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Principles met

  • Co-production

    We will develop systems that enable citizens to be equal partners in designing and commissioning public services and in determining the use of public resources.

  • Innovation

    We will embrace innovation in how we work with local communities to drive positive change.

  • Learning

    We will capture and ‘expand’ the experience and learning from individual projects and approaches in order to encourage broader application of co-operative principles within individual member Councils and across the Network.

  • Maximising social value

    We will support the development of a framework and criteria for social value, giving substance to the concept and supporting Councils with the tools to ensure better local social and economic outcomes.

  • New models of meeting priority needs

    In exploring new ways of meeting the priority needs of our communities we will encourage models, such as co-operatives and mutuals, which give greater influence and voice to staff and users. in designing and commissioning public services and in determining the use of public resources.

In 2017/2018, Leicestershire County Council, which provides wide-ranging services to over 600,000 residents, used a creative approach to procurement and contracting to develop a Children’s Innovation Partnership (CIP), the first of its kind in the UK.  Julian Blake, Partner at (E3M member) Stone King, played a key role in the project’s conceptualisation and success.

Key objectives of the CIP

  • Share expertise and knowledge in the delivery of innovative solutions to co-design looked after children (LAC) services and contribute to transformational change through new and shared service-delivery models
  • Co-deliver services that focus on outcomes and value for money
  • Co-invest in reviewing and developing new ways of working
  • Develop the system leadership and collaboration between different organisations, which is necessary to drive innovative systems change

Background

In 2017, Leicestershire County Council found that it needed to save £54m by 2020/21, and £3.7m of these savings needed to be achieved in children’s social care. Additionally, it was predicted that the number of LAC in Leicestershire would grow, resulting in an estimated cost increase of £14.7m in 2021/22.

The council was sourcing independent fostering services and residential care through a traditional framework. Due to poor market sufficiency, there has often been a need to purchase off-framework at a much higher price, with care packages dictated by the market rather than the child’s care plan.

Often, the market is inflexible in its approach to innovative care packages, and less responsive to young people with complex needs.

The council’s response to the above challenges was to develop a care placement strategy, the aim of which was to more effectively manage the LAC system, from edge of care right through to leaving it. However, in order to make these whole-system changes as smoothly as possible, it was acknowledged that the expertise of an external partner was required.

Consequently, Leicestershire County Council used ‘light touch’ procurement and the development of bespoke solutions to commission a partner before it had complete awareness of the service and outcomes it needed to procure.

A two-tier contractual framework was created to procure a design partner with the potential to be a provider. Barnardo’s was awarded the Children’s Innovation Partnership contract in December 2018.

Described as a “learning partnership rather than a traditional commissioner–provider relationship,” the partnership has already generated millions of pounds of new income for projects that improve outcomes for children.

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