PSB Bulletin summer 2016 Issue 1 Welcome to the first issue of our new PSB Bulletin aimed at keeping Public Services Boards and those involved in partnership work updated and connected. If you have any comments or feedback or if you think there is anything you would like to see included in a future bulletin, please let us know - we want to make this bulletin as much about you and the work you re doing as well as updating you on Welsh Government policies. In this bulletin: Update on the new Government and Ministerial portfolios Page 2 The Common Data Set and what it s for Page 4 Invited Participants and their role on the PSB Page 5 Future Generations Commissioner Page 6 The Future of Governance: Effective decision making for current and future generations event Page 6 The Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (Wales) Act 2015 Page 7 Effective Services Group Update Page 8 Contact info Page 10 1
Update on the new Government and Ministerial portfolios On 19 th May the First Minister of Wales, Carwyn Jones, announced his new Cabinet and Ministers. The First Minister said A critical five years lie ahead. My relentless focus, and that of my Cabinet and Ministers, will be on driving improvement in our economy and in the vital public services that the people of Wales rely on every day. The Cabinet and Ministers are as follows: Ken Skates Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure Vaughan Gething Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport Mark Drakeford Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government Kirsty Williams Cabinet Secretary for Education Lesley Griffiths Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs Carl Sargeant Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children Jane Hutt Leader of the House and Chief Whip Julie James Minister for Skills and Science Alun Davies Minister for Lifelong Learning and Welsh Language Rebecca Evans Minister for Social Services and Public Health 2
Local Government Reform update The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government is in the process of visiting authorities, seeking views on the future of local government. The Minister said in a statement earlier this month that he understood the need for clarity on reorganisation but finding a way forward would mean developing an approach that is deliverable and sustainable. He went on to say that over the coming weeks and months he will be meeting local government leaders and others and listening to what they have to say before considering the long-term approach. He finished by saying that it would be in everyone s interests to get the process right. 3
Common Data Set At the beginning of the year, the Welsh Government commissioned Data Unit Wales to produce a common data set for the assessment of local well-being and to make it available for PSBs to draw on in 2016/17. A number of key stakeholders were consulted during the development process and the data set was published on 1 st June 2016. While the requirements around the assessment are deliberately non-prescriptive to enable local discretion on what information is relevant and useful, there is also a core set of data which all PSBs can now draw on. The data set caters for a significant proportion of data needs for the assessment, recognising the degree of overlap in the data content of each area s Needs Assessments historically and enabling those involved in undertaking the assessments to focus on identifying other locally specific evidence and also on the analysis of what the evidence tells them. Data Unit Wales have used the four themes set out in Shared Purpose Shared Future: social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being and the set also reflects the national wellbeing indicators. The Data Set can be found here http://www.dataunitwales.gov.uk/local-assessment-of-well-being-common-data-setpublished Since the publication of the data set, the cross-public sector working group involved in the publication of the Guidance on the Use of Evidence and Analysis (non-statutory guidance), has been reconvened. The group agreed that they would meet again as and when necessary to ensure the Guidance kept pace with developments and have recognised that the publication of the National Indicators and the common data set raise some questions which a re-working of the Guidance could usefully address. The revised version of the Guidance will be circulated once completed. If you have any queries relating to the Data Set, please contact Chris Perkins, Data Unit Wales chris.perkins@dataunitwales.gov.uk 4
Invited Participants and their role on the PSB We have received some interest in further detail on Invited Participants and what their role is on the PSB. Invited participants have an important role to play on the Board, working jointly on anything the Board does under its well-being duty, including assessing the state of well-being in its area, setting objectives to maximise its contribution to the achievement of the goals, and taking reasonable steps to meet those objectives. This means they will be entitled to make representations to the Board about the assessments of local well-being and local well-being plan, take part in its meetings and provide other advice and assistance. A local well-being plan can contain an objective which is to be met by steps which are to be taken by an invited participant, but only if the invited participant has agreed. The Welsh Ministers The PSB is required to invite the Welsh Ministers to participate in the activity of the Board as an invited participant. Welsh Ministers are able to designate an individual from their organisation to represent them. The role of the Welsh Government representative has previously been to support ambitious local delivery and unblock barriers to delivery within the Welsh Government, through a culture of engaged leadership and this will remain an important aspect. The Welsh Government lead will help local partners negotiate a period of extensive reform with the establishment of the PSB and ensure national and regional delivery remains responsive to local need and local democratic accountability. The role of the Welsh Government representative is to seek to ensure that PSBs remain focussed on strategic issues and that discussions are informed by evidence and there is robust internal challenge. Progress on the PSB is fed back to the Welsh Government PSB team and concerns raised by PSBs are passed on to the appropriate contact within Welsh Government. 5
Future Generations Commissioner The Future Generations Commissioner is currently in the process of visiting all of the bodies specified in the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act. She is then intending to meet PSBs in the autumn. One of the Commissioner s first tasks is looking at involvement as a way of working and examining what the current practice is on community engagement both by individual bodies and collectively through PSBs. The Commissioner s office will be looking to speak to PSBs to understand their approach with the intention of drawing out common learning and identifying common gaps. The Future of Governance: Effective decision making for current and future generations event South Wales - 6 Jul 2016-9:30 15:30 & North Wales - 14 Jul 2016-9:30 15:30 In partnership with the Future Generations Commissioner, Welsh Government, Welsh NHS Confederation, and the WLGA, the Wales Audit Office is holding an event on The Future of Governance: Effective decision making for current and future generations. Public services in Wales will need a step change in the way they make decisions, to respond effectively to the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act. The implications of the Act, together with the changing public service landscape, means that we cannot continue to run, deliver and hold public services to account in the same way as before. The seminar will provide a practical walk through of the skills and behaviours decision makers need to fulfil the spirit and intention of the Act. While this will be of interest to members of Public Services Boards, in terms of how their individual accountability will sit alongside their collective accountability as a PSB to scrutiny committees, this event will be of particular interest to those of you who are also responsible for corporate planning/performance management within your organisations. If you would like to secure a delegate place or if you would like to discuss any aspect of the seminar, please email good.practice@audit.wales. 6
The Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (Wales) Act 2015 The Act s overarching purpose is to improve the public sector response to gender-based violence, domestic abuse and sexual violence and to provide a strategic focus on these issues and ensure consistent consideration of preventative, protective and support mechanisms in the delivery of services. The role of Public Services Boards will be critical in providing leadership as we work together to achieve the far reaching aims in the Act. This is true both collectively and individually as many Public Services Board members will be the relevant authorities under the Act (Local Authorities, Local Health Boards, Health Trusts and Fire and Rescue Authorities). In the year since the Act was passed much progress has been made towards implementation; the first National Adviser, Rhian Bowen-Davies, has been appointed and has published her first plan and Statutory Guidance on the National Training Framework for Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence has been published. Recognising the importance of prevention, Whole Education Approach Good Practice guidance has been produced, providing advice to education professionals to help them teach the importance of healthy relationships to children and young people. There is still much to do, in particular developing a shared, collective strategic vision on violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence. Without this we will be unable to achieve the consistency of response which victims tell us is crucial. To that end, the National Strategy on violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence will be developed over the next few months. We will engage with stakeholders, including Public Services Boards, to make sure the strategy embodies the ambitions of the Act and enables us to make a real difference to the lives of those experiencing these issues, but also to prevent future generations from experiencing them at all. A formal consultation is planned for this summer and the Welsh Government would welcome and encourage input from Public Services Boards. Further information can be found at www.gov.wales/livefearfree 7
Effective Services Group (ESG) Update Results of a commission to evaluate a multi-agency response in the Vale of Glamorgan to help vulnerable people with mental problems to find and keep a home. Collaboration between organisations concerned with Housing, Support and Mental Health Services in the Vale of Glamorgan in 2013 led to the development of an integrated dispersed supported housing scheme for people with severe and enduring mental health problems. The scheme consists of a multi-agency group, which agreed a housing and support service model appropriate to the needs of those with severe and enduring mental health problems. The group is made up of representatives from the Supporting People team at the Vale Council; Gofal Cymru; Newydd Housing Association; and specialist rehabilitation provided by the Intensive Rehabilitation and Integration Service (IRIS) from the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board. They work together to assess suitable clients for the scheme, offer them their own tenancy in the Vale of Glamorgan; and together, develop and provide them with care and support. This hybrid model of support enables clients with mental health problems to take up their own tenancy supported by a fully integrated Care and Treatment Plan. The evaluation report was published in March 2016: Evaluation of the Vale of Glamorgan Dispersed Housing Scheme : Link to the report: http://gov.wales/statistics-and-research/evaluation-valeglamorgan-dispersed-housing-scheme/?lang=en 8
Independent Evaluation of the Gwent Missing Children Project Established in 2013, the Gwent Missing Children Hub brings together police officers, social workers, health workers and education representatives to provide a unique service in relation to children who go, or are at risk of going, missing in the Gwent region. They work together in a co-ordinated way to share information and assess the risks to which these young people may be vulnerable. An independent evaluation has found emerging evidence that the Hub is resulting in its intended impacts and outcomes for children and young people who go missing. According to the report, the Hub s success lies in the co-location of agencies, a shared risk assessment tool and an integrated IT system, all of which make the sharing of information easier. The independent de-brief and mediation service provided by Llamau, involving the young people in decisions that affect them, and provision of training to relevant practitioners are also identified as positive factors. Link to the final evaluation report:- http://gov.wales/statistics-and-research/evaluation-gwent-missing-childrenproject/?lang=en Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 The Essentials Guide Many of you have been using the useful Essentials Guide that was produced to accompany the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act. Two versions have now been produced and it is important that if you are referring to this guide that you refer to the second edition. The second edition can be found by clicking on the link below. http://gov.wales/topics/people-and-communities/people/future-generations-act/?lang=en 9
Contact information Claire Germain, Head of Local Government Partnerships Policy, claire.germain@wales.gsi.gov.uk 02920 826745 Hilary Maggs, Partnership Policy Manager hilary.maggs@wales.gsi.gov.uk 02920 823612 Huw Bowen, Governance and Engagement Manager huw.bowen@wales.gsi.gov.uk 02920 801385 10