03/02/2010 – Government service commissioning threatens independence of advice and advocacy
The government's commissioning of services poses a major threat to the independence of advice and advocacy services, according to a new report published by the Baring Foundation.
In its report, Rights with Meaning, the Baring Foundation, which has funded a number of organisations through one of its grants programme in order to increase the sector's independence, suggests that the independence of organisations is under threat as a result of the increase in commissioning which the report claims:
- increase the government's control over service providers;
- reduces an organisation's ability to set their own priorities
- impacts on an organisation's ability to meet their users needs; and
- reduces dissent.
The report also highlights what are considered the main threats to the independence of advice organisations, which is says are:
- the introduction of fixed fees for organisations working on legal aid;
- the use of CLACs, CLANs and integrated social welfare centres to deliver local advice services; and
- the rise of commissioning.
In addition the report identifies a number of unique challenges facing advocacy services that include increased scrutiny as a result of the introduction of the statutory entitlement to advocacy, difficulties providing wider forms of advocacy and the impact of the introduction of the personalisation.
Deputy Director of the Bring Foundation, Matthew Smerdon, said:
'It's absolutely clear from the evidence we are seeing that the way in which commissioning is currently organised is putting independence under enormous pressure. There is significant potential for the distinctive nature of the sector to be undermined.'
The full report Rights with Meaning is available on the Baring Foundation website.