Haringey Council is integrating its Connected Communities service into Adult Social Care, a move projected to save £700,000. The decision was discussed at the Adults & Health Scrutiny Panel meeting on Monday 22 September 2025.
The integration aims to strengthen early help and prevention, reducing demand on Adult Social Care. The Connected Communities service provides services intended to bolster early intervention and reduce the need for statutory Adult Social Care functions. As part of the changes, the Connected Communities service will become the Independence & Early Intervention Team (IEI). The IEI team's vision is to provide proactive and preventative support, promote independence, and reduce demand on crisis services. The service has already been working to close existing cases in readiness for the implementation of the new model, ensuring continuity of care during the transition.
Other changes include the Resettlement, Migration & Inequalities service moving to the Culture and Communities service, and Financial Support Officers transferring to Revenues & Benefits to better support residents facing financial hardship.
The Connected Communities Scrutiny Update states that the panel was asked to consider how best to communicate the changes to residents and stakeholders, identify opportunities for improving outcomes, and address potential risks during implementation.
The timeline for the integration is:
- August & September:
- Interviews for roles in the new IEI structure
- Training and development
- Processes and pathways developed
- Finalise comms plan
- October:
- Communications to partners and stakeholders
- Website changes
- Implementation of new structure the team will integrate into ASC (go live date TBC)
To measure the success of the integration, the following draft key performance indicators (KPIs) will be used:
Service Delivery & Impact
- % of residents supported who remain independent after 6 months
- Reduction in referrals to long-term care, hospital readmission rates or crisis services
- % of tenancy support cases resulting in sustained housing
- Number of successful reablement interventions
Access & Engagement
- Number of residents accessing IEI services and community led support
- % of residents reporting improved wellbeing and confidence
- Resident satisfaction with service and case studies
Efficiency & Integration
- Average time from referral to intervention
- % of cases resolved without escalation to ASC
- Number of multi-agency cases jointly managed
Digital & Innovation
- % increase in residents using digital tools / digital inclusion rates
Workforce & Development
- Staff retention rates and sickness levels
- Staff survey results
The restructure of the Connected Communities team has been subject to full HR consultation and policy, which seeks to conclude in October when the new structure will be implemented. The consultation period has seen regular meetings with staff and unions with high levels of engagement at all levels. Constructive feedback has directly resulted in amendments to planned structures and roles. Overall, consultation feedback indicated that staff were broadly happy with the proposals and could see the logic to the changes.
