July 2009 FAQ
Staff Consultation Summer 2009
During the summer of 2009 we held several staff consultation sessions, where we invited members of staff to attend to hear about the latest developments etc and also to raise any questions or concerns that they may have about IYPSS. Below are some of the questions they asked, together with the answers
Regarding the footprints in relation to LDD, some Walsall residents are educated outside the borough, where do they now sit?
A strategic approach is needed so that they can be managed centrally. However, note will also be taken of where they will return to so that suitable arrangements can be made.
Where do residential colleges sit?
They will still be catered for, so that children and young people do not fall through the cracks.
Will there be a team leader level in Quality and Information?
There will be service-wide leadership, building on corporate and Directorate structures but the framework still has to be agreed
Will one person be managing the whole team?
We do not have any details yet on the lower levels, there should be at least one professional lead for each principal group of staff (PA, YOT/TYS, IAG) in each footprint. The number of teams and their sizes are still under discussion
How will outcomes be assessed?
There should be an overarching PFM framework to capture the data from the systems already in use. There will be shared outcomes across the service.
What about co-location?
Opportunities to co-locate will be taken when and where they present themselves and it is in the interest of integration and service delivery to do so. There is no specific funding for this, but opportunities such as BSF will be looked at as they emerge.
Does BSF include primary schools?
Yes, preventative assessment is being undertaken in year 6, to assess and support the needs of children when they enter secondary school. Funding is available for primary schools
Where do the police sit in this model?
The police have been invited to the Project Board in order to engage wider external providers. A mapping exercise will be taking place to ensure that the support given to young people by a range of agencies is complementary.
Involvement from Social Services, where do they sit in this model?
The Senior Leadership Team of the Directorate is fully behind the development of these new arrangements and the needs of all young people will be taken into account in its design. Discussions are on-going about the best way to support young people and their families who are being helped by social workers
How will the rest of the council cope with the change as different departments don’t always work together?
A wide range of departments are already involved and are keen to get this project working and will support the process. This is evident through the membership of the Project Board, and the inclusion of the Lead Member for Children and Young People’s Services.
Frustrated that our work isn’t being recognised as we are already working in an integrated way.
It is fully recognised that staff from the three core services already work closely together, and that this is often in a planned way. It is intended that these links will be built on, and where necessary made stronger through more strategic planning of services under the banner of the Youth Offer.
Would we have to apply for our own jobs?
A staffing deployment plan is being developed based on current arrangements and a needs analysis including data for each Children’s Area Partnership.
Will the Head of Service have the strategic lead?
He will have borough wide responsibility for the integrated and targeted youth support service, and will work with stakeholders and partners to develop the full breadth of the Youth Offer
What involvement will staff have in the development of the next tiers?
Staff views and the active engagement of staff representatives are important parts of the development of the new arrangements. All staff will be kept involved in the progress of the plans through briefings and newsletters.
The Youth Offending Service is unique and important legislative changes will be taking place shortly, have they been taken into consideration when developing this model?
The changes have been incorporated into the matrix using a scaled approach. There is a need for all services to meet their statutory obligations and this should be seen as an opportunity not a challenge.
If none of the lower levels have been mapped yet, where do we sit when putting services out to tender?
This currently applies to Connexions and proposals are being considered by Cabinet in September. The Cabinet will have the full details on all of the options available. In terms of IYPSS the principles can be applied and the desired outcomes achieved where services are commissioned.
Will we still have our own identity or will be a deployment in a locality?
The professional skills of the 3 core services will be maintained into the new arrangements and staff will have clear roles just as now. The majority of delivery staff will be identified with a locality, again as many are now, although where it is sensible to keep borough wide arrangements in place this will continue.
How do we relate to how the Young Person is feeling?
The Families Matter project is already underway. It will improve how young people integrate into their family. Links with the emerging new arrangements are already being identified. In addition the strong links established by individual staff as ‘lead professional’ will continue to be an important part of the overall developments. Young people’s view of how things are going for them is also an important part of the evaluation process.
What about young people travelling across the borough?
Systems are already in place to ensure that they are empowered and not disadvantaged.
How will IYPSS affect stand alone workers?
Staff will be based on one of the footprints, but borough wide working will continue where it is best to do so.
Who decides where people go in the footprint?
Staff will be consulted about where they will be working, although there may be changes, based on needs. Consultation will also be taking place with the Unions and HR so that the change will be carefully managed throughout.
Will there be any redundancies or redeployment?
It is not anticipated that there will be any redundancies as a result of the move to IYPSS itself. Some staff may be moving location, however not until full consultation has taken place.
Will new posts be created?
There will be a new Head of IYPSS and changed roles for senior mangers in charge of specific service areas. The roles of staff responsible for managing teams will change also, in light of the ‘footprint’ approach. These changes will represent opportunities for personal development
How many admin staff are there across the teams?
The administrative arrangements are being considered as part of the change, and it will be important to ensure that professional staff remain well supported
Will the needs of part time staff be considered?
Part time staff make up a large and important component of the service, especially in respect to Youth work, and this is excepted to continue. Their deployment will be considered as part of eth overall plan
Is there a structure chart for staff to look at in regards to the whole service coming together – will all admin staff be needed?
Not in detail yet, this is being developed and will be shared with staff as soon as possible. The operational model is clear though and has been circulated through presentations
How will the services work together?
It is anticipated that services will continue to work together, building on existing good practice. The purpose of IYPSS and TYS is provide opportunities for greater integration of strategic planning and deployment to enable young people to get the best outcomes, staff to be clear about their roles and the complementary roles of others, and best use made of resources
Locality – where will staff be based and will teams be split?
This is being looked at. It is not expected that ether will be wholesale short-term changes, although multi-disciplinary teams are envisaged as opportunities emerge
What is the timescale and will this be met as uncertainty causes low morale?
The new arrangements will begin to emerge during the Autumn of 2009 and develop over time. By March 2010 young people will see a real difference.
Will there be opportunities for development and training?
The will be a progressive combined and cohesive training and development plan for IYPSS developed during September 2009 which will be augmented by corporate and individual service plans each year.
How will staff be kept informed?
Through line manager briefings, wider consultation events, and the regular newsletters.
How will IYPSS be funded?
Largely through the area based grant and specific funding for activities in particular service areas. It is not just about money though, better deployment of human and other resources will bring greater impact.
Will there be any changes to our Terms and Conditions? Will be lose our service history?
No changes to terms and conditions are being planned for at this stage. The professional skills of delivery staff remain critical to the success of IYPSS and TYS
Are young people involved in the consultation process for IYPSS?
Yes, a shadow board of young people has been introduced, linking with other consultation processes under the strategic leadership of the Children’s Trust.
Following the agreement by Cabinet, how long will it be before Connexions find out what the outcome is?
Connexions leadership will be notified as soon as possible.
This page was last updated on 04 January 2010