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2. The Context
Purpose of Government and the Concordat
To focus government and public services on creating a more successful country, with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish, through increasing sustainable economic growth. Scottish Budget Spending Review 2007 |
2.1 This framework is developed and delivered in the context of the Government Economic Strategy , which sets out how government will work collaboratively with the private, public and third sectors in pursuit of increasing sustainable economic growth.
2.2 The delivery of the government's Purpose is underpinned by the National Performance Framework. It replaces a proliferation of competing priorities, providing a unified vision centred around five Strategic Objectives - to make Scotland wealthier & fairer, smarter, healthier, safer & stronger and greener.
2.3 What gives this vision real power is the joint commitment by Government in Scotland, reflected in the Concordat published on 14 November 2007, to focus the effort of the public sector on its delivery. This commitment includes an agreement to work together as equal partners on the development of policy. Under the terms of the new relationship, Scottish Government, having set the direction of policy and overarching outcomes, will free up local authorities and their partners to deliver by reducing ring-fencing and bureaucratic burdens. Through the Single Outcome Agreements, each local authority (in time, community planning partnership) will set its own priorities for delivery of the purpose of government.
2.4 This framework reflects the new environment by setting shared objectives within which national bodies will support delivery locally. Ring-fencing of funding for tackling offending by young people was abolished from April 2008, freeing up local authorities and their partners to determine how best to target resources, including those traditionally in other service areas, at this agenda. This does not mean that as national bodies we walk away from the shared responsibility for this work: rather we too are freed up to deliver effective support - including facilitation, research and information, dissemination of best practice, and consultancy - to support delivery partners.
Making it relevant
2.5 We are often asked, in the context of the streamlined performance framework described above, "where's the target on offending by young people?" In fact, work to tackle offending by young people contributes to all five of the strategic objectives, and many of the 15 national outcomes and basket of national and local indicators that will comprise Single Outcome Agreements. Everyone working in this area knows that the success of our efforts to tackle offending by young people cannot be measured by the number of persistent offenders or Anti-Social Behaviour Orders. It will be shown in the positive outcomes of all our children, families and communities. This framework is particularly relevant to four of the 15 national outcomes:
- Our children have the best start in life and are ready to succeed.
- Our young people are successful learners, confident individuals, effective contributors and responsible citizens.
- We have improved life chances for children, young people and families at risk.
- We live our lives safe from crime, disorder and danger.
2.6 The contribution of the work undertaken under this framework is not limited to these outcomes. They will also contribute to all of the other outcomes, in particular:
- We realise our full economic potential with more and better employment opportunities for our people.
- We are better educated, more skilled and more successful, renowned for our research and innovation.
- We live longer, healthier lives.
- We have tackled the significant inequalities in Scottish society.
- We have strong, resilient and supportive communities where people take responsibility for their own actions and how they affect others.
- We take pride in a strong, fair and inclusive national identity.
- Our public services are of high quality, continually improving, efficient and responsive to local people's needs.
2.7 Taking this broad view of what we are trying to achieve will help to transform how we view work to tackle offending by young people - not in a silo but embedded in our policies for children, families and communities. There is still a need for robust management information that supports the planning, improvement and accountability of services which tackle offending by young people and this is considered later in the document.
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