Following the written statement on 15 March 2018 - Update on the evaluation of the Social Services and Wellbeing (Wales) Act 2014 - will the Cabinet Secretary provide details of the key questions that have been developed by The Stakeholder Evaluation Group that will provide the basis for the evaluation?
Due to the scale and complexity of the Social Services and Well-being Act (Wales) 2014, the evaluation of the Act will explore a wide range of themes and questions in order to establish the impact of the Act on people in Wales who need care and support and carers who need support.
The Stakeholder Evaluation Group has had a critical role in determining the initial stages of the evaluation and the key research questions proposed by the Stakeholder Evaluation Group include:
· What planning was undertaken, by key partners, for the implementation of the Act and was this sufficient. This includes, but is not limited to, Welsh Government, Local Authorities and Health Boards and the third sector
· Have all components of implementation to date been completed as intended, and if these have permeated into practice
· What is peoples interpretation and understanding of the Act at a national, regional and local level and across different stakeholders
· What is the experience of those involved in implementation, with particular focus on integration, co-production, leadership, management, interaction and training
· Have there have been any unintended consequences.
For individuals who receive care and support:
· What impact the legislation has had on individuals who receive care and support and carers who receive support
· To what extent people feel involved in their decisions about their care and support
· To what extent people felt that services were joined up and streamlined to ensure the best possible care was provided to them
For Local Authorities;
· What impact has the legislation had on Local Authorities
· The impact and effectiveness of partnership working and effective use of resources
For Practitioners;
· What impact has the legislation had on Practitioners
· What impact has the legislation had on the social care workforce
For wider stakeholders;
· What impact has the legislation had on wider stakeholders (including but not limited to health, housing, education and the third sector)
More broadly:
· Whether the Act helped to build resilience and sustainability in the social care system and how the Act is shaping the future of social care
These questions will be considered by the contractors who are awarded the evaluation and refined with the Stakeholder Evaluation Group where appropriate.