Hampshire Local Welfare Assistance Memorandum of Understanding between Hampshire County Council and Local Welfare Assistance Network Information and Advice Providers 1 Introduction 1.1 From April 2013, Local Authorities are being tasked with developing new Local Welfare Assistance to support some of our most vulnerable individuals and families to cope with, respond to and resolve periods of potential crisis. This work begins at a challenging time for our communities, coinciding as it does with the abolition of Community Care Grants and Crisis Loans and broader Welfare Reform. 1.2 In the current economic climate it is inevitable that some individuals and families will find it difficult to cope with the financial demands of everyday living and in some cases will face real and immediate points of crisis. 1.3 Following the Commission on Personalisation in 2008 Hampshire County Council has prioritised the development of the Universal Offer, delivering that little bit of help to ensure people within Hampshire can access assistance or are armed with the capability to resolve issues for themselves when they need to. 1.4 In order to do this, Hampshire County Council s approach will be based on three core elements: Providing more comprehensive information and advice to support a range of crisis situations and to provide individuals with access to mechanisms to support them to cope and manage with challenging times. Developing access to, and opportunities for, individuals to receive support from existing services. This will be achieved through enabling better signposting and inter agency referrals. Also by supporting the capacity of these services to intervene, respond to and work with individuals and families at times of crisis. Providing existing and new services with access to resources to support individuals and families in exceptional circumstances. 1.5 In the interests of effective partnership working, Hampshire County Council (the Council) has agreed to work with partner organisations (Providers) on the terms set out in this memorandum of understanding. 2 Role of Hampshire County Council 2.1 The Council will facilitate and support a network of existing services and support organisations to deliver practical responses to the difficulties people may face, such as: 1
providing information to enable people to manage difficult periods more effectively putting in place mechanisms to provide access to goods and services ensuring access to support to help people resolve on-going difficulties This will draw on the wealth of activity already provided by the voluntary, community and statutory sectors in Hampshire, delivering added value whilst providing additional resources where necessary. 2.2 The Council s role is to work with local providers to maximise existing resources, channel new funds to the areas they are needed most and give the residents of Hampshire access to the information and support they require to resolve crisis effectively. This will be facilitated through enabling people to be in a better position to cope with challenging times and to address the underlying causes of crisis beyond simply the ability to tackle the crisis itself. 2.3 The Hampshire model looks to build on these existing networks by working more closely with organisations who are experts in their field to identify proportional responses to people s needs in terms of support to cope (both through information and intervention) and access to crisis resolution (through practical solutions). 2.4 The Council plans to identify providers to form Local Welfare Assistance Networks (LWA Networks) who will work in partnership with the Council to provide the necessary support to Hampshire s population. 2.5 This model works on the premise that there are 3 definitions of a provider : Information and Advice Provider This includes organisations such as the CAB, JCP and generic information and advice providers both local and national covering topics such as financial advice, benefits advice, legal advice and / or similar. This would include signposting and referral agencies. Support Services Provider these cover the range of charities, voluntary groups and County Council and Local Authority led services who support specific groups and individuals, such as victims of domestic abuse, offenders, young people, older persons, low income families, those without a home, people with disabilities and mental health issues. Crisis Response and Resolution Provider these are services and / or organisations that provide practical support for crisis and not necessarily specific groups of individuals Food Banks, Charity Shops, Furniture Re-Use services, Basics banks and White Goods Refurbishment services for example. 2
3 Role of the Information and Advice Provider as part of the LWA Network The Information and Advice Provider is responsible for: 3.1 Providing visible support The provider network model is based upon services, organisations and groups becoming more publicly visible and understood. The aim is for Hampshire County Council to collate and share this information so that the public and professionals working with individuals and families can identify where the most appropriate, local support can be found. The Hampshire model is not expecting services, organisations and groups to deliver outside of their current criteria / target support groups. 3.2 Ensuring resource is used wisely Through increased signposting the providers can ensure they are targeting their resources most effectively, which should reduce duplication of support and ensure individuals get the most appropriate support from the most appropriate provider, in a climate where demand is only likely to increase. 3.3 Making appropriate referrals Information and Advice Providers should ensure that those individuals and families in need of support will access this in the most appropriate and timely manner. It may take time to get the LWA Network working to full capacity but support will be provided through the Council s Service Development Officer and a Telephone Contact Point (providing information and advice, signposting and voucher fulfilment to support the capacity of the network to support individuals at times of extreme crisis). 3.4 Referring appropriately for voucher fulfilment The Information and Advice Provider can, in exceptional circumstances, refer an individual or family to the Telephone Contact Point for voucher fulfilment. Please see Appendix A for a guide to determining exceptional circumstances. 3.5 Receiving appropriate referrals The Telephone Contact Point, as well as other providers within the LWA Network, may make referrals to the Information and Advice Provider. Appropriate referrals, subject to capacity and opening hours, should be supported by the Information and Advice Provider. 3.6 Maintaining up to date information LWA Network Providers should ensure that the information held by the Telephone Contact Point and by the Service Development Officer is current and correct. The Service Development Officer will make regular contact with the LWA Network Providers to ask for any updates to information. 3.7 Understanding demand LWA Network Providers should monitor and record activity within their services as set out in section 4 below. 3
4 Overview and Monitoring 4.1 Through services, organisations and groups agreeing to work under the basis of a provider network for local areas, the Council will support the monitoring and recording of activity to help identify where demand is greatest and either support individual services, organisations and groups to grow their capacity or invest in crisis response and resolution that can be accessed by these support services. 4.2 Providers should monitor activity using the simple monitoring form provided by the Council (Appendix B). This should be returned to the Service Development Officer on a monthly basis unless otherwise agreed. 5 Data Sharing 5.1 Data collected for monitoring purposes will not be personal data (please see Appendix B). 5.2 Some personal client data will be required in the cases of referrals to the Telephone Contact Point for the purposes of voucher fulfilment, on the basis of consent of the individual(s) involved. 6 Development of Assistance 6.1 The Hampshire model for LWA allows scope for the development of services and Assistance. There may be future opportunities for providers to be supported beyond what is set out in this memorandum of understanding. The development of complementary Assistance will be informed by gaps in current support. Therefore, this memorandum of understanding allows for revision in the future, subject to agreement by both parties. 7 Changes to the Memorandum of Understanding 7.1 Any divergence from, or changes to this memorandum of understanding must be agreed by both parties in writing. 7.2 This memorandum of understanding can be reviewed on an individual basis through discussion with the Service Development Officer. 8 Legal and Financial Compliance 8.1 Both the Council and the Provider recognise that compliance with the law, and the sound management of public funds within budget, is of fundamental importance. It is significant to note that any money used for developing Local Welfare Assistance is from a very financially limited budget. 4
8.2 The Council and the Provider undertake to inform the other if any decisions or conditions resulting from their partnership would, if acted upon, (i) cause it to be in breach of its legal responsibilities, or (ii) expose it to a level of risk regarded as unacceptable, or (iii) not be consistent with the sound management of public funds. 8.3 Should this situation arise, the Council and Provider will work together to consider whether there may be an acceptable, alternative way of addressing the issue. Agreed by [Name] Signature. On behalf of. [Organisation] Date Agreed by [Name] Signature. On behalf of. [Organisation] Date Appendix A Appendix B 5