THE FUTURE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE DELIVERY OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SOCIAL WORK SERVICES.

Transcription

1 STIRLING COUNCIL THIS REPORT RELATES TO ITEM ON THE AGENDA CARE COMMITTEE COMMUNITY SERVICES 26 th October 2000 NOT EXEMPT THE FUTURE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE DELIVERY OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SOCIAL WORK SERVICES. 1 PURPOSE 1.1 The purpose of this report is to seek Committee approval for future arrangements for the delivery of Criminal Justice Social Work Services following the Scottish Executive Review. 2 SUMMARY 2.1 The Scottish Office issued a consultation paper Community Sentencing - The Tough Option - A Review of Criminal Justice Social Work Services in September Within this report views were sought on the future arrangements for the delivery of Criminal Justice Social Work Services. The status quo was not an option. 2.2 In May 2000, Jim Wallace, Deputy First Minister agreed to the COSLA proposal for the establishment of 11 mainland groupings, with each grouping being responsible for all aspects of Criminal Justice Social Work ranging from the preparation of strategic plans and financial budgets through to delivery of front line services. The Grouping in which Stirling Council is to be included consists of Clackmannanshire, Falkirk and Stirling Councils. 2.3 A submission to the Justice Department by the end of September 2000 outlining proposals of the structural arrangements for the delivery of Criminal Justice Services is required. An extension till after the Care Committee has been agreed. 2.4 The Forth Valley Criminal Justice Grouping has proposed a model for service delivery taking account of management arrangements, political accountability and financial arrangements. 2.5 Each local authority will retain responsibility for the delivery of Core Services, Court Services and Voluntary Throughcare Services. 2.6 A newly created Strategic Management Group, consisting of Chief Officer and Political Officer representatives will assume responsibility for the strategic management of the grouping with a uniform reporting mechanism to each of the 3 Councils to ensure political accountability. File Name: N:\DEMSUPP\DECISION\REPORTS\CARE\csrep181.doc

2 -2-3 RECOMMENDATION(S) 3.1. It is recommended that the proposals for the future delivery of Criminal Justice Services are agreed. 4 CONSIDERATIONS 4.1. BACKGROUND A NATIONAL SERVICE? The Scottish Office originally issued a consultation paper in September 1998 entitled Community Sentencing - The Tough Option - A review of Criminal Justice Social Work Services. Among other issues this paper invited comment on the future arrangements for the delivery of Criminal Justice Social Work and set out three possible alternative arrangements to the status quo. These were: More joint working between local authorities and partnerships with the independent/voluntary sector. An area network of around six Criminal Justice Social Work agencies, perhaps based on Sheriffdoms. A single national body with strong links to the rest of the Criminal Justice process and to locally provided services. Stirling Council s response to this document advocated that existing arrangements for the delivery of Criminal Justice Social Work already involved a high level of partnership working and that this was a preferred option to either a national agency or one based around Sheriffdoms. This view was shared by the majority of local authorities and endorsed by COSLA BACKGROUND RETENTION WITHIN LOCAL GOVERNMENT After a lengthy consultation, the Deputy First Minister, Mr. Jim Wallace MSP in May 2000 accepted the COSLA proposal for the establishment of 11 mainland groupings for the delivery of all aspects of the Criminal Justice Social Work Service. The grouping in which Stirling Council is to be included involves the three Forth Valley local authorities. In accepting the COSLA proposal the Deputy First Minister for Justice produced a set of key requirements, that each Criminal Justice Grouping must comply with. These are attached (Appendix 1). Taking cognisance of these key requirements, local authorities are now required to agree a structural model for the operation of the new Criminal Justice Groupings and to submit their proposals to the Justice Department by the end of September 2001.

3 FUTURE PROPOSALS A draft proposal for the delivery of Criminal Justice Social Work by the Forth Valley Criminal Justice Grouping is attached (Appendix 2). The draft proposal outlines the preparatory work undertaken across Clackmannanshire, Falkirk and Stirling Councils and the guiding principles adopted in developing the draft proposal. If approved, this will be submitted to the Scottish Executive Justice Department. The draft proposal highlights the positive history Clackmannanshire, Falkirk and Stirling Criminal Justice Services have had since local government reorganisation in jointly commissioning services, and their joint partnership arrangements with other agencies such as Central Scotland Police. The draft proposal outlines the management, political and financial arrangements for the Forth Valley Criminal Justice Grouping. Most significantly all core services, such as Probation and Community Service, Court Services and Voluntary Throughcare Services will be managed and delivered by each local authority within existing management structures. Such an arrangement will promote social inclusion of offenders and their families ensuring they are provided with local services FUTURE PROPOSALS ORGANISATIONAL ARRANGEMENTS A newly created Strategic Management Group consisting of Directorate, Political and Criminal Justice Management representation from each of the three Councils, will have responsibility for: Strategic Planning for Clackmannanshire, Falkirk and Stirling across Forth Valley. Monitoring the work of Criminal Justice Social Work Services across the Forth Valley. This Strategic Management Group would in turn be supported by two further groups. Criminal Justice Reference Group. Criminal Justice Service Operational Management Group. Membership of both these groups is outlined in the draft proposal. To ensure Political accountability will continue within each of the three Councils, a uniform reporting mechanism from the Strategic Management Group to each Council will be established FUTURE PROPOSALS FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS. The Justice Department intend to provide each Criminal Justice Grouping with a single financial allocation from April 2002 when the Criminal Justice Groupings are to be operational. The Forth Valley Criminal Justice Grouping proposes that the Criminal Justice Strategic Management Group would have responsibility for the allocation of funds to each of the three Councils for the

4 -4- delivery of Core Services, Court Services and Voluntary Throughcare Services. The Justice Department expect that each Criminal Justice Grouping will by September 2001 produce a Strategic Plan for the delivery of Criminal Justice Social Work Services from April POLICY IMPLICATIONS 5.1 The Forth Valley Criminal Justice Grouping supports the Council s strategic aims of social inclusion and promotion of quality services. 6 CONSULTATIONS 6.1 All relevant Council Services and partner agencies within the voluntary and statutory sector have been consulted in the review of Criminal Justice Social Work Services in Forth Valley and the proposed Grouping. 7 RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS 7.1 There are no resource implications at this time. 8 BACKGROUND PAPERS 8.1 Community Sentencing - The Tough Option - A Review of Criminal Justice Social Work Services - The Scottish Office. Author(s) Name Designation Tel No/Extension Anne Pinkman Head of Criminal Justice Service Approved by Name Designation Signature Helen Munro Director of Community Services Date 13/10/00 Reference csrep181.doc

5 -5- APPENDIX 1 KEY REQUIREMENTS FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SERVICES GROUPINGS AS SET BY DEPUTY FIRST MINISTER, JIM WALLACE. Partnership covering all aspects, including planning, operational and service delivery. An overarching structural model to serve the individual accountability needs of constituent authorities. Clear cut lines of financial, operational and staffing accountability. Integration of strategic planning process. Single allocation to meet financial needs of the group. Subject to availability of funding, consistency within the group of provision on non-core support programmes. Single point entry at a strategic level for engagement with the voluntary sector and related criminal justice agencies. Adoption of Best Value principles Adoption of quality assurance approach. Consistent application of performance indicators and management information. Measurement and evaluation of outcomes. Delivery to occur at the local level with links to other planning processes. Continuation of operational links with other key areas including social and housing. Development of links with other local agencies.

6 -6- APPENDIX 2 REVIEW OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SOCIAL WORK SERVICES DRAFT PROPOSAL FOR FORTH VALLEY CRIMINAL JUSTICE GROUPING 1. Introduction 1.1 The purpose of this report is to provide a response to the Justice Department s correspondence dated 24 July 2000, in which local authorities are asked to agree the structural models for the operation of new Criminal Justice groupings and to submit their proposals to the Justice Department by the end of September In formulating these proposals, due consideration has been given to the key requirements outlined by the Minister for Justice in his correspondence dated 4 May Clackmannanshire, Falkirk and Stirling Councils have also developed their own guiding principles, which underpin the proposals contained within this report. These principles are outlined in the attached Appendix. 1.2 In developing these proposals, the following preparatory work was undertaken across the three Councils: an audit of existing service provision within each Council; an audit of existing policies and procedures which affect the way in which services are delivered within each Council; consideration of essential links between Criminal Justice Social Work Services and other Council services; consideration of lines of accountability within each Council. 1.3 The proposals contained within this report are subject to political approval within each of the three Councils. The relevant Committees of each Council will consider this proposal during October These proposals outline the composition of the groupings, the proposed management arrangements, political accountability, and progress on other policy issues. 2. Composition of Grouping 2.1 It is proposed that the Forth Valley Criminal Justice Grouping will consist of Criminal Justice Services provided by Clackmannanshire, Falkirk and Stirling Councils in conjunction with their partners. Current partners include SACRO, Barnardo s, APEX and Forth Valley Primary Care NHS Trust.

7 Clackmannanshire, Falkirk and Stirling Councils have a history of jointly commissioning Criminal Justice Services since local government re-organisation in 1996 and the links between the three Councils are already consolidated by a number of strategic planning groups which include the Forth Valley Young Offenders Strategy, the Substance Action Team and the Forth Valley Mental Health Strategy. Formal partnership agreements also exist between the Councils and Central Scotland Police in relation to the management of sex offenders and in relation to child protection work. 3. Management Arrangements 3.1 It is proposed that core services, Court services and voluntary throughcare services would continue to be managed and delivered by each local authority, within existing management structures. 3.2 It is proposed that supported accommodation services would be shared between Falkirk and Stirling Councils. 3.3 It is proposed that the non core services which are currently jointly commissioned by the three Councils would be managed by the Criminal Justice Grouping and that a lead authority would be identified as the single point of contact for each of the current partners. 3.4 It is proposed that the grouping would be supported by a newly created Strategic Management Group. Membership of this group would consist of directors, political representatives and Criminal Justice managers from each of the three Councils. This group would have responsibility for: strategic planning for Criminal Justice Services across the Forth Valley; monitoring the work of Criminal Justice Social Work Services across the Forth Valley. It is proposed that the Strategic Management Group would meet on a quarterly basis. 3.5 It is proposed that the Strategic Management Group would be in turn supported by two further groups: the Criminal Justice Service Reference Group; the Criminal Justice Service Operational Management Group. The Criminal Justice Service Reference Group would consist of representatives of key stakeholders in the Criminal Justice system such as Authority Reporter to the Children s Panel, Procurator Fiscal, Sheriffs, Sheriff Clerks, Central Scotland Police, Forth Valley Health Board and senior management representatives from each of the partner agencies. It is proposed that the Criminal Justice Service Operational Management Group would consist of Criminal Justice Service Managers and Team Managers across the three Councils. This group would have responsibility for:

8 -8- implementation of the strategic plan for the delivery of Criminal Justice Services across the Forth Valley; operational management of Criminal Justice Social Work Services across the Forth Valley; reporting to the Criminal Justice Strategic Management Group on the delivery and management of Criminal Justice Social Work Services across the Forth Valley. The Criminal Justice Management Group would meet on a monthly basis. 4. Political Accountability 4.1 Whilst the Criminal Justice Service Strategic Management Group would include political representatives, political accountability would continue to be ensured within each of the three Councils. It is anticipated that there would be a uniform reporting mechanism to each of the three Councils from the Criminal Justice Service Strategic Management Group. 5. Progress on other Policy Issues 5.1 Financial Arrangements: agreement has been reached in principle across the three Councils that one of the Councils would act as lead authority for the purposes of administering the single budget allocation which is anticipated in The Criminal Justice Strategic Management Group would have responsibility for the allocation of funds in respect of the partnership for the delivery of core services, Court services and voluntary throughcare services.

9 -9- GUIDING PRINCIPLES TO BE ADOPTED BY THE FORTH VALLEY CRIMINAL JUSTICE GROUPING First and foremost any partnership arrangements should enhance service provision. They should ensure that Criminal Justice Social Work Services continue to have operational and strategic links with other Social Work Services and Council services. They should ensure that Criminal Justice Social Work Services are able to respond to local need. They should involve no additional cost. They should ensure accountability both locally and nationally.