Framework for Council Information and Advice (and Advocacy) Strategies
15th December 2009
Dear Colleagues,
Information and Advice in the Context of Putting People First
This framework strategy has been produced as part of the Transforming Adult
Social Care work to support local authorities in developing the information and
advice dimensions of Putting People First.
Information, Advice and Advocacy are one on the key building blocks of Putting
People First and the Transformation of Adult Social Care.
In order to support the process of change associated with this, the Association of
Directors of Adult Social Services and the Local Government Association have
worked in partnership with Department of Health and other key stakeholders
(including the Care Quality Commission - CQC) to establish a set of milestones
against which progress can be judged. All the key stakeholders involved in the
delivery of the Transformation of Adult Social Care have accepted these. One of
the key milestones relates to Information and Advice:
Milestone 4:
Information and advice
Description:
All citizens should be able to easily find locally relevant quality
information and advice about their care and support needs in order
to enable control and inform choice. Information should be available
in a range of formats and through channels to make it accessible to
all groups. Provision of information, advice and guidance should
move from being largely developed from separate initiatives to a
single coherent service strategy.
April 2010
October 2010
April 2011
Milestone 4:
Information and advice
Key Dates and
Deliverables:
That every council
has a strategy in
place to create
universal information
and advice
services.
That the council has
put in place
arrangements for
universal access to
information and
advice.
That the public are
informed about where
they can go to get the
best information and
advice about their care
and support needs.
We commissioned Cathie Williams to produce this framework to support councils in
developing their local strategies. Explanation about how it was developed and how
to use it follows on the next pages.
Additional work has been commissioned to look specifically at the provision of
information advice and support for people who fund their own social care. A
preliminary report, reviewing existing literature and researching how well the needs
of self funders are currently addressed, will be available shortly.
We wish you well in completing your strategies and in the next stages of
transforming adult social care.
Andrew Cozens
LGA Group Strategic Lead of Adult Social Care & Health
Jeff Jerome
National Director Social Care Transformation
ADASS
How the Framework has been developed
The framework strategy builds on the report published early in 2009 “Transforming
Adult Social Care: Access to Information, Advice and Advocacy” which is available
on the IDeA website at http://www.idea.gov.uk/idk/aio/9580624. The framework
references page numbers to specific sections of that report where appropriate.
The framework strategy has been produced through the following process:

Initial discussions with a sample of 7 Directors of Adults Social Services in
relation to style and content.

“Road testing” with those authorities: working through the draft to ensure
that it supported people to think through a complex set of issues in a
manageable way, that the framework was applicable to a range of different
contexts and that it was helpful to authorities in producing their strategies.

The final draft was being sent back out to those local authorities for any
final comments and was presented to the Information, Advice and Advocacy
Steering Group for views prior to publication.

The strategy will be launched with a conference on the 7th January 2010.
The following Local Authorities have assisted with the development of this
framework, and we are grateful for their time and contribution:
Lancashire, Leeds, Barnsley, Oldham, Kensington and Chelsea, Southampton and
Gloucestershire.
Key issues in the framework strategy
Key Issues highlighted for the strategy framework are questions to trigger
developments in:




Analysing the needs of the population
Managing the content and organisation of information
Enhancing awareness of where to find information and advice (and
advocacy) for both the public and professionals across local organisations
through marketing or communications activity
The delivery mechanisms for information and advice (and advocacy)
These are set in the broader context of Putting People First delivery:

Getting the technical infrastructure right in relation to systems or databases
for information, alongside resource allocation systems and other operating
models

Broadening the market, both in terms of the delivery mechanisms for
information and advice (and advocacy) and in terms of the supports and
services that are available for people

Ensuring that there is sufficient interpersonal support for people in relation to
explanation, advice and advocacy, that this links effectively with support to
plan, choose, arrange and manage support and services, and that this is
underpinned by a safeguarding approach that helps people to manage risks
and benefits in their personal circumstances
How it is intended that the strategy should be used
Discussions with local authorities focussed on the following key issues:
Template or Framework?
Whilst there was some thought that a “template” (i.e. a fairly rigidly set out
document structured so that local information is slotted in) might both save some
time and possibly add to particular local dynamics either within councils or with
partners, the overwhelming view was that this should be a “framework”, with more
local flexibility.
Therefore, this document is set out in a form that is intended to break down the
dimensions of Information and Advice in order to create a manageable structure to
produce a strategy from the perspective of both a document and the activities that
it represents.
It is set out as a series of headings and questions that prompt a response. It is
entirely for Local Authorities to decide what goes into their final strategies.
It is intended to be supportive in thinking through what is a complex area of work.
Style and Format
Road testing authorities all wanted the document to be produced in word format so
that they could apply their local style, formatting and “livery” or branding . It was
felt that it would be most helpfully produced electronically with the local option for
printing off and working in paper format. The intention is that the document will
support a process whereby Local Authorities can gradually build in their own
content and delete the explanatory text in the final document.
The appendices are limited to information that has not been available elsewhere.
Critical sections from “Transforming Adult Social Care: Access to Information, Advice
and Advocacy” been included in the explanations in the text, particularly in the
early sections. This is because the road testing indicated that this was helpful and
necessary in order for LAs to both think through their own content and also
communicate their work to their wider audience, both corporately in the local
authority and more widely, as they produce their strategy.
Scope
There has been discussion as to the scope of the strategy for Information and
Advice (and Advocacy). There is acute awareness of how people’s needs for
information and advice are not at all framed by how national and local government
departments function but range across social care, health, housing, employment,
leisure and commerce. There was some ambition to include all of these in the
strategy. However, realism means that at least in the initial stages, most local
authorities will wish to focus on a core of adult social care and to making key
links across to other areas.
Information and Advice, or more?
The milestones relate to Information and Advice. As part of the preparation of this
framework, we asked local authorities whether they would like to have sections on
advocacy included as additional options. Two authorities preferred not to have
Advocacy included, three definitely wanted it included, one wanted it dealt with as
a stand alone section and one felt that they probably wouldn’t include it but
thought it should be an option for others. Therefore, Advocacy is included in this
framework are as an option, should individual local authorities wish to include it,
together with links to other interpersonal support functions including help to plan,
choose, arrange and manage services and support.
Work in Progress
It is important to note that whilst there is an enormous amount of information, a
lot of advice and some advocacy available in this country, this hasn’t to date been
planned and managed strategically. Therefore, this framework strategy prompts local
authorities to analyse what they do have and to plan for how they develop both
these services and indeed the service itself. For example, few, if any, have
comprehensive analysis of the information and advice (and advocacy) needs of
their populations and the strategy may well then be to develop this over the next
year or so. In that context, some Local Authorities may wish to build in review
and revision to the strategy.