Leadership Steering Group Meeting, 3 June 2010

Scottish Government, Victoria Quay, Edinburgh

Attendees:-

Scottish Government

Shirley Laing, Chair, Deputy Director, Workforce and Capacity Issues,

Gordon Watt,Workforce and Capacity Issues

Jill Wereszczuk, Workforce and Capacity Issues

SSSC/LN Collaboration Group:

Anna Fowlie, Chief Executive, SSSC

Mary Howden, SSSC

Anne Tavendale, Learning Network Tayforth

Steering Group:

David Crawford,Glasgow City Council

Martin Cawley, Turning Point

Ranald Mair, Scottish Care

Ronnie Hill, Care Commission

Apologies:

Alexis Jay, SWIA

Kate O’Hagan, Improvement Service

Dot McLaughlin, Improvement Service

1.Minutes of last meeting

1.1Shirley welcomed everyone along and asked if the group agreed with the previous minutes.

1.2Theminutes were agreed with following amendments:-

Change “Social Work Sector” referred to throughout the minutes to “Social Work Services”

Paragraph 8 Action Plan SSSC/LN replace bullet point “Review the 4 Ps’ model” to “Mapping to CLF”

2.Remit

2.1“To oversee the development and delivery of the Scottish Government's investment in Social Services through the collaboration between the SSSC and the Learning Networks; to shape the leadership development strategy and approach across the social service sector; to identify new priorities impacting on leadership in the longer term; and to ensure this work sits comfortably within the leadership agenda for wider public services.”

2.2The remit was agreed by the group then asked to consider SSSC/LN proposal for governance. Anna set out the proposed shift of the governance of group from SG to SSSC/LN. This will send a clear message of the collaborative approach for the group. The SSSC/LN see that the steering group should have a tight remit on a strategic level. The SSSC and LN will rotate the chairing of the meetings and set up an implementation group with the remit foroperational aspects. The group agreed that this was a sensible approach giving the right messages and agreed the proposal. The secretarial support can be discussed later.

3.Action Plan update –Anne Tavendale and Mary Howden

3.1The Learning Networks have had their first meeting to focus on the plan in relation to the key objectives and to map a baseline to measure progress. They undertook a survey with participants currently in the Action Learning Sets (ALS) with over a 50% response. There are key trends emerging in main:-

  • Half are from LAs and the remainder split between P&V and Health Boards.
  • Nearly 2/3 are working as first line or senior manager and the 76% have had leadership development in some form
  • Benefitting from cross sector membership
  • Nearly all would like to see ALS continue
  • 95% could evident that the sets had influenced their practice or would do so if continued

3.2The key issues from the findings highlighted that the use of consultants was resource intensive and need to have clearer focus on actual outcomes. Current sets have attracted those in sector management roles need to agree if this is the right participants to be targeted. The existing activity in ALS are that new ones set to start, development of existing groups and some sets have came to a natural end. Also noted was the potential to build capacity of partners to facilitate ALS.

3.4Gordon suggested that we should look how they can use the expertise gained from the Leading to Deliver graduates to develop capacity and harness their skills. The right membership will depend on the ALS groups and the right level will see a good spread of management. The extent and capacity is influenced by the structure. Possible to identify a network of people across different areas. Agreed that the participants benefit from meeting together with staff from different organisations and sectors.

3.5It was suggested that they map want is wanted and needed s core then assess that the ALS are developing appropriately. There is a danger of channelling too much through the sets and that success depends on finding the right niche for sets. SSC/LN to look at research at scope the best ways to develop groups. The group agreed that the ALS are clear of their remit is not to discharge employers responsibility, generate the correct network with a self sustaining approach and that participants get what they need from the groups and able to cascade that knowledge wider.

4.The Co consultancy project

4.1Wendy Paterson as part of looking at how people can share skills and asking people on SSKS database some key questions to explore participation Outcomes show that lot of people have not used resource, therefore, concentrating on a more regional basis to access if a more local focus is more beneficial.

5.Learning from what’s been before

5.1A bigger piece of work involving learning from previous work in this area. Spoke with staff across four networks and existing consultants delivering. This is giving quite a clear picture of the shared vision for Leadership communities. Data needs to be sorted and a detailed report will be produced in July.

5.2The group acknowledged that the joined approach will reflect decisions and provide a streamlined process. It is crucial to review knowledge and activity allowing LNs to draw it all together and work cohesively. Suggestions for minutes and papers to be available on a central website and it was agreed that the SSSC would progress this in the recognition that a shared leadership space can provide a valuable interactive tool.

6.Communications Plan

6.1Raising awareness across LN’s areas of the Leadership Communication Planwith the need to embed the Leadership theme across all strands of the LNs activities and work.

7.Update Mary Howden SSSC

7.1Ronnie Hill queried if there had been a mix of economies. There are common threads coming through showing that many service leaders are not registered managers. LA commissioning from companies and good managers are struggling with Governance. Strategic level needs to be addressed and how can managers and boards support leadership agenda.

7.2Mary suggested that we need to engage and have discussions with IRISS and SWIA and promote the need for leadership on different levels. There is an emerging theme from private and voluntary sector that there are certain tensions around the collaboration in providing and commissioning services. Need for organisations to understand the wider environment and the political context. Some organisation’s HR need to be more aware of the benefits of good preparation for financial planning and understanding economy. The are skills in people who use the services and SSSC are speaking to Scottish Consortium for Learning Disability in how they involve users and carers in the Citizenship project. Clear steer on effective management and raising awareness on importance of corporate relationships for agencies providing services. .New Registration framework encourages the corporate functions which needs a clear articulation. A range of responses across all sectors on clarity of members on boards. The 4 Ps model seen as a useful tool to give a leadership steer of to organisations.

7.3LAs with poor corporate services seen as no different from poor leadership in the Private and Voluntary sector. How can a common set of plans be cascaded to all sector managers. Need to able to convey the clear distinction of leadership and management. The collaboration looking at the 4 P’s model and the CLF to try and align them to provide a joint up framework. Looked at a mapping exercise split into a desk based research and a stakeholder engagement and should be complete by the end of summer.

8.Communications Strategy

8.1The group were asked if they thought that the communications plan was covering the right areas. Is there any groups missing. Need to be aware of specific groups within early year’s national day Nurseries Association and Association of Quality Nurseries of Scotland. User and cares will be represented.

8.2Shirley advised that the next steps forward is tying in the engagement with groups to the wider Scottish Government policies such as the Dementia strategy and older care policy... There is a key issue to be able to link the leadership strategy to encourage as many links as possible. Leadership and future leaders will be key factors in getting through the current economic climate.

8.3Page 2 of plan needs to have something about corporate leadership in the overarching key messages. Next stage is to specifically market a brand of leadership. SSSC have a distinct priority to keep leadership on people’s agenda, a picture of all available portals and a consistent message of leadership nationally. An initial look at mapping will advise what will be needed to produce action plan.

9.Collaborating for Outcomes Cohort 2

9.1 “Collaborating for Outcomes” leadership programme, was developed by the Scottish Public Sector Leadership Collaboration group. A first cohort of 60 undertook the programme in 2009, with participants being drawn from Scottish Government, agencies, local authorities, NDPBs, the blue light services. A second cohort is to run this year aimed at mid-level leaders with the potential to progress to the highest level. Once the programme is agreed we will be seeking nominees from social services. For cohort 2, in addition to representatives from social work there would also be representation from the voluntary and private sectors. The group were asked to have a think of nominees. There will probably be 3-4 places but Shirley indicated that she would happy to push for up to 10.

10.AOCB

  • Impact on ALS need to check SW officers. Should be a condition of grant to get added value and Mary will look at the impact of evaluation.
  • Date of next meeting was agreed to be early/mid September. SSSC/LN asked if it could be after the 30th August the date of their awayday.
  • The grant letter was not sent to correct address.

Update: Check showed that the letter was correctly addressed and a fax was sent on request.

Jill Wereszczuk

Improving Delivery and Workforce Team

Workforce and

11 June 2010