This reading list provides a useful starting point for anybody with an interest in children’s services commissioning. It offers a selection of the most relevant and important resources available, including policy documents, guidance and toolkits. Anybody with an interest in commissioning will find the essential reading list to be a useful source of key information about effective children’s services commissioning.

About Commissioning

The main readings to get you started:

Achieving Better Outcomes: Commissioning in Children's Services

This document by the Commissioning Support Programme looks at the sector’s view of good commissioning. The information published here is consistent with the approach in the self-analysis and planning exercise that the Commissioning Support Programme is facilitating with the involvement of each Children’s Trust Board to set organisational development priorities for strategic commissioning. Download the pdf here.

Joint planning and commissioning framework for children, young people and maternity services

This document outlines the commissioning framework and shows how people working in children's services and the government would like to shape the planning and commissioning of services within children's trusts. The framework was written by more than 150 experts from a wide range of sectors, including health, education, social care, Connexions, youth offending and the police, as well as voluntary and private providers. Download the pdf here.

Securing better health for children and young people through world class commissioning

Jointly published by the DH and DCSF to accompany Healthy Lives, Brighter Futures, this describes what world class commissioning for children, young people and their families looks like. Download the pdf here.

Essential Readings in Commissioning Service Areas

 Schools                            Child Health

 CAMHS                             14-19

Access the Resource Bank discussion forum by clicking here. You can use it to rate and comment on documents in the Resource Bank, including those in the Essential Reading List. To do so, post a discussion up with the name of the document and you can proceed to rate and comment on it. We will review all feedback from this forum and reconsider whether documents should stay or be taken out of the Essential Reading List.

These alternative links will lead you to a reading list that supports each step of the joint planning and commissioning framework:

1) Look at outcomes for children and young people

2) Look at particular groups of children and young people

3) Develop needs assessment with user and staff views

4) Identify resources and set priorities

5) Plan pattern of services and focus on prevention

6) Decide how to commission services effectively

7) Commission – including pooled resources

8) Plan for workforce and market development

9) Monitor and review services and process