Cafcass Strategy Refresh: early thinking Teresa Williams – Director of Strategy Kevin Gibbs – Assistant Director Open Board – 23 January 2019
Chair’s introduction: why a new strategy now? Sustain Improve Engage • Build on our Ofsted rating • Priority is continuous • We are part of a system and organisational journey improvement: and need to work ➢ More casework good or to date to sustain our together: ➢ With children & families outstanding judgement outstanding • Even this is challenging ➢ Support staff and work ➢ With our staff ➢ With our partners given increasing demand with partners to meet • That includes strategy and constrained resources sector challenges • Maintain capacity to test development • Today is part of that small number of long term options - so we are ready process for reform when the time is right.
Part 1: Strategic Context Current Strategic Plan Period
Current strategic plan 2015-20 – ‘Towards Outstanding’ Quality Family Influence Justice Helping the Innovation court to choose the best outcomes for children Efficiency and Diversity Effectiveness
Assessment of current strategy period 2015-20 Demand Resources Performance • Increased across all areas • Are spread more thinly. • We continue to meet • We continue to invest in of work. children’s needs. • More work within cases as • Outstanding Ofsted rating tech and streamline back- well as new applications office functions in March 2018. • So we can focus on the • Innovation and evaluating frontline: recruitment; new ways of working – flexibility; both in our practice and support processes. Cafcass Associates
Part 2: Where next? Emerging thinking on a new strategy
Overview: outline framework for a new plan Making the best possible case for every child in the family justice system Mission We trust & support We are open, We work together to share Every child We respect and staff to get things honest & learning and improve What matters to us value diversity right time independent outcomes unites us PRACTICE PARTNERS PEOPLE 3 Pillars Deliver high quality service Exchange knowledge Ensure Cafcass and its staff to all children & families expertise and learning to are equipped to sustain Our goal wherever they live improve the FJS excellence Staff Child Service user Product/service Ofsted sentiment & KPIs and MI Reputation Showing the outcomes feedback take-up judgements difference engagement
Our emerging ambition - PRACTICE Continuous Improvement: even more casework is good or outstanding A more ambitious approach? 1. Improve consistency in case planning and child impact analysis, but with Extend the menu of commissioned tailored pathways to reflect diversity services and interventions? 2. Getting it right first time: do the right work once and as early as possible 3. Enhance child and family journey to improve outcomes
Our emerging ambition - PARTNERS Continuous Improvement: exchange knowledge and expertise to improve the Family Justice System A more ambitious approach? 1. Improve our ‘local offer’ to help tackle local regional variation: data, expertise, Extend our partnerships to include other engagement with local forums areas of public policy: especially (public 2. Work together to manage demand and and mental) health, DWP, Home Office improve outcomes – focusing on those which do not need legislation 3. Improve the research base in Family Justice – through collaboration with the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory, What Works Centre and international links
Our emerging ambition - PEOPLE Continuous Improvement : Cafcass and its staff equipped to sustain excellence A more ambitious approach? 1. Continue to support staff to deliver in increasingly challenging circumstances Play a more active role in sector-led 2. Further develop our infrastructure improvement, shared services and and capability: resources, technology, workforce development for children’s knowledge, relationships, workforce, social care partnerships 3. Equip staff with the right tools for the job: including upgrading our electronic case-management system.
How will we measure success? Quantitative and Define what Working Qualitative good looks like Together Measures For our staff Reputation & Outcomes for and ourselves For our feedback Compliance children & Co-production partners with KPIs families Staff For children & Consistent sentiment & families delivery engagement
Successful outcomes for children and families • Did they understand • Did the order given reflect what was happening our recommendation? Court • Judged manageable and and why? Decision • Did they feel their voice safe by the parties? was heard and • Returning cases? understood? • Did they understand the Short term decision (especially if Experience • E.g. Restoration of not what they of process wanted/asked for)? meaningful relationships • Did they get practical with parents and sibling help/interventions to (where safe) Outcomes Long-term : improve • parenting/family E.g. educational and relationships? health outcomes
Part 3: Focus on children & families Improving engagement & outcomes
We are already doing well on many fronts • Positive feedback from children, • And not least our role in families and stakeholders sponsoring the FJYPB……. • Low volume of complaints from adults and children • Reduction in Ombudsman investigations, none fully upheld • Greater engagement with service user representatives e.g. on the Child Impact Assessment Framework
But we think we can do more…….. …to enhance the Voice of the Child …to improve the case journey ….to better engage children and families …..so that we improve outcomes
Enhancing the Voice of the Child Continuous Improvement: further development of practice and culture A more ambitious approach? 1. PRACTICE: Deepen our assessment, direct work and case work with CYP Create a virtual Voice of the Child 2. FJYPB: Continue our sponsorship Centre as an information bank to and support share resources and standards across the sector and internationally? 3. Case transparency: scope how we make sure children know the outcomes of their case (where appropriate) in the right way for them
Improving the journey for children and families? e.g. More active and systematic approach to seeking feedback Responding Capturing to need and feedback diversity e.g.Clearly communicating what will (and won’t) happen at each stage, and why Behavioural insight approach to e.g. Capturing data on individual needs managing demand and analysing broader themes and expectations
Next steps: improving family engagement? Establish a Cafcass Family Forum? Feed back Build on into the wider FJYPB system successes Design and Family give feedback members with on new Cafcass developments experience P romote positive co- parenting and family relationships
Any Questions? We are keen to get your feedback! Please do follow up to: organisationalstrategyrefresh@cafcass.gov.uk
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