The PSIF Partnership is widening its work with HMIE and Audit Scotland and developing a framework for use by Community Planning Partnerships, as part of its work to help reduce the burden of scrutiny as recommended by the Crerar report and the Reducing Burdens Action Group.
A Learning Event on HMIE's QMIE2 framework and related Validated Self-Evaluation (VSE) work was held in October. It was agreed at the event that councils who have chosen to try the VSE approach in their Education Services can approach the PSIF Team to share their learning and potentially request support/assistance.
The mapping of PSIF to the Child Protection Indicators and the Services for Children and Young People Framework has now been agreed with HMIE, and plans for piloting the mapping are under discussion. Work has also begun on mapping PSIF to ‘How Good is Our Community Learning and Development?'
The Partnership is also currently carrying out a mapping exercise with Audit Scotland with regard to Best Value 2 (BV2). The initial mapping exercise has taken place and, following review, the mapping and relevant guidance should be available to the wider PSIF community later this year. The Partnership is discussing the possibility of inviting a council undertaking the BV2 audit process in early 2010 to pilot the mapping and guidance when preparing its BV2 submission based on self-evaluation.
A framework which can be used at Community Planning Partnership level is being developed. West Lothian has confirmed its agreement to pilot this approach with discussions underway with another CPP to pilot at a Board level. All materials relating to the framework, guidance and methodology will be shared with all PSIF organisations following this word by the end of March 2010.
For further information on PSIF, visit the PSIF page on this site or contact Jane O'Donnell at the Improvement Service on 01506 775567.
