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Directorate for Children’s Services
Director John Coughlan CBE
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1Document Information
Title / Recruitment and Retention Strategy 2014 - 2016Status / Draft
Current version / V0.1 (29/08/2014)
Author / Simon Dear, Commissioning Officer
Department / Children and Families
Email /
Telephone / (01983) 821000 Ext 6764
Sponsor / Steve Crocker, Assistant Director Children’s Services Hampshire and the Isle of Wight
Department / Children’s Services
Email / @IOW.gov.uk
Telephone / (01983) 821000 x 6764
Consultation / Consultation:
Approved by
Approval Date
Review Frequency / Annually
Next Review / 30 June 2015
Reviewed
Version History
Version Date Description
0.1 / 30/06/2014 / Initial draft
0.2 / Updated
0.3 / Revised + Equality Impact Assessment
0.4 / CMT
0.5 / DT
0.6 / Committee
0.7 / Consultation
2Contents
1 Document information
2 Contents
3 Introduction
3.1 Scope
3.2 Background
4 Aims and Objectives
4.1 Aims of the Isle of Wight Recruitment and Retention Strategy
4.2 Objectives of the Isle of Wight Recruitment and Retention Strategy
4.3Complaints
4.4Equality and Diversity Statement
4.5Human Rights Act
5 Components of the Isle of Wight Recruitment and RetentionStrategy
5.1Recruitment and Retention
5.2Induction and Training
5.3Career Pathways
5.4Succession Planning
6How will we know if we have been successful?
6.1Feedback from children and young people
6.2Feedback from professionals
6.3Quality Assurance
6.4Performance Data
Appendix A: Structure Recruitment and Retention
Appendix B Recruitment and Retention Action Plan 2013 to 2015
3INTRODUCTION
I am pleased to introduce our new recruitment and retention strategy 2014to 2016 for all of children’s social care. Our aim is to recruit and retain a permanent Island-based workforce that is stable and provides consistency for children. As part of our commitment to continuous improvement we recognise that we have the responsibility to recruit and retain high quality staff and invest in their training and development.
We share this responsibility with you our staff. The qualifications,training, research and ongoing professional development you undertake contributes to improvements in service delivery and outcomes for children. As your employer, we take our responsibility to develop you and our workforce seriously in order that we may improve how we safeguard and support children and families.
Nationally, the Professional Capabilities Framework developed by the Social Work Reform Board (SWRB) serves as a backdrop to both initial social work education, and continuing professional development after qualification. This Professional Capabilities Framework (PCF) describes the capabilities required of social workers at all stages of their career. The Standards of Proficiency, which are set by the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) are what a social worker must know, understand and be able to do when they start practising for the first time.
This is a ten year strategy. We need to train the managers that we have short-term, build lasting career pathways into social work and through to social work management in the medium term, and long term we need to promote and support a career in children’s services as a career of choice for local children in school.
Locally, as part of our commitment to continuous improvement we need to understand from you how well we are supporting you as a social worker now, how well we are developing our social work workforce and how well we are improving social work practice.
Our annual children’s social care staff survey helps us develop the recruitment and retention action plan to implement this strategy.
Steve Crocker, Assistant Director of Children’s Services Directorate
3.1SCOPE
The Isle of Wight Recruitment and Retention Strategy forms an integral part of the Isle of Wight Children’s Safeguarding Improvement Plan.
The Isle of Wight Recruitment and Retention Strategy is specifically focussed on:
- The recruitment of high calibre staff
- The retention of experienced staff and
- The workforce development of all staff in children’s social services.
The Isle of Wight Recruitment and Retention Strategy also includes:
- The marketing of the Isle of Wight and Isle of Wight Council as an employer of choice to social workers from elsewhere
- The training and development of social workers at all phases including pre and post qualifying
- The leadership and management training of social workers into management and succession planning for senior management careers within Children’s Social Care.
The Isle of Wight Children’s Safeguarding Improvement Plan recognises the importance of multi-agency staff training and development through the identification of training needs to support staff to deliver to the new children services strategy priorities.
The Improvement Plan also states that further opportunities will be developed as part of the Improvement Plan, which will include a targeted programme of training and development for Team Managers to ensure professionals are supported to deliver safe and effective services to all children and young people.
The recruitment and retention strategy will adhere to the eight employer standards produced by the Social Work Reform Board set out below:
All employers of social workers should:
1 Have in place a social work accountability framework informed by knowledge of good social work practice and the experience and expertise of service users, carers and practitioners.
2 Use effective workforce planning systems to make sure the right number of social workers, with the right level of skills and experience, are available to meet current and future service demands.
3 Implement transparent systems to manage workload and case allocation to protect service users and practitioners.
4 Make sure social workers can do their jobs safely and have the practical tools and resources they need to practise effectively. Employers should assess risks and take action to minimise and prevent them.
5 Ensure social workers have regular and appropriate social work supervision.
6 Provide opportunities for continuing professional development, as well as access to research and practice guidance.
7 Ensure social workers can maintain their professional registration.
8 Establish effective partnerships with higher education institutions and other organisations to support the delivery of social work education and continuing professional development.
3.2BACKGROUND
The Isle of Wight Children’s Social Care has been restructured and went live on 16/12/2013. The restructure achieved an increase in the number of social workers by 50 per cent, from 32 to 48 posts, an increase in other frontline positions by 28 per cent and reduced the numbers of senior managers by 40 per cent.
The restructure also increased the number of permanent social workers employed and decreased the number of agency social workers in three phases. At the time of the first Recruitment and Retention Strategy in 2013 which focussed on social workers, all social worker vacancies were staffed with permanent social workers barring two Assistant Team Manager posts. This equalled a 3% vacancy rate. Both vacancies were covered by agency social workers.The restructure was delivered within existing budgets and has ensured children are better protected and social workers have smaller caseloads with improved managerial oversight.
Further investment has been made by the Isle of Wight Council to create a third Children in Need Team. This is to reduce the management span of control of the two existing team managers whilst increasing capacity. This third team went live 1st September 2014.
The children’s social care staff survey is completed annually and the actions identified assist in addressing any issues raised.
Now the social work workforce has stabilised and permanent social workers appointed, this current Recruitment and Retention Strategy has now been updated to include all staff, roles and posts within children’s social care.
4AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
4.1AIMS OF THE ISLE OF WIGHT RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION STRATEGY
The aim of the Isle of Wight Recruitment and Retention Strategy is to ensure we recruit and retain qualified, registered and experienced social workers who share our ambition for children and young people and our commitment to continuously improve our social work practice and service delivery.
4.2OBJECTIVES OF THE ISLE OF WIGHT RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION STRATEGY
The objectives of the strategy are to support the delivery of the five key outcomes stated in the Improvement Plan:
Outcome 1: Leadership and Management
Leadership and Management is resilient and highly effective, demonstrated by clear evidence of robust managerial oversight and professional challenge at all levels, that drives continuous improvement leading to improved outcomes for children and young people.
Outcome 2: Social Work Practice
Social Work Practice is responsive and co-ordinated, with clear evidence of systematic assessment of risk and robust care planning, underpinned by effective analysis and reflective supervision.
Outcome 3: Performance Management and Quality Assurance
A rigorous and robust culture of performance management and quality assurance, leads to systemic and sustained improvements in outcomes for children and young people.
Outcome 4: Partnership Working
Partnership working is active, visible and effective in sustaining high-quality Safeguarding Children’s services and outcomes for children and young people, within a culture of support and challenge.
Outcome 5: The Voice of the Child and Young Person
The voice of children and young people is embedded in all practice. Children and young people are actively engaged in their assessment and care planning, ensuring they contribute to the decisions being made that affect them and their future, including shaping services.
4.3Improving service delivery
Any family or friend’s carer or child or young person, foster carer, adopter and special guardian who is dissatisfied with the service received from the Isle of Wight Council or individual social worker should contact us and we will try and resolve at the earliest opportunity. If this is not possible they have the right to make a complaint.
We will ensure all feedback including complaints is considered and where appropriate incorporated into our service improvements. Each team will incorporate aspects of the participation strategy into their team plans to ensure customer feedback is central to how we continually improve services including through our training programme and individual professional development.
Please contact the Complaints Officer, Social Care, Children and Family Services, Isle of Wight Council, 3rd Floor, County Hall, Newport, Isle of Wight, PO30 1UD. Tel: 01983 823093; Fax: 01983 823463; email: . Equally if we have helped in anyway or you think a member of our team deserves recognition do please let us know.
4.4 EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY STATEMENT
The Isle of Wight Council recognises that many of the children, those who apply to become carers and social workers will come from diverse ethnic, religious and cultural backgrounds, and/or may have particular disabilities and/or will have one or more protected characteristics under the Equality Act and that these must be taken into consideration when establishing the best arrangements for children and fulfilling the duty of care of the Isle of Wight Council as employers of social workers.
The Isle of Wight Council’s Equality and Diversity statement therefore applies to this policy and can be accessed from
4.5 HUMAN RIGHTS ACT
The Human Rights Act 1998 obliges public bodies, including local authorities, not to act in a way that is incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights, unless forced to do so by legislation.
The articles most likely to be relevant in cases involving children are Article 6 (the right to a fair hearing), Article 8 (the right to respect for a person’s private and family life) and Article 14 (prohibition of discrimination). Under Article 8(2), the council may only interfere with the exercise of a person’s right to private and family life in certain circumstances, such as for the protection of health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.
Thus a parent’s right to have his or her child living with him/her is balanced against that child’s right to adequate physical and emotional care. In each case a balancing exercise will be required between the parents’ rights, the child’s rights and the rights of others with whom the child has a family life (such as siblings or other family members or carers).
The work social workers undertake on behalf of the Isle of Wight Council when placing a child with a carer must be justifiable on the facts of the case, proportionate to the interference with a person’s human rights, and procedurally fair.
5COMPONENTS OF THE ISLE OF WIGHT RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION STRATEGY
5.1SOCIAL WORK RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION
This comprehensive and agreed recruitment and retention strategy in partnership with Hampshire County Council assisted the Isle of Wight in overcoming recruitment issues with permanent social workers and senior staff. Analysis of our recruitment campaigns provided evidence of the most effective targeting and media strategy and has informed future recruitment campaigns. A focus group with student social workers in another authority highlighted some key messages about the benefits of working on the Isle of Wight that were included in our marketing. Vacancies are marketed with up to date web pages, video links and living on the Isle of Wight information. Children’s social care works in partnership with a social media company to reach more social workers in the market targeting them advertising. Applicants feedback at the end of the selection process report favourable impressions of the Isle of Wight Council as an employer in terms of how well organised and professional managed the marketing, recruitment and selection process was.
Job Evaluation
The pay review is part of our current programme of activity for delivering a revised job evaluation scheme. We are implementing HAY used by Hampshire County Council. The delivery of the pay review is scheduled to be implemented on 1 April 2015. We have the profiles for social work that Hampshire have and indeed there are the national profiles that are available.
Isle of Wight Pay and Market Supplement
In recognition of the need to attract social workers to work for children’s services in the Isle of Wight Council, the following market supplements were agreed and are in place. The proposal highlighted later on in this updated strategy is to align the remuneration and market supplement with that of Hampshire County Council.
Job Title / Pay Scale / Annual salary amount / Market Supplement Amount PA / Total per annumTeam Manager / Pob - 38 / £32,072.00 / £11,705.00 / £43,777.00
Pob - 39 / £33,128.00 / £10,659.00 / £43,787.00
Pob - 40 / £33,998.00 / £9,798.00 / £43,796.00
Assistant Team Manager / POa - 35 / £29,528.00 / £9,223.00 / £38,751.00
& Senior Practitioners / POa - 36 / £30,311.00 / £8,448.00 / £38,759.00
POa - 37 / £31,160.00 / £7,608.00 / £38,768.00
Social Worker Lvl 3 / SO2 - 32 / £27,323.00 / £5,799.00 / £33,122.00
SO2 - 33 / £28,127.00 / £5,002.00 / £33,129.00
SO2 - 34 / £28,922.00 / £4,215.00 / £33,137.00
Social Worker Lvl 2 / SO1 - 29 / £24,892.00 / £4,181.00 / £29,073.00
SO1 - 30 / £25,727.00 / £3,355.00 / £29,082.00
SO1 - 31 / £26,539.00 / £2,551.00 / £29,090.00
The allocation of the market supplement on a sliding scale to increments means that whilst salary does increase annually by an increment until the top of the pay scale is reached, the market supplement adjusts so that all social workers within the same grade are paid the same. Furthermore, the market supplement whilst classified as income is not counted towards income when mortgages are calculated. This puts social workers at a disadvantage when considering buying a property to base themselves on the Isle of Wight permanently. Proposals outlined below are intended to use the pay scales, grading and market supplement to incentivise and reward staff as they progress in their social work career.
Hampshire County Council Pay and Market Supplement
Role / Salary / Market supplementNewly Qualified Social Worker / £23,508 - £26,541 / £0
Qualified Social Worker / £30,195 - £33,984 / £0, £1,100 or £1,400 depending on assessment by line manager against defined criteria
Assistant Team Manager / £30,195 - £33,984 / £3,000
Team Manager / £37,284 - £41,967 / £4,000
in key safeguarding teams only
To qualify for £1,400 per annum (FTE)
Fieldwork Social Workers will have significant relevant post-qualification experience, have a qualification in social work and current registration with the GSCC, be effectively and regularly handling complex cases and require minimum supervision.
To qualify for £1,100 per annum (FTE)
Social Workers will have relevant post-qualification experience, with a qualification in social work and current registration with the GSCC, be handling some complex cases and require moderate supervision and guidance.
No Market Supplement payable
Staff newly qualified and/or with limited post-qualification experience, handling least complex cases and requiring close and regular supervision.
Pay Comparison
There had been pay comparisons undertaken which led to the introduction of the market supplement and a record is contained within the committee reports. Job assessments are undertaken using a methodology that determines a score and this is then related to pay. Where recruitment is competitive such as social work, market forces take over hence the introduction of the market supplements to address this problem. Nationally, starting salaries range from £19,500 to £25,000 a year. With more experience and responsibility, this can rise to between £26,000 and £40,000.
Travel Supplement
The Isle of Wight has introduced a travel supplement to retain social workers who work for the Isle of Wight Council but continue to reside out of authority. This is also promoted as part of the advertising and recruitment for social workers who are considering working here. The annual cost depending on the form of travel starts from £1,200.
5.2SOCIAL WORK MANAGEMENT TRAINING
Workforce Development Team
This Recruitment and Retention Strategy underpins an integrated approach to ensure that all training and development responsibilities are co-ordinated across the Isle of Wight Council Learning and Development Team, Children and Families Services and Organisation and Workforce Development, Children's Services, Hampshire County Council.
The Workforce Development officer role has been appointed to implement the Isle of Wight Recruitment and Retention Strategy and undertake the training needs analysis.
Financial Resources
To underpin an integrated approach it is necessary that all training and development budgets are brought together to be managed under the remit of the Workforce Development Officer working to the Isle of Wight Council Learning and Development Team and Organisation & Workforce Development, Children's Services, Hampshire County Council.