Engagement and aspiration: reconnecting policy making with front-line professionals
On 26 March 2009, the National School of Government’s Sunningdale Institute published a report (Engagement and aspiration: reconnecting policy making with front-line professionals) which proposes a re-invention of policy-making to ensure the delivery of cost effective and efficient services responsive to people’s needs.
The report looks at how to develop better links between Whitehall policy makers and front-line professionals to drive forward public service reform. It calls for more engagement with front-line professionals in policy-making in order to create policies that are as effective as they can possibly be.
The report’s key recommendations include:
- Making front-line delivery a compulsory part of all policy advice to ministers on public service reform.
- Re-shaping policy work to support the new principles of public service reform.
- Seeking out ideas and practical experiences to improve policy and increasing awareness of conditions at the front-line within departments.
- Developing policy-making skills and capability to have a stronger emphasis on connecting with and drawing professional insights from the front-line.
- Capturing local professionals’ pride in their work and ensuring policies are accessible and understandable.
- Ensuring an ‘active circle of learning’ between the front-line, intermediaries and central Whitehall departments to capture insight in both directions.
- Considering a core curriculum for policy work to be undertaken by the National School of Government and the policy head of profession.
Engagement and aspiration: reconnecting policy making with front-line professionals (PDF)
