Business support services are the backbone of children’s social care. Resource investment into these services is critical.

Here we outline the common challenges across the sector, along with ways of overcoming those.

Challenge: Service users not getting to the team they need to speak with

Action:

• Re-design and re-record the telephone options

Benefits:

• Quicker access to support
• Fewer referrals between teams

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Challenge: Communicating with families in a variety of ways

Action:

• Use the government’s Notify service effectively

Benefits:

• Messages such as texts can be read in families’ own time
• Colleagues can receive a quick response/confirmation

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Challenge: Providing cash payments to families and children

Action:

• Research and implement an appropriate and safe digital petty cash system

Benefits:

• Children and families receive payments quickly
• Efficiency experienced with staff not needed in offices
• Safety in moving petty cash to digital solution

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Challenge: Families struggling to book and attend appointments with practitioners

Action:

• Identify an effective booking system to replace phone/in-person systems
• Create an online system for families to make appointment bookings

Benefit:

• Saves time on the phone and gives better access for families, eg. outside office hours

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1 – Digital transformation | 2 – Assistive technology | 3 – Replacing paper | 4 – Working remotely | 5 – Back office processes