Nature of work
At its simplest, commissioning is the process of assessing needs, planning, agreeing and monitoring services.
Commissioning is not one action but many, ranging from undertaking needs assessments for a population, through the design of service pathways, to service specification and contract negotiation or procurement, with continuous quality assessment.
The process, which is ongoing, is often described as a cycle:
The team, which is part of Children’s Services and Skills directorate, commissions services on behalf of other teams within the directorate, including services for Looked After Children, children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, and children and young people with mental health difficulties. Primarily the services commissioned are statutory functions.
In the majority of cases, personal data will not be collected directly by the team, but is collected by the services we commission.
Why we need your information
We need your information to:
- Monitor the effectiveness of the services we commission
- Ensure you receive appropriate services
Type/Classes of information processed
We, and/or the services we commission, process a variety of information relating to individuals including:
- personal details
- family details
- lifestyle and social circumstances
- financial details
- employment and education details
- housing needs
- social care needs
- health needs
We also process what is referred to as special categories of information that may include data revealing:
- racial or ethnic origin
- religion
- health or social care information
Who information is processed about
The classes of personal information we process include:
- Children and young people under the age of 19 years of age (and in some cases up to 25)
- family members
Who information may be shared with
Where necessary or required we share information with:
- Family members, associates or representatives of the person whose personal data we are processing
- Healthcare professionals, social and welfare advisers or practitioners
- Commissioned services
- Other Council Departments
- Law Enforcement Agencies
How long we will keep your information
We will not keep your information any longer than needed. The length of time will vary from service to service and will be guided by either legislation or the Council's internal retention records guidance which states how long records should be retained.
Transfers Overseas
It may sometimes be necessary to transfer personal information overseas. When this is needed information may be transferred to countries or territories around the world. Any transfers made will be in full compliance with all aspects of the data protection act.
Contact details
The team can be contacted by email childrenscommissioning@solihull.gov.uk or telephone 0121 704 6600.