Our key question? How does the LCR accelerate the use of data in designing and delivering better public services?
What is the opportunity? The cost of children’s social care is crippling local authorities, with large proportions of budgets going to crisis support rather than early intervention and prevention. This is leading to massive overspends and poor outcomes for children and young people. Workforce is big chunk of this. It’s a complex system with lots of dimensions to the problem. Through consultation with key stakeholders (including Directors of Children’s Services) across Cheshire and Merseyside, expert practitioner workforce planning has been highlighted as one of the areas which needs some energy. This wasn’t just another ‘data workshop’. It was a powerful call to action. It triggered some brilliant insights and conversations.
Our key takeaways
Families deserve better
At the heart of the workshop was a central question – how do we make sure families can get the right support at the right time? Collecting data isn’t enough. We have to use it in a way that makes life easier for people who need help from public services. It’s a big challenge. But the rewards are worth it. This means getting the expert practitioner role is crucial to getting the earlier of help to people.
(Note: The expert practitioners are colleagues who work with children and families directly e.g. youth workers, family support workers and can give personalised support to the families they’re working with).
The future workforce
As a region, we haven’t got a coordinated or consistent way of workforce planning. People working in public services know what the problems are, but without headspace to properly plan for the future, more and more families are reaching crisis point because they don’t have the right support in place.
What’s crucial is a robust and realistic workforce planning methodology. One that can be rolled out across teams and organisations. And identifies current gaps and anticipate future needs. We heard from Vicky Allen, Cheshire and Merseyside Mental Health Programme, about her journey to creating a robust methodology which gave inspiration to the room.
Untapped potential of VCSEs
VCSE teams are at the heart of our communities. They provide support to people and families who need it most. But their data is often uncoordinated and underutilised. Data already in the system could feed into planning services and getting help to people when they need it most. VCSE organisations don’t have the resources or infrastructure to collect and share data effectively. Bridging this gap is conditional – on smarter investment and better collaboration to level the playing field.
Responsive to emerging trends
One thing’s guaranteed at our events- smart, passionate people ready to do things differently. It was evident again as we explored the concept of ‘fast and slow needs’. Some issues require immediate action – a crisis that demands a rapid response. Others are slower-burning but just as important. How do we ensure that professionals are equipped to respond to both fast and slow needs? And how do we create systems that can anticipate and address emerging trends before they become crises?
Data and digital capacity
Data and digital capacity was a recurring theme throughout the day. What does ‘capacity’ really mean for the region? Is it about having the right technology, the right skills, or both? And how do we ensure that the workforce is equipped to handle the data-driven demands of the future?
The power of collaboration
One of the most encouraging takeaways was the emphasis on building on existing work. Across the region, there are pockets of excellence – projects making a real difference to the things that matter most in people’s lives. However, they’re often isolated, with limited opportunities to share learning. Key to this work is linking with the developing Office for Public Service Innovation (OPSI) to share insights from live and past data projects. By creating a platform for collaboration, we can amplify the impact of projects and share what’s working (and what’s not!) widely.
Trust and transparency: the foundation of enabling data
It wouldn’t be a Greater Data event without the issue of trust and privacy becoming central to the discussions. People are understandably cautious about how their data is used. But they also expect professionals to have an understanding of their needs and experiences. How do we build trust and ensure transparency in data sharing? It’s a challenge every public organisation is grappling with – maybe citizens’ assemblies are the answer- head over to the CDC’s website to find out more.
Learning from others
The workshop also drew on insights from other initiatives in the Liverpool City Region. Safe & Well, Merseycare’s children and young people’s project with Social Finance highlighted the importance of projects grounded in community needs. Understanding the full scope of stakeholders involved – from training providers to schools – is crucial to getting the solution right.
What’s next?
There’s been a lot of talk about data and the role of AI in designing and delivering effective public services. But it’s one thing to understand the potential value of data, it’s another to use it in meaningful ways that make a difference to people’s lives. As we move into the design phase of Greater Data, what’s really exciting is a shared sense of purpose – towards building a new culture and system where data is an increasingly part of the solution of better, more effective public services in the LCR and Cheshire.
So, where is Greater Data going? It’s still early days, but things are moving quickly. The focus on understanding community needs for Early Help over the next 5 years resonated with everyone in the room. Conversations, and there were many, focused on the practical, urgent actions to put data and insights at the heart of public service transformation across Cheshire and Merseyside.
We are already seeing a new world. One that imagines the possibilities of data being used to make a positive difference to people’s lives. Events like this Greater Data workshop that bring together smart, passionate working in public services are a catalyst for Cheshire and Merseyside being on the frontline of public service innovation.
Want to find out more? Get in touch with sara.chattun@thisiscapacity.co.uk
