Social Work Development

1
Social Work Development

• What are the issues
• What are we doing about it
• Role and Function of SWs in an integrated
  childrens service

2
What are the issues?

• They include
• Poor public, political and media perception
• Role unclear and poorly understood
• Workload and role pressures
• Poor career structure
• Limitations of SW qualification poor match to
  job
• Access to post qualifying training
• Quality of supervision/management
• High turnover vacancy rates in some services
• Pay below comparators

3
What are we doing about it

• Commissioned research on West Midlands Position
• Recommendations supported by DCSs
• Being taken forward through a West Midlands R R
  project
• Supported by DCSF developing project to present
  bid for funding
• Steering group of West Mid LAs supported by GOWM

4
Project Focus

• Regional standards for agency staff
• Development of a regional data set on R R of
  SWs
• Roles and functions of SWs contribute to
  national debate
• Best practice on succession planning
• Develop existing work on consultant SWs in the
  region
• Best practice in preparing unqualified workers
  for qualification training

5
Role Function of SWs

• Lack of clarity impacts on status of/respect for
  SWs
• Need clarity to develop SW role in
  multi-disciplinary service
• Need to be clear what we want SWs to do we can
  be clear what we are training people to do

6
Social Work Contribution

• Context is
• Children's Plan aspirations
• a multi-disciplinary childrens service
• progressive universalism
• outcomes focus
• Shared values across professional groups

7
When SW needed

• Characteristics
• Complex family problems, dealing with the most
  intimate aspects of familys lives
• Potential high risk of harm
• Expert help and support towards self
  determination
• Problems are enduring and have an enduring impact
• Uncertainty and unpredictability

8
SW Contribution

• Promoting family stability and capacity for
  children to thrive
• Helping C YP achieve control of their lives
• Secure and stable alternatives for those who
  cannot stay with their families
• Safe from harm
• Social and psychological well-being

9
SW able to

• Collect and evaluate information
• Assess needs child, family environment,
  relationships, attachments
• Formulate and implement plans with other agencies
  and the family
• Make and maintain complex networks of
  relationships
• Apply relevant legislation and be both an enabler
  and enforcer

10
SW able to

• Apply their knowledge and skills in
  multi-disciplinary teams
• Work within their agency framework while focusing
  on core role of promoting the aspirations of C
  YP
• Function in a range of settings
• Apply body of knowledge e.g. on human growth,
  attachment, legal and social contexts