A home and a job for people experiencing multiple disadvantage (PSA 16)
The previous Labour Government introduced Public service agreements (PSAs) which set out how central government intended to deliver public services. The PSAs were underpinned by the national indicators which are still currently used to measure the impact of public services at a local level. Although the coalition Government has discontinued the PSAs there is a momentum of activity both regionally and locally that is the legacy of PSA16 which aimed to increase the proportion of socially excluded people in accommodation and employment. The agreement identified that four groups of vulnerable people are more at risk of social exclusion:
- Adults with moderate to severe learning disabilities
- Adults in contact with secondary mental health problems
- Care leavers aged 19
- Offenders under probation supervision.
Sitra believes that this agenda continues to be consistent with the emerging policy direction of the new Coalition Government. The Coalition Government have indicated that they intend to:
- Encourage support and enable people to make better choices for themselves
- Develop new approaches to helping individuals and families with multiple disadvantages
- Facilitate third sector involvement with public sector organisations to provide more locally accountable community based services.
Sitra sits at a strategic and delivery level on the groups who are responsible for delivering a home and job for groups with multiple disadvantages in the London region. We also chair the third sector delivery sub group and have been successful in a regional bid for funding for research into the third sector contribution to PSA16 in the London Region. This work is facilitating an expert working panel on third sector contribution to delivering PSA16, we have just run a series of events for the third sector and are in the process of scoping third sector contribution to PSA16 in the London region. For more information contact sueb@sitra.org
The members of the expert working panel have been chosen because they are providing services that support socially excluded people in London find accommodation and employment.
Find out more about the panel's work
External resources
To find out more about PSA16 visit
www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/social_exclusion_task_force/psa.aspx
The Cabinet Office has launched the Link up link in campaign to support front line professionals work together to achieve better outcomes for socially excluded people. Visit www.hmg.gov.uk/linkuplinkin/joint-working.aspx
The National Housing Federation has produced a publication on the role housing association can play in PSA16 www.housing.org.uk
Sitra has a number of training courses that can support providers and commissioners ensure these vulnerable groups of people are provided with quality services. The Transitions training courses focus on the move on options for vulnerable people and best practice in resettlement.
