Business Support
“We see ourselves as an essential cog within a large organisation. We believe we are the enablers that keep the show on the road” - the Head of Business Support Services at BCP Council
Business Support services are commissioned to provide administrative support across the whole of Children’s Services.
This includes technical administrative support within teams, where business support officers teach the corporate policies, procedures, statutory processes and standards to practitioners and managers. The team are experts in case management systems and have an advanced understanding of Microsoft and MS Teams applications. They also understand procurement and financial management regulations and advise all team members how to comply.
The Business Support team have a centralised monitoring role in information governance, including freedom of information requests, subject access requests, third party disclosures (police requests), data breaches, personal information sharing agreements, data protection impact assessments, preparation of privacy notices and the oversight and management of the Child Trust Funds and Junior ISA savings account for Children in Care. There are lead officers within each service area, known as Information Asset Advisers (IAA). They provide HR and Finance systems administrative support to services, in order to support front line managers.
The service operates in an enabling capacity across Children’s Services, and plays a key role in supporting initiatives such as accommodation moves, restructuring, new IT system delivery, such as MS Teams, MS Telephony and Skillgate Learning Management System, systems thinking and streamlining processes and procedures to support new initiatives. The service acts as the key interface with ICT Services corporately to ensure the smooth transition into teams of new technology and equipment. The service supports team managers to interpret and analyse and daily stats to provide key management information on the performance of their teams. They also carry out regular deep dives into the case management system to check quality standards and performance.