More effective social services inquiry update

April 2015

The Productivity Commission has just released a draft report looking at ways to improve how government agencies commission and purchase social services. These include how agencies identify the needs of people who use social services, how they choose organisations to provide the services, and how the contracts between agencies and providers work.

The Commission has had help from many participants and is grateful for the insightful submissions and observations received to date. The Commission is seeking further submissions, particularly on the draft findings and recommendations, by 24 June 2015.

The report is accompanied by four case studies:

• employment services
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• Whänau Ora
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• services for people with disabilities
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• home-based care of older people
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An appendix has also been produced on the economics of social services.

As part of its inquiry, the Commission contracted James Mansell to provide specialist coverage on the application of "big data" and data analytics to social services. Mansell’s report Handing back the social commons is also being released on the Commission’s website today.

The draft report along with summary material and a video is available atwww.productivity.govt.nz/inquiry-content/social-services. Feedback on the draft report is due by 24 June 2015. The final report will be delivered to Government by 31 August 2015.

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