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Steps 2 Success Design and Delivery

Steps 2 Success

Presentation Objectives To outline the:  Overall design of the Steps 2 Success programme

 Role of Operational Staff/ Communication channels  Eligibility and Referral Process  Participation  Returners

Steps 2 Success

Contract Areas Northern Ireland will have 3 Contract Areas (Regions) each with1 Contractor  Region 1: Andersonstown, Falls Road, Shankill, Holywood Road, Shaftesbury Sq, North Belfast, Newtownards, Bangor, Lisburn, Knockbreda.

 Region 2: Newtownabbey, Antrim, Larne, Carrickfergus, Ballymena, Ballymoney, Coleraine, Limavady, Foyle, Lisnagelvin, Strabane.  Region 3: Magherafelt, Cookstown, Dungannon, Omagh, Enniskillen, Banbridge, Lurgan, Portadown, Armagh, Downpatrick, Ballynahinch, Newcastle, Kilkeel, Newry.

Steps 2 Success

Steps 2 Success Contractors  Region 1 – INGEUS

 Region 2 - EOS

 Region 3 – REED IN PARTNERSHIP

Steps 2 Success

And what is not changing…..  Steps 2 Success is additional & subsequent to the support the Employment Service Advisers provide – it is not replacing it  Many JSA customers may never be referred to Steps 2 Success – they will get all the support they need to find work from Employment Service advisory teams  All referrals to Steps 2 Success will be made by advisers – while Contractors may market their service they cannot recruit directly

Steps 2 Success

Payment by results

What is Steps 2 Success and why is it different to previous provision?

Steps 2 Success

Operational Role - Communication    

Issue of Staff Guidance on ES Zone Staff Awareness sessions – PMDB & Contractor Clarification of issues raised – Updates via ES Zone Contractors working with each office prior to and after go live – October 20th 2014  S2S mailbox for specific queries  Ongoing co-operation between Contractor & Employment Service

Steps 2 Success JSA various FJR Deferral/Exemption entry (for JSA customers) points Fresh Claim Interview

Referral Interview

Customer Journey

JSA

Adviser Support

Steps 2 Success 52 / 78 Weeks

Post Programme Support

Contracted Support

First Contact

ESA

Key JC/JBO Adviser

Claim

Work Capability Assessment

ESA New Joiner WFI

SSA Provision Steps 2 Success

IB/IS

Customer signposted to JC/JBO to discuss

Voluntary referral

Steps 2 Success

Eligibility  Clients will be eligible for mandatory referral to Steps 2 Success as follows;  after 39 weeks on JSA for clients aged 18 - 24;

 after 52 weeks on JSA for clients aged 25 and over;  Eligibility Reports – 2 weeks before trigger points

Steps 2 Success

Early Entry Eligibility  Early Entry to Steps 2 Success may be considered by an ES Adviser from;  the first day of a JSA claim for an ex-offender on release from prison;  at or from 13 weeks on JSA where they are persuaded that a client has significant barriers preventing them from finding work and these barriers cannot be addressed by the Employment Service Customer Offer;  These clients will have an ‘Attachment ‘ period of 18 months  Once referred all normal participation rules, including sanctions, apply to these clients

Steps 2 Success

Voluntary Referrals While Steps 2 Success is primarily aimed at clients in receipt of JSA there are some other clients who may also participate . These are; Lone parents in receipt of Income Support with a child aged under 7 Income Support claimants with caring responsibilities ESA clients in receipt of ESA(WRAG) prior to the start of Steps2Success Clients in the Employment and Support Allowance Support group Pension Credit claimants

As these clients have no legislative requirement to prepare for or take up employment, sanctions will not apply if they fail to attend or participate on the programme. Advisers should satisfy themselves that S2S is the most appropriate route for these clients before making the referral

Steps 2 Success

Referral Process  Arrange a Steps 2 Success Referral interview via CMS dairy  At the interview, give the client an overview of the programme, including who their Contractor will be & what they can expect from the programme  Discuss Service Guarantee – Section 10 of guidelines  Ensure that mandatory clients are aware of their responsibilities and that failure to attend or participate on Steps 2 Success without good cause may result in benefit sanctions  Ensure the clients details and Progress Review Record are up to date  Input the referral details on CMS, print a Referral Notification and issue this to the client  Warm handovers, where appropriate, should be arranged with Contractors. This issue will form part of the local delivery arrangements  Step by step details are included in the Staff Guidelines

Steps 2 Success

Deferrals and Exemptions  Advisers will be able to temporarily defer a referral to Steps 2 Success where, for example – a client has an imminent start date for a job or is awaiting the outcome of a recent job interview.  Exemptions can be considered in certain circumstances; for example – where a pregnant client is within 3 months of her due date.  Examples of each are contained in Staff Guidance.

Steps 2 Success

CMS – TMS Interface       

Programme Participation Screen Client Referred- Referral notification issued Client Attached Participant ‘ Completer’ Post Programme Support ‘Returner’ Eligibility/Overdue Reports/Exit Reports

Steps 2 Success

Culture Shift  Once a client is referred to Steps 2 Success they will remain with the Contractor for 12 or 18 months and are no longer part of an ES Adviser caseload  If a client starts work while on the programme the Contractor should still continue to provide support to help them sustain their employment  Most JSA Clients participating on the programme will continue to attend Fortnightly Reviews to ‘sign on’. The S2S Contractor will draw up a Progress to Employment Plan which will include all activities that participants are currently engaged in . Their participation on S2S may form part of their evidence that they are actively seeking work  All other appointments will be with the Contractor  The Contractor decides the appropriate support, plus the method & frequency of S2S appointments

Steps 2 Success

Culture Shift (cont’d)  Only one referral will be made for the duration of the Attachment period.  Staff should liaise with the Contactor if a client leaves benefit and returns to make a fresh claim while the client status on CMS is showing ‘Attached’.  The Contractor still retains responsibility for the client/participant for the remainder of their Attachment period.

Steps 2 Success

Participation  Following referral Contractors will have up to 15 days to engage with clients. All work related activity will then remain the responsibility of the Contractor for the following attachment periods:  12 months for JSA clients;  18 months for JSA Early Entrants and ESA (WRAG) clients; and  12 months for IS, Pension Credit, Carers and existing ESA clients who volunteer to join Steps 2 Success

Steps 2 Success

Referrals to Decision Maker Employment Service staff will continue to refer clients to the SSA Decision Maker for any issues relating to availability or actively seeking employment S2S Contractors will make a referral directly to the SSA Decision Maker for all issues relating to attendance and participation on Steps 2 Success The procedures for this are currently being discussed with SSA colleagues. If not agreed by go-live date then existing arrangements will apply

Steps 2 Success

Returners  Clients who claim benefit at the end of the S2S Attachment period will return to the frontline for a further 26 week period of support  S2S Contractors will issue an exit report outlining what the client has achieved during S2S  The intensity of the support required will be dependant on what has taken place while on S2S  After 26 weeks of this support clients will be referred back to the S2S Contractor for up to 12 months of further support.

Steps 2 Success

RETURNERS

EMPLOYMENT SERVICE JSA 18-24 - 9 mths JSA 25+ - 12 mths JSA Early Entry - 3 mths ESA Flow Voluntary SUPPORT CONTRACT

CONTRACTORS

STEPS 2 SUCCESS Max 12/18 months -----------------------Return for further 12 months

EMPLOYMENT SERVICE

Post programme support

26 weeks

RETURNERS