REGIONAL IMPROVEMENT &
INNOVATION ALLIANCE

In common with all of the other regions, the West Midlands ADCS Network  operates as a sector led Regional Improvement and Innovation Alliance. We aim to deliver the ambitions of our  Strategic Business Plan through:

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Networks

Fully accountable networks structure - supported by representatives from all local authorities and children’s trusts in the West Midlands and who are of the appropriate level and suitably qualified to take decisions and ensure that individual network action plans are progressed to assist the region in delivering against our Strategic Business Plan

 

Strategic Performance

Local authorities and children’s trusts have agreed to sharing data and intelligence to inform the progress of our Strategic Business Plan and to target activity to support improvement. It has been agreed to share the national indicator set for social care on a quarterly basis with the Local Government Association and the Department for Education. Quarterly data is shared in the region to support improvement work in individual councils and trusts.

 

Self-Evaluation

Local authorities have agreed to complete an annual self evaluation approved by their chief executive and  lead member. Local authorities have agreed to share their self evaluation with other participating West Midlands local authorities and agreed Local Government Association representatives.

 

Moderation

Local authorities have agreed to their self evaluation being reviewed by a moderation panel. Importantly local authorities also agree to any areas of concerns or potential being identified by the moderation arrangements being raised and discussed.

 

Peer Challenge

Regional peer challenge events are a useful platform for local authorities receiving feedback from peers as to suggested areas of improvement, but also provide a critical-friend in offering suggested areas of improvement, based on the judgement of the moderation panel and the content of available self evaluations. It is important that local authorities are fully respectful of each other within the process.

 

Improvement Plans

The region has agreed that individual improvement plans are produced  as a result of any improvements identified in the completion of the self evaluation, via the moderation process and the peer challenge process. DCS‘s are committed to sharing their improvement plans with other local authorities in the region.

 

Honest conversations

A fundamental pillar of the regional improvement alliance is for DCS and children's trust CEO's holding honest conversations with their peers; alerting colleagues with there are performance shortfalls that may create risks to the level of service and opportunities available to children, young people and families and the satisfaction of any statutory requirements. In these circumstances any concerns/alerts will be escalated immediately to the programme governance board

 

Peer Reviews

As a result of their improvement plan DCS will consider and request peer reviews from within the region, where there are areas of particular concerns and specific identified areas of improvement. DCS will provide the accommodation necessary to allow the identified peer review team to undertake the peer review. DCS and children's trust CEO's have agreed to allow wherever possible suitable peer reviewers from within their local authorities to join peer review teams formed to deliver specific peer reviews. Peer reviews will be delivered to a specification to be agreed by the Programme Governance Board. It is important that peer reviewed local authorities and peer reviewers will be respectful of each other at all times.