Date post: | 17-Dec-2015 |
Category: |
Documents |
Upload: | clinton-singleton |
View: | 218 times |
Download: | 0 times |
Action Learning ProgrammeAction Learning Programme
Project Khaedu
Social Welfare – Empangeni/Ngwelezane
Project Khaedu
Social Welfare – Empangeni/Ngwelezane
November 3rd 2005November 3rd 2005
Executive summary and key message
Social security can significantly improve its grant application process, but needs to decentralise.Social Welfare Services is critically short of key resources and could consider devolving some of the functions in order to cope.The disability grant is clearly readily abused and a new approach is needed to control fraud
Ngwelezane Social Welfare office is handling a large and growing number of clients but the over complex separation of process between District and Region greatly hampers efficiency as does shortage of basic tools of the trade. With disability grants a new approach is needed if fraud is to be curtailed.
SituationSocial security can significantly improve its grant application process, but needs to decentralise.Social Welfare Services is critically short of key resources and could consider devolving some of the functions in order to cope.
•Two serious backlogs are building in disability grant process; namely; backlog crisis in the office and backlog crisis at Ulundi
•Backlog in the office caused mainly by long fragmented and duplicative process•Statistics for Ngwelezane Office seem to indicate a marked increase in numbers of applications for disability grants
•There is a growing crisis in Foster Care Grant applications, e.g. average number of applications per month is 113, 38 are granted, while about 56 reports are finalised by Social Workers
•There is only one vehicle in working order for used by 9 Social Workers•Communication with applicants is totally inadequate, e.g. the ‘notice’ board at Social Welfare.
•Our citizens are unhappy with overall time taken by the process, a situation probably exacerbated by lack of ablution facilities, but are reasonably happy with the quality of service received
•Staff morale appears relatively low with major issues regarding training, career progression, conditions of work and lack of resources
The majority of grant applications are for child support and disability
APPLICATIONS JULY - SEPT 2005
2.9% 1.0% 3.8%
33.7%33.2% 28.6%
3.2%
2.2%
58.5%62.8% 62.6%
1.0% 1.1% 1.2%
1.3%
1.3%0.4%
0.6%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
LOWER UMFOLOZI APPLICATIONS RBAY APPLICATIONS ULUNDI APPLICATIONS
DISTRICT /REGION
PE
RC
EN
TA
GE
ARRERS
U. BEN
GIA
CSG
CDG
FCG
DG
OAP
Two serious backlogs are building in disability grants
562
348
208.5177.5
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
Applied Awaiting AnnexureE
Fowarded toUlundi
Received fromUlundi
Backlog crisis in the Office
Backlog crisis at Ulundi
Average volumes per month
Partly driven by an apparent increase in applications
577
880
453431
544
651
715
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
1,000
April 05 May 05 June 05 July 05 Aug 05 Sep 05 Oct 05
Average backlog is 200 per month
…and a high rate of renewals relative to other areas…
LOWER UMFOLOZIDISABILITY APPLICATIONS: JULY - SEPTEMBER 2005
83.0%55.5%
38.9%
0.7%
18.9%11.1%
0.0% 0.2%
25.6%
16.3%
49.7%
0.0%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
LOWER UMFOLOZI RICHARDSBAY ULUNDI
APPEAL
MISCH
REVIEW
NEW
Total DG applications = 1,488New: 243
Total DG applications = 1,268New: 324
Total DG applications =15,864New:7,892
…and over 10% of the population seem to be ‘disabled’ – Basic Income Grant by default?
56,056
6,744
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
1
Annual applications
Balance of population aged 18-65
But the single biggest factor is the current disability grant application process is long, complicated, fragmented and duplicative
Applicant referral letter to a Dr. &
Surgeon
Messenger collects referral
letters from Surgeon
Registration of referral letter &
paste against the wall
2nd Attesting Officer: Check, verify Issue a receipt
3rd Attesting Officer: Check, verify &
signs of for capturing
Data CapturerCheck, verify &
capture data electronically
Files moved to registry
Files batched & moved to
RO for approval
Two weeks
1st Attesting Officer Fill application forms
(manually) File opened
Applicant told to return in 3 months
Clerk: Check & verify documentation
Take finger prints
Go Back home
Files moved backed to
registry with award letters
File to enrolment
officer
Applicant returns to enquire if approval granted
Applicant queues for enrolment
officer
Enrolment officer logs approval
Applicant to CPS officer for
payment cardBeneficiary leaves to collect payment
Currently 3-6 months
Applicant checks his/ her name
against wall list
EnquiriesCheck & Verify Issue application
forms
Yes
No?
Actual time taken to complete: 35 minWaiting period: 1hr: 35 min
Total period: 2hr: 10m
In addition, the time taken to process a grant varies enormously creating major uncertainty for clients
012
178
212
186
86
4834 29
1932
0
50
100
150
200
250
0-1 1-2 2-3 3-4 4-5 5-6 6-7 7-8 8-9 9-10 10plus
The ‘Tail of Frustration’
Theoretical ‘lapse’ pointNo. of awards
Months since applied
There is similarly a growing crisis in Foster Care Grants..
113
56
38
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Applied Report Finalised Granted
Average Applications per month
HUGE and growing backlog
..and the current foster care grant application process again plays a major part
Applicant arrives and sits in queue
Intake Interviews, checks and refer to Area
Social Worker. Open the file.
Conduct Investigatio
n
Magistrate enquiry Court
Order
Refer to Social
Security to apply for grant
1st Attesting Officer: Check &
Verify
Clerk fills the form on behalf
of the applicant
Files moved to electronic registration
Report writing with findings
Applicant told to return in 3 months
Open file and submit to
Supervisor
Check & Verify:Supervisor
2nd Attesting Officer
Check, Verify Receipt issue
Payment initiated
Files moved to registry
Files batched and moved
RO
DO Registry
Applicant returns to enquire if
approval granted
Applicant queues for enrolment officer
Applicant to CPS
officer for payment
card
Beneficiary leaves to collect payment
Currently 3-6 months
Finger Prints taken
SupervisorVerify
Sign off:Capturing
Data Capturer
…but as does the shortage of Social Workers and critically, their lack of working transport
Only 1 vehicle in use for both offices
Serving population > 400,000
Social Workers
14
9
0
4
8
12
16
Recommended Existing
Impacts on review of severely disabled
people
Staff morale appears relatively low with major issues regarding training, career progression and facilities
2.50 2.60 2.65 2.56
3.63
2.81 2.81 2.81
0
1
2
3
4
5Tr
aini
ngad
equa
cy
Car
eer
Prog
ress
ion
Com
mun
icat
ion
Qua
lity
ofFa
cilit
ies
Qua
lity
ofSe
rvic
e w
ede
liver
Effe
ctiv
enes
s of
PMD
S
Ove
rall
Man
agem
ent
qual
ity
Res
pons
ible
use
of b
udge
t
Very good
Good
OK
Poor
V. poor
Very good
Good
OK
Poor
V. poor
Our citizens are unhappy with the overall time taken in the process and access to toilets but are reasonably happy with the quality of service received
2.34
3.09 3.23
2.20
3.063.40
0.00
1.00
2.00
3.00
4.00
5.00
Time takenin process
Helpfulnessof staff
Cleanlinessof facilities
Acess totoilets
Quality ofserviceoverall
Skills of staff
ComplicationSocial security can significantly improve its grant application process, but needs to decentralise.Social Welfare Services is critically short of key resources and could consider devolving some of the functions in order to cope.
• Two serious backlogs are building in disability grant; namely; backlog crisis in the office and backlog crisis at Ulundi
• Backlog in the office caused mainly by long fragmented and duplicative process
• But also over 10% of the population seem to be “disabled” – basic Income Grant by default
• Versus census data on disabilities for Ngwelezane we seem to have many more applications
• A growing crisis in Foster Grants backlog, e.g. average application per month is 113, report finalized 56, and 38 granted
• Growing backlog is also the result of both a long fragmented and duplicative process
• Only one working vehicle for 9 social workers-why bother to employ them• The time taken to process a grant varies enormously creating major
uncertainty for clients, e.g. 3 months theoretical ‘lapse’ and the tail of frustration
• Communications are an issue, e.g. the ‘notice’ board at Social Welfare.• The notices are only in a rough date order making the search a lengthy
process• Our citizens are unhappy with overall time taken in the process and
access to toilets, but are reasonably happy with the quality of service received
• Staff morale appears relatively low with major issues regarding training, career progression and facilities
Situation
•Batching and movement of files causes severe backlogs.
•Physical facilities leave a lot to be desired as the corridors are narrow and crowded and some functions are outside.
•Physical facilities leave a lot to be desired… who is the service provider here?
•Communication with clients is inadequate
Complication
Physical facilities leave a lot to be desired as the corridors are narrow and crowded and some functions are outside
Queue for checking
Social security can significantly improve its grant application process, but needs to decentralise.Social Welfare Services is critically short of key resources and could consider devolving some of the functions in order to cope.
•Many of our clients could be reached using an automated SMS system
•Over 40% of our clients have bank or post Office accounts, but only 12% of our
clients use them for direct deposit of their grants
•But only 24% would like to have money deposited directly-even if the account was
free, however, the value of a concerted drive to use a subsidised bank account is
huge
Disability:
Shorten processes (integrated RO &DO) and time taken for referrals
Needs an independent Risk Management role to curtail large scale abuse.
Forster
Equip the social workers and consider “grant” principle, i.e. reverse burden of proof
Shorten the whole district/region process
Suggestion
Many of our clients could be reached using an automated SMS system
17
9
9
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
1
No messaging
SMS
Cell Phone
Over 40% of our clients have bank or Post Office accounts…
16
19
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Do you have a bank account?
But only 12% of our clients use them for direct deposit of their grants
Yes
No
…but only 24% would like to have money deposited directly - even if the account was free
9
26
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Would you use a free bank account?
“The bank is too far from me”
“I prefer to receive my money in cash”
“The cash payout is where we meet people”
“I would like to have it deposited directly, how do we do that?”Yes
No
…however, the value of a concerted drive to use a subsidised bank account is huge
R 247,080
R 494,160
R 741,240
R 988,320
R 0
R 200,000
R 400,000
R 600,000
R 800,000
R 1,000,000
R 1,200,000
10% 20% 30% 40%
Annual Savings -Rands Thousands*
Increase in direct deposit over existing 12%
*Assumes R7.50 subsidy p.m. paid to bank or Post Office for a
Mzansi account for each client
But, the overall processes in disability and Foster need a radical redesign
Cut non-value adding processes
Decentralise approvals by integration of District and Regional functions
Introduce a risk management system:- Fraud and corruption
Non-value-adding and duplicative steps can be removed
Applicant referral letter to
a Doctor. &
Surgeon
Messenger collects referral
letters from Surgeon
Registration of referral letter &
paste against the wall
2nd Attesting Officer: Check, verify Issue a receipt
3rd Attesting Officer: Check, verify &
signs of for capturing
Data CapturerCheck, verify &
capture data electronically
Files moved to registry
Files batched & moved to
RO for approval
Two weeks
1st Attesting Officer Fill application forms
(manually) File opened
Applicant told to return in 3 months
Clerk: Check & verify documentation
Take finger prints
Go Back home
Files moved backed to
registry with award letters
File to enrolment
officer
Applicant returns to enquire if approval granted
Applicant queues for enrolment
officer
Enrolment officer logs approval
Applicant to CPS officer for
payment cardBeneficiary leaves to collect payment
Currently 3-6 months
Applicant checks his/ her name
against wall list
EnquiriesCheck & Verify Issue application
forms
Yes
No?
Actual time taken to complete: 35 minWaiting period: 1hr: 35 min
Total period: 2hr: 10m
…simplifying and shortening the process
Applicant referral
letter to a Doctor. & Surgeon
Messenger collects referral
letters from Surgeon
ApprovalSMS Client
1st Attesting OfficerFill application forms
(manually) Select payment
methodFile opened
Clerk: Take finger prints
Issue with award lettersFile to
enrolment officer
Applicant returns to enquire if approval granted
Applicant queues for enrolment
officer
Enrolment officer logs approval
Method of payment
Applicant to CPS officer for
payment card
Beneficiary leaves to collect payment
2 weeks
Help Desk or Enquiries
Check & Verify Issue application
forms
Actual time taken to complete: 20 minWaiting period: 35 min
Total period: 55min
In Foster Grants non-value-adding and duplicative steps can also be removed
Applicant arrives and sits in queue
Intake Interviews, checks and refer to Area
Social Worker.
Conduct Investigatio
n
Magistrate enquiry Court
Order
Send to Ulundi for
registration
1st Attesting Officer: Check &
Verify
Clerk fills the form on behalf
of the applicant
Files moved to electronic registration
Report writing
with findings
Applicant told to return in 3 months
Open file and submit to
Supervisor
Check & Verify:Supervisor
2nd Attesting Officer
Check, Verify Receipt issue
Payment initiated
Files moved to registry
Files batched and moved
RO
DO Registry
Applicant returns to enquire if
approval granted
Applicant queues for enrolment officer
Applicant to CPS
officer for payment
card
Beneficiary leaves to collect payment
Currently 3-6 months
Finger Prints taken
Supervisor/Verifier: Sign
off forCapturing
Data Capturer
…simplifying and shortening the process
Applicant arrives,
enquire and sits in queue.
Intake Interviews, checks and refer to Area
Social Worker.
Area Social Worker:Approved in principle
(Grand- mother & child)
Magistrate:Enquiry &
Court Order
Supervisor:Checking & Approval by
Clerk:Finger Prints
1st Attesting Officer: Check & Verify and
signs off for Capturing
Files moved to electronic registration
Social Worker:Subsequent
iinvestigation by Social Worker
Files moved to registry Applicant queues
for enrolment officer
Applicant to CPS
officer for payment
card
Beneficiary leaves to collect payment
Could be 1 day
Files moved to registry
In addition, these areas should also be addressed• Vehicles for Social Workers : contract vehicles versus review of the current
subsidy protocol• Physical layout – review need for broken spaces• End toilet contract and re-tender• Review actual staffing norms versus current complement• Staff development – concentrate on computer literacy on SOCPEN• Thoroughly investigate the role of the Private Doctors in the process,
replace with full time employees versus increase remuneration versus other options such as increased use of professional nurses in clinics
• IT infrastructure – increase SOCPEN access as process decentralized• Put in place regional Monitoring and Evaluation capability particularly with
regard to Disability grants• Additional inputs: Improve salary bands and career progression