This month we have a new look policy briefing that collates the latest government reports, sector insights and thought pieces relating to outcomes based commissioning and social impact bonds. Let us know if you have any articles you'd like to share with us by emailing Grace, Policy and Engagement Officer, grace.young@bsg.ox.ac.uk
Billions invested by pension schemes to be used for social good under new regulations – For the first time members will be given powers to hold their pension schemes to account over how social and environmental factors impact their investments. DWP, DCMS
Government Response to Advisory Group Report on ‘Growing a Culture of Social Impact Investing in the UK’ – The government have strengthened its commitment to social impact investing, here is their latest report. GO Lab get a mention on page 5, DCMS
Transforming Rehabilitation, House of Commons Justice Committee – A report exploring the concerns over probation and rehabilitation with recommendations made. Page 26 explores the payment by results aspects that you may want to look at. Ministry of Justice
Government announces major changes to rebuild trust after Carillion- On 25th June the Cabinet Office announced that they will launch a package of new measures designed to promote a healthy and diverse marketplace of companies bidding for government contracts. Cabinet Office
3SC launch position paper – the crisis in public sector contracting and how to cure it – Procurement continues to challenge the public sector as there is a strong focus on price and less room for innovation. With cases like Carillion in the public eye, 3SC argue for a radical overhaul of public procurement. This position paper offers the momentum for change. 3SC Position Paper
Evolution, not revolution – Insights from 10 years of social investment – As 2018 marks 10 years since Esmee Fairbairn initiated the Social Investment Fund, this report captures the fund’s achievements and what has been learned along the way. Caroline Mason, Esmee Fairbairn
Traverse: the terrain of Social Impact Bonds – This piece shares the key findings of the survey of local authorities and their responses about Social Impact Bonds across the UK. Chih Hoong Sin, Traverse
Traverse: the terrain of outcomes based commissioning – Chih Hoong Sin reports findings from the England local authorities survey exploring engagement with and perceptions of outcomes based commissioning, Chih Hoong Sin, Traverse
Leaving Care, Leaving Well: How can outcomes be improved for young people leaving care? For the 11,000 young people who leave care every year, this is likely to be a challenging journey. This project was launched in 2014 and this report is an update on what is being done to improve the outcomes for care leavers. Hannah Jump, Social Finance
Four factors you need to consider when launching a SIB – In conversation with James Ronicle, author of The Loud Model – The GO Lab’s latest blog from one of our #golabfellows. An interview exploring the LOUD model, including critical questions such as why should we use it and can it be applied in all contexts? The Government Outcomes Lab
A civil servant’s guide to policy evaluation: six lessons for a robust approach– Dan Hodges of Innovate UK writes about how evaluating the impact of policies is vital but often beset by difficulties. He sets out how to measure its effectiveness in six key steps. Dan Hodges, Civil Service World
10 reasons not to measure impact – and what to do instead – Impact evaluations are an important tool for learning about effective solutions to social problems, but they are only a good investment in the right circumstances. Mary Kay Gugerty and Dean Karlan explore these circumstances and what can be achieved in the Stanford Social Innovation Review
Shared services map– The LGA has re-launched the national shared services map for 2018 (the original was November 2016). This evidences how shared services have contributed to taxpayers saving more than £840m cumulatively efficiency savings from over 550 shared services arrangements. This Local Gov articlestates that at least a fifth of the agreements were not set up to make savings, but to improve services and outcomes. Local Government Association
Britain’s outsourcing model, copied around the world, is in trouble– This article in the printed edition of The Economist looks at the ‘high profile fiascos’ in outsourcing and questions whether the idea has run out of steam. The Economist
Carillion: Commissioning at a Crossroads – Dominic Llewellyn argues that we should look beyond the Capitalism v Socialism debate in response to the Carillion collapse and ask the question ‘what are the social outcomes that we want out public services to create?’ Dominic Llewelyn, Numbers for Good
Worth the Risk? Sharing risk in public service markets– This article looks at the risk in public service markers and argues that government can never totally outsource risk and therefore should share risk management when it is outsourcing. Rose Lasko-Skinner, Reform
A new form of Capitalism – The Peterborough Social Impact Bond was the first of its kind. Does its success in reducing reoffending rates whilst rewarding investors point to a new way of using finance for social impact? Sarah Murray considers the case in the Stanford Social Innovation Review
Impact investment is blossoming in Japan – With a new Social Investment Bank planned and a boom in social impact bonds, the sector looks set to take off in the country, Ella Milburn, hosted by Responsible Investor
Britain’s new ‘Giants’: Public Services, People and Place The RSA’s Action & Research Centre is undertaking a review of its work on public services and communities, questioning concepts of welfare, public service and inclusive growth. To begin the process, they will be hosting a series of events around the country over the summer. Ed Cox, RSA
The first documentary on Social Impact Bonds – a two part interview with Nadine Pequeneza – Director and Producer of The Invisible Heart – The UK premiere of The Invisible Heart is on 25thJuly in Oxford. In light of this, the interview tells the story of SIBs across the UK, US and Canada. Nadine reveals her intentions for the film, why it was important to share the different views and how she avoided her own bias. Government Outcomes Lab