Case study: Preparation for inspection

Client

London Borough

Client Issue

The authority had lost a number of senior staff during the pre-JAR period and lacked the capacity to meet the increased demands of the JAR

Although an integrated children’s service had been implemented no effective system for monitoring performance of the new service had been established

Project details

Contributed to the review and publication of the Children and Young People’s Plan

Advised on the Self Assessment

Lead on the development of a mechanism for monitoring progress against plans

Outcomes

Publication of a high quality CYPP

Implementation of a monitoring process which was supported by a software system to store data and facilitate reporting

Staff from education and social care working effectively together to implement monitoring system

Lessons learned

In developing the monitoring system the break through, from what might have been a complex paper based exercise, came during discussions with other SCS consultants who had tackled a similar project in another London Borough. They were able to broker an approach to the borough which resulted in the sharing of the software framework they had developed.

This served to highlight the wide range of skill and expertise available within SCS and the willingness with which consultants share it with colleagues and clients. Equally it demonstrated the willingness of local authorities to share their work.