Children's services
When you respond to the complexity in children’s services, outcomes can be improved – and money saved.
The challenge
Everyone wants high quality outcomes for children and young people, but achieving them is not as simple as just having the right controls and processes in place.
In the context of insufficient funds, rising demand and the acute challenges presented by the pandemic, it is more important than ever for Directors of Children’s Services and other leaders to refocus their systems on the outcomes of children and young people.
The three biggest drivers of cost and demand for children’s services are High Needs (SEND), social care demand and placement costs. Our work has proven that it is possible to adopt a system wide approach and work with partners to better manage demand in these areas, whilst also improving outcomes. By maximising inclusion and independence, linking demand with needs and resources and pivoting towards early intervention, better outcomes can cost less.
Focus areas
Our work in children’s services has four core focus areas:
Rebalancing High Needs
Shifting the High Needs system towards earlier intervention and support, reducing new demand and stepping down unnecessary specialist provision.
Valuing Care
Triangulating needs with costs and outcomes to drive better value from placements, prevent entry into care and improve outcomes in the system.
Demand-led Redesign
Designing services and approaches to early intervention and prevention models in order to sustainably manage demand and build family resilience.
Children's Services Improvement
Enabling councils to deliver sustainable change as a result of system challenges, delivering rapid improvements as part of a long-term transformation.
Impact in Children's Services
Work with us
Get in touch if you’d like to discuss the challenges your organisation is facing.
