This document discusses early intervention challenges and opportunities from a local authority perspective. It outlines trends toward demand management, productivity, targeting outcomes, and co-production. The strategic context has shifted from a service-centric to people-centric approach that is more targeted, takes services to people, and focuses on behavioral change and personalization. New approaches discussed include commissioning, systems redesign, alternative providers, partnerships, and culture change. Kirklees' thinking emphasizes a whole council approach, building individual and community resilience, and utilizing community assets. This may mean creating new social work roles, redesigning traditional roles, and enhancing support staff skills.

1. Early Intervention
Challenges and Opportunities
A Local Authority Perspective
Alison O’Sullivan
Director for Children and Adults
Vice President ADCS
(Association of Directors of Children’s Services)
18th September 2014

2. Contents
Backdrop
Trends
Strategic Context
Co-production
Responses
New Approaches
Kirklees Thinking on Early Intervention
What does this mean for Social Work?

3. Backdrop
 Reducing public expenditure
 Shifting professional expectations
 Public opinion

4. Trends
 Demand management
 Productivity
 Targeting
 Focus on outcomes
 Co-production

5. The strategic context
Service Centric Approach
• Universal delivery
• Service located at convenience
to service provider
• Management and dispensing
• Standardised menu options
• Service based interventions
• Services bound by geography of
service provider
People Centric Approach
• Targeted delivery
• Take services to where people
are
• Behavioural change – service
user takes responsibility
• Personalisation and tailoring
• Integrated customer journey
• Services linked to community/
neighbourhood

6. What is co-production
Professional designed
Professional
delivered
Service user designed
Service user
delivered
User
self-help group
Traditional
services
Expert Patient
Programme

7. Responses
 Statutory minimum
 Cuts
 Consolidation
 Collaboration
 Alternative funding

8. ‘New’ Approaches
 Commissioning
 Systems thinking and system redesign
 Alternative providers
 Partnerships
 Modelling
 Behaviour change and culture change

9. Kirklees Thinking on
Early Intervention
 Whole Council approach
 Changed relationships with
communities
 Building individual resilience
 Community assets and social capital

10. What Does this mean for
Social Work?
 Creating new social work roles
 Redesigning traditional working
 Enhancing skills and qualifications
for support roles