Placements Standards Working Group - Meeting 1 - 29th July 2025

[ivjyot-oberoi]

Find the papers for the meeting linked below:

1. Briefing.June25.Data.Standards.and.Interoperability.in.Children.s.Social.Care.pdf
2. Standards.Working.Group.-.Terms.of.Reference.pdf

[ivjyot-oberoi]

Hello,

We’re really looking forward to seeing you at the first session of the Placements Standards Working Group next week and want to share a few helpful details in advance.

When and Where
The session will take place on Tuesday 29 July from 14:30 to 16:00 on Microsoft Teams [Meeting link]

Tools We’ll Use
To make the session as engaging and collaborative as possible, we’ll be using:

• Mentimeter – a quick, interactive tool you can access at www.menti.com (we suggest having your phone or a second tab ready).
• GitHub – our online collaboration space for sharing documents, reviewing drafts, and collecting your feedback.

Don’t worry if GitHub is new to you, we’ll guide you through it. We’re doing our best to keep it as intuitive and straightforward as possible.

What to Expect / Agenda
In our first meeting, we’ll set the scene for the Placements workstream, why we’re doing this, how the group will work together and where your input is especially valuable. We’ll share the proposed standard, and show you how to provide input on the key tradeoffs, the details of the standard and what’s next.

A Few Minutes of Pre-Work
Before the session, if you have a few minutes to spare:

• Take a look at the documents we've shared on GitHub.
  You can find these in the meeting discussion thread.
  Feel free to add thoughts or questions directly in the thread.

• Read the draft Placements Data Standard
  Available here: Specification - Data Standards for Social Care (please note the three tabs along the top: you can read about the background context, the proposed approach and the specification itself)

If you'd like to comment, click “Raise an Issue” next to the section you’re responding to. You can also raise multiple issues for different fields within a category using the same section link, just repeat the process as needed. For example, if you want to comment on the “Location” section of the placement standard specification and have thoughts or questions on more than one field within that category, you can click “Raise an issue about this category: Location” and mention all relevant fields in your description. Alternatively, if you prefer to raise separate issues for different fields, you can submit multiple entries using the same link. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to let us know.

You will need a Github account to raise an issue, if you don't have an account or aren't logged in you will be prompted to login or create an account. This is really easy but if you need help please let me know!

We encourage you to comment on the draft even if you can’t make the meeting.

Thanks again for being part of this group. We’re excited to get started and really value your time and input. If you have any questions before the session, just drop us a note.

[ivjyot-oberoi]

Social Care Placement Working Group - Session 1 Minutes

Date: 29 July 2025
Time: 2:30pm - 4:00pm
Location: Microsoft Teams

Refined Placement Standard Scope - Based on Input in Working Group 1.pdf

Placements Standards Working Group_29th July_Slides.pdf

---

Agenda

1. Introduction to the programme
2. Background: What problem are we solving with the placement standard?
3. How the placement standard working group will function
4. Placement Standard workshop

Meeting Notes

Welcome and Principles for Participation

Madeline Goldie (Social Finance) opened the meeting:

• Outlined the programme’s open licence approach – all outputs will be published under open licence, contributions made in-kind unless otherwise agreed.
• Use of AI transcription tools noted; participants invited to raise concerns.
• Reminder to flag conflicts of interest and anti-competitive concerns.
• Emphasised inclusive participation, open discussion, and respect for diverse viewpoints.

Broader Programme Objectives

Tom Rintoul (Social Finance) provided background on the DfE-funded interoperability standards programme:

• Goal: Enable information created in one system to be accessed and used meaningfully in another, free from technical or commercial barriers.
• Linked to the creation of a single unique identifier, with the broader intent to realise the benefits of interoperability.
• Four main benefit areas:
  1. Safeguarding – relevant information in the right hands at the right time.
  2. Data analysis – particularly for sufficiency and strategic insight (focus for this group).
  3. Productivity – integrate third-party tools more easily.
  4. Power sharing – enable safe information-sharing with children and families.
• Placement data standard chosen early due to sector momentum, existing regional initiatives, and pressing sufficiency challenges.

Recording snippet: https://vimeo.com/1108419351

Data Standards Context

• Data standardisation is primarily an agreement between parties to describe things the same way, not just a technical exercise.
• Covers:
  • Data standards – consistent definitions and formats for information.
  • Interoperability standards (APIs) – ensuring data can move between systems.
• Programme duration: 3 years.
• Aim: Deliver Version 1 of the placement standard in the next few months, with potential future iterations.
• Long-term goal: Establish institutions to maintain and evolve standards post-programme.

Recording snippet: https://vimeo.com/1108419441

Menti Poll Results

• Representation: Strong local authority (LA) and tech supplier presence; lower provider and data governance representation.
• Roles: Commissioners, data/analytics, directors, some transformation leads; few social workers or principal social workers.
• Success factors: Comparability, adoption, consistency, co-design, universality.
• Obstacles: Burden for under-resourced LAs, definitions/language, legacy systems, change management, data quality.

Framing the Placement Sufficiency Challenge

Madeline Goldie summarised consultations with 46 LAs:

• Improving sufficiency analysis seen as a priority to improve child outcomes and reduce costs.
• Scope: Enable LAs to answer:
  • What type of provision is needed?
  • Where and in what volumes?
  • How to develop a business case with partners.
• Out of scope (for now): Contract monitoring, placement finding, care planning, outcomes tracking.

Why the Placement Standard Matters:

• Rising placement costs (~70% increase in 5 years; ~1,500 placements > £10k/week in 2023).
• ~50% of children in residential care placed >20 miles from home.
• Two “north star” problems:
  1. Unsustainable care market costs.
  2. Poor placement outcomes.

Recording snippet: https://vimeo.com/1108419618

Proposed Objectives for Placement Standard Workstream

• Dramatically improve sufficiency analysis.
• Easy adoption.
• Effective, affordable implementation support.

Recording snippet: https://vimeo.com/1108419781

Feedback and Questions (Part 1)

• Supply vs. demand data: It was noted that the current work focuses on demand-side data, while supply-side data issues remain significant.
• Provider involvement: The discussion highlighted the need for more provider engagement and for provider perspectives to be considered in the standard
• Workflow & burden: The importance of careful language was emphasised, recognising that not all areas have dedicated placement teams and that structures vary. The group cautioned against framing the work solely around speeding up processes, stressing that the priority should be ensuring tasks are done properly to the best standard. The standard should improve existing processes without adding unnecessary burdens and should fit within unique local workflows.
• Mandation: A question was raised about whether adoption should be mandatory. It was noted that this is an ongoing conversation, but in most areas the Department is conscious that voluntary standards often fail due to the cost of change.

Programme Governance & Ways of Working

• Whole Group will meet roughly every 5 weeks; flexible attendance; members can invite colleagues.
• Responsibilities:
  • Develop & test the standard.
  • Own the data architecture roadmap.
  • Conduct related research.
  • Promote adoption.
• Collaboration on GitHub for version control, tracking changes, and targeted engagement.
• Support offered for GitHub newcomers.

Video Snippet: https://vimeo.com/1108419702

Long List of Potential Use Cases

• Better Sufficiency Analysis (primary use case for release 1)
• Home search / placement finding.
• Outcomes tracking.
• Contract monitoring.
• Price comparisons.

Video Snippet: https://vimeo.com/1108419156

Focused Use Case: Sufficiency Analysis

Draft Definition:

The ability to identify missing provision to minimise unnecessary sibling separation, out-of-area placements, and residential placements where foster was preferred, and build a business case for such provision.

Additional Analytical Questions Raised:

• Matching preferred vs. actual placements.
• Whether local provision meets children’s needs.
• Cost vs. best option (value for money).
• Staffing models as a cost driver.
• Linking cost, need, and provision complexity.

Video Snippet: https://vimeo.com/1108419810

Feedback and Questions (Part 2)

• Analytical priorities: The group discussed which analytical questions the standard should prioritise, including placement stability, cost vs. best option, staffing models, and supporting placement sufficiency strategies.
• Value for money: Some participants discussed the feasibility of analysing costs at the individual child level, noting the complexity of fee structures and the need for nuanced analysis.
• Behaviour change: A participant suggested considering desired behavioural shifts alongside data collection goals.

Engaging with the Specification Online

Participants were encouraged to:
1. Read the background context of the standard.
2. Open the Specification tab on GitHub and review data fields.
3. Use the “Raise an issue” button to share feedback.
4. Raise broader questions in the Context section.

Responses can be via GitHub or email.

Video Snippet: https://vimeo.com/1108419269

Follow-Up Tasks

• Future Meetings: Set and circulate dates. (Madeline Goldie, Ivjyot Oberoi)
• Meeting Notes: Publish on GitHub thread. (Ivjyot Oberoi)
• GitHub Support: Provide training. (Social Finance, ODI)
• Placement Specification Iteration: Update based on feedback; (Madeline Goldie, Ivjyot Oberoi)
• Provider Involvement: Invite providers to the next meeting. (All participants)
• Engage with Specification: Review and provide feedback.

[ivjyot-oberoi]

Refined Placement Standard Scope - Based on Input in Working Group 1.pdf

Placements Standards Working Group_29th July_Slides.pdf