OBA

Introduction to Outcomes based accountability (OBA)

OBA is a way of thinking and approach that develops practical action plans through “turning the curve” exercises.  The method takes the current baseline performance trend, and asks partners to agree a trajectory for improved performance and to describe the actions that will “turn the curve” towards the desired improvement. The approach and reporting based on OBA principles takes partners through the following stages:

• What are our key outcomes for children and young people?
• What are our key indicators for measuring progress against our outcomes?

(NB.  our partnership wide outcomes and indicators are defined in the Children and Young People’s Plan 2011-15)

• How well are we performing in this area?
• What is the baseline position against the key indicators, is the current trend OK? What performance curve do we want to turn?
• What are the causes of the trends and the issues lying behind them?
• What are the information requirements?
• Who are the key partners, and how can we work together to produce a practical action plan that will improve outcomes for children and young people?   

What has happened so far in Leeds?

• Externally facilitated briefing session for 120 people- cross section of staff from across the partnership, including wider Council colleagues.
• Externally facilitated workshops to apply OBA to the 3 CYPP obsessions: reducing the number of looked after children; reducing the number of young people not in education, training and employment; and, improving school attendance.
• Inclusion of some actions from the workshops in CYPP action plans.
• Externally facilitated Intensive 2 day training the trainer course for 36 people who will be able to facilitate workshops and introduce OBA to others.
• Expectation that the 36 are an action learning group who will deliver workshops in clusters across the city.  They will be organised into 3 teams covering the 3 main geographical areas, East north east, west north west, south.  The group will work together to develop and share good practice.
• Agreement to offer clusters workshops covering all 3 obsessions, but general plan is for attendance workshops in every cluster, a focus on referral patterns and reducing LAC safely in Inner East, Inner South & Bramley, and a one off 0-5 years old workshop in Seacroft/Manston.
• Cluster roll out offer/plan to be finalised at Multi agency implementation team April 20^th.
• Meeting held to discuss report to LCC’s Strategic Planning & Policy Board on use of OBA in other Council Directorates and in other city priority plans.
• Cluster session held in Bramley- word of mouth evaluation is that it was very successful.  Reports of other successful sessions on NEET, burglary, action planning for the BESD SILC and refocusing the action plan of the 11-19 (25) learning partnership.

What next?

• Meeting to look at preparation of consistent cluster level data for OBA workshops, including data protection/sharing issues.
• Cluster roll out plan/offer to be finalised at Multi agency implementation team April 20.
• Cluster level workshops delivered before end of summer term where possible.

• Presentation to LCC’s Strategic Planning & Policy Board on April 8^th.
• Organise cluster chairs briefing for May 11^th.
• Carry out agreed cluster managers briefings (2^nd week in May).
• Development of website pages and OBA email address, including training/workshop resources by end of April.
• Fortnightly network email to the action learning group.
• Procure facilitation for 3 meetings of the action learning group in May, July and September.
• Incorporate OBA thinking and practice into the service planning process.
• Look at application of OBA to 1-2-1s and appraisals, meeting agendas.
• Application of OBA to commissioning and investment.
• Capturing good practice and the stories from the cluster workshops and communicating them.
• Capturing level and scope of OBA activity in the city.
• Regular updates to the Children’s Trust Board.

• Evaluation of impact of cluster workshops.

Useful Documents

Attendance Composite TTC Report 

LAC Composite TTC Report

Learning Pack Complete Days 23

Leeds Learning Pack Complete Day One

NEET Composite TTC Report