Best Use of Thought Leadership
Within county councils alone, nearly half of budgetary pressures driving overspends are being caused by spending on children’s services.
As this situation has unfolded, IMPOWER has come forward with a new approach that has evolved from thought leadership to practical implementation on the ground.
Valuing Care enables councils to fundamentally change how their local care systems work: from refocusing social work practice to ensuring care providers are better equipped to meet children’s needs.
Developed in partnership with a growing cohort of local authorities, it has demonstrated it can reduce the number of children coming into care and drive better outcomes for those within the system. The end result is substantial reductions in spending thanks to an approach that addresses the mismatch between spending and outcomes.
In the five years since IMPOWER’s work around Valuing Care was Highly Commended for thought leadership at the MCA Awards, it has further evolved and become embedded in practice – helping to transform the life chances of thousands of children and young people.
It’s become a movement – encapsulated by the Valuing Care Programme – which has grown to 15 local authorities and children’s trusts throughout England and is a platform for sharing practice and experience. This has provided the basis for invaluable research and insight for the entire children’s social care sector. For example, IMPOWER has analysed data from four local authorities who together account for around 5,000 children – 4% of England’s children in care population – and shared the findings with local government through events and briefings.
View the IMPOWER Consulting profile in the MCA Members Directory.