Developing and Evaluating Multi-Agency Partnerships

A Practical Toolkit for Schools and Children's Centre Managers

Rita Cheminais

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2009
• Print ISBN: 9780415556576
• eBook ISBN: 9781135253974
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Education General

In recent years government initiatives such as Sure Start, Extended Schools and Every Child Matters have been significant in the promotion of an agenda to create collaborative working environments and introduce multi-agency practice into a range of child-centred settings. Developing and Evaluating Multi-Agency Partnerships provides advice and guidance for managers and leaders responsible for overseeing multi-agency working in these settings, providing a self-evaluation framework to help improve the quality and effectiveness of multi-agency relationships.

The valuable tools and templates within this book will:

• Explain the importance of self-evaluation
• Provide a framework for self-evaluation via a step by step guide
• Link multi-agency practice with improving the Every Child Matters outcomes
• Suggest best practice for gathering multi-agency evidence
• Give guidance on building a portfolio of evidence and achieving external recognition

The self-evaluation framework provided in this book meets the requirements of the Children's Workforce standards and OFSTED requirements for effective partnerships. A highly practical handbook, this book is essential reading for all those who are implementing or improving a multi-agency partnership in their setting.

To improve the effectiveness of this resource, additional resources are downloadable in customisable form from http://www.routledgeteachers.com/resources/fulton

1
The origin and benefits of the multi-agency self-evaluation process

The origin of the multi-agency self-evaluation framework and process

The multi-agency self-evaluation framework and process arose in response to a number of head teachers’ requests for a robust evidence-gathering tool that would enable them to demonstrate and gain external recognition, beyond Ofsted, specifically for their good practice in multi-agency working.

A journal article that I had published in January 2009, entitled ‘Getting together’, became the trigger that eventually prompted the development and launch of the multi-agency self-evaluation framework and process nationally.

The purpose of the multi- agency self-evaluation framework and process

The self-evaluation framework for multi-agency working is designed to enable leaders and managers in a range of education settings and LA children’s services to meet the government’s requirements in relation to having highly skilled and knowledgeable children’s workforce practitioners working directly with children and young people.

The multi-agency self-evaluation framework that supports the evidence-gathering process is aligned with the children’s workforce core standards, particularly the one related to multi-agency working. It complements the Early Years QISP and the quality standards in the NSF. It also contributes valuable evidence for the Ofsted SEF. This ensures that it meets all the necessary accountability requirements placed on education settings, which includes children’s centres and children’s services.

The purpose of the multi-agency self-evaluation framework and process

The multi-agency self-evaluation framework and process can be utilised in early-years settings, children’s centres, mainstream primary and secondary schools, special schools, academies and PRUs. It also has the potential to be used in LA children’s services.

When to use the multi-agency self-evaluation framework and process is very much dependent on a setting’s or service’s current context and the starting point from which they are approaching multi-agency working. An education setting or children’s service is in a stronger position to engage with the multi-agency self-evaluation process when:

• an Ofsted inspection has identified multi-agency/partnership working as being a good or outstanding feature;

• the setting or service is already delivering successful and effective extended services as part of the core offer;

• the capacity exists among practitioners in the setting or service to meet all the elements of the nine aspects of multi-agency working at the embedded level on the self-evaluation framework;

• there is a genuine, agreed willingness and commitment among key stakeholders within the setting or service to fully engage with the multi-agency self-evaluation process.

The pre-requisites for engaging with the multi-agency self-evaluation process

The following pre-requisites act as the necessary guiding principles for positive engagement with the multi-agency self-evaluation process:

• the leader or manager of the education setting or service has shared their vision for productive multi-agency working with stakeholders;

• a presentation has been delivered within the education setting or service, which raises staff and governors’ awareness about the benefits and purpose of engaging in the multi-agency self-evaluation process;

• there is a high level of trust and mutual respect among multi-agency practitioners and staff within the service/education setting;

• the contributions that multi-agency practitioners make to improving children’s and young people’s well-being is acknowledged and valued by the education setting/service;

• team work and collaborative practice are a strength of the education setting or service;

• there is a strong focus on continual improvement in the aspect of multi-agency working within the education setting/service;

• there is a designated senior member of staff—who has sufficient quality time to perform the role—that is responsible for overseeing the entire multi-agency self-evaluation process within the education setting or service;

• a working party or task group is established to assist with the evidence-gathering process towards meeting all nine aspects of multi-agency working;

• time is made available for the working party/task group to meet at least once every half term with the designated senior member of staff, in order to review progress towards meeting the nine aspects of multi-agency working;

• those education settings or services that wish to gain an award for their good practice in multi-agency working sign a contract of agreement to commission consultancy and external assessment from Every Child Matters (ECM) Solutions.

The benefits of engaging with the multi-agency self-evaluation process

The main benefits of participating in the multi-agency self-evaluation process are noted below.

• The education setting or service will have a rich source of evidence which demonstrates how they are meeting all the necessary core and quality standards relating to multi-agency working and effective service delivery.

• The education setting or service will be well placed for meeting any local authority or Ofsted inspection accountability requirements.

• It engages a diverse range of stakeholders in the process, which strengthens the commitment to integrated, collaborative multi-agency working.

• It is an invaluable tool for building the capacity among multi-agency practitioners in order to further develop integrated partnership working.

• It offers the potential to achieve an award in recognition of good practice in multi-agency working.

• It helps to identify and disseminate best-practice in multi-agency working locally and nationally.

• It complements the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) School Improvement Planning Framework module, Beyond the Classroom, as well as their Extended School Toolkit for Governors, and the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF)/National Strategies Early Years QISP.

• It can be used in conjunction with the National College for School and Children’s Leadership (NCSCL) online ECM Leadership Direct’s resource section on multi-agency partnership working.

• It supports the aspects of multi-agency partnership working that feature in the National Professional Qualification in Integrated Centre Leadership (NPQICL) and in the National Professional Qualification for Headteachers (NPQH).

• It supports the Ofsted SEF in relation to the contribution of services and the impact they have on improving children’s and young people’s ECM well-being outcomes.

• It complements the Children’s Workforce Development Councils (CWDC) One Children’s Workforce Framework for Children’s Trusts.

If, after reading this first chapter, you consider that you meet the majority of the pre-requisites for commencing the multi-agency self-evaluation process, then move on to the next chapter, which will describe how to use the framework.

2 Overview of the multi-agency self-evaluation process, auditing and action planning

There are four key stages in the multi-agency self-evaluation process.

Stage 1: auditing current multi-agency practice. This stage entails an audit of multi-agency policy and practice being undertaken by the designated senior member of staff, in partnership with those who are on the working party or task group, using the multi-agency self-evaluation framework. This will enable a view to be formed as to whether current policy and practice is emergent (in the early stages), developing (work is in progress) or embedded (fully in place), in relation to all the elements for each of the nine aspects of multi-agency working.

Stage 2: action planning. This stage entails producing an action plan, which identifies the aspects and elements of multi-agency working that require further action in order to move them from emergent and developing to become embedded.

Stage 3: collecting evidence and monitoring progress. This stage entails carrying out the necessary actions and activities in order to improve—and meet all the elements of—the nine aspects of multi-agency working. A portfolio is compiled which brings together all the ev...

Table of contents

• Contents
• Illustrations
• Acknowlegements
• Abbrevations
• How to use this resource
• Introduction
• 1 The origin and benefits of the multi-agency self-evaluation process
• 2 Overview of the multi-agency self-evaluation process, auditing and action planning
• 3 Compiling a multi-agency portfolio of evidence
• 4 Monitoring, evaluating and assessing progress in multi-agency working
• 5 Achievements and outcomes of engaging with the multi-agency self-evaluation process
• Appendix
• Glossary
• Useful websites
• References and further reading
• Index