Special Needs Employment Services Management Board

1. Objectives of the report

1.1 KEY STRATEGIC GOAL AND VISION
To develop a shared vision

1.2 SUMMARY OF CURRENT POSITION
A brief review of the existing services, for example
- type of service offered in each
- current training and development opportunities
- assess numbers of existing clients
- assessment of individual abilities, needs and potential
- assess levels of transferable skills of existing clients
- to look at type of services needed for existing/potential clients

1.3 OVERALL BUSINESS DIRECTION AND DEVELOPMENT

To provide a long term vision for special needs employment. It is anticipated that over the next 3 years the Board will:

- Reduce the proliferation of sites to 3
- Set up multi-disciplinary assessment team / process
- Shift the focus from sheltered employment to training
- Develop a training allowance to reward trainees
- Develop a management information structure
- Manage the units with consistency and professionalism

1.4 CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS

Considers the overall vision and strategy, providing a rationale for changing the focus from sheltered work to vocational training

1.5 ORGANISATIONAL IMPLICATIONS

Considers the overall organisations of the new strategy

1.6 MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS
Considers the development of a management structure that allows for an upgrade path for the ongoing developments of the service. It also considers the areas of responsibility for differing groups within the service

1.7 RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS

Considers the implications of setting up the new service, for example financial, staffing and training and development of existing, and new staff.

2. KEY STRATEGIC GOAL AND VISION

2.1 Mission statement

"to support people with special needs to train, develop their skills, and move into open employment".

3. SUMMARY OF CURRENT POSITION
At present, opportunities and services for people with special needs are provided by the Department of Health and Social Services, the Department of Employment and Social Security and the Department of Education. There are 5 separate 'umbrella services' operating within these departments.
Job Scope
Le Geyt Services
Special Needs Employment Board
Workwise Employment Services
Learning Development Centre
Within the 'umbrella services' are a total of 13 satellite services. The objectives of
these vary from supporting people in their move into open employment, providing
people with training, and providing meaningful work. The structure is as follows:

3.1 Department of Health and Social Services
- Job Scope
Island Wood
Wood 'n' Wheels
Hospital Gardeners
Aluminium Can Recycling Scheme
Les Bourgeons Organic Farm
Skills Base
Wheel Chair Repairs

- Le Geyt Services
Sunflower Nurseries
Work Force
Co-operative Crafts
Cakes 'n' Bakes
Craft Corner

3.2 Department of Employment and Social Security
- Special Needs Employment Management Board
Acorn Enterprises Ltd
Oakfield Industries Ltd

- Workwise Employment Services
Schools Services Project

3.3 Department of Education

- Learning Development Centre

3.4 UK Agencies

In addition to the 5 umbrella services highlighted, the Island has several voluntary organisations, many with links to UK parent groups.

3.5 Synopsis of review process
A great deal of change has taken place over the last few years for special needs employment. In particular, the Job Coach Scheme which was established in 1998. This programme is currently receiving an average of 40 new client referrals a month, with the average monthly number of existing client contacts being 119. The active support of the Island's business community has been gained through the success of the Jersey Employers Network on Disability (JEND). There appears to be a genuine desire, and a will, to implement change and develop good practice within each of the satellite units.
i) Unit review

In order to achieve the level of co-ordination and the most effective use of resources suggested, it was necessary to review the States' Departments responsibilities for special needs employment.
A brief examination of each workshop, and current procedures also took place. The following areas were examined:
- Service summary
- Number of existing clients
- Summary of clients ages 15 years - 60 years
- Referral route
- Client supervision
- Remuneration
- Support Staff
- Managers thoughts
- General points
- Yearly budget of unit
- Yearly income
- Average cost of client per year
ii) Client review

After reviewing each unit, a brief profile of each trainee was established.
This was undertaken to look at the skills and needs of each trainee in the context of their existing, and potential future employment.
The areas were as follows:
- Client name
- Client gender
- Client age
- Hours worked
- Brief summary of abilities / skills / training needs

To ensure that each unit was categorising trainees in a similar manner, a skeleton appraisal system was established. This format provided a clear definition of the type of service trainees would require for the future.

The system was established, taking into account the proposed long term objectives of the Board. Clients were grouped into three categories reflecting their current needs and future (short and long term) employment prospects these were as follows:

3.6 Service summary

i) Acorn Enterprises Ltd
There are approximately 23 people employed at Acorn Enterprises, each client with a varying degree of learning difficulty. Eleven people attend on a full time basis and six on a part time basis. There are 2 people who attend through the therapeutic work scheme, and 4 on work experience. The ages range from 20 to 65, with the largest number of clients being in their 30's.
The standard wage is £3.68 an hour, the maximum wage being £147.70 for a 40 hour week. Sickness payments are made at the manager's discretion. There is also a £5 bonus scheme for those clients who are particularly hard working per week.
The staffing for Acorn is 1 general manager, 3 operational managers, 4 garden supervisors, 1 nursery labourer and 1 administrator. Seasonal workers are also taken on to meet the seasonal demands i.e. tomato picking, and these people do not necessarily have learning difficulties or any other disability.
The yearly deficit grant is currently £279,000, with the income being around £280,000
For future service provision trainees fall into the following categories:
- Day Care / Therapeutic: 10
- Training Units :
Supported: 4
Intermediate: 4
Transition to Open Employment: 5
- Employment Training Centre:

ii) Oakfield Industries Ltd
There are currently 17 clients at Oakfield industries, 8 full time, 4 part time and 5 on the therapeutic work scheme. The ages range from 20 to 65, with the largest number of clients being in their 40's. All clients have a physical disability, and there are some clients with mixed difficulties.
The current rate of pay is £5.95 an hour, with a full weeks pay being £226.28. Each employee is entitled to 16 paid weeks and 20 unpaid weeks sick leave. All clients are represented by The Transport and General Workers Union. Some clients also receive disability and transport allowance.
The staffing includes 1 manager, 1 secretary and 1 foreman.
The yearly deficit grant is currently £270,336, with the income being around £123,040
For future service provision trainees fall into the following categories:
- Day Care / Therapeutic: 6
- Training Units :
Supported: 2
Intermediate: 2
Transition to Open Employment: 7
- Employment Training Centre:

iii) Job Scope:
There are currently 109 trainees who are administered through the Job Scope work schemes, these include; Island Wood, Les Bourgeons organic farm, Wood 'n Wheels, and the Aluminium can recycling scheme.
All the clients are on the Therapeutic Work Scheme, which means they work varying hours between 4 and 25. The maximum amount of hours being 25. One client currently works a total of 28 hours, and is therefore not on the therapeutic work scheme.
The ages range from 20 to 65, with the largest number of clients being in their 40's
All individuals are in receipt of some form of benefit, so they can earn up to £59.74 a week only. The clients wages are funded from the OT budget rather than by the employers themselves. (Therefore this is a type of directly funded open employment, although this money is claimed back from the employer for a number of clients.)
There is currently 1 senior OT managing the project, 1 basic grade OT, 3 vocational co-ordinators and 2 OT assistants who work for Job Scope. In each of the community work placements there is a designated supervisor, to provide support and supervision for the client. This supervisor has direct contact with the senior OT.
The financial implications of the programme currently unavailable.
For future service provision trainees fall into the following categories:
- Day Care / Therapeutic: 16
- Training Units :
Supported: 61
Intermediate: 13
Transition to Open Employment: 14
- Employment Training Centre: 5

iv) Le Geyt Services
There is currently 105 people who attend the Le Geyt Centre Services.
At present 43 people attend the Personal Development Service, with 62 people attending the five different sheltered workshops. The workshops are as follows:
- There are currently 11 people receiving a service at Sunflower Nurseries. 8
attend on a full time basis, and 3 attend on a part time basis.
- There are currently 17 people receiving a service at Work Force. 7 attend on a
full time basis, and 10 attend on a part time basis.
- There are currently 14 people receiving a service at Co-operative Crafts. 4
attend on a full time basis, and 10 attend on a part time basis.
- There are currently 9 people receiving a service at Cakes 'n' Bakes. 7 attend on
a full time basis, and 2 attend on a part time basis.
- There are currently 16 people receiving a service at Crafty Corner. 8 attend on
a full time basis, and 8 attend on a part time basis.
The ages range from 20 to 70, with the largest number of clients being in their 30's.
In the workshops people are paid an hourly rate of £1.49. Clients are paid on their level of attendance, but the hourly rate is standard regardless of their ability / performance. Sickness payment is paid for up to 6 weeks at the managers discretion.
In each of the work schemes their is 1 full time instructor and a half time assistant.
The yearly combined budget is currently £322,190, with the combined income being around £42,000
For future service provision trainees fall into the following categories:
- Day Care / Therapeutic: 3
- Training Units :
Supported: 8
Intermediate: 40
Transition to Open Employment: 16
- Employment Training Centre:

v) Highlands College
There are 24 students in total on the existing Highlands college schemes.
There are currently 8 students on the Btech National Award Scheme. All students are due to leave the college during 2001.
There are currently 16 students on the life skills course. 3 of these students are due to leave the college in 2001. A further 7 are due to leave in 2002, with the remaining 5 leaving in 2003.
The ages range from 20 to 30, with the largest number of clients being in their 20's. All students are taught in groups of 7. Present in each session is 1 teacher and 1 support teacher.
For future service provision trainees fall into the following categories:
- Day Care / Therapeutic: 3
- Training Units :
Supported: 5
Intermediate: 5
Transition to Open Employment: 4
- Employment Training Centre: 7

vi) Workwise Employment Services - Schools Project
To date Workwise are tracking 59 Year 10 students and 43 Year 11 students. They are also tracking 25 Highlands College students making a total of 127 students.
61 of these students have some form of learning difficulty whilst 52 have an emotional or behavioural difficulty.

2.7 Overall classification of clients for future service provision:
The following chart, is a numerical summary of the trainees from the existing work schemes, and the students at Highlands College. The overall figures are categorised in line with the skeleton appraisal system, thus providing a overview of their current needs and future (short and long term) employment prospects. This does not include students from the Workwise Employment Services schools project, however the 127 young people are included in second set of figures. It is envisaged that the majority of them will fit into the intermediate / transition training units, and the employment training centre. It is possible that there is a small cross over of clients from unit to unit.

i) Client statistics:
Total number of clients in existing 'work schemes' is: 240

Total number of people on the work schemes, including students in
the Workwise Employment Services schools project: 367

ii) Further more detailed statistics are in Appendix 1

3.8 Strengths and weaknesses of the existing services

i. Strengths

Services are established Island wide reputation with standards of service provided with quality of produce provided Currently provides people with sheltered employment Services are available to all 'categories' of existing clients.

ii) Weaknesses

There is no clear definition of the types of services that are offered to the clients in each service.
Due to the fragmentation of the existing services there is a:
- duplication of effort by staff in the different units
- duplicated cost on resources between the units
- unbalanced levels of support staff to client ratio within the units
- management resources are dispersed
Clients are not encouraged / are unable to move between units
Common systems / policies are not in place for general services including:
- customer services
- admin
- insurance cover
- health and safety
- costing
- pricing
- advertising
- marketing
Common policies are not in place for support staff / client related services
including:
- management information systems / personnel
- sickness absence / sickness pay
- holiday entitlement
- client / support staff contracts & terms of employment
- late arrival monitoring
- complaints procedure
- rates of pay / grading in line with Hay
- pensions
In some units rates of pay / work related bonuses / sickness pay, are up to the discretion of the manager
Unit locations are not always appropriate - those units in the grounds of St. Saviour's hospital may have a poor reputation . Transport may also be difficult depending on the location.
No central co-ordination point between units
Institutionalisation of clients within the units - trainees are not moving in to OE

Trainees are notlearning transferable skills, the existing units are providing skills that are not necessarily compatible with the labour market
Trainees are often placed within the different units depending upon their 'disability'. Client 'abilities' are not recognised
Vocational choices are often not discussed
There is not a co-ordinated approach to assessment, so people are being inappropriately referred to the local employers
The function of the units are not in line with the current labour market
Conflict within the objectives of a unit: (If the unit is to be run as a business, the
more productive staff will not be encouraged to move on, thus ensuring that the business runs effectively.)

Difficult to create contingency plan for staff / client turnover

4. OVERALL BUSINESS DIRECTION AND DEVELOPMENT
4.1 Summary of key objectives

It is anticipated that over the next 3 years the Board will:
- Reduce the proliferation of sites to 3
- Set up multi-disciplinary assessment team / process
- Shift the focus from sheltered employment to training
- Develop a training allowance to reward trainees
- Develop a management information structure
- Manage the units with consistency and professionalism

5. CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS
5.1 Reduce the proliferation of sites to 3
With the most visible weaknesses in the existing provision being the disjointednature of the services, the reduction of units is integral to the success of futureservices.
With the reduction of services to 3, the development of an additional'core' facility, that is fully integrated into the heart of the business community,will also be needed. The centre will act as the co-ordination point to thedevelopment and management of all others services, thus ensuring that commonsystems are used throughout.This site will house a number of the existing units, and will act as a 'one stop shop', offering clients with the final stage/placement in their employment training.The centre will offer this type of service, to those clients who are ready tomove into open employment, with the support of the job coaches within theWorkwise Employment Services.
For those clients are in need of further pre-vocational training, a day releasesystem could be in place, whereby the client attends the Employment TrainingCentre to receive this type of training. The centre could also offer day releasetraining in Health & Safety, and First Aid training. For those clients who aretraining for an NVQ qualification this centre could offer assistance in completingportfolios with specialist support.
Ideally, the site needs to be based in the 'town centre'.The proposed sites are as follows:
Agriculture: manage all agriculture from 1 site

Wood working: production of wooden furniture, French polishing, wood recycling

Town site: retail - shop front selling produce from other sites
hospitality - self service café within the unit
catering - sell produce in the self service café
back office / admin skills
one stop - shop - training in first aid, NVQ's etc

5.2 Set up multi-disciplinary assessment team / process
It is essential to recognise that an effective response to one group of people with special needs may well be wholly inappropriate in meeting the needs of another group of people with special needs.
In particular, it will be essential to develop a comprehensive referral format, that consistently establishes the client's abilities, skills and needs.
Historically, one of the weaknesses is that client's are referred to a unit depending upon their 'disability' with no reference to their 'abilities' or vocational choices.
One of the strengths highlighted in the summary of the current position, is that services users' needs, based upon vocational choices, are clearly identified through vocational profiling. Once vocational profiles have been established individual action plans should be drawn up in consultation with the client.
In addition, where the needs identified relate to training, proper training plans should be drawn up. These should then be reviewed on a regular basis to ensure progress toward the individual's stated vocational aim.
The assessment procedure will take the form of 3 levels, consisting of an initial assessment (including a work simulation assessment), an intermediate assessment, and an open employment assessment.
The entire assessment process through to open employment will take from between 6 months to a year, depending on individual skills and training needs.
The diagram in appendix 2 shows the assessment process from the start to its fruition.
5.3 Shift the focus from sheltered employment to training
Within the established system, clients are rarely encouraged to learn transferable skills, thus improving their chances of moving into open employment. A consistent training system will need to be developed, shifting the focus from sheltered employment to training. This will ensure that clients can move through a range of training opportunities, and continue to build on their portfolio of skills. What is traditionally been seen as a job for life, will now be a stepping stone to further vocational opportunities.
Evidence suggests that the infrastructure within the recent NVQ pilot could provide the framework for such a training system, although consideration may also need to be given to key skills, skills in employability and, in a service dominated labour market, customer service training.
It is clear from the pilot that alternative NVQ assessment methods will need to be developed, along with far more intensive training in the workshop setting.

5.4 Develop a training allowance to reward trainees
In shifting the focus from sheltered employment to training, consideration will need to be given to the phasing out of 'wages' and the introduction of paying people a 'training allowance'.
This will be awarded either in place of, or in addition to, their benefit entitlement and is allocated to the client in conjunction with the broad bands of the grading system used within each unit.
Remuneration system must reflect that people are not better off in sheltered / therapeutic environments rather than open employment.
Flexibility to reward achievement needs to be available at the outset.
Consideration may be given to the multi-disciplinary assessment board being involved in the discussion of the remuneration at the time of the reviews and assessments, ensuring that there is consistency across the whole service.

The training wage will be available for up to 1 year. If the client has not moved into open employment by this stage, but is still receiving training support, or is on a 'work placement' within a training unit, then the client will receive 60% of the equivalent manual / industry workers salary.
i) Allowance banding