The department is continuing to work closely with our service providers to improve the way we procure services and manage contracts
With the end of financial year fast approaching, we are continuing to work closely with our service providers to improve the way we procure services and manage contracts. Our current priority is having contracts that best support the needs of children and young people in place by 30 June 2019.
To support the volume and complexity of change, and ensure information, actions and timeframes are understood and achieved, in the last 8 months DCP has introduced:
We appreciate our service providers embracing our multi-faceted engagement approach and being actively involved in providing feedback to help us continuously improve. We are striving to get better at what we do, and are encouraged by the feedback we have received so far, including:
“The presentations and opportunity for feedback are the beginning of a true partnership approach to caring for children in care”
“I think you have a wonderful way of addressing and communicating with your sector partners in the open forums held by DCP. I appreciate the respectful tone of communication and transparency you provide, including acknowledging what is yet unknown and where more work is needed to be done. It has been refreshing.”
As part of this process we have been engaging with our current service providers about the performance measurement specifications that will be included in their contracts from next financial year. We have already received invaluable feedback that has led us to remove, amend or clarify a number of KPIs, helping us to ensure the wellbeing and safety of our children and young people. These updated specifications will create a shared understanding of both DCP and service provider obligations, and will help us to better work together to improve service delivery. Thank you to our service providers for your input.
Our most recent sector briefing focused on how procurement and contracting can help to grow family-based care in South Australia. We are pleased to share that since the introduction of growth payments in 2018, we have seen a 17.3% increase in family-based care placements within South Australia. This could not have been possible without the care and dedication of our family-based care providers. More than 45% of general family based care contracts and 66% of specialist family based care contracts are exceeding their placement targets, allowing more children to enter family-based care every year.
As recommended in the Nyland Royal Commission (recommendation 122), we have introduced standard unit pricing and additional loadings for family-based care. Sector briefing 4 saw the introduction of a new and more consistent method for calculating remoteness loading to support family-based care in rural and remote locations.
We recognise and value the responsibility of family-based carers to support Aboriginal children to maintain their connection to culture and community. To better support this responsibility, we are pleased to announce the introduction of a 4% Aboriginal loading which will be applied on top of the base unit payment.
For more information, download the content from all our sector briefings on the Service Provider section of the DCP website.