Agenda item

(To receive a report from Tony Warnock, Head of Finance Children's and Specialist Services, which updates the Lincolnshire Schools Forum as to the progress of the Outreach Support Service following the report submitted on 23 April 2014)

The Forum gave consideration to a report from Head of Service, Children's Commissioning, which provided the Schools Forum with the progress of the Outreach Support Service, following the report submitted on the 23 April 2014.

It was reported a memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Lincolnshire County Council and each individual Outreach School, which included a detailed service specification, had been sent to all schools in receipt of funding.  Appendix A to the report provided details of the funding assigned to each school for the period 2014/15.

To ensure that those schools providing services were able to demonstrate the work they were doing and the outcomes were being achieved, all those in receipt of funding would now be taking part in formal contract management meetings, using Children's Services Joint Evaluation Toolkit, which was based on a balanced scorecard approach.  A list of performance indicators was shown at Appendix B to the report.

By the 2 July 2014, all Contract Management Meetings to review April – May delivery would have been completed.  A further series of Contract Management Meetings would then be undertaken at the end of July to review delivery across Outreach in June and July. 

In conjunction with the Contracts Management meetings, the stakeholder engagement phase had been entered into, which had involved the issuing of a questionnaire to all Headteachers and Educational Psychologists and internally to colleagues within Specialist Teachers & Applied Psychology Service (STAPS), Additional Needs and Youth Offending Services asking for their views on the existing service and inviting ideas for improved future service delivery.  It was noted that engagement would also be taking place with the Parent Partnership and the Parent Carer Group.  It was noted further that contact would also be made with the third sector, through the LA's connection with the Voluntary Sector; this feedback would help to identify any gaps in existing provision.

It was highlighted that alongside scoping stakeholder feedback, ten statistical neighbouring Local Authorities had been approached to find out more about the model, funding and future of their support service.  This information, once received would provide a contextual benchmark to measure existing and proposed service delivery model against and allow Lincolnshire to review any innovative or best practice findings.

The Forum were advised that there were five schools delivering Outreach Support Service with confirmed funding until 31 December 2014, those schools were John Fielding School, Gainsborough Warren Wood Community School, Lincolnshire Wolds Federation: St Bernard's School, and The Spalding Special Schools Federation: The Priory and The Garth.

Other activity to be undertaken between now and October included:-

·         The distribution of a leaflet outlining the points of contact and specialisms of Outreach Schools;

·         Continuing Contract management meetings with schools;

·         Ensuring that the service links in to the Children's & Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS);

·         Attendance at Parent Partnership sessions; and

·         Attending meetings with existing front line delivery staff and beginning to map service provision in conjunction with Outreach Schools;

In conclusion, the Forum were advised that the recommended final model and adjoining commissioning strategy plan would be sanctioned through the Sponsor Project Board before being presented to the Schools Forum in October.

RESOLVED

That the report presented be noted, and that approval be given for the extension of the funding for those services that end 31 December 2014, depending upon the final commissioning model agreed, to 31 March 2015 initially and then potentially 31 August 2015.