Welcome to the December issue of the Voluntary Sector Social Services Workforce Unit's e-bulletin.
The end of 2009 is nearly here, and we'd like to wish you all the best Season's Greetings.
We know that this has been a difficult and challenging year for many of you, and we'd like to thank you for your continued and unwavering readership and support. Moving into 2010 the Workforce Unit will continue to keep you up to date with the latest workforce development issues, and supporting you via our enquiry service, workforce development network meetings, Policy Advisory Committee, sharing practice and range of information services.
Please remember to forward our bulletins to any interested colleagues. They can also sign up online. If you have a workforce development event or initiative you would like to publicise please let us know and we will include it in future editions.
Happy holidays to all and our best wishes for a prosperous and peaceful New Year 2010.
Lisa Pattoni
Information and Communications Officer
lisa.pattoni@ccpscotland.org
Content
The SSSC is currently inviting responses to the above consultation, the results of which could have significant implications for both Housing Support and Care at Home providers. The consultation is from Monday 2 November 2009 - Monday 18 January 2010.
The consultation will essentially establish who should register as a manager of a Care at Home or Housing Support service and what qualifications they require to do this. You will be aware that qualification requirements for Housing Support Managers were set in 2005, however this current consultation proposes to update these.
The Workforce Unit will respond to this consultation on behalf of our stakeholders. However, we would also urge you to respond individually with the specific impact that the proposed changes may have on your organisation. We have produced a discussion paper that highlights issues and questions which Housing Support and Care at Home providers may wish to consider when responding to the SSSC consultation.
Please let us know if there are any specific issues you would like us to reiterate in our response - any feedback would be most welcome. We will send you our consultation response on the 6th January, and hope this will assist you with your own response.
2nd February,
Jubilee House, Stirling
The Scottish Government has introduced new legislation to protect people from being harmed; The Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act. Tell Someone is a resource pack, funded by the Scottish Government, which helps people to understand how the Act affects them and what they should do if they suspect harm is occurring to someone.
Due to the success of the training sessions last year, the Workforce Unit, in partnership with the Private Care Sector Workforce Initiative, is pleased to announce another round of training to be held on 2nd February. This is available to all Care Commission registered adult care services in Scotland across the private and voluntary sectors.
These training sessions are free and tend to be over-subscribed, so please book early to avoid disappointment.
The evolving world of Internet communication - blogs, wikis, podcasts, and social networking sites offer new ways to research, create, get together and learn. For the social services sector, Social Services Knowledge Scotland (SSKS) is a web based service, which provides the workforce with a single point of access to a wealth of knowledge and evidence. It has a number of useful functions, not least of which is 'My Community Space' where staff can get together and share experiences and practices.
The Workforce Unit has produced an e-briefing about the use of such networks, highlighting some of the opportunities and challenges of engaging with others online at work. This is not an extensive coverage of the issues and is simply intended to start a conversation and to spark interest in the variety of online tools that are available for the social services workforce.
We would really like to know what you think about these issues. SSKS will be changing early next year, and we want to make sure it meets your needs. What what would make SSKS easier to use? How can staff be encouraged to use it? What sort of information is missing? What should be done differently?
If you would like to share your views and get involved, please contact Lisa Pattoni or join the SSKS user group.
The 2010 Workforce Development Network Meeting dates have been announced. Save the following dates in your diary today!
The topics for these meetings have still to be finalised, if you have a particular subject you would like us to cover we would be delighted to hear from you. Please contact Caroline Sturgeon on 01786 849752 or at caroline.sturgeon@ccpscotland.org
The Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) Care Accolades are here again, bringing a great opportunity to recognise and celebrate the achievements of teams, groups or organisations in learning and development.
Recent Care Commission reports show that voluntary sector organizations receive the highest quality gradings, but year after year they fail to get recognized for this achievement. The Care Accolades are open to all teams, groups or organisations across the whole social care sector in Scotland, and we want to make sure that as many voluntary sector providers as possible get the chance to stand up and be counted!
We know that submitting an application takes up precious time, so this year, the Workforce Unit will assist 10 voluntary sector organisations to prepare their application for the Care Accolades. Our Information and Communications Officer will work for 2.5 hours with you helping you to plan, structure, write some sections or edit your application – whatever support you feel you need.
Just email us with the following details and we will be in touch:
Remember, there are only 10 spaces, so get in quick! We look forward to working with you.
The Workforce Unit is commissioning an exploratory study to assess the current capacity of the voluntary sector workforce to deliver on the aspirations of the personalisation agenda. It will also aim to identify the functions, skills and behaviours (demonstrating underpinning ethos/values) required.
This study will identify the contribution the voluntary sector workforce is already making to the personalisation agenda with a view to learning and sharing practice. It will also explore any changes required of this workforce if the aspirations of the personalisation agenda are to be fully realised. The research will include:
If your organisation would like to participate in this research study, please contact the Workforce Unit for more information.
23 February 2010
Perth Concert Hall
The concept of person-centred policy and practice has been gathering pace within health, disability and social care agendas. Long Term Conditions Alliance Scotland (LTCAS) invite you to explore how they can make person-centredness a reality for people living with Long Term Conditions. This one day conference will explore:
Further information and booking forms are available on the LTCAS website here.
Various Dates
Surgeons’ Hall, Nicolson Street, Edinburgh EH8 9DW
The Institute for Research and Innovation in Social Service (IRISS) invites you to a series of workshops around the theme of What Works in delivering positive outcomes in the social services. The workshops are intended to be practice oriented, with the aim that attendees can take home at least one strategy on how to apply research and evidence effectively in their own practice. Amongst other, workshops include:
For further information download the event flyer. To book a place at any of the workshops, contact Amy O’Neill at amy.oneill@iriss.org.uk.
Please note: spaces are limited,please apply at least two weeks in advance of the workshop(s) you wish to attend by providing your name, title, organisation and contact details.
This series of master classes offers senior managers and policy makers an opportunity to learn about and discuss service improvement with leading authorities in their fields. Forthcoming classes include:
Monday 7 December - Personalisation - Tony Wells
Friday 15 January - Innovative Approaches to Creating the Learning Organisation - Euan Semple
Friday 19th February - Innovative Approaches to Creating the Learning Organisation - David Gurteen
Friday 19 March - Beyond Best Practice- Next Practice? - Geoff Mulgan
Friday 23 April - Beyond Best Practice - Next Practice? - Carole Wilkinson
To book a place and find out more click here.
24 and 25 February 2010,
Edinburgh University
This CPD course may be of interest to any practitioners who work with females who have offended, particularly those in the criminal or youth justice fields. It is designed for experienced practitioners to update their knowledge and practice skills based on the most recent research. It would also be helpful to workers new to this type of practice. The cost for this 2-day course is £100; lunch and refreshments are included.
Please contact Susan Wallace by e-mail at Susan.J.Wallace@ed.ac.uk or by phone on 0131-650-6646 for further information or to book a place.
Thursday 28th January 2010 10am -12 noon,
Room 13 Drummond House, Stirling
The Practice Learning Forum aims to provide support to practitioners who are involved in working alongside social work students on placement within teams and agencies locally. The forum is keen to involve practitioners who are interested in becoming practice teachers or link workers, as well as those who already undertake these roles.
Please contact Jocelyn Henderson or Moira Mundell on 01786 443174 or pdu@stirling.gov.uk if you would like to get involved.
The latest bulletin about the creation of the two new scrutiny bodies due to start in April 2011 has been published by the Scottish Government. These newsletters cover key updates and developments on work relating to the establishment of the Improvement and Scrutiny Bodies for Healthcare and for Social Work and Social Care. Information in this edition includes:
The website http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Health/Scrutiny contains the latest information for the project and includes a frequently asked questions section. If you have any comments or suggestions, please send them to the project team at NSB2011@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
The Scottish Child Care and Protection Network (SCCPN) website went live this week. You can access the website at www.sccpn.stir.ac.uk . This helpful resource contains current information about SCCPN current developments and projects and in future, will also include publications and signposts to research evidence useful for practice.
A key component of the SCCPN website is a searchable index of studies. The index draws together information on research and evaluation studies undertaken in Scotland. It exists to help foster connections, collaborations and coordination in the generation of new evidence and in the use of existing evidence.
The website also lists up to date news, events and connections (existing organisations and initiatives) of interest to the child care
and protection community in Scotland.
Bookmark this website today!
The Protection of Vulnerable Groups Act, which was passed in 2007, is a new system to check that people are safe to work with children and vulnerable adults. The Scottish Government requires a number of Statutory Instruments to be passed by Parliament before this scheme comes into effect (around the end of 2010).There are seven SSIs for consultation, alongside a partial regulatory impact assessment and draft guidance on the Act. The consultation will run until 2 February 2010.
The SSIs deal with offences which would lead to automatic listing or automatic consideration for listing on the barred from working with adults/children lists; definitions of regulated work with adults and children; third party access to disclosures; and fees for scheme membership. A further SSI relating to retrospective checking is expected in the new year. The SSIs can be accessed online.
The Workforce Unit are putting together some information regarding this scheme to assist your response to the consultation. We will send this out to you before Xmas. In the meantime, we are interested to hear your views and feedback on the proposals, so please do not hesitate to contact us.
It can be difficult for carers and people with dementia to communicate. The Joseph Rowantree Foundation funded the development and delivery of a project in 2008/2009 that would train care home staff across the UK to use Talking Mats. This system, complete with a textured mat and visual symbols, helps people with communications difficulties to interact. This paper highlights key findings from the project, including:
For more information, read the project summary.
The Continuous Learning Framework (CLF) aims to improve the quality of outcomes for people using social services by supporting the workforce to be the best they can be now and in the future. It highlights the shared commitment needed from social service workers and their employers to make this happen. So far we are being told that the CLF is useful in:
The CLF sets out expectations that social service workers and their employers will involve service users and carers in learning, development and improving practice.
The SSSC are keen to help service users and carers understand how they could use the CLF to influence practice and how they could be involved in evaluating the difference it is making. Does your organisation have a service user/carer group? Do you have a means of communicating with service users and carers? Would you like us to support you to talk to them about the CLF?
If you or your organisation would like to know more please do not hesitate to contact Wilma Paterson, wilma.paterson@sssc.uk.com, SSSC Project Officer 01382 207380.
The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE)’s 'At a Glance' summaries and briefings have been developed to help you understand as quickly and easily as possible important messages and practice advice emerging in social care. SCIE has recently produced two new publications regarding mental health and personalisation:
This briefing examines the implications of the personalisation agenda for practitioners and managers in community mental health services.
This report is aimed at those involved in developing, providing and leading personalisation and social inclusion for mental health. It is also aimed at those developing leaders of the future.
City of Edinburgh tender for adult care
Creating a stronger information, advice and advocacy service for older people
What do you think about the state of the sector?
'Much More Than a Label' - toolkit available
Resilience Fund closes
Programme update on the H1N1 swine flu vaccination
If you would like to remove your details from the mailing list at any point, please send an email to vswu.admin@ccpscotland.org and include your name, organisation and the email address you used to subscribe to the e-bulletin.
