Incidence of Abuse Disabled children are 3.4 times more likely to be abused 3.8 times more likely to be neglected 3.8 times more likely to be physically abused 3.1 times more likely to be sexually abused 3.9 times more to be emotionally abused (Sullivan and Knutson 2000) Those children with communication impairments or “behavioural disorders‟ are 5-7 times at higher risk of abuse Abuse often goes unrecognised and under-reported. Several studies reveal evidence of under-reporting in UK and other countries

Education Basic Qualifications Aspiration and Employability NEET analysis shows that 80% of the Plymouth NEET cohort in Year 14 do not have English and Maths http://www.rapidenglish.com/ Aspiration and Employability What is a hobby and what is a career choice? How does one inform the other Skills for living independently Education outcomes for care leavers & looked after children, raising aspirations to e.g. live independently, engage in training or in work. Preparing young people for more than institutional living. Basic Qualifications – Why is English and Maths so important? Stats here If we can’t teach it one way then look at alternatives Looking at ways to engage young people Aspiration and Employability – Some disabled young people have been reliant on people around them for their entire lives They want to please and they want to conform to expectations Engage them in different activities to help them find out what they enjoy doing? They only know what they have experienced so without experiences they are not able to dream of a future We want to know that they are making informed choices about their future We want young people to know that they are worth the time and effort of supporting them to make their own choices Skills for living independently - Most young people will live independently as adults. Most will be employed in meaningful work Some will need more support than others but the expectation should be that young people will live independently and be employed so everything we do in children’s services should be working towards achieving independence for the young person.

Preparing for Independence Procurement Process for Phase Three : Children's Centres Preparing for Independence Pathway Planning Proactive partnership working Community Links What links do you have What links could you have Stepping Down Pathway planning - proactive engagement & supporting young people to have their say. If local authority is not engaging tell us and ask us to do something about it. Community Links– not doing everything in house. E.g. if there is an archery club locally can young people be supported to link to that rather than archery being delivered separately on site. Also developing local links for employment/education, supporting young people to access local colleges & to build social networks outside of the provision. Stepping down – This should be top of all planning meeting agendas. How do you step down the support to enable the young person to become more independent? How do you use the links you have in the community to plan for the young person to return home or move into the community. Devon County Council - Children and Young Peoples Services 6

Working Smarter Shortage of quality local provision Challenge of Reduced public spending Shortage of quality local provision Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder and challenging behaviours Sensory impaired, mostly residential Complex medical care needs More family based short breaks needed Residential provision needs to move to core/cluster Innovative services working towards step down placements, return to family based care or supportive lodgings

Procurement Process for Phase Three : Children's Centres Group activity What are the challenges for you as a provider to deliver quality provision in each area? Working smarter Safeguarding Education Preparing for independence 30 mins = workshop activity 10 mins = groups to feed back their one key point & question to commissioners. Devon County Council - Children and Young Peoples Services 8