Archived decisions
HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL
Decision Report
Decision Maker: |
Executive Member for Adult Social Care | ||||
Date of Decision: |
11 December 2009 | ||||
Decision Title: |
Adult Services Grants To Pump Prime New Innovations | ||||
Decision Reference: |
1043 | ||||
Report From: |
Director of Adult Services | ||||
Contact name: |
Mark Allen | ||||
Tel: |
01962 845056 |
Email: |
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1. Executive Summary
1.1. The purpose of this paper is to seek approval for making grant awards to pump prime new innovations and activities to the third sector organisation outlined in this report.
1.2. The Adult Services Pump Priming for New Innovations grant programme was introduced specifically for pump priming projects or services that are significantly different from what exists now and which will contribute to the development of the Hampshire Model of Personalisation. In particular, this grant programme seeks to support the Market Development workstream by investing in new initiatives from Hampshire's voluntary and community sectors, user led organisations and other allied sectors within the social economy such as social enterprises; collectively called in this document, the Third Sector.
1.3. Thirty one applications were received which were evaluated against the criteria set out in Appendix D. It is acknowledged that innovation is difficult, particularly when personalised social care is still an evolving concept. Many of the applications received aligned too closely with activity that is already underway within Hampshire Adult Services, within partner organisations or developed in partnership with external agencies. Some applications are being held for further consideration and for others we will seek to discuss with organisations how we can jointly develop initiatives in other ways.
1.4. It is therefore recommended at this stage that £26,000 in 2009-10 be awarded in grant funding to demonstrate the Department's commitment to transforming adult social care by providing an opportunity for the Third Sector to test out sustainable and innovative ways to stimulate the market.
1.5. Further work will be undertaken to explore the potential of other submissions. Any recommendation for grant funding under this programme will be submitted to the Executive Member at a future decision cycle. This will be for funding in addition to that recommended in this report.
1.6. This report seeks to:
· Outline the background information regarding the Adult Services Pump Priming for New Innovations Grant Programme and process.
· Outline details of the steps taken in determining grant allocations for the programme.
· Detail the organisation recommended to be supported through this grant programme.
· Provide information on the Monitoring and Review process.
2. Contextual information
2.1. The Pump Priming for Innovations grant funding provides an opportunity for both Adult Services and partner third sector organisations to develop and understand alternative methods of service delivery within a period of change.
2.2. This both relates to process and to specified intended outcomes for individuals.
2.3. Appropriate market development is critical for the future transformation of adult social care and the implementation of the Hampshire Model of Personalisation. These grants are an important opportunity to test and evaluate proposed changes and new ways of working. These approaches will assist in informing internal decisions on market development opportunities as well as influencing any future developments by other external providers.
2.4. Effective outcomes for individuals is at the heart of Personalisation and the Hampshire Model. The grant funded projects will additionally allow us to test effectiveness within new ways of working and the efficiency of differing models in providing services and outcomes. This will inform both future Adult Services Commissioning strategies and practices as well as those of external partners.
2.5. Where proposals potentially link with existing areas of development around the Hampshire Model of Personalisation, consideration has been given by the appropriate senior Adult Services officers and work stream boards to ensure these proposals will be complementary and add to learning.
2.6. The principal objectives for the Adult Services Pump Priming for Innovations Grant Programme are five of the six work streams identified from the Hampshire Model of Personalisation. These are the Universal Offer, Self Directed Support, Carers, User Led Organisations and Market Development.
2.7. Crisis Care has not been included as it is a statutory service and considered to be more appropriate to fund through contractual arrangements and not through grant funding.
2.8. This grant programme also seeks to address inequalities within Hampshire, including access to provision of services and areas of multiple deprivation identified within the Hampshire Sustainable Community Strategy 2008-18.
2.9. In developing the grant programme, full consideration has been given to the values outlined in the One Compact for Hampshire.
2.10. The Adult Services Pump Priming for Innovations Grant Programme is one of a number of mechanisms to support the transformation of Adult Social Care in terms of the Department's investment. Other types of investment include the existing grant programmes, contracts, corporate funding, and Self Directed Support.
2.11. Grant funding offers the opportunity to stimulate market development within the Third Sector as it supports flexibility, risk taking, learning, development and creativity.
2.12. This report reflects the first round of grant funding for the Pump Priming for Innovations programme.
3. Finance
3.1. Adult Services has allocated a budget specifically to grant fund new innovations linked to the Hampshire Model of Personalisation. The amount recommended to grant fund at this time is £26,000 for 2009-10.
3.2. An additional recommendation will be made for Executive Member approval within a subsequent decision cycle for allocation of further grant funding. This will be to support another application from a different organisation.
4. Performance
4.1. This grant funding has been developed to support the development of the Hampshire Model, in particular the five elements listed in section 2.6.
4.2. This grant programme is specifically an outcomes led approach with organisations defining targets and measurable outcomes. Achievement of these will be monitored by Adult Services Officers.
5. Summary of Organisation Recommended For Funding - All Inclusive Disability Consultants - Basingstoke and District - £26,000
5.1. All Inclusive is a user led Community Interest Company which aims to promote the concept of independent living through endorsing current thinking on personalisation. All Inclusive inspires change through training and the use of enterprise to create solutions to change attitudes and improve the community's environment. The organisation formed in 2008 and is seeking to develop this initiative as a social enterprise. It is entirely user-led, from management levels through to its development activities.
5.2 The development of user-led initiatives and organisations in Hampshire is considered of significant importance, in particular investments in social capital and the development of a user-led workforce.
5.3 The All Inclusive PA (Personal Assistant) School will train and supply a pool of available PAs that can be employed by disabled people enabling them to live as independently as possible. The PA School will be a "matching" service to assist disabled individuals find and employ personal assistants before the interview stage. All Inclusive will supply candidates who have been in-house trained, CRB-checked and who are available for:
· Interview at the request of a disabled individual
· Provision of cover at conferences/seminars at the request of an event organiser
· Interview as part of a sick/holiday cover contingency plan
5.4 The PA School will deliver the following within the first 2 years:
· Database of skilled, trained, CRB-checked available PAs in the Basingstoke area
· Bespoke training programme that all PAs will undertake before database registration
· Niche market for PAs who empower disabled professionals in their employment
· Reputation of quality within the user-led organisations and disability sector
· Raised profile of PA employment to a "profession"
· Self-sustaining and income-generating
5.5 Details of candidates wishing to be PAs will be entered onto a database. Candidates will be CRB-checked and undertake AI PA Training Workshops. Likewise, details of disabled people on self-directed support, event organisations with specific requirements for PA application will also be continuously collected on the database. All Inclusive will match PAs to potential candidates for interview. When a PA becomes employed an invoice and evaluation form will be issued to the employer.
5.6 The PA School will offer a 40 hour package of workshops: -
1. Basic First Aid
2. Food Hygiene
3. Health & Safety
4. Manual Handling
5. Exploring The Role of a PA
6. Disability Awareness/Equality
7. Understanding How to be An Advocate
8. Challenging Communication
9. Infection Control
10. Exploring Basic Work Skills
5.7 All Inclusive plans to charge PA's for the training received. It forecasts that it will be self sustaining by the end of 2010-11.
5.8 The organisation plans to work in Basingstoke and district as it is based in the North of the county and this initiative represents a first stage in the development of the PA school. It should be noted that other activity around PA's is being undertaken elsewhere and trained PA's will not only be available in the Basingstoke area.
5.9 It is recommended that a grant of £26,000 for 2009/10 be approved.
6.1 Legal Considerations
6.1 Grant aid is considered a more appropriate funding mechanism than a contractual agreement to pump prime new innovations. Grant funding offers increased flexibility and will allow the opportunity to `test out' new ideas.
6.2 This fund was established to enable organisations to submit proposals generated by them that support the Hampshire Model of Personalisation.
6.3 The Local Government Act 2000 under Part 1, Section 2 (Promotion of Wellbeing) enables local authorities to do anything which they consider likely to achieve the promotion of the social, economic and environmental wellbeing of their area, which includes a power to give financial assistance to any person.
6.4 In exercising its powers, the authority must have regard to its Community Strategy. This grant fund will meet two of the long term ambitions of the Hampshire Sustainable Community Strategy; Hampshire's communities are cohesive and inclusive, and vulnerable people are safeguarded and Hampshire and its partners work to reduce inequalities in outcome for residents according to individual need and through a focus on specific areas of multiple disadvantage. This grant will promote the social wellbeing of the area by contributing to the development of a trained, CRB checked Personal Assistant workforce that is demonstrably needed across Hampshire to meet the needs of individuals and groups of vulnerable people.
7. Future direction
7.1 Organisations have been required to consider longer term sustainability as part of the application process.
7.2 The organisation recommended to be funded has longer term funding plans in place once the pump priming grant funding comes to an end. This will be incorporated into the monitoring process.
7.3 Further work is being undertaken within the remit of this grant programme with the department's Community Development Workers, specifically looking at initiatives generated from within Hampshire's Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) communities with regard to future possible ventures.
8. Recommendation
8.1 The Executive Member gives approval to award grant funding totalling £26,000 in 2009-10 to pump prime new projects and activities as outlined in this report.
Appendices
Appendix C Glossary of Terms
Appendix D Evaluation Criteria
CORPORATE OR LEGAL INFORMATION:
Links to the Corporate Strategy
Hampshire safer and more secure for all: |
yes |
Corporate Business plan link number (if appropriate): | |
Maximising well-being: |
yes |
Corporate Business plan link number (if appropriate): | |
Enhancing our quality of place: |
yes |
Corporate Business plan link number (if appropriate): | |
Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - background documents | |
The following documents discuss facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and have been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report. (NB: the list excludes published works and any documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.) | |
Document |
Location |
IMPACT ASSESSMENTS:
1. Equalities Impact Assessment:
1.1. In compiling the attached report, account has been taken of the requirements of the Corporate Equalities Plan and Race Scheme. The One Compact for Hampshire has social inclusion as one of its principles and states that all partners are committed to the importance of promoting equality of opportunity for all people, regardless of race, age, disability, gender, sexual orientation and belief. Additionally, equal opportunity and race relation policies have been sought from the voluntary organisations that apply for grants above £5,000.
2. Impact on Crime and Disorder:
2.1 The County Council has a legal obligation under Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 to consider the impact of all decisions it makes on the prevention of crime. Whilst the Adult Services Pump Priming for Innovations grant programme has no direct impact, it will increase the provision of services to vulnerable adults, which will contribute to individuals feeling safer and more secure within their communities.
3. Climate Change:
3.1 How does what is being proposed impact on our carbon footprint / energy consumption?
The Adult Services Grant Programme proposes to support local organisations providing services within local communities. This reduces the need to travel and therefore reduces both the carbon footprint and energy consumption.
3.2 How does what is being proposed consider the need to adapt to climate change, and be resilient to its longer term impacts?
The proposal recognises the need to adapt to climate change and plans to develop a longer term strategy in order to address this.
Glossary
Social Enterprise:
A social enterprise is a business with primarily social objectives whose surpluses are principally reinvested for that purpose in the business or in the community, rather than being driven by the need to maximise profit for shareholders and owners
Community Interest Company (CIC):
A community interest company (CIC) is a new type of company introduced by the government in 2005 under the Companies (Audit, Investigations and Community Enterprise) Act 2004, designed for social enterprises that want to use their profits and assets for the public good. CIC's are intended to be easy to set up, with all the flexibility and certainty of the company form, but with some special features to ensure they are working for the benefit of the community
Third Sector:
A huge diversity of non governmental organisations ...value driven and principally
reinvest surpluses or raise funds to further social, environmental or cultural objectives ...includes community groups, voluntary organisations, faith and equalities groups, charities, social enterprises, co-operatives, mutuals and housing associations.
Evaluation Criteria
The criteria for the Adult Services Grant Programme included the following
· The applicant is a third sector organisation.
· The proposed activity or service is innovative and significantly different from what exists now.
· The proposed activity or service contributes directly to the Hampshire Model of Personalisation.
· The proposed activity or service identifies real outcomes for individuals and communities.
· The organisation can demonstrate that these outcomes are measurable and systems will be in place for effective monitoring.
· The application has considered how the service or activity will be sustainable once the pump priming funding comes to an end.
Decision Making Process
· Feedback was initially received from senior operational and commissioning managers and the Market Development Board before being considered at the grant panel. The grant panel consisted of the Grants Officer, senior Adult Services Officers, including both strategic and operational managers.
· All grant applications have been subject to scrutiny using the evaluation criteria developed for this grant programme.
Monitoring and Review
· The organisation recommended for funding will be subject to a grant agreement outlining the agreed outcomes to be delivered with the funding and the responsibilities for monitoring and review.
· Each organisation will be allocated a liaison officer to undertake the monitoring and review process to ensure the proposed service remains on target and the outcomes identified in the application process are being achieved.