Setting

Context

Connexions Cornwall and Devon Ltd is a partnership company limited by guarantee and governed by a board of directors drawn from bodies such as local authorities, the health service, community and voluntary organisations, colleges and local employers. It is responsible for the management of the nextstep information, advice and guidance (IAG) service for adults in Cornwall, Devon and Somerset.

p.1

Context

The head of IAG is supported by a business support services manager, a customer support services manager and a contract delivery co-ordinator. He reports to the director of development, who in turn reports to the chief executive and the board of Connexions Cornwall and Devon Ltd. The board meets regularly to review the activities of nextstep . To deliver nextstep , Connexions Cornwall and Devon Ltd works with 46 subcontractors and employs a team of 23 staff to co-ordinate this work. Around 300 advisers provide information, advice and guidance across the network of subcontractors.

p.1

Context

At the previous inspection in September 2007 the overall effectiveness of the service was satisfactory. Leadership and management and equality of opportunity were also satisfactory. Quality improvement arrangements were inadequate. The nextstep provision was satisfactory.

p.1

Context

Since the previous inspection, the provider has restructured its management team to improve its ability to deliver the nextstep service and has introduced new management information systems. It has reviewed its range of subcontractors to further develop capacity and extend the service and has introduced new quality improvement arrangements.

p.1

Achievement and standards

What progress has been made in improving outcomes for clients?

p.2

progress

The provider has made reasonable progress in improving outcomes for clients. Positive outcomes have increased with each period. There has been a greater focus on improving the quality of advice sessions and on effective client follow up. Between August 2007 and January 2008, 5049 clients without a level 2 qualification received their first advice or enhanced services session. It is too early for these to have been followed up. Between February and July 2007, 8284 advice sessions were recorded. Of these clients, 19% responded to a six month follow up survey. Positive outcomes were achieved by 55% of clients. This represents an improvement on the period between August 2006 and January 2007 when 5116, 21% of clients, responded to the six month follow up survey and positive outcomes of 47% were recorded. Of the 9719 advice sessions offered in the period between February and July 2006, 15% of clients responded to the follow up survey and 32% positive

p.2

Quality of provision

What action has been taken to ensure that clients’ needs and backgrounds are thoroughly explored in all advice sessions?

p.2

Quality of provision

What action has been taken to develop a clear focus and structure for all advice sessions?

p.2

progress

The provider has made reasonable progress in improving the quality of information and advice sessions. The previous inspection identified weaknesses in the extent to which advisers explored clients’ needs and backgrounds in advice sessions. Connexions Cornwall and Devon Ltd has made reasonable progress in rectifying this weakness. It has prepared a well designed training programme for advisers and requires advisers to take part in this programme when they join the service or as part of their continuous professional development. It has a detailed advisers’ handbook which reinforces good practice. The training and handbook provide helpful guidance on exploring clients’ needs and backgrounds. Quarterly meetings of advisers are well attended and used effectively to network and share practice. Some good practice has been identified and used to prepare a DVD for wider dissemination. Training and quarterly meetings have been used to improve action

p.2

progress

planning for clients. The information they record is well structured and some examples are outstanding. Advisers are now observed twice a year. Observation checklists include criteria which focus on thorough exploration of clients’ needs. Advisers whose observations are less than satisfactory are provided with additional support to enable them to improve. Subcontractors value the training programme and observation arrangements and the improvements in adviser practice that have resulted from these interventions.

p.2

Leadership and management

What progress has been made to improve target-setting? Reasonable

p.3

progress

Reasonable progress has been made to improve overall target-setting. Good progress has been made in setting and monitoring key performance targets for clients over 50 and for those with a disability. However, progress on setting individual overall performance targets related to past achievement of outcomes has been slower.

p.3

progress

Improvements have been made to the systems for the collection of management information and the analysis of that information. Data is collected monthly. It is analysed at management team meetings and shared with subcontractors. Regular and more accurate reports to subcontractors now record outcomes. Individual key performance indicators are identified for subcontractors. Contract review meetings follow up any underperformance in achievement of targets.

p.3

progress

It is planned that individual subcontractor targets will be in place from April 2008. These have been arrived at after a careful analysis of achievement against the last year’s contract. The contractor is flexible in its setting of targets recognising that some subcontractors will find it harder to achieve regular and improved achievements but that they fulfil a particular need in the community.

p.3

progress

Achievement against targets is monitored monthly at individual subcontractor level. A management information system also produces the report that triggers the name for the follow up client survey.

p.3

progress

What action has been taken to develop and implement quality improvement arrangements?

p.3

progress

The provider has made significant progress in developing and implementing quality improvement arrangements. At the previous inspection, quality improvement arrangements were judged to be insufficiently well implemented. Connexions Cornwall and Devon Ltd has made significant progress to rectify this weakness. It has a well developed and well implemented quality monitoring and improvement programme which has been successful. Contract review visits are more structured and carried out against clear criteria. Reports are evaluative and focus on contractual requirements and on the quality of provision. Action plans for improvement are prepared and followed up centrally, with support for subcontractor development where necessary. The observation programme for advisers is systematic and has been implemented successfully. Advisers are observed twice a year; once by their own manager or peer, and once by an external assessor employed by Connexions

p.3

progress

Cornwall and Devon Ltd. Feedback from observations is constructive and helpful in enabling advisers to improve their practice. Connexions Cornwall and Devon Ltd keeps detailed records of the training and qualifications of the advisers in its network. All the action plans for clients are reviewed centrally and those that do not meet exacting standards are rejected. Some action planning for clients is now outstanding. Connexions Cornwall and Devon Ltd is highly responsive to suggestions for improvement. It makes good use of feedback from clients to improve provision for the network as a whole and for individual subcontractors. It has successfully gained the support and involvement of its partnership of subcontractors, some of whom are inexperienced in quality improvement activities. They value the clarity in the new arrangements and the feedback they receive on their performance. These quality improvement arrangements have been effective in improving provision.

p.4

Self-assessment and improvement planning

What progress has been made in implementing the post inspection action plan?

p.4

progress

Significant progress has been made in implementing the post inspection action plan. A clear and detailed plan has been produced which is well aligned with the findings of the previous inspection. The significant majority of the action points on the post inspection plan have been completed. This post inspection action plan links effectively with the business and development plans which are regularly and effectively monitored and reviewed.

p.4

progress

How well does self-assessment contribute to improvements in provision?

p.4

progress

The provider has made reasonable progress in ensuring that self-assessment contributes to improvement planning. The self-assessment process is now focusing more sharply on the strengths and the areas for improvement which, in turn, is providing a more solid base for improvement planning.

p.4

progress

A more structured approach to self-assessment has been adopted which is much more systematic in examining all aspects of the provision. A yearly self-assessment timetable links the post inspection action plan, the development plan and the self- assessment process.

p.4

progress

The process has been given a higher profile by integrating it with other systems such as the formal meetings structure. Self-assessment is a standing item on the monthly senior management meetings, quarterly steering group meetings and all other internal team meetings. A wider range of staff are now involved in, and contribute to, the process. Two training workshops were made available to subcontractors to highlight the importance of self-assessment and how to link their own processes with that of nextstep.

p.4

progress

Subcontracted advisers are now provided with more information about self- assessment through the nextstep website. Through this service, advisers can input comments, some of which are related to self-assessment. The contractor monitors the use of the website by subcontractors.

p.5

progress

Client surveys are used to obtain information about the service’s strengths and areas for improvement. The overall results of the client “Help us get it right” surveys are distributed electronically to subcontractors along with the results for their own client group. This effectively informs subcontractors and assists them in understanding client views about the services they have received.

p.5

progress

provided that the information quoted is reproduced verbatim without adaptation, and the source and date of publication are stated. Inspection reports are available on the Ofsted website (www.ofsted.gov.uk).

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