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SO CIAL
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July ~ September 2015 issue Council spotlight
06
We find out what it is like to work for Buckinghamshire County Council’s children’s services.
NEWS
The spotlight on your profession Theory in practice
12
Practice Educator Brian Mitchell discusses the importance of integrating ethics, theory and practice.
The Care Act – Part 2
16
Care Act adviser Richard Pantlin writes about the new legislation and progressing towards the cap.
Contents
04 06 08 11 12 14 16 19 22
Sanctuary
I
n his speech on welfare, Prime Minister David Cameron said the government needs to help social workers, who “do a very challenging job.” I am confident that all readers of Sanctuary Social Work News magazine are acutely aware of the challenging and pressured environment he refers to – I just hope the government stays true to its word in supporting the work being delivered.
News bites Take a look at key news stories and announcements concerning the social work profession, following the general election result, including proposed bills and service reforms.
Council spotlight Carol Douch, Service Director of Buckinghamshire’s Children’s Social Care, talks to us about progressing with their improvement plan by investing in staff, processes and partnerships.
Controversially, in the same week, we hear funding has been cut for The College of Social Work.
Tackling domestic abuse Dr. Siobhan Weare writes about the need for more than an offence of coercive control to combat domestic abuse – including investment
It would be great to see a more positive start, particularly on improving recruitment and retention. If investment is made to make the role of a practitioner even slightly less pressured and therefore more attractive, we could recruit and retain more staff. This would relieve pressure on caseloads, increase the amount of time practitioners have to deliver direct, considered work and, consequently, release savings – which brings me to the chicken and the egg dilemma; do you invest to release savings or release savings to invest?
in support services and a more holistic approach.
Zoë Betts Zoë Betts, Adult Social Worker and owner of iamsocialwork, dedicates her first regular column in Sanctuary Social Work News magazine to those beginning their social work career.
Integrating ethics, theory & practice Describing social work as “dynamic and constantly evolving”, Practice
I don’t believe that asking a director of a local authority to deal with more cases and do a better job with less money will have the desired effect of reducing pressure for frontline practitioners. I can only see this resulting in the director looking for a new job, if not being forced to resign and told a trust is taking over. Do we have to wait for an atrocity to hit the headlines before there is outcry and action? In the case of Stafford Hospital failings, there was a £13m public inquiry, and now over £300m of additional investment is being made in Staffordshire’s hospitals. Does the social work community really need to wait? So what comes first? If we invest in social work, we will save money. We will save money for the taxpayer and far more importantly, we will help save many more vulnerable service users
James Rook Managing Director
Visit us sanctuarysocialcare.com Follow us @SanctuarySW Like us facebook.com/sanctuarypersonnelltd See us instagram.com/sanctuary_ personnel
Educator Brian Mitchell explains the importance of integrating theory with practice to meet the needs of service users.
The benefits of ongoing CPD Harriet Cadman, Head of Sanctuary Training, explains why continuing professional development should be seen as more than just a legal requirement; the career benefits are plentiful.
Progressing towards the cap The Care Act 2014 is now being implemented, but what can those in adult social care expect from the Care Act – Part 2? Care Act adviser Richard Pantlin writes about the funding reforms.
Revolutionising child protection We hear from Hertfordshire’s Director of Family Safeguarding as 22 multiagency teams set out to deliver a new model of practice to safeguard families after receiving a government grant.
A day in the life of... a family finding social worker. Find out what is involved in the thorough but rewarding search for long-term foster carers for Looked After Children.
Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 02
Sanctuary wins Best Public Sector Recruitment Agency 2015
S
anctuary Personnel picked up the national award for Best Public Sector Recruitment Agency 2015 at the Recruiter Awards for Excellence held at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel on 6 May.
In association with:
WINNER
Judges of the award’s event, the largest of its kind in the UK, praised Sanctuary for going “above and beyond the call of duty.” The company was also ‘Highly Commended’ in the Best Candidate Care category. James Rook, Managing Director of Sanctuary, said: “It’s such an honour to win this award and I am so proud and fortunate to work with such amazing people who work exceptionally hard to support our clients with an unparalleled service. I think it really does say something to win Best Public Sector Recruitment Agency with such competition and for the second time running since this category was last featured in the awards in 2012.”
Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 03
News bites
News bites
Jo Cleary, Chair of The College of Social Work
The College of Social Work set to close
Queen’s speech marks new era for social care
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number of proposed bills that will have a direct impact on social care were revealed by the Queen during the state opening of parliament on 27 May. The Queen’s Speech outlined plans not only to expand the Troubled Families programme, but to legislate on a closer alignment of health and social care, including improving access to mental health services.
New rights for carers
T
he College of Social Work (TCSW) announced its decision to close on 19 June, following financial pressures.
A shock to many, the independent body, which had more than 16,000 members, was established in the wake of the death of Baby P to champion best practice among social workers.
A joint statement from Jo Cleary, Chair of the College and Annie Hudson, Chief Executive, confirmed “the organisation is now in a winding down process, which, rather than instant closure, gives us time to close TCSW properly and meet our commitments to members, staff and the social work profession more widely.”
N
ow in effect, the Care Act 2014 intends to strengthen the rights and recognition of carers in the social care system.
The Act focuses predominantly on adult carers of adults, but it also covers young carers entering into adulthood and those looking after children with additional needs who are approaching the age of 18. Any carer appearing to need support must be offered an assessment by social services, which takes a look at their wellbeing in much the same way as the person being cared for. The right to have an assessment is regardless of the level of need required, amount of support they provide or their financial means. Visit sanctuarysocialcare.com/blog to read more.
The Queen also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to setting up regional adoption agencies. These agencies intend to work across local authority boundaries to speed up the matching of children to adoptive parents. In more controversial terms, the Queen also announced the government’s intention to push ahead with a consultation on sentencing those professionals, including social workers, who ‘wilfully neglect’ children under their supervision.
The Queen in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach
I
n a parliamentary speech, Children’s Minister Edward Timpson, emphasised the government’s commitment to the national Centre of Expertise in tackling child abuse. First announced as part of the child sexual exploitation (CSE) action plan in March this year, the Centre is expected to involve a much broader selection of government organisations to tackle CSE. Exact funding will be announced at the next spending review, likely to take place this autumn. It is understood that much of the funding will be used, in Timpson’s words, to “garner knowledge from parts of the country where all professionals are striving to do their best for children and young people”.
Centre of Expertise to tackle child abuse set to stay Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 04
Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 05
Council spotlight
Council spotlight
Waddesdon Manor, Aylesbury
Council spotlight We explore what it is like to work for Buckinghamshire’s Children’s Services.
It’s a really exciting part of our investment, ensuring staff continue professional development. Earlier this year we partnered with Bucks New University and launched ‘Bucks Social Work Academy’. The academy runs masterclasses and pop up events, with our AYSE and Practice Educators programmes delivered through this partnership. The training responds to the needs of our social workers, upskilling and supporting them in applying theory to practice. Academia remains in touch with frontline practice and students hear what a great place Bucks is.
B
uckinghamshire is often considered a leafy shire full of well-off families, but this is not the whole story. Stretching from the outskirts of London to the Midlands, the county is diverse with parts meeting thresholds for EU grants. Of course, neglect and abuse is blind to class, ethnicity and wealth; here social workers find themselves working with families from all walks of life. Ofsted last year concluded Buckinghamshire’s Children’s Services were ‘inadequate’ and significant investment has been made to turn the service around. We speak with Carol Douch, Service Director of Children’s Social Care, to find out more.
Where are you on your improvement journey in ‘getting to good’? We are moving in the right direction and can see green shoots of improvement thanks to the commitment of our staff. Our improvement plan enables social workers to focus on the parts of the job they became a social worker for - direct work with children and families. We have invested in more permanent staff, better technology, improved partnerships and new quality assurance processes. We have recruited a permanent leadership team with a clear focus on doing the right thing at the right time for children.
How are your new systems making a difference to your staff and service users?
Carol Douch
You’ve set up a social work academy to help improve practice with vulnerable children. Tell us more about this?
To improve the quality and timeliness of our intervention at the start of the child’s journey through the system, we have developed a single point of contact for co-ordinated early
Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 06
What support and professional development opportunities do you offer your social work staff?
help and social care. With partners, we have further developed our Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub to enhance joint decision-making, and have a new team (known as the Swan unit) focussing on Child Sexual Exploitation. Further down the child’s journey there are small units of up to four social workers; using a systemic approach, with a focus on managing risk, building relationships and with weekly reflective group supervision. We seek innovative ways to reduce the administrative burden on social workers.
Part of your recruitment strategy welcomes job applications from those within and beyond Bucks. Tell us more about this?
Developing our staff is a big priority - social workers are on a clear, structured career pathway from day one. Supervision is prioritised to ensure high standards and critical reflection on practice, managing risk and fostering an inquisitive approach in a supportive, safe environment. We believe this is central to the development of high standards and child-centred practice.
Apply today Visit buckscc.gov.uk/jobs to find out more and to apply via a quick and simple portal. For an informal chat about any of the roles, call the Resourcing Team on 01296 382233.
• • • • • • • • • • •
What can you expect if you join the team? Management of no more than 17 - 25 cases (dependent on service area) A supportive, close-knit unit with regular supervision Generous Golden Hello £2,125 - £5,125 Retention Bonus - £2,250 - £8,250 (after one year) Help with relocation costs up to £8,000 Paid 3 month sabbatical after 3 years’ service Competitive salary for experienced social workers (£31,801 - £40,349) Free parking and £600 annual car allowance 25 days annual leave, rising to 32 Membership of the Local Government pension scheme Range of local staff discounts
Benefits of living and working in Buckinghamshire: The Waterside Theatre, Aylesbury
Silverstone Circuit during Formula 1 Grand Prix
• •
By successfully growing our own social workers and recruiting both in the UK and internationally, we are building permanent and stable teams, reducing the need for agency staff. We encourage qualified social workers both from the local area and beyond, including Northern Ireland and Romania. This relieves some pressure on our staff and reduces their caseload. We have also introduced an £8k relocation package and a comprehensive induction.
• • •
Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 07
Close to Milton Keynes, London, Oxford and Birmingham, with excellent transport links Easy access to fun days out, shopping and culture Great place to raise a family with some of the highest performing state schools in the country Second fastest-growing economy in the UK A third of the county is designated as green belt – perfect for country walks
Coercive control
Coercive control
Domestic abuse
“A more concerted, holistic and multi-faceted approach needs to be taken in order to truly begin to tackle domestic abuse.” Serious Crime Act 2015
is still a hidden crime
Under section 76 (1) of the Act a person (A) commits an offence if: (a) A repeatedly or continuously engages in behaviour towards another person (B) that is controlling or coercive, (b) at the time of the behaviour, A and B are personally connected, (c) the behaviour has a serious effect on B, and (d) A knows or ought to know that the behaviour will have a serious effect on B.
Dr. Siobhan Weare writes about the need for more than an offence of coercive control to combat domestic abuse.
C
oercive control has now been criminalised as an offence under the Serious Crime Act 2015, which received royal assent in March. This criminalisation of psychologically abusive behaviour provides an important legal protection to domestic abuse victims, who have previously been left vulnerable when suffering from such non-physical abuse.
“ 38% of women who were victims of domestic violence had none of the forms of evidence required to qualify for legal aid”
As highlighted in the government’s consultation on ‘Strengthening the Law on Domestic Abuse’, which received responses from social workers, police, healthcare professionals, academics, members of the public and victims, there is the hope that criminalising coercive control will “help victims identify the behaviour they are suffering as wrong and encourage them to report it, [as well as] cause perpetrators to rethink their controlling behaviour.”
One significant aspect of such an approach is to ensure that victims can effectively make use of the range of existing legal protections available. For this, I believe the government needs to amend its position in relation to the availability of legal aid for victims of domestic abuse accessing family law remedies and civil protections. In order to obtain legal aid, not only do domestic violence victims need to provide evidence that they cannot afford legal bills, they must also provide evidence that they or their children have been victims of domestic violence in the two years preceding their application. This evidence can take numerous forms, including a letter from a health professional, previous/current residence in a refuge, and a conviction or police caution for the perpetrator. Many victims however, cannot provide such evidence.
However, despite the introduction of this legislation being a positive step forward in combatting domestic abuse, I would suggest that a more concerted, holistic and multi-faceted approach needs to be taken in order to truly begin to tackle domestic abuse.
Indeed, the Rights of Women organisation found that “38% of women who were victims of domestic violence had none of the forms of evidence required to qualify for legal aid”. As such, the Justice Select Committee report on the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment
The legislation is also undoubtedly an important step in widening the definition of domestic abuse for criminal justice agencies, such as the police, and social workers to take greater action in safeguarding more victims.
Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 08
of Offenders Act, has recommended “the introduction of an additional ‘catch-all’ clause giving the Legal Aid Agency discretion to grant legal aid to a victim of domestic violence who does not fit within the current criteria.” This is certainly something that needs to be given urgent consideration to ensure that all victims can access the legal protection and remedies that they need. Another significant issue is ensuring that support services have the investment and funding they require in order to provide support for victims. The government has committed £10 million to prevent the closure of specialist refuges, but more funding support is still required to meet the demand upon services. Indeed, a recent report published by Safe Lives found that “there are just under 500 IDVAs [Independent Domestic Violence Advisers] working with high-risk victims across England and Wales, 930 IDVAs are needed to support all high-risk victims…so we have just half the IDVA capacity we need.” Although more victims may now be protected by the criminal law with the introduction of
the offence of coercive control, it is imperative that alongside criminal justice recourse they can also access the support services that they need, and that the supply of these services meets the demand. By introducing the offence of coercive control, the government is recognising the importance of the issue of domestic abuse. However, in order to truly tackle this still-hidden crime, it is imperative that this positive action extends beyond simply changing the law, to ensure that victims can access and receive the protection and support that they need and deserve.
Author profile Dr. Siobhan Weare is a Lecturer in Law at Lancaster University. Her interests lie in the areas of criminal law and criminal justice. Dr. Weare’s interests explore the socio-legal responses to women who commit serious offences, as well as violence against women, domestic violence, sexual offences and criminal legal and gender theory.
Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 09
Domestic abuse reference tool
Spotting the signs of domestic abuse A new tool has been designed to help professionals interact with victims and gather evidence.
Zoë Betts
#iamsocialworkCPD evening in London Annie Hudson and Tony Hunter addressing the masses #TCSW #SCIE #CPD #Develop #Network #Learn
By Zoë Betts, Adult Social Worker & owner of iamsocialwork.
W
ith the new legislation which seeks to make it possible to prosecute coercive and controlling behaviour, professionals will need to look at new ways of approaching victims and responding to different forms of abuse.
Dr Jane Monckton-Smith, a criminology lecturer at the University of Gloucestershire, has developed the new Domestic Abuse and Stalking Reference Tool (DART) to assist public professionals in differentiating between what is and isn’t domestic abuse. The unique reference tool is currently being piloted by Gloucestershire Constabulary. Dr Jane Monckton-Smith explained: “We conducted research at the University of Gloucestershire which collected data from victims and professionals to find out their concerns about responses to domestic abuse. Social workers had similar concerns to many other frontline professionals about responding to abuse. “The recommendations were developed into the Domestic Abuse and Stalking Reference Tool, DART, which is a set of evidence-based reference cards, or an app. They help to create consistency with and between agencies, can give professionals confidence in what they are saying or doing, and they are concise.” DART addresses three major changes professionals face: recognising the importance of control and the chronic fear it produces; recognising the high-risk factors; and gathering evidence in a way which will help achieve successful prosecutions both now, and when the new legislation is enacted.
“Allow yourself to be a beginner. No one starts off being excellent”
The re search publis is hed as a b o ‘Dome stic Ab ok: Homic use, ide an d Gen der’ b Monck y t o n Smit William h, s and Mullan Availa ble on e. amazo n.co.u k
T Attendees at #iamsocialwork Newcastle “Framing Connectivity” #Newcastle #Network #Learn
o tie in with impending new terms and a wave of new starters making the big step to enter social work, I’m dedicating my first column to embracing new beginnings. With any new experience, approach with a little apprehension but embrace it and try not to overthink, daily experiences are often much better evaluated at the end of several weeks or months.
Be brave It’s daunting. New teams, roles, courses are overwhelming. Give yourself three to six months of settling in and go easy on yourself. It won’t all happen instantly so try to build that confidence little by little. Start to understand how you work and learn best, so you can ask for support to be delivered most effectively. Speak up for what you need and be assertive, although it can be intimidating in a new setting. Bravery is a strong quality, nurture it.
Be curious and organised
“Social workers had similar concerns to many other frontline professionals about responding to abuse.” Dr Jane Monckton-Smith Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 10
Professor Ray Jones giving his keynote at #iamsocialwork, Feb 2015 #Learning #Listening #Keynote #Newcastle
Contact me E: iamsocialwork@hotmail.co.uk T: @iamsocialwork W: iamsocialwork.com
Eyes open and questions ready. There aren’t ‘stupid questions’ as such, but no one wants to hear the same question repeated over and over. Absorb the answers and take responsibility for collating the information; find somewhere to jot down the answers and helpful info /numbers. Be a real geek and colour-code your pad with highlighter tabs if you like; this makes for much speedier referencing down the line.
Lower your expectations If your expectations are more ‘realistic’, your scope to be disappointed is far reduced. Go in expecting little but ready to exhaust a lot from as many people as you can. Hopefully your team gives you all the extra help and support you need. There is so much wider support available, so seek it out, via Twitter, conferences, extended peer support, professional bodies. If you feel you’re not getting what you need – just be proactive and reach out to a wider network. Don’t struggle silently. I wish you a confident start to the journey. And to anyone about to take on a student or NQSW, please – give them as much support as possible. The next iamsocialwork conferences are in Birmingham, Reading and Sussex. I’ll keep you posted with dates and details on the website, iamsocialwork.com.
Author profile Zoë runs iamsocialwork which supports students and qualified social workers to network with one another and learn from academics via a variety of national events and forums. She is a judge for the Social Worker of the Year Awards and works full-time as a social worker in an adults hospital setting in London.
Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 11
Theory in practice
Integrating ethics, theory and practice Brian Mitchell, Curriculum Team Leader for Social Work at Bradford College, and Practice Educator, discusses the importance of ethics in establishing a strong career in social work.
I
t’s an incredibly exciting time to be a practice educator; after 15 years of supporting students, the discussions and debate on social work education is still as lively and interesting as it ever has been.
Social work has been subject to an enormous amount of change in recent years, but that’s one of the most exciting aspects of working in social care. In my opinion, the focus should be on the importance of students and practitioners having a real sense of professional worth to how they practice and to be able to test this. The onus, therefore, is more to do with the need for workers to interpret the underlying values and ethics of social work, which should evidence rights-based intervention and make a positive difference in peoples’ lives. Wherever possible, it is essential that people receiving support have the right to self-determine and dictate how we respond when things have gone wrong and what can be done to help resolve issues. I was involved in forming strong links with Bradford College whilst working for Calderdale Council. I am still interested and active in building strong partnerships between educators and local authorities and people that use services.
Theory in practice
Q. Is it best to focus on a specific area of social care within the first couple of years qualifying as a social worker? Yes, it’s best to know which area of work you would like to specialise in. Though, you need to have strong general understanding and knowledge of generic social work practice.
Q. How important is it to make time for training?
Brian Mitchell, Practice Teacher of the Year 2013
Workers should be provided with protected time to explore continual professional development within their role. Employers should ensure practitioners are allocated time for professional learning.
Q. How important would you say it is to engage in professional networking as a social worker? It’s absolutely key, although networking should move beyond meeting with peers and agencies to spending more time with people that use services. This approach enables those that experience what social workers do, to inform what practice should look like.
Brian with Norman Lamb MP
Q. How straightforward is it to change from one area of expertise to another?
I support either two or three individual students during any given academic year, and see a real professional value in this. Social work occasionally gets criticised for focusing too heavily on theory with not enough attention given to practice and application. I would argue theory is crucial; you can only practice effectively if you have a solid grounding in knowledge and understanding of the role of social work.
If you have a sound general knowledge of social work practice, have received regular training and been proactive at maintaining a professional dialogue - through supervision and support - then you should be able to make the transition.
Q. How important is it to share best practice with other areas that have similar demographics?
Social work education has to be informed by practice. Therefore there is merit in utilising serious case reviews and localised examples of practice to fundamentally shape the curriculum. It is also essential that students and practitioners access qualitative research regarding rights-based intervention to practice.
It is incredibly important and something that we do a lot within the college. The sharing of ideas regarding appropriate and effective practice is crucial to the development of the profession.
Q. How important are international comparisons in social care in influencing best practice in the UK? I would suggest this is vital. I recently visited Finland and Norway. Part of my remit was to explore comparative social work education regarding risk and safeguarding. There’s a great deal to be learned from an international perspective.
Author profile Brian Mitchell has an impressive record of supporting social workers through practice education and was crowned Practice Teacher of the Year at the Social Work Awards in 2013, in recognition of his achievements at Calderdale Council. He’s now Curriculum Team Leader for social work at Bradford College.
Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 12
Tips & advice Brian supporting two students promoting The White Ribbon campaign
For more tips and advice on getting into social work or developing your career, visit Sanctuary’s career centre at sanctuarysocialcare. com/social-work-careers.
Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 13
Sanctuary Training
Advertisement
Ongoing CPD Harriet Cadman, Head of Sanctuary Training explains the benefits of regular training
Sanctuary Training offers a wide range of specialist social work courses across the country.
Social workers gather for Sanctuary’s Form F Assessment Training
A
s a social work professional, I’m sure you have asked yourself – how can I find time to maintain my Continuing Professional Development (CPD)?
Harriet Cadman
However, despite your current work pressures, your CPD is crucial in order to consistently be up to speed on latest legislation, changes in frameworks and tools and techniques. Not only will this enhance your practice, but it will help you get ahead in your field, ensuring your CV stands out and you have greater skills and experience to reflect on than other candidates when being interviewed. Your CPD activities should include attending regular, face-to-face specialist training. If you work in frontline children’s services, a good example of this is Sanctuary Training’s CPD accredited Frontline Child Protection Assessment Skills course. Learning objectives include:
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Full understanding of thresholds and the impact upon practice in relation to child protection Identifying the knowledge, skills and values when working with families and their children, to ensure a robust and
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highly analytical assessment is produced through effective engagement with families Exploring the role of each agency in the Section 47 enquiry process, to ensure that the ‘Working Together 2015’ guidance is adhered to, including strategy meeting guidelines
CHILDREN’S SERVICES •
Achieving Best Evidence (ABE)
We are currently delivering the following courses:
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Adolescent Mental Health incl. self harm, eating disorders, anxiety
ADULT SERVICES
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Frontline CP Assessment Skills and Multi-Agency Training
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Child Sexual Exploitation
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Court Skills incl. report writing
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Effective Communication Working Directly with Children
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Form F Assessment Training
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Gang Culture Awareness
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Honour Based Violence with FGM and Forced Marriage
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Professional Boundaries and Working with Parents and Carers
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Radicalisation and Extremism Awareness
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Appropriate Adult Training
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BIA Refresher
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Care Act Implementation Training: ‘What does it mean for the social worker?’
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Chairing Adult Safeguarding Meetings
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Dementia Training
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DoLS Introduction or Advanced
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Mental Capacity Act Updated Training
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Mental Health Awareness
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Motivational Interviewing
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Therapeutic Intervention Training – DBT / CBT
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Substance and Alcohol Misuse
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Supervisory and Management Skills
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NMC Revalidation Update
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Understanding Attachment
The course delivery is through mixed learning, where there is an opportunity to relate practice issues throughout the course with the use of real-life case studies and group discussion. Sanctuary Training also provides a unique post-course support service, where you can email the trainer directly with any specific queries relating to your attended course, to support your ongoing CPD.
“This was an excellent comprehensive course. I learnt a great deal regarding case law, processes and evidence gathering. I have applied all this in my practice and feel more confident in my caseload management.” D.Hindley, Social Worker
Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 14
CONTACT US To book your place on one of these courses, visit sanctuarytraining.com. We can also provide bespoke training workshops tailored specifically for your team or organisation. Contact us for more information. Tel: 0333 7000 028 | Email: info@sanctuarytraining.com | Web: sanctuarytraining.com Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 15
The Care Act - Part 2
The Care Act - Part 2
Progressing towards the cap Care Act adviser Richard Pantlin writes about the implementation of new legislation and what is yet to come.
I
n many respects, the changes this year have been a damp squib. That’s not surprising because the new legislation was primarily consolidating existing guidance and best practice into law. Yes, carers now have clearer rights to their own assessments and support plans, but we have not seen a sudden rise in demand. This may be lack of awareness and there is some anecdotal evidence that take-up has been higher in those postcodes targeted for leaflet drops by the government.
In the meantime, a bigger impact comes from the continuing cuts in local government funding, but more on that later.
So what about Part 2? The Care Act – Part 2 is due to come into effect in April next year. Of course, the top headline is that “no-one will pay more than £72,000 for their care costs” over their lifetime. This will increase the trend for social workers to be responsible for agreeing individuals’ care budgets – including the so-called ‘independent personal budgets’ (IPBs) for self-funders. Under Part 2, it will be the IPB that counts towards the cap on care costs for self-funders (not what they might actually be spending). It is now well understood that it will take many years before people start to see the benefit and that there is a fair degree of “small print” underneath the political statement.
“An additional £4.6 billion is needed for adult social care to match level of need”
The final statutory guidance in October set out the requirement for safeguarding approaches to be more personalised and for social work staff to be more focused on the needs and wishes of victims. If it’s potentially a criminal matter, the responsibility lies with the police to investigate the accuracy of allegations. This requires a cultural change, which will take time to bed in. The guidance also made clear the statutory obligation to establish a personal budget for all ongoing recipients of care and support from councils, including in residential care. This creates the basis for the cap on care costs in Part 2 of the Care Act, but is making little practical difference on the ground at the moment.
Almost all councils had schemes in place for years and it will take time for awareness to spread and take-up to increase, as with the other new rights such as the right to advocacy.
A more immediate gain for some people comes from the increases to the capital thresholds for the means test. Currently, your care is only fully funded by a council if your capital assets are less than £14,250. This is due to increase to £17,000.
Author profile
The “new” right to a deferred payment agreement so that nobody has to sell their home to pay for care in their lifetime was designed to grab the headlines. The short-term effect was to see a small peak of applications before April in order to avoid the new interest charges that the Act introduces.
Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 16
Richard Pantlin advises ADASS, councils, the Department of Health and software suppliers on the system implications of the Care Act.
And if your assets are greater than £23,250, under current policy you wouldn’t receive any funding from your council for ongoing care. This limit is due to increase marginally to £27,000 if you have care at home or your property is disregarded in a care home. The bigger change is if you go into residential care and the value of your property is taken into account to assess your financial contribution. In these circumstances, the top limit will increase to £118,000. This change will make a substantial and immediate difference in those areas where property prices are relatively low. It must be pointed out that the government is currently reviewing the responses to the
consultation on the draft guidance. A number of responses warned about the complexity of the proposals and the administrative burden they will impose for a limited benefit in the short-term. The guidance will not be finalised until October, which leaves very little time for implementation, including upgrading computer systems, so a number of organisations have requested a delay. The Department of Health is committed to a statement before Parliament’s summer holiday starts on 21 July. There is a widespread consensus that the Care Act Parts 1 and 2 are very desirable improvements in the legislation governing adult social care in England. It also brings additional state resources into the sector: the Treasury has budgeted on the basis of additional per annum state funding rising by just over £2billion by 2023-24 as the effects of the cap on care costs kick in fully. However, this does have to be seen in the context of continuing cuts to local government funding including social care. The latest ADASS Budget Survey of all councils published in July 2015 demonstrates that English adult social care would need an additional £4.6billion now to match the level of need that was being supported in 2010, given the ageing population and consequential rise in demand.
Making a difference in adult social care Richard Pantlin is the author of ‘Making a difference in adult social care – release your leadership ambition’; a valuable book for those in adult social care or considering a career in this field, featuring:
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Exercises to assess your priorities Personal stories from current leaders Leadership options and tips Original cartoons by Fran (loved by Community Care readers!) Foreword by the Chief Executive of the National Skills Academy for Social Care
To buy or to order bulk copies at cost for training courses, visit making-adifference-in-adult-social-care.co.uk
Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 17
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skylakes social work
Revolutionising child protection 22 Family Safeguarding Teams set out to deliver a new model of practice to safeguard families in Hertfordshire.
Helping local authorities deliver the Care Act Skylakes is a social work led provider of all statutory adult social work, from diagnostic work through to large-scale delivery. We can support local authorities to implement the Care Act: • • • •
Providing capacity to meet increased demand for assessment Reducing backlogs of cases Supporting implementation of national eligibility criteria Improving quality and timeliness of assessment
To find out more, call 0333 6000 050 or visit skylakes.co.uk
Skylakes is part of Sanctuary Personnel Limited, with the largest social work resource nationwide. We deliver every part of children’s and adult services.
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n January 2015, Hertfordshire County Council and their partners in health, probation and police were awarded a £4.86m grant from the government’s Children’s Social Care Innovation Programme. The funding has allowed them to press ahead with their plans to revolutionise child protection services in Hertfordshire. 22 innovative Family Safeguarding Teams are currently being established throughout the county, each bringing together professionals from children and adult care services under one roof.
We speak to Sue Williams, Director of Family Safeguarding at Hertfordshire County Council, about a model that is centred on better engagement of families in Hertfordshire and enabling social workers to do the job they trained for.
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Family Safeguarding Project
Why did you decide to take a multidisciplinary approach, and how did you choose which skill sets to draw upon?
Sue Williams, Director of Family Safeguarding
This will be the first time an entire child protection service is delivered on a multidisciplinary basis – our Family Safeguarding Teams comprise of children’s social workers, a substance misuse/mental health worker, a domestic abuse specialist and a business support officer. We know that the main risks to children are from the ‘toxic trio’; domestic abuse, substance misuse and parental mental health. However, our research found the specialisation of adult and children’s care services could lead to some families not being supported as well as they should be. For example, those working with adults with mental health issues or a drug problem may lack a full understanding of the effect this can have on how that person looks after their children. Similarly, child social workers may not be aware of the full extent of how adult mental health conditions can affect children. By looking at the family as a whole, we believe we can reduce the number of child protection referrals and children coming into the care system. This will improve the life chances of our highest-risk children and families, while producing savings for the public purse too. At the start of this work, we asked our children’s services staff which adult specialists they would like input from, and these were the specialisms they identified. Our colleagues in probation, mental health and substance misuse were keen to join us. The core teams will also be supported by police, schools, children’s centres and health visitors to ensure all agencies working with the family are fully involved.
The project aims to increase direct work with families, how will this be achieved? We will be addressing the amount of time our social workers spend on administrative tasks such as recording data, attending meetings and writing assessments, case notes and reports. We are working closely with our ICS providers to develop an ‘electronic workbook’. This will provide our social workers with a
Family Safeguarding Project
“This new way of working will help empower families to make changes that they believe in, enabling them to better care for their children now and in the long term.”
simple, effective way of recording their work so they can avoid repeating admin and spend more time helping vulnerable families. We are also reducing the number of caseloads our social workers have, from approximately 16 children to 12. This will be achieved by increasing the number of teams we have across the county, adding more teams at our main sites.
Rashmi Patel, Team Manager
Our adult specialists will act as key workers to the parents, working with them to assess their needs and involving them in individual and group work programmes to reduce the risk of harm they pose. This will help free up our social workers to strengthen the bonds between parents and children, improve children’s engagement with learning and address their behaviour and help them form friendships at school.
You are introducing Motivational Interviewing, how will this benefit your teams’ practice? All of our Family Safeguarding Teams will be trained in Motivational Interviewing, which is a psychological counselling technique using warmth and empathy to strengthen the parents’ motivation to change through a process of negotiation. By involving parents and children in shaping the services provided to them, we expect to improve engagement with our ‘hardest to reach’ families and enable more to stay together safely. We do recognise there will always be some families who will not engage with us, however hard we try, but our workbooks will record these attempts and form the basis for our evidence to court in care proceedings.
How will you be measuring the success of the project? The changes we are making will ensure our child protection services are run in a more
“Rather than being overloaded with paperwork, we can spend more time doing our job, working directly with children and helping families.” Keri Newton, Senior Practitioner
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The project’s video can be viewed at hertsfamilysafeguarding.co.uk
efficient way, but, most importantly, will improve the lives of the highest risk families in Hertfordshire. We hope the work to reduce crime, substance misuse and neglect and improve health will be reflected in reduced demand on public services across the county. We are also working with partners to confirm the indicators that will best show the successes and impact for each agency, which will also help us make sure our new approach is sustainable. We are working closely with the University of Bedfordshire to evaluate the impact of the project for families and agencies too. Our aim is for this to become a model that other areas of the country will want to adopt.
How has this approach to practice been received by staff ? It’s still quite early days but staff have shown a real willingness to help shape this new way of working. It is natural for changes of this scale to be developed and refined by our practitioners, so the model is still evolving as we roll out across the county. However, everyone is excited to be part of a project that will allow them to spend more time working with children and families, which is what motivated many of them to embark on such a career in the first place.
Join the team Join Hertfordshire’s Family Safeguarding Teams of:
• • • • •
Social work professionals Drug & alcohol specialists Domestic abuse specialists Rehabilitation specialists Clinical psychologists
For more information or to apply, visit hertsfamilysafeguarding.co.uk.
Family Safeguarding Team Team Leader
5x Children’s Social Worker
Community Psychiatric Nurse
Domestic Abuse Specialist
(Substance misuse /mental health)
A Children’s Professional (Social Work Assistant)
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Business Support Officer
A day in the life of...
A day in the life of a... family finding social wo rker
Tuesday 23rd Ju ne 2015
09.00a m I arrive at the office and start my day by logging onto the to check my emails. As sys tem a fa mily finder, it is my role to search the suitable long-term fos cou ntr y for ter carers for Looked After Ch ildren. It is a is hugely rewarding bu role wh ich t can also be quite fru strating. My fir st meetin to start at 10a m and I g is due need to prepare my doc uments. I am chairing fa mily finding meeting a rev iew and I have a new collea gue who is shadowing me need to meet with him so I fir st to explain the cas e his tory. I print off pre vious meeting minute the s and make sure I have completed all tasks wh actioned to me, wh ils t ich were I wait for my colleagu e to arrive. 09.10a m I make a phone call to an Ind epend ent Fos tering Ag ency (IFA) respon se to a profile in I sent out a few days ago. I am looking for fos ter fa mily for a sib a permanent ling group of three chi ldren ag ed 6 to 12 yea I have completed match rs old. ing criterias for all thr ee children, detailing children’s needs in ter the ms of attachment, contac t, education, health, per behaviou rs and identity. son ality, The match ing criteria also clearly sets out the of fa mily required. In type th is ins tance, I am loo king for a two -parent ideally have experienc fa mily who e of fos tering. If th is is not possible, I look where the carers have for cases raised their birth chi ldren into adulthood. As the children were rem oved due to severe neg lect, I am looking for nu rtu ring and therapeut a ic fa mily enviro nment. I ask the IFA duty wor send me the carer’s For ker to m F. A BA AF (British Ass ociation for Adoption Fos tering) Form F is a and report wh ich details the carer’s his tory including childhood, their paren their ting experiences and all statutory checks and det their approval. Each fos ails of ter fa mily has an annu al review wh ich looks fos tering experience wit at their hin that year and the ir training needs. I ask review report (includin for a g their supervising soc ial worker report and reviewing officer’s rec their ommendation s) as often I am able to obtain sig information from these nificant reports. The worker pro mises to get the report other relevant informati and any on to me by the end of the day. 09.45a m I debrie f my colleague on the case before setting off to the meeting. 10.00a m I am anticipa ting th is to be a length y and difficult meetin a complex case inv olving g as it is multi -ag ency working and differing per specti child has been with the ves. The ir current carers for a year but needs to be a permanent placement mov ed to as these carers do not wish to offer permanen meeting is attend ed by cy. Th e the child’s social worker , the current carers supervising social wor ker, child’s advocate, the rapist and teacher. Ea gives an update on the ch per son child and we discuss fu tu re support needs. I share information tha t three potential fos ter fa milies have been ide have already sent the ntified. I social worker the Form F of all three fa milies worker gives me dates . The social for her availability an d I agree to organise A new review fa mily fin the visits. ding date is arranged and I agree to type up dis tribute the minutes. and 12.00pm It is lunchtime and I gra b a quick san dwich before making my calls. I arrange visits phone to all three carers. I call the IFAs, speak to the
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A day in the life of...
“It’s a real sense of achieve ment when you find the right family to look a fter a child and help them reach their potenti al.” supervising social wor ker s and ensure they are able to be present to support their carers at the visits . Each placement is a fou r-hou r ret urn jou rney the visit can las t for by car and two hou rs as we go thr oug h question s and an the house. There fore, eac swers and view h visit effectively tak es a day to complete. I the visit confirmatio n send off to the social worker an d update the child’ s chr case notes on the sys tem on ology and . 2.00pm I respond to mor e emails from an other search I sent out earlie week. Th is is for a sib r in the ling group of two you ng children. Mos t are stating there are no sui res pon ding table carers within my specified location. Only potential fa mily. I cal one l the IFA duty worker has a and explore th is fu rth out the carers only ha er. It tu rn s ve one bedroom. I am fru strated at th is as my clearly stated the chi profile ldren required separate bedrooms due to their sexualised behaviou rs. ris k of I am also frustrated as it is taking too long suitable fa mily for the to identify a se children. Unfortuna tely, we continue to ha of fos ter carers natio ve a shortage nally and it is only too apparent that good qu placements get filled ality very quick ly. 3.00pm I make a phone call to a fos ter carer who has asked to be con a long-term carer for sid ered as a child who has been liv ing with them for a yea visited the placement r. I have once to introduce mysel f and explain the assess Some carers get confused ment process. as to why they need to be assessed again as the already approved as fos y are ter carers. I have to exp lain that I am assessing capacity to parent the their child throug h adolesce nce and into adulthood. different to short -term Th is is fos ter care. I explain to the carer that I nee a visit to complete som d to set up e direct work with the child to gather their feelings. I arrange to wishes and collect the child and take them for a bu rg er fun event and also ena to make it a ble me to see them away from the placement. 3.30pm I chair an int roduction planning mee ting attend ed by a soc supervising social wor ial worker, ker s of current and new carers and both sets of aim is to move children carers. The into their new placement with minimal disruption, anxiety. We discuss rou reducing tines, food pre ferences, trigg ers for difficult and medicatio n needs. Da behaviou rs tes for tea visits and overnight stays are dis well as transportation cussed as arrangements. 5.00pm I read throug h a prospective carer’s Form F assessment before – these are essential in I go home gathering evidence of the carer’s capacity to nu rtu ring and warm fa offer a mily enviro nment, ena bli ng the child to build adults. Those who are trust in married or in a partners hip need to show a sol relation ship and how id, supportive a fos ter child will be accepted into the fa mil fa mily mem ber s, includ y by all ing their birth childr en. The carers need to and att unement skills show per sis tence as well as a per sonali ty wh ich will not clash the fos ter child. with those of 6.00pm Typically suc h an exercise takes lon ger than an hou r and complete reading th is I ensure I the next morning. My job inv olves a lot of readin a real sen se of ach iev g, but it’s ement when you find the rig ht fa mily to look aft and help them reach the er a child ir potential.
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