LGA Early Help Peer Challenge Pilot

Introduction

Independent external evaluation and feedback from the sector has endorsed peer challenge as an approach that promotes learning from a sector-led improvement perspective. We are constantly striving to improve outcomes for children, young people and families and an external and independent view can help to accelerate or consolidate progress. This Early Help Peer Challenge pilot is part of this sector-led approach in which local government and its partners take responsibility for its own improvement.

The LGA is working with the Supporting Families and Early Help teams in DLUHC and DfE, and councils, to co-design and pilot the Early Help Peer Challenge and test out how effective this can be in improving the early help system. These pilots will take place in February 2023. Following evaluation of the pilot involving sector colleagues, a decision will be made as to whether it would be useful to roll out a programme of early help peer challenge activity more widely.

What is a peer challenge?

A peer challenge is not an inspection. It is a robust and effective improvement tool managed and delivered by the sector, for the sector. Local government leaders and experts, together with key partners – as ‘peers’ – are at the heart of the process. Peer challenges help councils and their partners with their improvement and learning by providing a practitioner perspective and ‘critical friend’ challenge. The make-up of the peer team will reflect the requirements of the local area receiving the peer challenge. Typically, there will be 4-5 peers plus an LGA peer challenge manager in a team with reviews taking place on-site for four days depending on the type and size of local authority.

What will we focus on?

The peer team will explore the effectiveness of local early help services in improving outcomes for children and families and identify both what works well and opportunities for improvement. This pilot is still in development, but the peer challenge will use the Early Help System Guide as a basis and likely cover the following areas:

• Leadership and governance of the early help system across the local area
• Capacity and resources to deliver effective early help
• The effective identification and assessment of children, young people and families who would benefit from early help
• How well support for families is co-ordinated through whole family working
• The impact of early help in improving outcomes for children and families

The LGA will also work with individual local authorities and their partners to agree specific key lines of enquiry. This will ensure that the peer challenge remains focused on those issues of particular importance or potential for impact in your area.

What would you get from participating in the pilot?

DLUHC is funding this peer challenge pilot. You will receive a peer challenge that provides robust and external analysis of how local agencies in your area are delivering early help services. You will also play an influential role in shaping and informing the pilot with the potential for a wider roll out across the sector in the future.

What will colleagues get from being part of a peer challenge team?

Being part of a peer challenge team is intensive but rewarding. It is a valuable learning experience, enabling a two-way exchange of good practice and provides an opportunity to reflect on your local areas performance. It highlights innovative ways of working that can support sustained improvement and offers the chance to work alongside people from across the country who have a passion for working with families. It is also an opportunity to build long lasting professional networks. We expect peers to have an excellent understanding of early help services for disadvantaged children and families; to be inquisitive and open minded; and to be able to challenge effectively.

It is expected that the peer teams will be multi agency and we are looking for peers with backgrounds in social care, education, police, health and the voluntary sector. Peers will be working at a senior level within their organisation (i.e. assistant director, head of service or senior manager). Peers will need to commit to a two day peer reviewer training/assessment event and engage in one of the pilot early help peer challenges.

What will the process look like?

If you would like your local authority to be considered as a pilot for an early help peer challenge, you will need to register your interest (details for how to do this are highlighted at the end of this note). Two local authorities will be selected, ensuring a mix of type, size and geographical location. From this point, the process will proceed as follows:

• co-design event (30 November 2022) - the two local authoriites, LGA and DLUHC will work together to shape the peer challenge offer
• an LGA review manager is appointed for each pilot local authority
• initial set up meeting to agree the scope for the review
• agreement of the peer team
• pre-review analysis of documentation provided by the local authority including strategies, policies, data, information, structures, actions plans etc
• develop timetable of onsite meetings, visits, focus groups, practice observations
• peer team onsite and will include daily feedback session to the Director of Children's Services
• feedback presentation on the afternoon of the final day onsite
• feedback report produced within three weeks of the onsite phase
• evaluation event (March 2023) - the two LAs, LGA and DLUHC will work together to evaluate and share learning.

What do you need to do?

If you are interested in your local authority piloting the early help peer challenge, please contact [email protected] or [email protected]. In doing so, please also include a brief statement (no more than two or three sentences or a few bullet points) as to why your area would find it useful to be part of this pilot.

Please note that for your LA to be considered for this pilot peer challenge you will need to:

• participate in a co-design event on 30 November 2022
• work with the LGA to plan and prepare a Early Help Peer Challenge that will be delivered in February 2023
• participate in an evaluation event in March 2023.

If there are colleagues within your organisation who are interested in being trained as a peer for this process please also contact [email protected] or [email protected].