Welcome to the March edition of the Voluntary Sector Social Services Workforce Unit's e-bulletin.
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Our bulletins will keep you up to date with the latest voluntary sector social services workforce development issues. 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. If you think a colleague may be interested in the bulletin then please forward it. If they would like to sign up for the bulletin, they can sign up online.
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Lisa Pattoni
Information and Communications Officer
lisa.pattoni@ccpscotland.org
Content
The Workforce Unit aims to keep you informed of current knowledge about the voluntary sector social services workforce. We have produced an interim update to the briefing published in July 2009 written by Judith Midgley and Caroline Sturgeon of the Workforce Unit and Janet Miller of Workforce Matters.
The updated report includes information previously not publicly available from the Care Commission’s data set [gathered from all registered service providers in December 2007 and January 2008] reported in the Joint Improvement Team Workforce Work stream December 2009 report.
Read or download a copy of the interim report here.
A comprehensive analysis of the Care Commission’s data set gathered from all registered service providers in December 2008 and January 2009 will be published by the Scottish Government Workforce Intelligence Group in April or May 2010. We intend to produce a full update to our ‘What do we know about the Voluntary Sector Social Services Workforce?’ report at this time.
LAST FEW SPACES REMAINING - SIGN UP QUICK!
Express by Holiday Inn, 29- 43 Chapel St
AB10 1SQ, Aberdeen
16th March
The Spring Workforce Development Network Event will introduce you to 'Information Literacy', a set of skills to help you find and share information relevant to your work.
Come along and hear from Ian Watson from the Institute for Research and Innovation in Social Services (IRISS) who will talk not only about ‘Google’, which most people will know something about, but also about how you can access other information that can enhance your learning and improve your practice. In particular, we will look at Social Services Knowledge Scotland www.ssks.org.uk which is an online information portal that offers access to high quality digital information, and Learning Network North Portal. Being able to use these tools will be a useful skill for lifelong learning, and can be a good way to contribute to your Post Registration Training and Learning requirements (PRTL).
Scottish Youth Theatre,
Merchant City, Glasgow
30th March
The Workforce Development Network Event in Glasgow will be run a little differently this time round. In partnership with Learning Network West, Loretto Care and the Private Care Sector Workforce Initiative, we are pleased to invite you to our event, ‘Putting Learning into Practice'. The event will provide you with the opportunity to engage in hour long themed conversations with the experts. The following workshops have been confirmed:
Scottish Social Services Council (Keith Quinn):
Developing your workforce can be a challenging process. The Scottish Social Services Council has been working to develop a range of resources to assist employers meet these challenges. This session will give you an introduction to the tools and resources produced by the SSSC and provide an opportunity to help shape our next steps in supporting the sector to meet the development challenge.
Scottish Social Services Council (Wilma Paterson):
How can we take ownership of the Continuous Learning Framework (CLF) across the Social Services Sector as a key resource for achieving effective leadership and the vision of a competent, confident workforce, capable of delivering high quality services.
Joint Improvement Team (Mike Martin*am)(Judith Midgely*pm):
Mike Martin (Joint Improvement Team) and Judith Midgley (Workforce Unit) will take us through the recently issued Draft Guidance on Social Care Procurement in Scotland (SCPS). The JIT are keen to hear your views on the Guidance - don't miss this opportunity to have your voice heard!
Care Commission/Family Carers (Alice Timmons/Jacqui Reid):
Join the Care Commission and a family carer to discuss how you, as a provider, can best support people who use services and carers to contribute to the service they receive and how services may best meet Care Commission Quality Statements.
Employability Network:
Information to follow.
Scottish Qualifications Authority (Louise Gaddi):
Developments within the SQA including the new PDA in Administration of Medication.
Scottish Human Rights Commission (Kavita Chetty):
Dignity in Care - how a human rights based approach can improve your service delivery? A conversation with the Scottish Human Rights Commission on human rights in care services.
Managed Knowledge Network and SSKS (Susan Lindner):
Following the launch of 'Sharing Knowledge, Improving Practice, Changing Lives', the Knowledge Management Strategy for Social Services, Susan Lindner (NHS Education for Scotland/Institute for Research and Innovation in Social Services), will talk about how you can practically embed the use of knowledge at the heart of your organisation to improve outcomes for the people you support.
IRISS Ian Watson:
Sign up for this 2.5 hour session that will introduce you to ‘information literacy', a set of skills to help you find and share information relevant to your work. Developing these skills can be a good way to contribute to your Post Registration Training and Learning Requirement (PRTL). You can book for this session separately. To find out more about Information Literacy sessions please contact caty.mccolgan@westlearn.org.uk
The day will be split into two with the morning session from 10am - 12.30pm and afternoon session from 1.30pm-3.45pm. Both sessions are the same. Please state on the sign up form if you wish to attend am or pm. You can of course attend the full day, however, lunch will not be provided.
We anticipate demand for this event will be high and places will be offered free of charge on a first come, first served basis. Reserve your place NOW! Please use the sign up facility to book a place. Workshop choices will be issued with the joining instructions.
Skills Development Scotland is the national skills body created in 2008 from a merger of Careers Scotland, the skills and learning function of Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Scottish Enterprise and the Scottish University for Industry.
Skills Development Scotland has published its first corporate plan which outlines their key vision "to be a catalyst for positive change in Scotland’s skills performance," and to make the Scottish Government's skills strategy, 'Skills for Scotland: A Lifelong Skills Strategy' a reality.
The Workforce Unit has provided a summary of the plan for your information highlighting the key points of interest relating to the voluntary sector.
Read or download the summary document here.
LAST FEW SPACES REMAINING... SIGN UP QUICK!
The Victoria Halls, Ante Room, Helensburgh, 1.30pm-4pm, 16th March
Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy, Fife, 1.30pm-4pm, 24th March
Due to the success of our events for Housing Support providers last year, the Workforce Unit, in partnership with the Housing Support Enabling Unit, is delighted to announce another round of events to be held in Helensburgh and Fife. Topics to be covered on the day include:
This event is open to housing support providers in voluntary, statutory and private sectors. A full programme and booking form is available on our website. For more information, please contact Laura Weir at vswu.admin@ccpscotland.org.
Dunblane Hydro, Perth Road, Dunblane
16th March
9.30am-3.30pm
This event launches a Scotland-wide public engagement programme that aims to build long term consensus about how best we can support older people with care needs.
The Scottish Government, COSLA and NHS Scotland have been working in close partnership to develop a range of “emerging proposals” to help deliver continuously improving care for older people in the face of the challenges posed by ever-growing numbers of older people and the current financial climate. This event now brings these proposals into the spotlight, inviting wider stakeholder scrutiny as they are developed into responses to these challenges. Speakers include:
Please register your interest, providing your name, designation, contact details and workshop choice to Alex Bell, completing the registration form and sending to alex.bell@scotland.gsi.gov.uk.
Kibble Works 1, Greenhill Business Park, Paisley, PA3 1RQ
Wednesday 21 April 2010
6.30pm
Social Care Association (SCA) is a UK organisation of individuals and corporate organisations involved in social care. SCA promote good practice in social care, developing ideas from practitioners about how they do their job and where it works best.
Maff Potts, Director of Homelessness Services for the Salvation Army is the key speaker at this event who will talk about homelessness. In his own words,
"I've spouted a lot about how services for homeless people should look while running a government programme - more opportunities beyond soup and a roof - well now I'm back in the trenches where the real work gets done and am eager to show the sector I wasn't just full of hot air - it can be done and must be done."
To reserve a place at the Scottish Lecture please contact, Elspeth Little on 0141 889 6667
Jury's Inn, Glasgow
24th March
The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) provides a national vocabulary for describing learning. It aims to make the relationships between
qualifications clearer. Credit rating involves allocating an SCQF level and SCQF credit points to a qualification or learning programme. Only an official credit rating body — such as SQA — is permitted to do this.
However, the SCQF Partnership is holding a free information seminar in Glasgow on Wednesday 24 March, 2pm to 4.30pm to advise employers about the extension of credit rating bodies. At the seminar you will find out about the SCQF and what becoming an SCQF Credit Rating Body involves in terms of the required criteria, the procedures and the timescales.
To register your interest and secure a place, please contact Lisa Thomson at l.thomson@scqf.org.uk for a booking form.
The Joint Improvement Team and the Dementia Services Development Centre are pleased to invite you to 2 free events to mark the launch of 4 books aimed at supporting staff in the use of Telecare. The events will provide an opportunity for participants to learn about the potential of telecare, and to share their experiences of its use. The events should be of interest to service managers, trainers and course leaders on professional qualifying courses working with a range of client groups.
Event 1: Telecare for people with a disability
Date: Friday 26th March 2010
Time: 9.45am - 3.30pm
Venue: Forth Valley Sensory Centre, Redbrae Road, Falkirk FK1 4DD
Event 2: Using telecare to support people with dementia
Date: Thursday 15th April 2010
Time: 9.45am - 3.30pm
Venue: Iris Murdoch Building, University of Stirling, FK9 4LA
Lunch, refreshments and publications will be provided on both days. These events are expected to be very popular, so early booking is strongly advised to avoid disappointment. To download the full programme for each event and to book a place online please visit the online shop.
Perth Concert Hall, Mill Street, Perth PH1 5HZ
10th June
People with learning disabilities are individuals with equal rights to citizenship and participation. The Scottish Consortium for Learning Disability, in collaboration with the Open University and the Institute for Research and Innovation in Social Services (IRISS), is organising a one day research conference to reflect upon the contributions and participation of people with learning disabilities within our society. The conference will also consider the setting up of a research network for Scotland.
Glasgow Centre for Inclusive Living, 117-127 Brook St, Glasgow
18th March, 12.30-4.30pm
Inclusion Scotland are staging a consultation event on a National Strategy on Self Directed Support in partnership with the Scottish Government. This Strategy aims to increase support for choice and control and recommends a review of the resources available to support independent living. There will be speakers from the Scottish Government’s Adult Care & Support Team and the Independent Living in Scotland project.
To book a place please contact Donna on 0141 887 7058 or e-mail information@inclusionscotland.org The event is free and has limited spaces. Lunch and tea/coffee will be provided and travel expenses may be available.
The Workforce Unit will also be seeking your views on the strategy - watch out for a Newsflash about this next week.
The Dementia Services Development Centre at Stirling University is to be working in partnership with NHS Education for Scotland in developing a Dementia Managed Knowledge Network (MKN). This network will consist of YOU, the people who deliver health and care services in many different settings to people with dementia. It will offer information, discussion forums, learning resources, and will be open to your ideas and suggestions.
If you would like to be part of a community of people with a common aim of helping people with dementia, please register now. Contact Eileen Richardson, if you have any questions, on 01786 467739.
Unison have published the report, "Government Policy, Recession and the Voluntary Sector", which examines the current position of the voluntary sector in the UK.
The report notes that since 1997 there has been a huge shift in the relationship between the voluntary sector and the Government. This shift has fundamentally centered around the government’s public service reform programme with its embrace of the notion of a diversity of providers, the choice agenda and latterly the proposals for personalisation of services and individual budgets.
The report highlights that the impact of this government policy, combined with the current recession will manifest itself in increased pressure on costs for the voluntary sector. These costs will arise from various sources: the impact of the recession, the expansion of competition under a funding squeeze, disconnect between emphasis on personalisation and cost cutting and the driving down of costs at the expense of quality of the service.
The combination of these intertwined sets of pressures is likely to have a significant effect on the workforce and employment relations within the sector in several ways - most notably in terms of:
Read the full report for more information.
Despite having what is acknowledged as a high quality education and training system, and achieving higher levels of qualifications than other UK nations, Scotland has not achieved the economic impact it was hoping for in terms of improvements in productivity and competitiveness.
Scotland needs to maximise the skills of its workforce if it is to survive the economic downturn, a report from the UK Commission for Employment and Skills has warned. 'Towards Ambition 2020: skills, jobs, growth for Scotland' looks at Scotland's future prospects, its route out of recession and its chances of a successful recovery. The advice outlined in the report takes the form of nine strategic proposals, which include: increasing individual commitment to learning and development, raising employer ambition and investment in skills, and improving the responsiveness of the employment and skills system.
Of particular interest may be that the report recognises strong concerns from employers about the high levels of complexity, bureaucracy and paperwork associated with participation in the Modern Apprenticeship programme and recommends:
The report also offers advice to the Scottish Government on a small number of simplification activities that the Commission has been asked to undertake by the UK Government, but which will impact on the Devolved Administrations:
The first issue of the new community empowerment newsletter is now available from the Scottish Government website. As well as updating readers on the progress of the Community Empowerment Action Plan, and detailing training and upcoming events, the newsletter includes inspiring examples of how communities across Scotland have become empowered.
The newsletter will be issued on-line on a quarterly basis, to help inspire, encourage and support community empowerment across Scotland. You can access the latest edition of the newsletters at: www.scotland.gov.uk/communityempowerment
Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) At a glance summaries have been developed to help you understand as quickly and easily as possible the important messages and practice advice in SCIE’s guides. These summaries will give you an overview of the messages or help direct you to parts of the guide that you may find most useful. You can also use them as training resources in teams or with individuals. Recently published guides include:
At a glance 14: Personalisation briefing: Implications for personal assistants (PAs)
Personalisation will require cultural change and new ways of working that not only impact on personal assistants but also on a wide range of individuals and services that support people to live independent lives. This briefing examines the implications for personal assistants.
At a glance 20: Personalisation briefing: Implications for nursing homes
The nursing home model of care has long been practising holistic care and individualised health plans. This briefing examines the implications of the personalisation agenda for developing these services.
At a glance 21: Personalisation briefing: Implications for people with autistic spectrum conditions and their family carers
The personalisation agenda is largely a positive development for people with autistic spectrum conditions (ASC) and is well placed to meet their needs. This briefing examines the implications of making this a reality
Released today; Guidance for Local Authorities on The Role of the Registered Social Worker in Statutory Interventions is designed to ensure the best possible use of the valuable
resource provided by registered social workers in delivering better outcomes for people and communities in Scotland where statutory intervention is required.
This Guidance complements that issued in February 2009 on the Role of the Chief Social Work Officer and has been subject to a full formal consultation and agreed by Cabinet
Ministers and COSLA. It is important to note that this Guidance focuses on the role of the registered social worker in formal statutory interventions.
Main points to note include where either children or adults are:
• in need of protection; and/or
• in danger of serious exploitation or significant harm; and/or
• at risk of causing significant harm to themselves or others; and/or
• unable to give informed consent;
a registered social worker must retain accountability for:
Within Criminal Justice, a registered social worker must retain accountability for:
Mental Health was the first practice area to reserve functions to suitably qualified social workers. Only registered social workers with additional appropriate qualification may:
The full Guidance document will be available from the Scottish Government website shortly - check the Workforce Unit website for updates.
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