Best practice exchanges

During March, the BOND (Better Outcomes, New Delivery) programme held 9 Best Practice Exchanges around the country bringing together local commissioners, schools and the voluntary sector.

The exchanges explored how schools and commissioners can make better use of the voluntary and community sector organisations (VCSOs) in the future delivery of early intervention mental health services for children and young people.

The agenda covered a range of topical issues including the emerging commissioning landscape, sharing ideas and examples learnt from the Targeted Mental Health in Schools Programme (TaMHS) and the application of examples across different settings and contexts.

The participants took part in discussions throughout the half-day sessions, and in particular welcomed the opportunity to discuss delivery issues between commissioners and voluntary and community sector providers, generating good ideas for both to take back to their organisations.

Further dialogue between participants enabled sharing best practice and ideas around the challenges and opportunities the emerging commissioning climate offers voluntary and community sector run mental health services.

The exchanges have been an excellent opportunity for BOND to listen to the experts in the room - those currently delivering services on the frontline. This will build upon the emerging evidence and provide baseline themes and categories for further best practice investigation within the BOND project.

A sample of the message coming out of discussions include:

  • Highlighting where VCSOs are best placed to deliver early intervention services, especially in being able access those most vulnerable and in need who avoid statutory services
  • VCSOs are capable of being lead providers on contracts, and the added value VCSOs provide should be considered carefully
  • Involve the voluntary and community sector in the conversations around designing services and JSNAs – with good examples such as schools using local VCSO expertise to shape their whole school pastoral system
  • Commissioners could make useful trustees
  • The local risks of voluntary and community organisations competing with other VCSOs and statutory providers
  • Challenging the (mis)perception that VCSOs will run services at the lowest costs and will use volunteers instead of paid to keep costs down

The materials from the exchanges, including presentations, video case study clips and hand outs are available here.

Back to top ↑