Kirklees Council (Workstep)

Transcription

1 Kirklees Council (Workstep) Inspection date 2 July 2009 Inspection number

2 Inspection report: Kirklees Council (Workstep), 2 July 2009 Contents Background information... 3 Inspection judgements... 3 Scope of the inspection... 3 Description of the provider... 4 Summary of grades awarded... 5 Overall judgement... 6 Effectiveness of provision... 6 Capacity to improve... 6 Key strengths... 6 Key areas for improvement... 6 Main findings... 7 Achievement and standards... 7 Quality of provision... 7 Leadership and management... 8 Equality of opportunity... 8 What participants like What participants think could improve... 10

3 Inspection report: Kirklees Council (Workstep), 2 July of 10 Background information Inspection judgements Inspectors use a four-point scale to summarise their judgements about achievement and standards, the quality of provision, and leadership and management, which includes a grade for equality of opportunity. Key for inspection grades Grade 1 Outstanding Grade 2 Good Grade 3 Satisfactory Grade 4 Inadequate Further information can be found on how inspection judgements are made on Scope of the inspection In deciding the scope of the inspection, inspectors take account of the provider s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and comments from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) or other funding body. Where appropriate, inspectors also consider the previous inspection report ( reports from the inspectorates quality monitoring or annual assessment visits, and data on participants and their achievements over the period since the previous inspection. In addition to reporting on overall effectiveness of the organisation, its capacity to improve further, achievement and standards, quality of provision and leadership and management, this inspection focused on: Preparation for life and work

4 Inspection report: Kirklees Council (Workstep), 2 July of 10 Description of the provider 1. Kirklees Council provides an employment service for people who have a disability or a health problem. Worklink was established in 1986 as the unit within the council which provides the service. It operates from three offices in Huddersfield, Dewsbury and Batley, which are the main population centres in Kirklees, and several outreach centres in the community. Worklink is partially funded by Kirklees Council and the remainder of its funding comes from the delivery of seven external projects including Workstep. 2. Kirklees Council has 48 Workstep participants, of whom 71% are men and 8% are from minority ethnic groups. They have a wide range of physical, sensory or mental health disabilities. Most participants also have learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The participants all work for local employers, including the council. 3. Kirklees has a population of 401,000. In September 2008, the unemployment rate was 6.0%, compared with a national rate of 5.3%. The proportion of the population claiming incapacity benefit was 6.9%, which was similar to the national average of 7.0%.

5 See Inspection report: Kirklees Council (Workstep), 2 July of 10 Summary of grades awarded Effectiveness of provision Good: Grade 2 Capacity to improve Good: Grade 2 Achievement and standards Satisfactory: Grade 3 Quality of provision Good: Grade 2 Leadership and management Good: Grade 2 Equality of opportunity Contributory grade: Good: Grade 2 Sector subject area Preparation for life and work Good: Grade 2

6 Inspection report: Kirklees Council (Workstep), 2 July of 10 Overall judgement Effectiveness of provision Good: Grade 2 4. The overall effectiveness of the provision is good. Achievement and standards are satisfactory. Quality of provision and leadership and management are good, as is equality of opportunity. Provision in preparation for life and work is good. Capacity to improve Good: Grade 2 5. Kirklees Council s capacity to improve is good. It has a strong record of progressing participants into unsupported employment. The progress of current participants is good and several are close to making the transfer into unsupported employment. 6. The provision is managed very well and information systems are good. Strategic planning and the involvement of the council s senior managers have improved substantially since the previous inspection. The promotion of equality of opportunity to people with disabilities is particularly effective. The council has taken steps to promote the provision to people in deprived parts of Kirklees by the creation of outreach centres. 7. Quality improvement systems are effective. Good practice is shared with other Workstep providers in Kirklees. The self-assessment process is effective and includes a wide range of contributors. Literacy and numeracy support was identified as an area for improvement by self-assessment and is included in the action plan. The self-assessment grades are broadly accurate and the strengths identified in the report are mostly justified. Key strengths Good progression into unsupported employment Very effective programme in meeting the needs of participants and the community Particularly effective support to keep participants in employment Good management and information systems Good promotion of equality of opportunity Key areas for improvement Low achievement of qualifications and non-accredited recognition Insufficient literacy and numeracy support

7 Inspection report: Kirklees Council (Workstep), 2 July of 10 Main findings Achievement and standards Satisfactory: Grade 3 8. The rate of progression by participants into unsupported employment is consistently good, as identified in the self-assessment report. Using the DWP measure, the progression rate is 45%. When participants for whom progression into unsupported employment is appropriate are taken into consideration the progression rate is 56%. These figures exclude participants who have left the programme early as a result of retirement, poor health or moving away from the area. The proportion of early leavers is satisfactory at 29%. However, the number of participants who progress into open employment has declined to four in 2008/09, compared with an average of nine participants in the previous three years. It is too early to regard this as more than a temporary decline. Several participants are making good progress towards open employment. 9. Participants enjoy their work. They learn sufficient skills to be able to retain their job and contribute to their own economic wellbeing and that of their community. Few of them gain qualifications. Only 44% of the current participants have gained a qualification or non-accredited recognition of their learning throughout their period on Workstep. Participants who prefer not to engage in training or development are not required to do so. Many employers regard the funding they receive as a wage subsidy although Kirklees Council states it should be used to develop of participants skills and to enable them to carry out their job. Participants attendance at work is good. Quality of provision Good: Grade 2 10.The quality of the provision is good. The Workstep programme meets participants needs and interests very well. It is firmly based on the principle of participants working in mainstream employment, which participants find interesting and useful. The programme does not rely on a sheltered factory or workshop. All participants either work for commercial companies or for the council in its mainstream services. Participants develop skills that are valuable and current in the job market. Participants contribute to the community and meet their employers needs. Employers match participants to appropriate roles by finding a role which best suits their needs. 11.Kirklees Council has increased its responsiveness to local needs by establishing outreach centres for Workstep in deprived areas. The outreach centres are used to raise awareness of disability and to encourage unemployed people, or those at risk of becoming unemployed, to take part in the programme. 12. Guidance and support for participants are good. Kirklees Council provides particularly effective support to keep participants in employment. For many participants, this starts when they first find they have a disability or suffer from

8 Inspection report: Kirklees Council (Workstep), 2 July of 10 poor health. Of the current participants, 18 were referred to the Workstep programme at this stage, when they were at risk of losing their jobs. Kirklees Council has worked with participants employers to find ways of retaining their previous job or another job. 13.The Workstep employment adviser responds quickly when contacted by participants, employers with potential participants, or the DWP s disability employment adviser. Once a referral is received, the advisers from the two organisations normally visit the employer and the potential participant together to assess the support needs. Support is wide ranging and very flexible, based on participants needs. For example, special aids have been provided when new software is introduced, finance is given for additional support in the workplace, and complicated attendance rules are adapted to allow repeated absence without penalty. If participants needs change, the support requirements are reviewed and adapted or changed if necessary. Participants, and their employers, greatly value this support to enable them to continue in employment. 14.Teaching and learning are satisfactory, but were judged to be good in the selfassessment report. Participants have good on-the-job training to enable them to do their job. However, insufficient use is made of funding to provide personalised training to extend their skills beyond those required for their work. Participants progress reviews are satisfactory. All participants take part in a review of their progress at least once every six months in accordance with the DWP s requirements. Interim visits by the employment adviser take place when requested by participants or their employers. Reviews are thorough and cover the whole range of participants experience including their personal and social development. Employers are fully involved in the review. Targets are set, although many targets are simply recorded as ongoing with insufficient information on what remains to be completed. 15.Literacy and numeracy support is an area for improvement, as identified in the self-assessment report. Literacy and numeracy needs are discussed at most progress review meetings and participants have an assessment before starting the Workstep programme. Some participants have attended a literacy and numeracy course in the past and have asked for this to continue but it has not yet been provided. Participants employed by Kirklees Council can access in-house training provided for all of Kirklees Council s employees. Initial assessment and induction are satisfactory. Leadership and management Good: Grade 2 Equality of opportunity Contributory grade: Good: Grade 2 16.Leadership and management are good. The council s senior managers provide good strategic direction, as identified in the self-assessment report. This is a substantial improvement since the previous inspection when no clear strategic direction was evident. Senior managers take a close interest in the programme and regard it as an important part of the council s employment strategy. For

9 Inspection report: Kirklees Council (Workstep), 2 July of 10 example, when the council assembled a strategy for coping with the recession, the managers of the Worklink programme were involved. Communication between senior managers and the staff engaged in the programme is good. They hold regular meetings and briefings. The operational management of the programme is good. A single member of staff carries out all of the participants progress reviews. They are planned and recorded well. Managers and staff have ready access to management information. Individual participants progress is monitored. 17.The promotion of equality of opportunity is very good, as the self-assessment report identifies. Kirklees Council has a well-established equality and diversity policy. Participants and employers responsibilities are clearly set out. The council s website includes much information about equality and diversity. The Worklink unit, which manages the Workstep programme, is a source of expertise to the council and to employers in the area. It offers awareness training to employers on how to enable people with a disability to participate in work. A total of 36 employers have attended the training in the previous two years. The staff and managers engaged in Workstep are strongly committed to increasing opportunities for participants with disabilities and they work closely with other local agencies. 18.The council is encouraging the participation of underrepresented groups by the establishment of outreach centres in community venues in deprived areas. Data is collected and analysed about the participation and progression of different groups. Women and people from minority ethnic groups are underrepresented but progress at the same rate as the group of participants as a whole. 19.Procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements. Kirklees Council has a comprehensive set of procedures and guidance to protect vulnerable adults. These are shared with the other principal agencies in Kirklees, such as the National Health Service and the police. All staff in contact with vulnerable adults have enhanced Criminal Records Bureau clearance. All staff are aware of procedures for the protection of vulnerable adults. Key staff have received training in safeguarding. Participants know who to contact at Kirklees Council if they are concerned about the way they are treated at work. 20.The arrangements for quality improvement are satisfactory. A single page document sets out the quality improvement strategy clearly. It includes a system of observation, although this only applies to one member of staff and only to the observation of progress review meetings. A system is in place to collect feedback from participants and employers. It does not yield significant information to bring about improvements. The self-assessment process includes contributions from all relevant staff and managers, as well as the feedback from participants and employers. Kirklees Council has identified the area for improvement in literacy and numeracy support through self-assessment and has added it to the action plan, which is regularly reviewed. Kirklees Council has close links with other Workstep providers in West Yorkshire and shares good practice with them, for example about how to improve the feedback systems and literacy and numeracy support.

10 Inspection report: Kirklees Council (Workstep), 2 July of 10 What participants like: Staff are willing to listen They understand disability The very good support The programme has got me into computers Getting useful information about benefits Working in a good team with people of a similar (young) age Persuading my employer to keep me in my job What participants think could improve: Fewer changes of staff it hurts to explain about my disability each time Provide more literacy and numeracy support Crown copyright 2009 Website: This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.