Examples

Performance Recovery and Improvement
Concord Associates was commissioned by The Department of Health and DfES to work with a County Council following a critical CSCI inspection to benchmark progress to date, to provide a statement of improvement and recovery to be delivered up to 2009, and to provide a prioritised commissioning plan for external support where this was needed. A Director of Concord Associates worked with the County Council to produce with them a comprehensive programme of improvement and to specify where and when external support was required.

Concord Associates was requested by DfES and by the County Council to undertake further work which involved managing the first year of the improvement programme and coordinating external support. Concord Associates with a small team managed the overall programme through six external consultant teams providing specific and targeted improvement work including Deloitte, PWC, NCH and The Bridge. Concord Associates provided the practice improvement work on assessment and safeguarding directly through its own associate team. The programme was successful in raising performance and morale and the improvement was sustained as evidenced in a following Joint Area Review. References are available.

Post Inspection
Concord Associates was commissioned by a County Council to assist them to respond to a critical Joint Area Review. Led by a Director of Concord Associates, a small team including two specialist associates provided a two part programme of operational practice improvement and strategic development.

Associates specialising in operational practice focused on benchmarking practice, recording, safeguarding, achieving national KPI’s, the quality of reviews, and the quality of decision making. The practice improvement programme included providing targeted training workshops, small group work, introducing tools such as peer and practice audits, quality assurance check lists, and written practice guidance.

The Director of Concord Associates led the strategic development work focused on improving leadership, performance management, and strategic management. The programme of work included senior management mentoring and support, senior management workshops, support in developing an improvement plan, and the provision of good practice networking and links for commissioning and performance management.

The practice improvement work has been successfully embedded and the improvement plan was accepted by CSCI as a way forward for Children’s services. Follow on work on safeguarding is planned. References are available.

Moving from Special Measures and preparing for a Joint Area Review
Concord Associates was commissioned by KPMG to deliver their contract with DfES CSCI and a City Council. The contract required additional capacity to improve practice in Children’s Services to move the Council’s services from special measures to a good standard of practice and improved outcomes for children and families in advance of the forthcoming JAR. The pace of change required was critical. The commission was in response to judgments indicating poor performance (not serving children well, and with uncertain prospects for improvement) for over 2 years. A requirement to focus on the quality of front line practice as well as management overview and decision making practice was key.

A Director from Concord Associates was commissioned to lead the practice improvement work and the work with Heads of Service. The Director led a team of 3 focusing on improving the quality of practice, exploring and benchmarking skills and competencies, managing risk, and decision making. This programme of improvement was designed with the City Council and delivered through interview and group work, and a programme of 6 city wide workshops. National examples of best practice were provided and practice tools were developed with the City Council and embedded.

The Director of Concord Associates led the work with Heads of Service directly through a series of seminars addressing issues relating to thresholds, decision making, supervision and appraisal, managing risk, and improving safeguarding. This work was integrated directly with the parallel work led by the then Director of Children’s Services Essex with Area Directors.

The outcome of the work was that the City Council moved to an improved judgment and the JAR demonstrated sustained improvement. References are available.

Service Reviews, Strategic Planning and Development – Day Services
Following the successful development of a Joint Community Reablement Team, Concord Associates was commissioned by the same Borough Council to review existing services and develop a multi agency day services strategy for people with learning and physical disabilities. A Director from Concord Associates led on this and worked with a joint group of council and health staff undertaking a literature search, exploration of best practice, a local needs analysis, service mapping and evaluation, and a gap analysis. Supporting the Council who took the lead role, together with the health service and the voluntary and the private sector, options for a strategy were identified. An associate with Concord Associates undertook detailed data analysis of information arising from the mapping work which fed into the proposals for improvement. Concord Associates prepared a detailed report which was distributed for consultation. The Director of Concord Associates led the consultation which involved an “All Stakeholder Workshop” as well as separate work with voluntary sector partners. He also designed and managed the service user consultation process.

Concord Associates was subsequently asked to undertake similar joint strategic planning work on day services for people with mental health needs and also for older people. The outcome of this work has been a joint day activities modernisation programme that has resulted in a radically changed service profile. Institutional provision has been replaced by community based activities, and those people who previously attended day services are in now more likely to be in receipt of training and to be involved in local work enterprises. References are available.

Accommodation Strategy for Older People
A Borough Council commissioned Concord Associates to develop a strategy for older people’s day services and subsequently commissioned an extension to develop an accommodation strategy for older people. This work was led and delivered by a Director from Concord Associates on behalf of the Borough and its Adult Services Group and the Council Supporting People team. All work was undertaken in partnership with health services and the voluntary sector and all other accommodation providers including Registered Social Landlords. Extensive mapping, research into best practice, evaluation of current provision, and consultation with staff and service users was undertaken and a comprehensive report produced which is currently going forward for implementation. References are available.

Training in “Working with Children and Young People”
A County Council commissioned Concord Associates to provide a programme of courses for its Foster Carers. The course ran for 8 weeks and the sessions included:- introducing key themes and principles; maintaining individual identity; managing significant transitions; relationships; children with specific needs; developing planning and analytical skills; the legal framework including implications of delinquency and offending behaviour; preparation for moving on and putting it all together. The course was successful and was re-commissioned twice. The same course has been adapted and delivered to residential carers working with children with challenging behaviour. References are available.

A similar programme of eight sessions on “Working with Older People” has been delivered to residential and nursing staff. References are available.

Feasibility Study and Business Plan for a Children and Families Centre
A Church commissioned Concord Associates to undertake a feasibility study to explore the potential for developing a centre for children and families in its extensive facility in a city location. The Director of Concord Associates who led and delivered this work was commissioned to develop this further. Working closely with local services across all sectors, and consulting extensively with all stakeholders especially children and young people themselves, a business plan was framed. A partnership was established with a national children’s charity to run the centre and a funding strategy developed to help ensure sustainable funding for the next 5 years. The centre has now opened and is operating successfully and meeting a real need for local people. References are available.