Fair Start Scotland Employability: FOI release

Information requested

1. Please can you advise if the answer to question 3 in the FOI request FOI/17/02882, published in 2017 is still correct or have the KDI's and KPIs subsequently been updated?

2. Please can you advise if the Providers of FSS services have a time limit to acknowledge receipt of a referral from the Job Centre and if there are any penalties attached if the time limit is not met?

3. Please can you advise if all referrals to FSS are required to go through the Job Centre?

4. Please can you advise if FSS referrals were required to go through the Job Centre during the Covid period?

Response

Please see below responses to these queries:

1. Please can you advise if the answer to question 3 in the FOI request FOI/17/02882, published in 2017 is still correct or have the KDI's and KPIs subsequently been updated?

1. There have been no changes to the KPIs/KDIs since implementation, however I have attached the full list of KDIs as some terminology has changed. This has not had any impact on how KDIs are monitored. The list also includes KDIs that were not included in the previous FOI request. These apply to participants who require additional support to find and enter employment and performance reporting. It is worth noting that following the COVID-19 pandemic we moved to a blended delivery model, where the application of some KDIs are guided by the preference of the participant and does not impact on service providers or service credit recoveries.

2. Please can you advise if the Providers of FSS services have a time limit to acknowledge receipt of a referral from the Job Centre and if there are any penalties attached if the time limit is not met?

2. Referrals made by Jobcentre Plus are transferred electronically to the Scottish Employability Tracking System (SETS) which Service Providers use to access and manage participant referrals. This transfer is undertaken once per day and referrals are allocated to Service Providers based on a participants geographical location. Service Providers must ensure that all referrals are accepted on SETS by 12pm each day. As per KDIs 1 & 2, Service Provider’s must ensure 90% of all start dates/induction interviews are completed within 5 days following receipt of referral, with the remaining 10% to be completed within 10 working days. If these KDIs are not met, service credits recoveries can be implemented.to be completed within 10 working days. If these KDIs are not met, service credit recoveries can be implemented.

3. Please can you advise if all referrals to FSS are required to go through the Job Centre?

3. There are no requirements for all referrals to go directly through the Job Centre. Participants can also be referred to Fair Start Scotland via “Third Party Organisations” and participant self-referrals. If a participant is not in receipt of a working benefit then the Service Provider can refer the participant direct to the Scottish Employability Tracking System (SETS). If a participant self refers or is referred via a Third Party Organisation but is in receipt of a working benefit, the Job Centre undertake an eligibility check and makes the referral via SETS.

4. Please can you advise if FSS referrals were required to go through the Job Centre during the Covid period?

4. In March 2020, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, referrals from Jobcentre Plus were suspended until June 2020. This meant no referrals were received from the Jobcentre between late March-June 2020. During this time, all referrals were made on the Scottish Employability Tracking System (SETS) by Fair Start Scotland Service Providers

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FOI 202200311067 - Information released

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