Commissioning Working Group

Working Group Three will develop an agreement of expectations between local authorities and their providers to ensure effective commissioning of services which lead to better outcomes for children and young people. This group is being chaired by Garry Coutts.

The Working Group met for its first full day meeting in early September and explored a number of issues and themes regarding commissioning, including the current position, the role of providers and purchasers in engaging with future agreements and the role of commissioning in meeting the needs of children and young people.

The first meeting of each Working Group was preparation for a two day residential which took place in November when all groups came together to develop detailed work plans and to share common issues and themes. Since the residential the Commissioning Working Group has examined definitions of commissioning, other models and frameworks that have been or are being developed and the scope of the framework it has been asked to develop for residential child care in Scotland. The Group has also begun to identify some of the key principles that should underpin commissioning arrangements and the cultural shift that maybe required. It is currently preparing a survey to help identify the existing commissioning arrangements and is seeking examples of good practice.
Stakeholders are invited to respond, either online or at one of the four stakeholder events in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Perth and Inverness, to the two questions which will inform and assist the Commissioning Group in its work over the next couple of months.

1. As a provider or purchaser of residential child care what do you think are the key issues to ensuring that services are provided at the right time and in the right place to meet the needs of children and young people?

2. Please detail how you think providers and purchasers of residential child care can work more effectively together to ensure residential child care delivers positive outcomes for children and young people.

Submit question or message to the group

Membership of Commissioning Group – Working Group Three