Capability Reviews: Progress and Next Steps - The Civil Service

Case study: Effective performance management by the board in DCSF‘DCSF, like its predecessor DfES, oversees a large-scale and complex deliverynetwork. DfES was one of the smallest departments but with responsibility forsignificant spend on the Government’s challenging agenda for children, familiesand young people. On top of DfES running costs and resources it had 18 NDPBsemploying 10,000 staff with annual running costs in excess of £500m. DCSFinherits much of this complex organisation and now has additional responsibilityacross government to achieve challenging outcomes for children. It is thereforeimportant that it has clear objectives and sophisticated management of itsdelivery chain linked to clear roles, responsibilities and accountabilities. Effectiveleadership by the DCSF board requires clear performance information and arelentless focus on delivery.Development of quarterly corporate performance reporting has enabled the DCSFboard to develop its capacity and willingness to challenge performance againstobjectives and PSAs, strengthening accountability across the department.Non-executive board members provide external challenge when the DCSF boardconsiders corporate performance, and they have been involved in a series ofchallenge panels focused on the likelihood of delivering PSAs. Delivery partners,including NDPBs, also have the opportunity to discuss performance issues forthe delivery chain as a whole through the DCSF Group (see the related casestudy on the DCSF Group on page 54), and their work is being aligned with thenew performance framework.Scrutiny of departmental risks is given by the Risk Committee, which includesall directors general and is chaired by the Director General Corporate Services.The Committee evaluates the most severe risks to DCSF in terms of delivery,operation and reputation. These are currently reported every quarter by thedepartment’s Permanent Secretary to the Secretary of State for Children, Schoolsand Families. This system of risk management is subject to additional scrutiny bythe department’s Audit and Risk Assurance Committee, which is chaired by one ofthe board’s non-executives and which has a majority of independent externalmembers, including the National Audit Office.Through the new system of improved quarterly reporting of progress against thedepartment’s new objectives and targets, the DCSF board will monitor theperformance of the overall schools and children’s system, the department andNDPBs. The department’s newly formed ‘corporate bridge’ enables staff in thedepartment to access and engage with information on the delivery of betteroutcomes for children, young people and families.’• The executive team is collectively assessed for a bonus against the achievementof corporate objectives and collaborative teamwork; there is positive feedbackabout a ‘more cohesive … more corporate and more effective board’ (DWP).28COMMON CAPABILITY GAPS: PROGRESS AND NEXT STEPS