Debates and dilemmas; commissioning children and young people

This briefing bulletin will help directors of children’s services and senior managers with lead responsibility for strategic commissioning to improve outcome for children and young people by developing more robust commissioning arrangements. The briefing is informed by a study seminar sponsored by the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA), the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) and Research in Practice (RiP). Discussion at the seminar was wide ranging; it provided a rich source of information and practical suggestions. The seminar confirmed that strategic commissioning is a complex process and that directors of children’s services need to play a lead role in championing new approaches. Commissioning must focus on outcomes – and this is a different and challenging way of designing and performance-managing services.

(Published July 2007, 20 pages)

Commissioning health care services for children and young people: increasing nurses’ influence

This guidance provides assistance in influencing the commissioning process for nurses who manage and lead children’s and young people’s services. As children’s nurses, it is our professional duty to monitor the quality of services provided to children and their families and influence processes for service enhancements. Commissioning processes are continually evolving, and this document will provide information and support to help you influence the development of effective, efficient and appropriate high quality services for your area.

(Published May 2004, 20 pages)

Commissioning children's services and the role of the voluntary and community sector

The Laming Inquiry, followed by the publication of Every Child Matters, heralded the start of a debate that would bring about the most significant changes to the provision of Children’s Services for a generation. This document seeks to bring together core principles and challenges, as well as evidence of good practice. We hope it will help professionals in all sectors to share a common understanding of commissioning and the role of voluntary sector plays at the moment and has the potential to play in the future, as we progress our shared goal of improving children’s outcomes.

(Published 2004, 35 pages)

Joint planning and commissioning framework for children, young people and maternity services

The framework aims to help local planners and commissioners to design a unified system in each local area which will create a clear picture of what children and young people need, will make the best use of resources, and will join up services so they provide better outcomes than they can on their own. The framework is designed for people working in all sectors of children, young people and maternity services including political leaders, senior management, planners, commissioners, providers, corporate procurement, finance, legal and other support staff, central and regional government officials.

(Published 2006, 36 pages)

Commissioning drug services for vulnerable young people

This self-assessment tool is designed to assist PCTs and their partners in assessing their knowledge and capability to commission children's and young people's services. It reflects the importance of effective partnerships in commissioning the integrated services, which are fundamental to the improved outcomes of services for children and young people.

(Published April 2007)

Commissioning drug services for vulnerable young people

This paper examines commissioning processes for drug services in the case of vulnerable young people. In the context of government's modernisation agenda it characterises drug service commissioning as an activity that should occur across professional boundaries in health, social care, local authority and crime agencies.

Drugs education prevention and policy, 2003, 10 (3) p. 251-262

Ask your local health librarian to locate this item for you.

Fact file: joint commissioning of children's service

What will a shake-up of children's services mean for joint commissioning bodies? Amanda Reid provides an overview.

Care and Health Magazine, 2005 Suppl., (105) p. 17-18

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Children and Young People's Plan

The Children and Young People's Plan (CYPP) is an important element of the Every Child Matters reform programme. It has been a powerful force in driving forward better local integration of children's services and the development of local partnership arrangements.

A series of 12 papers that presents the findings from NFER’s analysis of Children and Young People’s Plans (CYPPs) were produced. Number 3 Commissioning and Resourcing in Children and Young People’s Plans sets out how aspects of commissioning and resources feature in CYPP and includes illustrative examples.

Other documents or websites of interest

Children Services: Department of Health

Commissioning Children’s and Young People’s Palliative Care Services

Children’s NSF Case Studies