Progressing a framework for Supported Employment

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Minutes of the Supported Employment Task Group Meeting

Thursday 22 January 2009

ScottishGovernmentEuropaBuilding, Glasgow

In attendance:

Name / Organisation
Councillor Ronnie McColl (Chair) / COSLA Spokesperson for Health and Wellbeing
Liz Catterson / Workforce Plus Learning Disabilities Co-ordinator
Naeem Bhatti / Workforce Plus Team (Task Group Secretariat)
Garrick Smyth / COSLA Policy Manager
Joe Dowd / Scottish Government Workforce Plus Team
Mike Evans / COSLA Representative
Alan Davidson / Scottish Local Authority Economic Development
Alex Davidson / Scottish Government Joint Improvement Team
David Stewart / Highland Employer Coalition
Dominic Iannetta / DWP (via Tele-kit for item 6 only)
Anne McGuire / Jobcentre Plus ExternalRelations Team
Peter Purves / SUSE Director
Michael Wright / Scottish Government Social Inclusion Team
Stella MacDonald / Service User Representative

Apologies:

Name / Organisation
Hilary Third / Scottish Government Equality Unit
Jean MacLellan / Scottish Government Adult Care & Support
Dave Moxham / STUC
Bill Kidd MSP / Equal Opportunities Committee Disability Reporter
Sheila Durie / Scottish Development Centre for Mental Health
Julie Anne Jamieson / Skills Development Scotland
Callum MacGregor / COSLA Representative
John Reid / Jobcentre Plus External Relations Manager
Margaret Drew / East Lothian Council
Sam Coope / Scottish Government Social Inclusion Team
Roddy Duncan / Scottish Government Community Health Improvement Team
Sam Anderson / Scottish Association for Mental Health
Fiona McFetridge / SPDS

1.Welcome and Introductions

Councillor McColl welcomed everyone to the meeting and thanked colleagues who are deputising for members. Apologies were noted. Pam Whittle has now retired from the Scottish Government and Councillor McColl thanked Pam for hercontribution to the Task Group.

2.Minutes of previous meeting

The group agreed the previous minutes.

3.Matters Arising

Apart from Action Point 4 (Learning and Managerial networks) and Action Point 7 (Directors of Social Work raising awareness of Supported Employment work with elected members) all other action points were either cleared or formed part of the agenda.

4.Update on Workstreams

Joe advised that the Staffing and Qualification workstream has been focusing on available training for an Employment Support worker and appropriate framework. There is consensus that the training needs to be accredited. Although a formal qualification isn’t a pre-requirement for an Employment Supported worker, the group would recommend that a worker would work towards achieving the qualification possibly over a 3 year period. The workstream is aiming to set out a framework for training by May 2009 and will present interim findings at the next Task Group meeting. There is also a need to share information with other workstreams due to linkages between the different workstreams.

Peter reported that the Finance and Implementation workstream is beginning to make progress and is aiming to produce a position paper by May 2009. There is however a number of areas that need addressed:

  • Although WORKSTEP is just one part of Supported Employment, it seems to dominate discussions;
  • Findings from the scoping exercise in relation to the 5 stage model are needed in order to understand how funders’ expectations effect use of 5 stage model; and
  • There is a need for robust statistics covering the number of people with learning disability in both urban and rural areas as this would help to understand the demand for Supported Employment. Currently this information is patchy.

In discussion it was noted that although Supported Employment can be seen as a quality programme where very small numbers of people are supported annually into jobs, there is a need to position who it should assist. Having robust statistics on disabled people who can and want to be helped back into work is important in order to overcome the challenges of shifting resources from welfare to employment services.

Naeem advised that the Standards and Regulation workstream is also aiming to produce anintroduction to quality systems and management as well as a self-evaluation toolkit by May 2009. However, the workstream requires external support to complete work and the chair has submitted a proposal to the Workforce Plus Team requesting additional support from the JIT consultant. Due to overlaps with other workstreams there is a need to hold a joint meeting with other workstream and discuss common challenges.

Alex advised that Social Work Inspection Agency (SWIA) have produced an excellent template on quality management and will send that to Naeem for the Standards and Regulation Workstream’s consideration.

As there is a common interest in holding a joint meeting between all three workstream Joe agreed to take this forward.

Action Point 12: Alex Davidson to forward the SWIA template on quality management to Naeem Bhatti.

Action Point 13: Joe Dowd to organise the joint meeting of all 3 workstreams.

5.Update on Scoping Exercise

Alex Davidson advised that the report on the scoping exercise is almost complete. There is some further work to be done on the information collected from the electronic survey. Next meeting of the Task Group will have a presentation of the main findings from the scoping including recommendations on next steps.

6.DWP’s IDEAS Programme (WORKSTEP)

Dom updated the group on the number of workshops DWP have been holding across Great Britain to discuss the design of the new IDEAS programme. In December 2008, two workshops were held in Scotland, one in Dundee and the other in Edinburgh. Although, the very detailed comments received from all the workshops are currently being analysed, the main points raised were:

  • The need to move away from rigid structures to flexible approaches;
  • Focusing on progression and employers;
  • Contractor protection for supported businesses;
  • The use of the new commissioning model and Disability Employment Advisors as well as other agencies such as social care, community and learning organisations who can refer clients to providers; and
  • Ensuring local expertise and capacity building is maintained and/or enhanced.

The next stage of the process will involve the publication of the Pre Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) week commencing 30th March. Those who pass the PQQ stage will then be Invited to Tender by week commencing 26thJuly with a closing date of 26thOctober 2009. The contracts will be awarded to successful organisations in April 2010. The new programme will then start in October 2010 with the period in-between acting as the transition period. DWP is keen to ensure the transition period is as smooth as possible.

In discussion, Dom highlighted that those who attended the workshops expressed concerns around the implementation of the Commissioning Strategy and length of protection for supported businesses. DWP Ministers are yet to make decisions on the length of protection for supported businesses. It is hoped these discussions will start in February 2009.

7.Supported Employment Links to Other Policies

Alex’s presentation is attached with these minutes. The main points from the discussion were the need to engage with a range of other Scottish Government policies around health and social care as well as linking to outcomes for community care. This work requires a partnership approach as well as strategic leadership ensuring that employment remains a key part of the Single Outcome Agreements process.

8.Stakeholder engagement communications

Liz advised that the 2 page update on supported employment has been sent to Sub-group members who have been asked to circulate widely within their own networks. Task Group members are also asked to circulate the 2 page update widely within their own network to ensure we are able to engage as wide range of stakeholders as we can. Liz also met with Scottish Government Equality Unit colleagues who have a network of policy officers of disabled organisations. Closer working with the said network should allow the Task Group to get wider disabled people’s involvement.

Garrick advised that he will present a paper on Supported Employment to the COSLA Health and Well-Being Executive Group and it will be discussed further at the Executive Group’s away day scheduled for 16 and 17 April 2009. He will also send this to Directors of Finance.

Action Point 14: Naeem to send the 2 page update to Task Group and all Workstream members.

Action Point 15: Garrick to send the 2 page update to Directors of Finance.

9.Any Other Business

Peter asked what feedback is available on the work Garrick has been undertaking in relation to engaging Local Authorities on WORKSTEP and if there are any significant emerging issues. Garrick advised that he is in the process of gathering evidence, which is needed to make objective decisions on how to respond to changes to WORKSTEP. Once it has been collated he will feedback to the Task Group.

Liz advised that DWP is keen to learn lessons from the Flexible New Deal contracts and is currently looking at strengthening the code of conduct, which we can influence. Hence the importance of specific evidence will help us during our discussions with DWP colleagues.

One of the mechanisms used to bid for new DWP contracts is the use of a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPVs). CoSLA will raise awareness amongst local authorities on the use of an SPV (via consortium) to bid for DWP IDEAS contracts.

Action Point 16: Garrick to raise awareness of Special Purpose Vehicle with Local Authorities.

10.Date of next meeting

All future meetings will take place on a Thursday from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm. The meeting dates were confirmed as follows:

  • 19 March 2009in ScottishGovernmentEuropaBuilding, Conference room 201,450 Argyle Street, Glasgow, G2 8LG.
  • 30 April 2009 in CoSLA Offices, Edinburgh – to discuss draft reports from the 3 workstreams
  • 28 May 2009 in ScottishGovernmentEuropaBuilding, Glasgow – to discuss and sign-off the draft report.

The chair then thanked everyone for their contributions before closing the meeting.

Naeem Bhatti

Workforce Plus Team

February 2009

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Minutes of Supported Employment Task Group Meeting

Thursday 22 January 2009

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