Children's Workforce Guide to Qualifications and Training: Commissioning

Commissioning is an increasingly key role within children's services. It requires a range of skills, including an understanding of the children's service sector, project management, research and analytical skills, communication skills, admin, procurement and contracting. Partnership working, both with providers and local authority colleagues, is essential.

"You must be passionate about making a difference," says Annette McNeil, policy, information and commissioning manager for Start Well - Lancashire County Council's children's services. "You are looking to innovate, create and improve services," she says. "You need to be good at problem-solving, especially with dwindling budgets, and open-minded, avoiding the tendency to continue commissioning something because you have always done so."

In some teams, a commissioner might work across a number of children's services, while others might concentrate on one area such as children's social care or special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Commissioning managers may take responsibility for a range of projects, while those in project support roles may commission smaller, more straight-forward projects or support managers with data analysis.

There are a range of different routes to the job, including social work, teaching and procurement. "Increasingly, commissioners are coming from a procurement background, but this often leads to commissioning strategies that go against what is right for young people. Commissioners need to have experience of the sector," says Marie Tucker, a consultant at Cicada Services, which supports local authorities and independent providers to achieve better outcomes for children in care.

The training available is piecemeal, says Tucker. "A lot of training aimed at commissioners is coming from a procurement background, but what is really necessary is training in partnership working," she says.

While much training around commissioning focuses on health or social care, the Institute of Public Care (IPC) can tailor its existing four-day course to specifically focus on commissioning children's services. IPC delivers the course in-house for organisations if there are a group of staff who need training, or individuals can book onto one of their regular "open" courses. Participants can choose to accredit their learning on this course and gain a certificate of credit from Oxford Brookes University at additional cost.

The Public Service Transformation Academy delivers the government's Commissioning Academy, which launched in 2013. Each academy takes place over five days spread over six months, comprising masterclasses, expert speakers, a site visit, peer-to-peer challenge and practical action planning.

The National Commissioning and Contracting Training Conferences organisation runs an annual Children's Commissioning Conference. The next will take place on 20 June 2019. The event features 24 workshops covering different commissioning areas - such as children in care and health - and is attended by providers and local authority commissioners.

Read more from CYP Now's Children's Workforce Guide to Qualifications and Training