Work with us tostrengthen your mental healthworkforce

Suzanne, trained with Think Aheadafter studying Law at Cambridge. Now in a permanent role in the servicewhere she trained.

he future of mentalhealth services isholistic care thatintegrates socialinterventions alongside

medical and psychological treatment.Helping people to manage their lives,and build their own support networks,enables them to live more safely andhappily in the community. Thismaximises their chances of reachingsustainable recovery, and reducespressure on inpatient services.

Achieving this approach requires aflexible workforce with the right talentsand training. Mental health teams needprofessionals who can understand andinfluence the social factors affectingservice users, working across thecommunity and providing joined-up care.

Think Ahead is a charity that partnerswith NHS Trusts and Local Authoritiesto strengthen their mental health teams.Our free programme, funded by theDepartment of Health and Social Care,supplies a service provider with talentedrecruits, delivers advanced training insocial interventions and leadership toboth trainees and existing staff, andsupports the organisation to integratethese approaches across their services.

Trained as mental health social workers,our recruits can take on a wide range ofroles within teams. As professionallyregulated staff, they can fill practitionerroles alongside nurses and occupationaltherapists, including acting as CareCoordinators. They also bring specialexpertise in social interventions, workingwith service users’ families andcommunities, supporting people in crisis,and the application of mental healthlegislation.

Our programme supports yourworkforce to develop and spread theirskills. Our recruits, and the existing staffwho supervise them, are trained fromthe start to support and lead changewithin services. We choose recruits andsupervisors who are ready to make awider impact, and have the potential tolead others – in practice, research, andservice management.

We have worked successfully with morethan 50% of England’s NHS MentalHealth Trusts, and 30% of LocalAuthorities. In a survey of our first setof partners, every respondentrecommended working with us.

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Social workers bring a unique skill set to our teams, supporting individuals withthe social factors that enable them to achieve and sustain recovery from mental healthproblems. This is essential if we are to meet the mental, physical and social needs of people.

The Think Ahead programme has been a great way of bringing talented mental healthsocial workers into our service, and they’ve come equipped with the right skills to makean impact straight away.

Rob Webster, Chief Executive of South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.

This document explains:

How the programme works 02

The benefits of partnering:n Receive talented new staff 04

n Upskill your workforce 06

n Support service improvement 08

What partners have to provide 10

How to start a partnership 12

Matthew, trained with Think Aheadin Waltham Forest. Now in a permanentrole in the same service.

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How the programme works

Units start fromAugust

Training year

n Unit is embedded in yourcommunity mental healthservice full-time except for amaximum of 12 teaching days.

n Unit takes a caseload:participants do direct work withservice users, with cases held byConsultant Social Workers.

n Unit's caseload grows involume and complexity duringthe year, averaging 18 caseshalf-way through the year, and35 cases during the second halfof the year.

Additional Consultant SocialWorker training

n Up to 12 training days,depending upon whether theConsultant Social Worker(s) arealready qualified PracticeEducators, to be undertaken viaa combination of face-to-faceand distance learning.

n Three Consultant SocialWorker Development Days,including leadership training.

We recruit participants to joinyour organisation in “units”comprising of a minimum offour participants.

You recruit experiencedsocial workers to lead eachunit as their full-timeConsultant Social Worker(s).

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Summer InstituteJuly / August

Six weeks’ learning covering mental health, social interventions, law,

and leadership.

Consultant Social Worker training

Around five days’ training in social interventions,

leadership, and practiceeducation.

We will pay you a base fee of £32k (£36k in London) for a unit of five participants. You will receive an additional £3k for six participants.This payment can be used to support setup costs. You will receive this fee in three installments during the first year. We will consider aunit of four participants depending on your service needs but this will mean a £3k reduction in the fee we pay.

In the first year “participants” placed on the programme will work with yourorganisation to become NQSW’s. In their second year they will become youremployees and undertake their MA and ASYE year.

Participants qualify and units disperseSeptember (the following year)

n Participants gainPostgraduate Diplomaand register as socialworkers.

n They become youremployees.

n Consultant SocialWorkers can pick upanother unit from thenext cohort or move toanother role.

Qualified year

n You place participantsindividually into any role inadult services that requires aqualified mental healthpractitioner.

n They work full-time except fora maximum of eight teachingdays.

n You employ them on aminimum 12-month contract.You can offer longer /permanent contracts if youwish.

n They undergo the Assessedand Supported Year inEmployment programme fornewly qualified social workers.

Participants get an MAand complete the ThinkAhead programmeSeptember (the following year)

n Participants get an MAin social work practice.

Participants continue theircareer with you

n If they’ve had a positiveexperience they are likely towant to stay with yourorganisation.

n They will be well-placed intime to become practiceleaders (including as ApprovedMental Health Professionals) ormove into servicemanagement.

n You are under no obligation toemploy any participantbeyond the contract periodyou chose at the start of thequalified year.

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Qualifications are awarded by Middlesex University.

Middlesex University is a leading provider of mental healthand social work training and education in the UK. They arehighly experiences in running CPD courses, undergraduate

and postgraduate social work programmes.

After managing Think Ahead participants from four consecutive cohorts, I have seen how theThink Ahead programme brings talented people into the mental health workforce. The participants arehighly motivated and capable of promoting the mental health social work movement and drivingbetter practice throughout the organisation. This means that service users get better practitioners withthe skills to make a real difference.

Simon Owens, Consultant Social Worker who led Think Ahead units in Durham between 2016 and 2019.

The benefits of partnering:

Receive talented new staff

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31 candidates apply foreach place on theprogramme.

Think Ahead is one ofthe Times Top 100Graduate Employers.

Minimum eligibilitycriteria include a 2:1 undergraduatedegree.

Three-stage selection processinvolving social workers andservice users, tests sevenattributes including adaptability,relationship-building, leadershipand self-awareness.

The Think Ahead programme is one of the most competitive graduate schemes in the country,attracting high-potential individuals who are committed to supporting vulnerable people.

I worked in the City as a head hunter for banks but I didn’tfind this fulfilling. My second job was working with young peoplewith learning difficulties, which I really enjoyed. While I was there,I met a social worker who I found really inspiring. What makes thisprogramme stand out is that you are training with like-mindedpeople who all want to achieve the same goals.

Jan, Think Ahead participant. Studied Ancient History at King’s College London.

My interest in mental health partly comes from my personalfamily experience. My mother had severe mental health problemsand, by supporting her through that, I saw first-hand how positiverelationships can help. I am definitely planning to stay in thissector in future.

Eleanor, Think Ahead participant. Studied Psychology at Durham.

After almost two years practising law, I realised that it wasn’tthe right career for me. I wanted to find a job where I could buildrelationships with individuals and make a real difference to theirlives on a daily basis. In my opinion, mental health social work islike the missing piece of the treatment puzzle.

Suzanne, Think Ahead participant. Studied Law at Cambridge.

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The benefits of partnering:

Upskill your workforceBoth the new recruits and the existing staff who become their Consultant Social Workers receive advanced training to improve service effectiveness.

Participants also get: Consultant Social Workers also get:

Both the participants and the Consultant Social Workers get:

n A Postgraduate Diploma and a master's degree inSocial Work Practice from Middlesex University.

n Preparation for AMHP training: the curriculumgives the new recruits a full understanding ofmental health policy and legislation, in theory and practice.

n A Postgraduate Certificate in Advanced Social Work from Middlesex University.

n Practice Educator Stages 1 and 2 qualification if theydo not already have this qualification.

n A unique career development opportunity withinyour organisation, giving experience in managementand supervision while maintaining involvement infrontline work.

n Tools to improve outcomes: The curriculum draws on international best practice, focusing on socialinterventions known to improve outcomes for mentalhealth service users.

n Focus on long-term recovery: We teach interventions at theindividual, family, and community levels that can enableservice users to build their own support systems.

n Training in social interventions such as: – Motivational Interviewing. – Systemic family approaches. – The Connecting People intervention.

n Leadership tools: We deliver workshops to develop skills inrelationship-building and influencing.

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hen I took up therole as a ThinkAhead ConsultantSocial Worker, I hadbeen qualified for

about four years and had just donemy AMHP training. I was working asa care coordinator in a communitymental health team.

The opportunity was perfect for mebecause I wanted to get involved ineducating new social workers, andI really wanted to do it within thisTrust – I entered the profession here,and I feel like this is where I’ve grownup professionally. Without ThinkAhead, it would have taken me muchlonger to qualify as a PracticeEducator and there would have beenno guarantee that I’d get my firststudent quickly.

It’s been a steep learning curve, butit’s a great role. There is a goodbalance of mentoring the participantsand doing direct work with the caseswe share, so I haven’t lost touch withthe frontline – plus I’m still on theAMHP rota.

The training in modern socialinterventions is excellent and hasmade me aware of the latesttechniques. When you’re“firefighting” it can be easy to get into

a state where you’re just monitoringservice users and reacting, but thisrole has reminded me of the valueof planning and implementingstructured interventions – whichcan be more effective and actuallysave time overall. That’s an approachI’ll definitely take with me intofuture roles.

As part of the role I’ve got involvedwith discussions about social workacross the Trust, and it’s an excitingtime as Think Ahead is part of a moveto promote social interventions morewidely within the organisation. I wantto continue contributing to that, soI’m keen to do another year as aThink Ahead Consultant SocialWorker and then find another social-work-focused role here.

I would recommend being aConsultant Social Worker to anyone.It’s been a great chance to developmy skills and influence a whole newbunch of social workers who will goon within the Trust and help to takeforward the improvements we’vestarted together.

Kate Johnson, Consultant SocialWorker who led two Think Aheadtraining units in Hertfordshirebetween 2016 and 2018.

Wof Consultant Social Workerssaid being a CSW improvedtheir own social work practice.*

*Based on a survey of our 2019 Cohort Consultant Social Workers, to which 88% responded.

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The benefits of partnering:

Support service improvementThe Think Ahead units act as catalysts for maximising the contribution of social work to yourservices, and being part of the Think Ahead network puts you at the forefront of best practice.

Dr Lynn Prendergast, Associate Director for Social Care, Essex Partnership University NHS Trust.

Think Ahead has completely reaffirmedthe positive impact social work can have onthe delivery of specialist mental healthservices. The participant unit has been like a breath of fresh air arriving into a very busymulti-disciplinary team. They have beenembraced by professionals who havecommented that the enthusiasm and talent of the participants has raised the profile ofsocial work across the organisation.

Malgosia Eaden, Consultant Social Worker, East London NHS Foundation Trust.

After each training day, ourparticipants will come back with new ideas,and share these with other team members inforums and clinical case discussions. They’rebringing a whole new perspective throughsocial interventions.

Profile raising

Bringing Think Ahead units into your organisation emphasisesthe importance of social work and community-based,preventative approaches.

Knowledge sharing

The participants and Consultant Social Workers can share thenew techniques they are learning with their colleagues, andhave a positive impact on the culture of the teams.

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Patrick Finnegan, Operations Manager (Mental Health), Warwickshire County Council.

Partnering with Think Ahead isn’t justabout hosting a unit; it’s being part of anational network of practitioners, participants,academics, service users and managers. As anOperations Manager it’s been a wonderfulopportunity to meet with people andorganisations across the whole country, andit's a valuable way of learning from each otherabout how to meet the challenges facing socialworkers in mental health settings.

Kate Linhart, Interim Head of Mental Health andLearning Disability Integrated Care PartnershipDevelopment.

Our participants bring great leadershippotential to their roles, which is furtherdeveloped by the training they receive as partof the programme. They have already ledservice improvement in their team and havebeen recognised at the Trust awards for theirleadership and contribution.

Networking

Partners are invited to regular Think Ahead network events,providing opportunities to keep abreast of new developmentsand share best practice.

Leadership

The participants and Consultant Social Workers receivetraining in leadership skills, delivered in collaboration withleadership experts and social work practitioners. We enablethem to apply leadership to practice from the start and preparethem to influence change in the sector in time.

of our partner services say that partnering with Think Ahead has had a broader positive impact on the organisation,beyond our participants’ direct practice.*

*Based on a survey of our 2018 Cohort partner organisations, to which a service manager from 28 of 33 partner services (85%) responded.

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What partners have to provideWe will ask you to sign a delivery agreement ensuring that you will:

n Recruit and release staff to be ConsultantSocial Workers. Each unit requires afull-time Consultant Social Workerthroughout the year. You are responsible forappointing your Consultant Social Workers,with support from us, usually by secondingexisting staff into the role (typically with asalary enhancement in line with thestandard Practice Educator honorarium. It ispossible for this role to be a job share).Theyneed to be released from their previous rolefor around five days’ training beforehand,then move to the new role full-time fromearly-August. While in the ConsultantSocial Worker role, they can do AMHP dutyfor a maximum of two days per month andwill need to undertake up to 12 days’ trainingvia a combination of face-to-face teachingand distance-learning throughout the year.If it is not a job share, you also need toappoint at least one reserve to step in if aConsultant Social Worker has to step awayfrom the role for a significant period; thereserve receives the same training butremains in their current role unless needed.You will need to ensure that the ConsultantSocial Worker(s) and reserve are allowedadequate time for private study.

n Place the participant units in the rightsetting. Each unit must sit within an adult

community mental health service, withinvolvement in multi-disciplinary working.A unit’s participants must be in the sameteam and location as their Consultant SocialWorker.

n Give the participants the support theyneed. The participants will be with theorganisation full-time and doing usefulwork. They will need the usual workingfacilities – such as laptops, phones, andaccess to IT systems – and practical supportsuch as inductions and expenses. They willalso need to feel supported within theorganisation, surrounded by colleagues whounderstand and welcome their role.

n Give the participants the opportunitiesthey need to learn. Participants need towork on more and more complex casesthrough the year, building up to working onaround 5-9 cases each. These cases need togive them opportunities to practise thesocial interventions in the curriculum. Toensure this, Consultant Social Workers musthave some control over which cases areallocated to their units, and must personallyhold the majority of these cases.

n Arrange the Contrasting LearningExperience. To broaden their experience,during the year each participant must leavetheir unit for 30 days to do direct work withchildren and families. You are responsiblefor arranging this with your local partners.

Across the programme:

n Commit to the full duration ofthe programme (as laid out onpages 2 and 3).

n Designate an “OperationalLead” to oversee delivery. Thiswill be a senior member of staff,who is responsible for ensuringthat the Consultant SocialWorkers and the participantshave the support they need toenable a first-rate learningexperience.

n Support the participants tostudy alongside their work.They need to attend someteaching days away from yourservice, and have regularmeetings with their AcademicTutor.

n Manage local partnerships toensure the programmesucceeds. For example, whereservices are delivered inpartnership between NHSTrusts and Local Authorities.

In Year One (the training year):

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In Year Two (the qualified year):

n Employ the participants in anappropriate role, with an appropriatesalary. You can use the participants tofill any role, in adult services, thatrequires a qualified mental healthpractitioner – including rolespreviously filled by other professionalssuch as mental health nurses oroccupational therapists. The roleshould be confirmed by the end ofApril and their contract with youshould be full-time, and for at least12 months (although you may wish tooffer longer, or permanent, contracts),with the usual salary for a newlyqualified social worker.

n Manage the participants’ Assessedand Support Year in Employment. Ifyou have an existing ASYEprogramme, they will join it. If you donot, we can advise you on how toapproach this. As for any newlyqualified social worker, you will needto ensure that their caseload isappropriately sized.

n Allow three to five days’ study leave,for them to complete their master’sdegree work. (This is in addition to asmall number of teaching days andtutor visits.)

Frequently-asked questions

What does it cost to be a partner? There’sno fee, and we will pay you a base fee of£32k (£36k in London) for a unit of fiveparticipants. You will receive an additional£3k for six participants. This payment canbe used to support setup costs. You willreceive this fee in three installments duringthe first year. We will consider a unit of fourparticipants depending on your serviceneeds but this will mean a £3k reduction inthe fee we pay.

Who pays the participants? During YearOne, when they are training, we pay thema bursary. During Year Two, once they arequalified, they become employees and youpay them in line with the standard salaryfor newly qualified social workers.

Does the Consultant Social Worker haveto leave their previous role behind? Yes,the Consultant Social Worker role is fulltime unless it is a job share. They will stilltake a caseload, shared with their unit,which will be small at first and grow to, onaverage, around 35 cases in the second halfof the year. These could include some casesthey managed in their previous role, butthey won’t be able to take their full caseloadwith them. Some organisations absorb thistemporary reduction in capacity acrossother staff; some use part of the paymentwe provide for workforce developmenttowards backfilling the role that theConsultant Social Worker leaves behind.

Where can I place the participants oncethey’re qualified? They are a flexibleresource: you can put them into any role inadult services that requires a qualifiedmental health practitioner, whetherexisting or newly created. They can take uproles previously filled by otherprofessionals, e.g. mental health nurses oroccupational therapists.

How do I arrange the ContrastingLearning Experience? You need to workwith a partner agency that can facilitatedirect work with children and families. Thebest option is usually a local children andfamily social work team. Alternatively, youcan use a Child and Adolescent MentalHealth Service, or an appropriate thirdsector provider. The participants will needa local supervisor for the 30 days theyspend in this service, but their ConsultantSocial Worker will retain overall oversight.

What support will I get from ThinkAhead? We assign one of our PracticeSpecialists, all highly experienced socialworkers, to support you with every aspectof Year One and Year Two of theprogramme. In addition to this, you willhave contact with the PartnershipManager and become part of our widernetwork with regular meetings andupdates.

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How to start a partnershipIf you think you might be interested, do get in touch. The earlier we start to talk, the more likely it isthat we can make the programme work for you.

Get in touch to let us know you’re interested – you can email our National Partnershipand Development Manager, Roxanne Timmis, on partners@thinkahead.org

We’ll be keen to talk, so that we can learn about your organisation and your priorities,and discuss with you how the Think Ahead programme would work in your services.

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You make an application to partner with us. This is easy – it just means filling in a shortonline form specifying things like what service the participants will be based in. We canhelp you think it through. 3We let you know whether your application has been accepted. We’ll get back to you afterwe’ve reviewed all the applications from organisations who want to receive participantsfrom the next cohort. You can find the latest application deadlines, and when you canexpect to hear back from us, on our website.4If you’ve been accepted, we begin working with you to prepare for the programme. (If you haven’t, we will explain why and begin discussing how we might be able towork with you for future cohorts.)5

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Our partnersThink Ahead participants have trained and worked in services provided by:

n Avon and Wiltshire Mental HealthPartnership NHS Trust

n Barnet, Enfield & Haringey Mental HealthTrust

n Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHSFoundation Trust

n Birmingham City Counciln Black Country Partnership NHS Foundation

Trustn Bradford District Care Trustn Bradford Metropolitan District Counciln Brighton & Hove City Counciln Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS

Foundation Trustn Cambridgeshire County Counciln Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trustn Central and North West London NHS

Foundation Trustn Central Bedfordshire Counciln Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS

Foundation Trustn Cheshire West and Chester Counciln Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS

Trustn Croydon Counciln Cumberland, Northumberland, Tyne and

Wear NHS Foundation Trustn Durham County Counciln East London NHS Foundation Trustn Enfield Counciln Essex County Counciln Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation

Trustn Gateshead Counciln Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS

Foundation Trustn Hartlepool Borough Council

n Hertfordshire County Counciln Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS

Foundation Trustn Kent County Counciln Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS

Foundation Trustn Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation

Trustn Leicestershire County Counciln Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trustn Lincolnshire County Counciln Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation

Trustn Liverpool City Counciln Livewell Southwestn London Borough of Barnetn London Borough of Bexleyn London Borough of Camdenn London Borough of Ealingn London Borough of Hackneyn London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulhamn London Borough of Harrown London Borough of Haveringn London Borough of Hillingdonn London Borough of Islingtonn London Borough of Mertonn London Borough of Newhamn London Borough of Redbridgen London Borough of Tower Hamletsn London Borough of Waltham Forestn Luton Borough Counciln Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trustn Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trustn Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trustn North East London NHS Foundation Trustn North Somerset Counciln North Tyneside Council

n North Yorkshire County Counciln Northamptonshire County Counciln Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trustn Oxleas NHS Foundation Trustn Peterborough City Counciln Portsmouth City Counciln Richmond and Wandsworth Councilsn Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsean Sefton Metropolitan Borough Counciln Solent NHS Trustn Solihull Metropolitan Borough Counciln Somerset County Counciln Somerset Partnership NHS Foundation Trustn South London and Maudsley NHS

Foundation Trustn South Tyneside Counciln South West London & St George's Mental

Health NHS Trustn South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS

Foundation Trustn Southend-on-Sea Borough Counciln St Andrew's Healthcaren Stockton Counciln Suffolk County Counciln Surrey & Borders Partnership NHS

Foundation Trustn Surrey County Counciln Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trustn Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation

Trustn Thurrock Counciln Warwickshire County Counciln West London Mental Health NHS Trustn Westminster City Counciln Wolverhampton City Counciln Worcestershire County Counciln Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust

@ThinkAheadMH

/thinkaheadorg

company/think-ahead-org

/Think AheadMH

The Think Ahead Organisation is a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee. Charity number: 1166577. Company number: 10015893.

We’re proud partners of Think Ahead.All my years of NHS experience haveunderlined the importance of social workersto mental health; you cannot get by withoutthem. This scheme can make a lastingdifference to creating strength and pride inthis great profession.

Claire Murdoch, NHS England National Mental Health Director and ChiefExecutive of Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust.

thinkahead.org

Trustees:Professor Dame Carol Black (Chair)Dr Ruth AllenProfessor David Croisdale-Appleby OBEJames DarleyDr Navina Evans CBEProfessor Sir Julian le GrandJohn Lawlor OBEDonald PeckSharon Rice-OxleyLord Dennis StevensonNicholas Timmins

Academic teaching on the Think Ahead programme isprovided by Middlesex University.