Agenda item

For the Select Committee to consider a progress report on the work of the Principal Social Worker during 2022/23 to promote and improve the quality of social work practice, highlight the achievements for this year and identify priorities for the coming year. 

Contributors:

Cllr Anita Cranmer, Cabinet Portfolio Holder Children’s Services and Education

Richard Nash, Service Director – Children’s Social Care

Richard Nash introduced the annual report of Amanda Andrews, our Principal Social Worker setting out work in previous year to support and promote social work practice. The role is part of the Practice  Development Team, working closely with audit and quality, as well as the work with the assisted in first year social work academy. The focus had been into the recruitment and retention of social workers, learning from audits and ensuring transfer into practice and enhances the learning of the teams. The PSW listens to the teams and disseminates good practice, so the role is a key one.

In response to Councillors’ questions the following points were made:

-          Dip samples were used to investigate single cases and would be assessed in a short time period. An audit is more a detailed investigation which is undertaken alongside a social worker and their manager.  Using both methods of checking work gives great benefits, covering a wider variety of work. The bar for meeting the grading of “good” is high. There is a direct relationship between the recruitment and retention challenges experienced and levels of social worker experience with cases not reaching the standard level of “good”. Such a case might reveal that the focus given to it did not relate strongly enough to the plan of the child in question. It would not indicate any risk to a child or not receiving a service. The team always strived to improve and the service improvement trajectory was upwards.

-          There is a structure around career progression, taking into account the needs of the service, the ambitions of the individual and the available evidence. Sometimes employees are ready to progress but may chose not to. We are looking at the whole service at the moment which will open up new opportunities. Many teams are very specialist so sometimes opportunities are limited. We encourage employees to progress.

ACTION:Richard Nash to investigate the option of

adding age and gender of newly qualified   

social workers into future reports.

-          Career progression panels meet on a regular basis. Gaining a higher salary within the same team is only possible when a vacancy occurs.

-          There are over 7000 vacancies nationally and not enough social workers so the social work academy has been expanded to address this issue. Some leavers have experienced issues relating to the cost of living crisis and moved to a less expensive area. The service assesses the overall picture at a given time and respond appropriately to this.

-          The primary service focus is about good outcomes for children and young people rather than process. Dip sampling and audit work were linked to performance monitoring. Check and challenge meetings looked at these to assess them.

-          Some candidates have stated that they are attracted to Buckinghamshire because of our well-being offer and this offer has received some awareness outside of the county. We will keep reviewing this offer to keep it relevant to current circumstances.

-          Links are made to higher educational providers to encourage studentsinto the social work academy. We attract students nationally and it is important to ensure we attract the right students.

-          Parental alienation is captured within delivered course areas, although not as a specific separate course.

ACTION: Richard Nashto circulate information as to

which courses cover parental alienation.

-          All social workers need to be registered with Social Work England annually and undergo professional development. Most training is run in-house. Each social worker takes responsibility for their own learning and developing their own career.