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Hertfordshire County Council www.hertsdirect.org “Building a safe confident future” The final report of the Social Work Task Force November 2009

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Page 1: Hertfordshire County Council  “Building a safe confident future” The final report of the Social Work Task Force November 2009

Hertfordshire County Councilwww.hertsdirect.org

“Building a safe confident future”

The final report of theSocial Work Task Force November 2009

Page 2: Hertfordshire County Council  “Building a safe confident future” The final report of the Social Work Task Force November 2009

Hertfordshire County Councilwww.hertsdirect.org

Overview

• Poor image of Social Work profession• Steeply rising demand• Capacity across service very stretched-

acute recruitment and retention problems• “Good social workers can and do make a

huge difference in difficult situations”• 15 recommendations

Page 3: Hertfordshire County Council  “Building a safe confident future” The final report of the Social Work Task Force November 2009

Hertfordshire County Councilwww.hertsdirect.org

“Weaknesses in recruitment, retention, frontline resources, training, leadership public understanding and other factors are all compounding one another”

Page 4: Hertfordshire County Council  “Building a safe confident future” The final report of the Social Work Task Force November 2009

Hertfordshire County Councilwww.hertsdirect.org

New Challenges for the profession

• Adapting to the new agenda for personalisation

• Responding to heightened public concern about child protection

• Play an effective part in integrated working between different agencies

Page 5: Hertfordshire County Council  “Building a safe confident future” The final report of the Social Work Task Force November 2009

Hertfordshire County Councilwww.hertsdirect.org

Comprehensive ambitious reform

• Improved training• Improved working conditions• Stronger leadership and independence• A reliable supply of confident professionals• Greater understanding among the general

public of the role• More use of research and continuing

professional development

Page 6: Hertfordshire County Council  “Building a safe confident future” The final report of the Social Work Task Force November 2009

Hertfordshire County Councilwww.hertsdirect.org

Reformed system of initial education and training

• Clear consistent entry criteria for social work courses

• Courses and teaching of a high standard across all providers-advanced teaching organisation status

• Supported and assessed first year in employment

Page 7: Hertfordshire County Council  “Building a safe confident future” The final report of the Social Work Task Force November 2009

Hertfordshire County Councilwww.hertsdirect.org

Improved working conditions

• Clear, universal and binding standards for employers

• Employers to assess their performance against the standard-including caseload controls-and publish results

• Dedicated programme of training and support for managers

Page 8: Hertfordshire County Council  “Building a safe confident future” The final report of the Social Work Task Force November 2009

Hertfordshire County Councilwww.hertsdirect.org

Stronger leadership and independence

• National College of Social Work• National Reform Programme• Avoid perverse incentives and an

over-emphasis on process in performance measurement

• Continue to improve and develop ICS• Identify necessary investment to

make reform on the front line

Page 9: Hertfordshire County Council  “Building a safe confident future” The final report of the Social Work Task Force November 2009

Hertfordshire County Councilwww.hertsdirect.org

A reliable supply of confident professionals

• Licence to practise social work• Avoid caseload “ceiling” but

employers to monitor and publish information on workloads

• National standard on the support social workers should expect from their employers

• New requirements for supervision

Page 10: Hertfordshire County Council  “Building a safe confident future” The final report of the Social Work Task Force November 2009

Hertfordshire County Councilwww.hertsdirect.org

Greater understanding among the general public of the role

• Long term strategy for media relations

• Development of clear lines of responsibilty when a news story “breaks” at a national and/or local level

• Dessemination of good news and good practice examples

Page 11: Hertfordshire County Council  “Building a safe confident future” The final report of the Social Work Task Force November 2009

Hertfordshire County Councilwww.hertsdirect.org

Increase in research and continuing professional development

• The development of a national career structure and a framework for the continuing professional development of social workers

• A single comprehensive story of what the expectation is for social workers at each stage of their careers

• Ongoing learning and professional development to be a responsibility and an entitlement

Page 12: Hertfordshire County Council  “Building a safe confident future” The final report of the Social Work Task Force November 2009

Hertfordshire County Councilwww.hertsdirect.org

Priorities for the service in Hertfordshire

• Improve the provision and quality of practice placements

• Plan for assessed first year in employment

• Improve guidance on supervision of social workers

• Training and support for frontline managers

Page 13: Hertfordshire County Council  “Building a safe confident future” The final report of the Social Work Task Force November 2009

Hertfordshire County Councilwww.hertsdirect.org

Priorities for the service in Hertfordshire/2

• Improve understanding of demand and caseload levels-framework available early 2010

• Increase collaboration with University of Hertfordshire and others –improve alignment of academic and practical elements of degree

Page 14: Hertfordshire County Council  “Building a safe confident future” The final report of the Social Work Task Force November 2009

Hertfordshire County Councilwww.hertsdirect.org

“Social Work has arrived at a watershed.This is a moment of opportunity that we all need to seize…..”