CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION 2023 4 October 2023 in association with A System C company
System C is a British technology provider that has been supporting healthcare and social care for more than forty years.
We are the market-leading supplier of software for local authority and social care providing:
• Liquidlogic Adults’ and Children’s Social Care System
• Criminal Justice Module
• Integrated contracts and finance solutions for social care
• Services capability to deliver AI, data warehousing and data visualisation projects, ensuring local government maximises the data they hold
A System C company
This year, our conference themes are Workforce and Systems, acknowledging the challenges social work faces, and also the context in which we’re all working. Together, we will explore:
• the wider context the profession is working with – including (but not limited to) poverty and inequality, the increase in digital innovation, data and information sharing and process that’s happening and how we manage those.
• the importance of leadership in achieving positive outcomes for staff and those who use our service; taking into account whole system approaches, active implementation science, and human learning systems, and
• the role of social work leaders in the quality of professional development, and how organisational culture and leadership can create and enhance this; ranging from role of Chief Social Work Officers in overseeing and promoting excellence in social work practice, to tools available to help improve the quality of supervision and development.
More than any before it, this year’s conference feels as if we are on the precipice of change. As we wait to hear the outcome of deliberations around a National Care Service and what form that will take, we’re also facing crippling recruitment and retention issues, budgetary pressures, a workforce which is exhausted and ageing, and the continued impact of the pandemic and austerity measures. If ever there was a time for social work to be discussing what its future should be, and how it will get there, this is it.
And finally, a thank you. Social Work Scotland could not exist without our individual members, who contribute and give voice to the incredible range and depth of activity that happens every day in Scotland.
From representing us in national forums, contributing to our standing committees and subgroups to the individual relationships and support you provide to individuals and families, our members help us influence and advance the role of social work leadership, which remains our key priority, and without you we’d be nothing. The coming months and years will see structural change affect our organisation too, and we will keep our members at the heart of it. If you’re not already a member – please consider joining us; we’re stronger with you.
We’re delighted to be in central Glasgow this year, at University of Strathclyde’s Technology and Innovation Centre, and look forward to creating a space for networking, collaboration, connection and reflection.
Ben Farrugia Director, Social Work Scotland (SWS)
A big thank you to all of our sponsors
Headline
A System C company
Supporting Exhibitors
Programme
08:00am Registration and Exhibition Opens
09:30am Conference Welcome
David Lee, Host
Welcome from the 2023 Headline Sponsor
Kevin Lutley, Liquidlogic
Angela Constance MSP
Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs
Fraser McKinlay
Chief Executive, The Promise Scotland
Jude Currie Scottish Association of Social Work
Mike Burns Convenor, Social Work Scotland
10:40am Leadership in achieving positive outcomes for staff and those who use our service
Panel Discussion lead by David Lee
Mike Burns, Convenor, Social Work Scotland
Jude Currie, Scottish Association of Social Work
Joanna Macdonald, Deputy Chief Social Work Advisor, Scottish Government
Fraser McKinlay, Chief Executive, The Promise Scotland
Kate Ramsden, UNISON Scotland
11:10am Refreshment Break
11:40am Workshop Sessions - Part One
13:00pm Networking Lunch and Exhibition Open
14:00pm
Workshop Sessions - Part Two
15:15pm Conference Recommences
Social Work, Values in Leadership:
A case study from City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council
Rob Mitchell, Principal Social Worker
Q&A Session
chaired by David Lee
Closing Remarks
John Trainer, Vice Convenor, Social Work Scotland
16:30pm Conference Closes
Post Conference Drinks Reception
Workshops
Workshop A:
Social Work Cats and Rocket Science
Led by City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council
Workshop B:
Relational dynamics in the joint investigate interviewer role
Led by Scottish Child Interviewing Model team
Workshop C:
Learning to do an extraordinary job: workplace learning research findings
Led by The Open University
Workshop D:
People over process: creating the conditions for human social work practice
Led by Iriss with Healthcare Improvement Scotland
Workshop E:
Leading from the front: digital innovation and social work and social care
Led by Scottish Government with Social Work Scotland
Workshop F: Our people, our community, our vision – Inverclyde’s journey in understanding trauma and poverty
Led by Inverclyde Council Community Justice Team
Workshop G:
Leadership for change – unleashing the creativity of frontline staff and local communities
Led by Colin Turbett
Workshop H:
Including the voices of children and young people in service design and policy decisions: A research perspective
Led by Scottish Children’s Reporter Adminstration with young people
Workshop I: What does good leadership look like in the implementation of Selfdirected Support?
Led by Social Work Scotland
YOUR SPEAKERS
Scottish Government
The Promise Scotland
Fraser was appointed Chief Executive of The Promise Scotland in September 2022. Prior to that he spent 16 years working for Audit Scotland, including ten years as Controller of Audit and Director of Performance Audit and Best Value responsible for performance audit across public services in Scotland.
Jude has been a social worker since 2009 and has worked across the voluntary sector as a Personalisation Officer, Children’s Practitioner and Team Leader of a Family Support Team with Children 1st. Jude has held Social Work and Service Development roles with Edinburgh Council and is currently a Senior Practitioner in Support and Intervention with East Lothian Council Children’s Services. Jude is current Chair of the Scottish Association of Social Work (SASW) Standing Committee and Co-Vice Chair and Trustee of Generations Working Together (Scotland’s Centre for Excellence in Intergenerational Practice).
Jude is passionate about improving public perceptions and understanding of social work, the development of holistic and community focused practice and respecting the life-changing potential of intergenerational relationships in families and communities.
Angela Constance is a Scottish politician serving as Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs since 2023. A member of the Scottish National Party (SNP), she has been the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Almond Valley since 2007.
Angela Constance MSP
Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs
Fraser McKinlay Chief Executive
Jude Currie Senior Practitioner Social Work
YOUR SPEAKERS
Mike Burns Vice Convenor Social
Work Scotland (SWS)
Mike began his career in Dundee City in 1986 as a Social Worker in Child Protection. He then moved to Melbourne, Australia in 1989, first as a Social Worker, Senior Practitioner, and then as a Team Leader with Community Services in Victoria, investigating and leading on Child Protection investigations.
In 2006 Mike moved to Glasgow as Head of Children’s Services for North Community Health and Care Partnership, and in 2010 he was then the Head of Service for North West within Glasgow City Council, Social Work Services. In 2016 he became the strategic lead for Children’s Services for Glasgow City HSCP, and in 2018 he took up his current post of Assistant Chief Officer, Children’s Services and North East Locality. Mike additionally took on his current role of Interim Chief Social Work Officer in 2019.”
Kate Ramsden UNISON Scotland
Kate Ramsden qualified as a social worker in 1980 and since then has worked in Lothian Region, Grampian Region, Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire in a variety of roles, mainly in children and families social work. For the past 25 years until her retirement in June, she has been a children’s rights officer in Aberdeenshire, leading a small team of children’s rights officers who are all social work practitioners, supporting care experienced young people with their rights. Kate is passionate about children’s rights and has described this as “the best job in the world.”
Throughout her social work career, Kate has been a union member and activist, joining NALGO initially and later UNISON. She is a founder member of UNISON Scotland’s Social Work Issues Group (SWIG), which was set up in the 1990s in the midst of major concerns about social work recruitment and retention. SWIG has a role to promote and empower radical social work practice amongst UNISON social work members, to press for the conditions of employment that best enable this approach and to give social work members a voice.
Kate sees no contradiction between the values that underpin radical social work and trade union activism and is a strong advocate for union membership amongst social work staff.
Joanna Macdonald Deputy Chief Social Work Advisor Scottish Government
In Joanna’s current role she chaired the National Child Protection Guidance Implementation Group for two years, Scottish Government Social Work lead for Getting it right for everyone (GIRFE). Joanna is passionate about promoting human rights and the power of kindness and respect to work collaboratively and create environments where children and adults can thrive and have the best experience of life.
Prior to this Joanna had the privilege of being an adult social worker, senior social worker, care at home manager, care home manager and service manager, working in Highland Council, Aberdeenshire Council and Argyll and Bute Council.
Rob Mitchell Principal Social Worker Bradford Council
Rob has a distinguished career, having qualified in social work in 2001. He was one of the first Principal Social Workers when the role was introduced in England and spent two years as chair of the National Principal Social Workers Network. Under his leadership the national network established itself as a strong force shaping the future of adult social work in England. Rob has served on the England National Committee for the British Association of Social workers and is a Trustee of the National Social Work Awards. He has used his platform to promote a clear identity for social work with adults, arguing that social workers have a unique role, that being to safeguard human rights.
Rob has a Master degree in Health and Social Care Leadership and is an honorary Senior Lecturer for three Universities across the North of England. Proudly northern and a lifelong Leeds United fan he is resilient and strongly advocates for local solutions which keep people connected to their sense of place and identity. Rob is published in the peer reviewed literature, in Community Care Magazine, Professional Social Work magazine published by the British Association of Social Workers and the Guardian newspaper. He is a co-corresponding author of the book Social Work, Cats and Rocket Science.
John Trainer Vice Convenor Social Work Scotland
John is a qualified social worker and the current Chief Social Work Officer for Renfrewshire in addition to his role as Head of Child Care and Justice. During his career John has worked in children, justice and adult social work. John has extensive experience in operational and strategic posts across social work. John was Head of Early Years and Inclusion in Renfrewshire before taking up his current post in September 2018.
Outside of work John is a runner, cyclist, skier and football fan. He is also active in the credit union movement.
Find Out More
Social Work Scotland is the professional body for social work leaders.
We provide support and platforms to social work leaders to ensure the voice of the profession is heard where it needs to be, and provide an infrastructure through which the expertise of senior and operational managers can inform the national debates about the profession –whether that’s children and families, criminal justice, adults or wider public service reform.
We’re stronger with your voice. Join us.
Visit socialworkscotland.org
