National Social Work Services Forum
National Social Work Services Forum
Minutes of Meeting held on 25 January 2011
Present:
Adam Ingram, Minister for Children and Early Years – Chair
David Baird, Social Care Association
Sandy Cameron, Scottish Government – Chair, Performance Improvement Group
Ron Culley, COSLA
Lisa Curtice, SCLD
Wilma Dickson, Community Justice Services
Tom Ewing, ACPOS
Anna Fowlie, SSSC
Alexis Jay, SWIA
Andrew Lowe, Scottish Borders - Chair, Practice Governance Group
Gail McNamara, College of Occupational Therapists
Michelle Miller, President, ADSW
David Orr, Edinburgh City Council and LPF representative
Alison Petch, IRISS
Adam Rennie, Health
Jacquie Roberts, Care Commission
Laura Simpson, Personnel and ITC
Stephen Smellie, UNISON
Ruth Stark, BASW
Councillor Douglas Yates, COSLA
Apologies:
David Crawford, Chair, Leadership and Management Group
Annie Gunner Logan, CCPS
Nigel Henderson, Penumbra – Co-chair, Service Development Group
Marie McArthur, Association of Scotland’s Colleges
Catriona Renfrew, Health Board Chief Executive
Catherine Rainey, Workforce and Capacity Issues
Scottish Government Representatives:
Shirley Laing, Workforce and Capacity Issues
Lesley Musa, Workforce and Capacity Issues
Marilyn Tweedie, Workforce and Capacity Issues
Sandra Murray, Workforce and Capacity Issues (Secretariat)
Welcome
1. Adam Ingram, Minister for Children and Early Years, welcomed everyone to the meeting. He apologised for having to cancel the meeting planned in December and said that he was delighted to see such a comprehensive turnout at today’s meeting.
The Minister said that the agenda was deliberately lighter than usual because it was suggested at the last meeting that time should be taken to deliberate on what is happening, or not happening, in terms of improving social services; barriers/constraints and priorities; and, what those around the table could do to increase the pace of change/ remove or mitigate barriers. Also that today was also an opportunity to think about the future for this Forum as currently configured.
The Minister introduced a paper that would be used to start the discussion and said he hoped that everyone had had a chance to read and consider the issues raised in it.
Minutes of the meeting of 14 September and matters arising
2.The minutes of the previous meeting were agreed with no further comments.
Matters Arising
Leadership Action Plan for Social Services in Scotland
At the previous meeting Anna Fowlie had led off a discussion on Leadership and the work SSSC was planning in taking forward that agenda. She provided a brief update on this: Anna reported on 5 events that had been held across Scotland based on findings of research from Stirling University and their partners in SCLD and the VSSSWU. This scoping exercise proved to be worthwhile providing good engagement and excellent attendance.
ADSW Manifesto (copy of paper at Annex A)
Michelle Miller provided an outline of the Manifesto developed by ADSW which had been published the previous week. Michelle said that an enormous amount of work would be involved in taking this forward in the next four years and that a work plan would be produced following on from the Manifesto setting out how this would be tackled.
More generally it was commented that social work needs to be shown in a more positive light, especially by people who have regular contact with the service. It’s too easy to focus on negative stories. Keen for social work to have a wider impact on the community, giving people a better understanding of the profession. Social Work profession is currently an easy target for the press.
It was recognised that the Scottish Government is enormously supportive of social work.
World Social Work Day 2011
Ruth reminded everyone that World Social Work Day would be on 15 March this year. She and others have been working on an event to mark the occasion. Ruth provided a brief update on what is planned:
An event is being held at the Glasgow Science Centre on Tuesday, 15 March. Plans are progressing towards putting together a creative day to highlight good, innovative practice and provide a showcase of what social work services can do. The day will be attended by practitioners, users and carers and researchers. During the day the plan is to link with other social workers across the world using SKYPE.
In the evening the Minister will attend to present the ADSW Travel Scholarship and the ADSW Awards for Social Worker, Residential Care Worker and Student Social Worker of the year.
There were no other matters arising.
Social Work Services Discussion (copy of paper at Annex B)
3.The Minister introduced Shirley Laing who gave a few words by way of introduction to the discussion paper. He said that the aim of the paper was to try and capture some of the comments made at the last meeting and to address the issues people were concerned with.
Shirley said that as well as reviewing the function of the Group, today’s meeting was about taking stock of what’s been happening in social services post Changing Lives and our priorities for the future; to generate discussion Shirley gave 2 examples, the fact that although we know certain principles (such as the importance of the early years/early intervention) are accepted, why is this not universally developed and adopted? And, although we are often assured of commitment to a shared agenda, the pace of change can seem somewhat slow.
Shirley invited comments from the group. During the discussion that followed the following points were made:
- Desire for change isn’t enough - we need to think more fundamentally. The principles of Changing Lives are just as important now as when the report was published.
- Transformational change will only happen where momentum has built up, it requires a collective force to make it happen.
- Personalisation: In 90% of cases there is evidence of significant improvement.
- Developing the Equally Well and Early Years Framework’s – goodwill is not enough, whether it is about policy or outcomes we want to achieve - We need to improve not only services but also outcomes.
- Ensure leaders work together across sectors to de-clutter the landscape and cut down on areas that overlap.
- It’s easy to get buy-in to new ideas but harder to stop doing things in the same way they have always been done so it feels like new policies are additional rather than alternatives.
- Important to talk less about change and more about distance travelled as different authorities and agencies will be starting from different places.
- Important to take people with you and to engage fully recognising that in order to do new things we need to give up some other things.
- People often don’t feel empowered to take the risk to innovate/do things differently. Regimes in place as a result of legislation may encourage people to be risk averse.
- Scrutiny – outcomes are hard to measure. We need staff to be open about how services can be improved. Scrutiny should be light touch – responsibility has to be with service providers to improve services. Risk based, proportionate and targeted scrutiny had to be accompanied by robust self-evaluation. For some providers that demonstrated robust self-evaluation and the delivery of good quality services there would be reduced scrutiny for others there might be more scrutiny. What was needed was right-touch scrutiny.
- SCSWIS could be a powerful lever. It should be outcome focussed and cohesive.
- Tough choices will have to be made and at a time of increased pressure on resources this is going to be difficult. Together with excellent leadership, the change process should be sold as beneficial to staff and service users.
- The Government should set the direction of travel – leadership is the key.
- Difficult challenges ahead for any Government. The role of the Scottish Government is to reflect on systems (especially those which operate across Health Boards and CPPs). Ministers are prepared to give up political control but this issue has to be addressed or nothing will change.
- Danger in continuing to pursue a universal approach, simply not affordable going forward. We need to get better at identifying vulnerable children/adults and targeting services/supports.
Future of the National Social Work Services Forum
The Minister said that it would be helpful to get some clarity on whether there is a continued need for a standing Forum such as this. He said that the question had been raised in the past whether people would like the Forum to continue in its current form or, whether convening more subject-focussed gatherings as and when required might be best?
In the discussion that followed the following points were made:
- The Forum had served a purpose but right to question if, going forward, it needs to be continued in the same form. Time felt to be right to move the focus on and refresh things.
- The Forum should be there to meet the needs of the Minister and should provide him/her with advice and allow him/her to challenge the sector on specific issues. It should also be there to allow the sector to challenge the Minister, in a safe environment.
- The agenda should be driven by issues the sector wishes to discuss with the Minister or issues s/he wishes to discuss with them and should take the form of open dialogue (no more presentations).
- It was agreed to cancel the next meeting planned for 12 April and to refresh the Forum’s remit and frequency of meetings in advance of any future session.
AOB
4.Alexis Jay said she wanted to take an opportunity to record her grateful thanks to the Minister for all his support throughout this administration and that social work had been strengthened as a result of his commitment. This sentiment was echoed by all those present.
The Minister thanked everyone for their kind words, for attending the meeting and for their useful contributions in what had been a particularly valuable session.
Annex A
ADSW Manifesto
Challenging Systems,
Changing Lives
a manifesto
2011 - 2015
Preface
As we write this in the winter of 2010, Scotland is facing a significant reduction
in available resources for public services. With some protection offered to the
NHS and clear expectations on local authorities in relation to performance and a
Council tax freeze, social work and social care face an unprecedented challenge.
Furthermore, the anticipated timescale of the spending reductions of between
four and ten years means that our society’s whole system for meeting need and
promoting social justice will have to be transformed. However efficient and lean
public service organisations may become, the ratio of current and projected
demand to volume of resources available is such that transformational change is
required. However, change is required not only for financial reasons, but because
people want and expect choice over the type of support they access; they want
flexibility, independence and control. Our systems and services need to reflect
these aspirations.
The Association of Directors of Social Work will provide professional leadership
through this change and will offer Scotland a positive narrative for the future of
our work. To do that we will have to challenge long-held ideas and models of
service delivery.
Our manifesto: Challenging systems, Changing lives will support this change,
but if you are reading this, you too will need to start thinking how you can support
this change. How do we reduce costs, bureaucracy and duplication? How do we
improve the experiences and circumstances of our citizens who need additional
support, care and protection? How do we begin the process of transformation
– from providing traditional services to enabling and facilitating the development
of care and support over which people can exercise choice and control?
If Self Directed Support legislation is passed with the presumption that this will be
the norm, it would be possible to deliver an entirely new contract with people who
need our assistance; a contract that empowers them to make choices and allows
our focus to centre on enablement, protection and continuous
improvement.
We know that this will not happen overnight and may meet with some resistance,
but the Association recognises a duty to lead, to secure resources and to fulfil
the statutory obligations of local authorities: “to promote social welfare by making
available advice, guidance and assistance on such a scale as may be appropriate
for their area…” [Section 12 Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968]
December 2010
Introduction
The Association of Directors of Social Work (ADSW) is the professional
association representing senior social work managers in local government in
Scotland. This manifesto explains our priorities and commitments for the next
four years.
Approximately 650,000 people and their families are supported by social care
services in Scotland. These services are provided by a workforce of 198,000,
made up of staff from local authorities, the NHS and other private and voluntary
organisations. This includes a very wide range of jobs, from social workers to
occupational therapists and home care workers.
Scottish local authorities employ some 53,000 social workers and social care
staff.
At the heart of all social work lies a commitment.
A commitment to:
• support people who are most vulnerable and most at risk of social exclusion
• encourage people to make positive changes in their lives, achieve their
potential and become active citizens
• assist people to live fulfilled and independent lives; and
• keep people safe from harm or from harming others
Priorities
ADSW recognises the difficult financial challenges of the recent economic
downturn. This has particular implications for social work as, historically,
recessions tend to have more of an effect on the people with the least resources.
Taking the current climate into consideration, this manifesto outlines our priorities
based around the following 12 themes:
1 Financial pressures
2 Leadership
3 The image of social work
4 Personalisation
5 Early intervention and preventative services
6 Children and families
7 Community care
8 Strategic commissioning
9 Shared services
10 Supporting the workforce
11 Criminal justice
12 Substance misuse
1 Financial pressures
Like all public services, social work is under a great deal of pressure from budget
cuts. While it will not be possible to provide the same level of service in the
current economic climate, these challenging circumstances must be used as
an opportunity to transform the way we work. Otherwise, helping the increasing
numbers of the most vulnerable people in our communities will not be possible.
ADSW will:
• promote ways in which different services can share resources or be brought
together, and encourage agencies and the government to introduce radical
new ways of providing care for more people
• encourage a wider public debate about public services – looking at
engaging communities and individuals on issues such as priorities,
standards and costs
• work with our membership, with COSLA, the Scottish Government, the NHS
and other partner agencies and professional associations to secure enough
funding for social work and social care into the future
• negotiate the amount of ‘protected health funding’ the Scottish Government
gives to local authorities and the voluntary sector. The amount should
recognise the essential contribution social work and social care makes to
an effective NHS – by reducing the social effects of ill health and by tacking
health inequalities
2 Leadership
Strong leadership is key to the delivery of high quality, responsive services.
ADSW will:
• continue to promote and participate in leadership development
opportunities for social work and social care managers
• continue to seek to influence policy making and resource allocation and
to promote the sharing of good practice across Scotland
• support and develop leadership skills throughout the workforce to ensure
the future of social work is in good hands
3 The image of social work
Social work is a difficult subject for the media to report. The confidential nature
of much of the work and the fact that it touches the lives of a minority of the
population pose particular challenges.
ADSW aims to help promote a positive and realistic profile of social work and
social care. If the public has a better understanding of what our staff do, they
will have more trust and confidence in them. Negative images have the opposite
effect.
ADSW will:
• help to raise the profile of social work with the press, the public and
politicians, working to ensure that a realistic and more positive image of
social work prevails
• explain and celebrate our work and increase public understanding of
the role
4 Personalisation
Personalisation is about making services more individual – allowing people to
have more choice and control over their care, which in turn allows them to live
a better quality of life.
This is a fundamental change from the traditional way of matching individuals
with existing social care services. It is a cultural shift and means the social work
profession must adopt a new ‘compact’ – a set of shared principles and
guidelines – with the people who need support, both now and in the future.
ADSW is well placed and prepared to help lead that change – assisting the work
on self directed support and direct payments – with the Government, health
services, the independent sector, individuals, their carers and their communities.
ADSW will:
• shift the focus from defining ‘personalisation’ and seeking consensus
on the need for change, to working with local authorities, health services
and independent sector providers to promote real change in the way that