Optimising the support that transforms young lives
Fundamental to providing good services for families is to listen to the voices of children and young people. Keeping children safe and happy means providing the best possible support at the earliest opportunity.
We know that financial shortfall, soaring demand for services and an unstable workforce are of rising concern for Local Authorities. As the numbers of children identified with a special educational need or mental health challenge grows, it becomes increasingly difficult to commission cost effective and high-quality support to meet their needs.
Working in partnership with the NHS, integrated care boards, schools and mental health trusts, we can produce a robust and realistic plan for sustainable Children’s Services.
Peopletoo offer insight, develop solutions and transform services for children and young people.
Collaborating with your team, we bring the hands-on experience and expertise needed to diagnose challenges and co-design solutions to improve outcomes across Children’s Services. Focussing on Early Help, SEND provision and Children’s Social Care, we help you deliver impactful change alongside financial savings.
Experienced Consultants
Our hand-picked team share an extensive background working in local Children’s Services, giving us invaluable understanding and empathy for the challenges and restrictions you face.
Evidence-Based Change
We start from the data, helping you to analyse the numbers, review key documents and hear from all stakeholders before making informed decisions.
Practitioner Engagement
Our recommendations are vetted by your team on the ground, to ensure they recognise the picture we’ve drawn and take ownership of the changes to be made.
Local Context
Our work is firmly rooted in the context of your community, with customised solutions informed by our tried and tested methodology.
Better life chances for all children
We’ll take you back to the essential components of good practice in Children’s Services; a clear vision, simple and transparent pathways, good partnerships and a motivated workforce.
With a deep knowledge of children and young people, we deliver child-focussed programmes that respond to local need and make best use of your budget.
Whether you’re looking for whole system transformation or need expertise in a specific area of service, we provide capacity for positive and sustainable change.
Children’s Social Care
Safeguarding children and giving them the best opportunities to achieve their potential is one of a local authority’s most important duties. Demand for care and support continues to increase in complexity, with the associated spend often representing the main financial pressure on local authority budgets. Alongside this, and the range of statutory duties in place, councils have to navigate the Ofsted inspection regime whilst responding to the national reforms being rolled out. Peopletoo has vast experience and expertise, which can help you take control of this complex landscape.
Focus areas:
Medium-term financial planning and sustainability
System redesign and reform readiness
Quality assurance, practice improvement, inspection readiness and response
Effective commissioning and maximising VfM from placements
Early Help
Engaging with families at a preventative stage is critical in reducing the number of young people that need social care intervention and in controlling long-term costs. But more importantly, Early Help is less intrusive for families and provides better outcomes for children and young people.
Working with Local Authorities across the country, Peopletoo have developed an in-depth knowledge of Early Help services and a toolkit of proven strategies which we can adapt to suit your local needs.
Focus areas:
Internal capacity and external resources for Early Help provision
Skills and expertise in partner agencies, including schools, healthcare providers and the voluntary sector
Community hubs for advice, information and access to services
Innovative programmes to tackle specific challenges
SEND Provision
The support available for children displaying additional needs can often feel confusing and difficult to navigate for young people and their families. Many seek an EHCP, unaware of the wider provision available that may be well-suited to their needs.
Peopletoo work with your team to evaluate SEND pathways and work towards a clear, simple system with meaningful communication at its centre.
Focus areas:
Planning and assessment within SEND pathways
Early Help for SEND children
Resource-based provision in mainstream schools
Upskilling practitioners in inclusive practices
Effective use of specialist provision
Transition planning and preparation for adulthood
Home to School Transport
The arrangement of transport for children to travel between home and school is a statutory requirement and an essential service for many pupils.
With an increase in the numbers of children with specific needs, many Local Authorities are seeing costs for this provision soar. But this can be kept under control. Peopletoo work with your team to review, design and implement more efficient approaches that will conserve your budget.
Focus areas:
Understanding and building relationships with suppliers
Route analysis and spend benchmarking
Review of commissioning and contract management
Transport procurement
Structure and process redesign
Integration with wider children and young people’s services
Learn from our previous case studies:
