Notes from SWEN meeting 4 November 2015

The morning meeting was attended by 47 people with representatives from 25 LAs (Barking & Dagenham, Bexley, Brent, Camden, Croydon, Enfield, Greenwich, Hackney, Haringey, Harrow, Havering, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Islington, Kingston, Lewisham, Merton, Newham, Redbridge, Southwark, Sutton, Wandsworth , West London Alliance - Three boroughs. 8 HEIs were represented (Brunel, Goldsmiths, Greenwich, Kingston & St Georges, Middlesex, Royal Holloway, UEL –Tavistock, University of West London.)

1. Update from Skills for Care

Ali Rusbridge gave an update on ASYE, organisations hosting TCSW products and the DfE Assessment and Accreditation proof of concept. See slides with links:

Questions and comments followed:

Where is the ASYE guide for NQSWs on the website? It isn’t yet on the website – follow the link in the social work briefing. Attached for reference

BIA course approval post TCSW – Clare Parkinson was at a meeting where Lyn Romeo advised contacting Neil Fry – DH re: BIA course approval

ASYE Certification – request that whatever system is developed is linked to the portal information about completion – this will be passed on for discussions between SfC and Daisy Bogg Consultants

Concerns raised about the Assessed and Accredited C and F practitioner concept – Time taken by employer endorsement and cost of the proposals for employer.

Paul Lawrence raised that a tender had gone out from DfE for a continuous assessment programme and assessment/accreditation system for Practice Leaders based on the knowledge and skills statement for Practice Leaders https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/a10272ed-c6ad-4d75-9170-1bfc871f367b

2. Teaching Partnerships: Presentation from Nimal Jude South East London teaching partnership

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Nimal was thanked for her presentation. Comments and discussions followed:

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Nimal Jude has Project Lead role on secondment from Southwark. This is a full-time post, funded by the pilot but lots of work also being done by workforce leads.

Interest in teaching consultant role. Need to ensure that there is a selection process to ensure competence. 37 applied and after approval by their line-manager and senior managers, they were selected by a partnership panel and initial feedback is very positive. They had an induction, self-audit and mentoring, both 1-1 and group. Those not deemed to be suitable /ready were found alternative roles

The SEL TP were thanked for being willing to share their plans and learning from the various aspects being tried. It was agreed it would be useful to have future updates.

It was suggested that each sub area has discussions about teaching partnerships so they could be ready for possible future developments. Because of the complexity of relationships between employers and HEUIs in London, if needed a pan London meeting could be called when / if TP proposals are clarified.

3. Refresher training for PEs

Table discussions looked at what training was available and how employers and HEIs were working together to increase the pool and skills of PEs. See discussion summary:

4. PL solutions: Presentation on Islington’s example of placement allocations

Heidi Rossetter presented Islington’s approach to placement matching:

Heidi was thanked for her presentation and discussions followed:

Important to get the placement application forms right. Merton do formal interviews with a view to giving an automatic interview for a

NQSW post Hackney Children’s also have a formal allocation system which has worked

well. Need to strengthen links between employers and HEIs at recruitment onto

courses, not wait until it comes to placement allocations. Tension between employers wanting competent students and not being elitist /

ignoring the role of practice learning and development and the profession’s responsibility to support learners.

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Danger of systems rejecting some students Employers need to discuss with universities taking the weaker social worker students with bigger learning needs. These are not necessarily the weakest workers!

Need to link with making sure PEs are good enough and provide a good learning experience.

Placement profiles used in the SEL teaching partnership. Matching done based on strong relationships - HEIs know PEs well.

It was suggested this topic could be looked at again in a future SWEN and different systems explored in more detail. However it was clear that this came back to strong partnership working between employers and HEIs.

5. Recruitment and retention of social workers

AR introduced the London ADASS work plan section on social work recruitment and retention. A survey of London LAs found:

Majority of LAs in London are experiencing problems with recruitment and retention of social workers

Relying on agency staff of varying levels of quality Boroughs are implementing a range of innovative ways of addressing the

problem, but seem to be competing with each other for the same pool of staff Areas of social work the vacancies most acute in: Complex long term

conditions and mental health Grade of social worker vacancies most acute in: Senior practitioner grade

Activities proposed to address challenges

Develop a MoU on the recruitment of agency staff Collaborate on developing agreed approaches to R&R of SWs and OTs

Table discussions looked at the plan and suggested things that should be considered – see summary

The idea of a Memorandum of Understanding between London LAs around agency staff was welcomed (with the proviso that everyone would need to sign up to it). It was suggested that not taking on agency staff who are NQSWs was added. There was a request that the approach should also cover Children’s. There was also a request that proper research across London on why social workers leave should be

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funded so that in future solutions are based on research evidence. These points will be passed onto those supporting the work-plan

6. HEIs use of KSS in qualifying programmes

Each HEI present was asked to say what was being done:

Greenwich uni – KSS covered through the Skills Days Goldsmiths – not yet matched against all modules. Included in induction days

and through practice education / skills days. Southbank –mapped learning outcomes in modules and in practice learning

placements - students positive about it. UEL – Practice Educator courses linked. Students given info on recall days

and Preparation for Practice Royal Holloway – Covered in lectures and skills days sessions Brunel – Teachers asked to integrate. Linked to employability workshop and

for PDP and in practice handbook. Ongoing. Middlesex – Started mapping to modules

Overall HEIs seem to have ensured the KSS is mapped through skills days / readiness to practice / practice placements, but curriculum mapping is still being done.

Nimal said that through the Teaching Partnership – Teaching Consultants cover the KSS in reflective practice sessions. Again this highlights the importance of employer / HEI relationships

There was a consensus from employers that HEIs needed to ensure that KSS and PCF are understood and not just cited in applications.

7. Future SWEN speakers /agenda items

Priorities for the next meetings were agreed:

BASW to be invited to Jan SWEN to cover PCF Review (mapping with KSS) and PEPs and their role going forward

Update on Assessment and Accreditation at Jan meeting from employers involved

PSW network speaker to be asked to either Jan or April meeting Adi Staempfli from Goldsmiths will do a presentation on Key Situations in

Social Work reflection and knowledge management model at one of the meetings

SEL TP to give an update at the April SWEN once their pilot has been completed / evaluated.

Someone to speak about Frontline and Think Ahead to be invited to one of the next meetings

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AR said that anyone who wants to be part of the group to help plan SWEN –let us know. Telecons will be set up 2 -3 weeks in advance to agree the agenda and priorities.

8. Notices a) People were asked to promote the ASYE for PVI sector event November 24th

to any independent sector organisations who are running / thinking of running the ASYE http://www.skillsforcare.org.uk/Get-involved/Events/Event-articles/ASYE-Making-the-grade-London-PVI.aspx

b) Paul Lawrence interested in hearing from those who’ve used Futures Theatre group

c) HCPC – anyone interested in being invited to an event in London to review the Standards of proficiency for social workers and consider how they can be improved upon. We can pass on names / e-mails

9. Dates for future meetings 27th January 2016

It was agreed to change the date of the meeting originally planned for 30th March 2016 as this was two days after Easter Monday A new date was agreed and also a date for June

20th April 29th June

People were reminded to respond to the Outlook invites if attending and also to e-mail Londonsocialwork@skillsforcare.org.uk if there are there people who need to be added / removed from the invite list

Afternoon meetings

The HEIs had one of their 2 meetings a year.

The employers group met and discussed the assessment and accreditation proof of concept further

They requested more information as below:

Will this year’s NQSWs be targeted for testing once the proof of concept phase has been done / will it be only ASYEs who will be the first to be tested? – if they are to be tested how much warning would be given to prepare them?

If there is to be a selection process for testing, how can we be assured of fairness – might there be a challenge re equality?

When will there be clarity re cost and HR implications? – employers are concerned

These concerns will be passed on.

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