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April ~ June 2017 issue Language & autism
16
Autistic author, Paddy-Joe Moran, talks about the importance of communication.
NEW S
The spotlight on your profession Supporting UASCs
18
One Practitioner discusses helping unaccompanied asylum seeking children.
Location, location
26
Social Worker, Beverley Hodgson, shares what it is like working on the Isles of Scilly.
In this issue
Contents April ~ June 2017 issue.
04
News bites
From the frontline
Read about Theresa May’s plans for mental health reform, a £7m boost for three Innovation Programme projects, and an online tool for those supporting migrant families.
05
Discover how crowdfunding is meeting the adult social care needs in Birmingham and what Glasgow City Council is doing to encourage 1800 of its employees to mentor vulnerable children.
06
Isabelle Trowler
08
Work life
“There are some big issues to resolve before we can achieve our vision” explains Chief Social Worker for Children and Families, Isabelle Trowler, in a compelling interview.
“We have to rely heavily on community services as an alternative to hospital” explains Dee Belford, as she walks us through her typical day as a Mental Health Social Worker.
10
Council spotlight
Youth participation
Children’s Services at Wandsworth Council has an ambitious vision for its Social Care Academy to promote recruitment and retention. We find out more.
12
Hear from care leaver and founder of Foster Focus, Luke Rodgers, who is on a mission to disrupt the tokenistic perception of youth participation in re-defining social care service delivery.
16
Language & autism
Supporting UASCs
Autistic 21-year-old blogger and author, Paddy-Joe Moran, shares his thoughts on how best to communicate with those on the autism spectrum.
18
With no access to an adult’s perspective on the life of an unaccompanied asylum seeking child, Rosie Corby, shares her understanding of communicating within a cultural context.
22
Returning to social work
26
Location, location
With qualified registered social workers in high demand, the time is right for anybody thinking about returning to the profession. We explore what you can proactively do to make the move.
Delivering social work to 2,153 people residing on the unspoilt shores of the Isles of Scilly, Beverley Hodgson, shares her experience of supporting vulnerable adults on the islands.
Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 02
Sanctuary
T James Rook
here are many talented social workers and innovative local authority leaders who are coming up with more effective ways of working. The evaluation summaries from the first wave of Innovation Programme projects are testament to this and other local authorities are already considering how best to emulate them. With the allocation of a new raft of funding to help safeguard some of the most vulnerable young people in our communities (see pages 20-21), there appears to be a sharper focus on giving frontline staff more freedom to provide life-changing support. But, as Isabelle Trowler, Chief Social Worker for Children and Families, says on page 6 “there are some big issues to resolve before [the Government] can achieve its vision” for social care reform. True reform has to be thoroughly inclusive. It needs to have the support of the social work community, as the recent removal of the ‘power to innovate’ clause from the Children’s and Social Work Bill highlights. Service re-design must also include direct input from the very people it supports and disrupt what care leaver and founder of Foster Focus, Luke Rodgers, calls a “tokenistic view of youth participation” (see pages 12-13). Whilst we’re still very much in the middle of a cultural shift, it’s heartening to see so many councils
fully embracing the views of care leavers. Wandsworth Council, for instance, was praised by Ofsted for involving young people “in developing and improving services” (see page 11). This level of understanding needs to extend to unaccompanied asylum seeking children too, as Senior Practitioner, Rosie Corby, explains on page 18. And as Mental Health Social Worker, Dee Belford, concludes on page 8, even though resources are scarce, the most impactful work requires “thinking outside the box”. For practitioners to be able to do this though, there needs to be a rethink on how we tackle the pressure points and skills shortages in social care. In my capacity as the newly appointed Chair of the Recruitment & Employment Confederation’s (REC) Health and Social Care Sector Group, I will, along with other members, work hard to ensure the Government and other external stakeholders take our views into account
James Rook Chief Executive
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C
ourtesy of two of the UK’s leading publishers, Jessica Kingsley Publishers (jkp.com) and Routledge (routledge.com), we are giving away a trio of social work academic textbooks valued at £67.
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Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 03
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News bites
News bites Key news stories and announcements.
THERESA MAY PROMISES MENTAL HEALTH REFORM The Prime Minister has pledged to help schools and companies in England address the “unacceptable stigma” of mental health. She has announced plans to provide additional training for teachers, strengthen the link between schools and NHS staff, and has commissioned a review of children and adolescent services. May has also promised more help for companies to support staff who need to take time off, whilst investment will be made into improving online services and community care outlets.
Innovative children & family projects launched
£7 million
Three projects have been awarded a share of more than
in grant funding from the Department for Education (DfE). Dorset County Council, Bradford Metropolitan District Council and adoption charity Coram have all been allocated a share of the funding as part of the children’s social care innovation programme. Children’s Minister, Edward Timpson, said the projects are helping to “transform” children’s services.
Online tool launched to help advise migrant families An online tool has been launched to help social workers establish support options for migrant families with no recourse to public funds (NRPF). Created in partnership between the NRPF Network and University of Oxford’s migrant research group, COMPAS, with funding from the Legal Education Foundation, the tool helps practitioners navigate the law relating to assessments of eligibility for social services support and can be found at migrantfamilies.nrpfnetwork.org.uk
Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 04
From the frontline
From the
frontline
Sh a r your n e ews!
Simply email press@ sanctua rysocia if you h lcare.co ave a s m tory yo u wish to share with us .
News directly from council teams.
Glasgow unveil mentor project Glasgow City Council have announced an ambitious plan to encourage 10% of its workforce to join a pioneering new mentoring project in partnership with MCR Pathways. The project could see almost 1,800 council employees sign up to mentor vulnerable children and young people, helping them to achieve their ambitions and aspirations. Chief Executive, Annemarie O’Donnell, said “All our young people deserve the best we can offer. This project is not a one-off, but a long-term commitment for us.”
Birmingham launches crowdfunding initiative Birmingham City Council has set aside £470,000 from its Community Innovation Fund to provide match funding for community projects designed to tackle specific adult social care priorities. Working in partnership with Crowdfunder, the Council is encouraging local organisations, charities and residents to use crowdfunding as a way of seed funding for projects which promote health and wellbeing. Once funding has been secured, local projects can apply for match funded grants from the council of between £100 - £10,000, or 50% of its fundraising target (whichever is lower).
LINCOLNSHIRE PRAISED FOR DOMESTIC ABUSE WORK
Ofsted has praised a multi-agency approach to tackling domestic violence in Lincolnshire. An inspection has highlighted a “clear and collective” drive by agencies, with a “strong shared vision” to reduce incidents of domestic abuse. The report highlighted the LSCB for its preventative approach to working with children and picked out the work undertaken with schools as a particular strength. Social workers were also praised in the report, with inspectors stating that children were “sensitively supported”.
Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 05
Interview: Isabelle Trowler
“There are some big issues to resolve before we can achieve our vision” We catch up with Chief Social Worker for Children and Families, Isabelle Trowler.
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Isabelle Trowler
ith the introduction of the Children’s and Social Work Bill, a new accreditation system for social workers and revised guidance on supporting unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASC), the new national agenda for social care is taking shape. We speak to Isabelle Trowler, Chief Social Worker for Children & Families to find out more.
Why are you proposing to set up a new regulator through the Children and Social Work Bill? Throughout the process of the Bill so far, there has been a lot of discussion regarding the new regulator, which will be called Social Work England. The aim of the regulator is to strengthen the profession by improving training and support for social workers. Social Work England will also help recognise the particular challenges social workers face, and ensure they have the knowledge, skills and training they need in order to do the very best for the children and adults they serve.
Could you tell us about the plans to revise guidance on UASC? Unaccompanied asylum seeking children are alone, in an unfamiliar country, surrounded by people unable to speak their first language.
“The Df E is keen to gather your views and it’s important that we get a strong social work perspective as part of any future practice advice.”
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Interview: Isabelle Trowler
They are likely to be uncertain or unaware of who to trust – these are some of the most vulnerable children in the country. Because of the circumstances they have faced, some will have very complex needs. Special support must be tailored to the individual child and offered as soon as possible. In September 2016, the Department for Education (DfE) commissioned ECPAT, a non-governmental group campaigning against child trafficking and exploitation, and the Refugee Council to deliver training for foster carers and support workers of unaccompanied children who are not experienced in working with UASC. On 6 March we launched the consultation on revised guidance setting out the steps that local authorities should consider taking to support unaccompanied asylum seeking children, unaccompanied migrant children and child victims of modern slavery, including trafficking. The DfE is keen to gather your views and it's important that we get a strong social work perspective as part of any future practice advice. So please do respond to the consultation on consult.education.gov.uk
What will the proposed accreditation system achieve? I understand, from my own experience, the immense pressure that social workers are facing at all levels of seniority. I also know the difference social work can make in the lives of children and families. But I appreciate you need to be able to know and do certain things to make that difference.
What has the response been to the practice leader programme? We all know that strong and effective practice leaders inspire and influence those they lead but really critically, know how to design and nurture a practice system in which effective and ethical social work practice is possible. There are of course great practice leaders out there already, but we need to ensure that there is a ready supply of people able to take on this challenge. That is why we announced that – in partnership with the London Boroughs of Hammersmith and Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea and the City of Westminster – we would launch a programme for senior talented social workers who will become the practice leaders of the future. The application process for the first cohort of participants closed in January, and I was delighted to see that there were more than 80 applications from right across the country. I have had initial telephone interviews with several social workers already and have felt hugely inspired by that experience. I am confident that this will be a fantastic opportunity for those ready to take the next step into these most influential public sector roles. Not only will successful candidates have a year of support before taking up their role, once in post they will then benefit from a further year of support and guidance. Throughout both phases, they will learn from each other and from those with a great wealth of knowledge and experience across the sector.
The introduction of the national assessment and accreditation system will have major implications for our profession, future practice and individual social workers. It will help us consistently build a highly skilled, capable and confident workforce. But it’s going to take time. There are some big issues to resolve about how we can achieve our vision, who should be accredited and who should endorse the practice of agency workers. We need to strike a balance between introducing a system of post-qualification specialism without restricting movement of social workers between sectors and jurisdictions.
Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 07
A day in the life of...
Work life A day in the life of... an award-winning Mental Health Social Worker.
D
ee Belford is an Approved Mental Health Practitioner (AMHP) in Birmingham City Council’s citywide AMHP team and winner of the 2016 Mental Health Social Worker of the Year award. The Award judges commented on her special ability of “being able to stand by the side of a service user without appearing ‘with power’”. We spoke with Dee to find out more about her and her work.
My journey into social work I originally trained as a state registered nurse and worked in the NHS. In 1990, I joined a mental health trust in Birmingham and was tasked with setting up a daytime respite service for individuals experiencing acute mental health crisis. The new Community Care Act was transforming social care and that’s
when my real interest in social work was sparked. Seeing the clear relationship between social deprivation and mental health issues, I became actively involved in various community projects that aimed to reduce poverty and promote social inclusion, reducing people’s vulnerability to mental illness. However, I soon realised that, to make a real difference, I needed to train formally as a social worker. I studied for a BSc and after graduation I began my social work career working mainly in NHS settings within the West Midlands prior to my return to Birmingham City Council.
My typical day As a team we provide a service to general hospitals, psychiatric units and police stations, as well as in the community. We’re responsive to their needs, so on a day-to-day basis we don’t know what’s going to come in and what type of situations we’re going to have to deal with. They make referrals to us and we respond by carrying out Mental Health Act assessments; a typical assessment can last anything from two hours to 12 or more. We’re dependent on collaborative working and there can be issues, such as finding a bed and availability of police officers or an ambulance. Assessments can take place anywhere in the city, so there’s travel time to take into account too.
My proudest moments Am I allowed to say that my proudest moment is winning the Mental Health Social Worker of the year award? I work with fantastic colleagues and an extremely supportive management
Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 08
A day in the life of...
“I will go the extra mile if I feel that I can make that difference. Sometimes it means thinking ‘outside the box’ or taking a different view from colleagues, but I’m always totally focused on the service user’s needs.” team. I do what I do with no expectation above and beyond the feedback I get from them. So it’s great to get wider recognition of my efforts. Just to be nominated for the award was a huge honour. And to win the gold award was truly amazing. As far as my job goes, I get the most satisfaction from making a difference. I will go the extra mile if I feel that I can make that difference. Sometimes it means thinking ‘outside the box’ or taking a different view from colleagues, but I’m always totally focused on the service user’s needs.
Lessons I’ve learnt No matter how long you work as an AMHP, you continue to encounter new challenges. It’s a constant learning curve and you need to be open to change. I’m dealing with a community which is diverse and evolving. We
have to keep up-to-date with the demographics of our population and be ready to respond to their needs. It’s not just the many languages that are spoken in the city (I think it’s about 40!). We have to be aware of social, cultural and religious differences which can inform our assessments.
The most challenging part of my job It’s really all about the increase in demand on resources that are already over-stretched, with a lack of available beds and huge pressure on care delivery budgets. We have to rely more heavily on community services as an alternative to hospital admission, as well as collaborating with a range of third party suppliers whose resources may also be limited. At the same time, we face the challenge of implementing new working practices to further integrate health and social care. Everybody we work with in social services and the NHS is going through similar change.
After work I’m very family-orientated. I’m a mum and a grandmother, as well as being fortunate enough to have both my own parents still living. My children and parents have all been very supportive of my career. Music is one of my major passions and I’m also a Scrabble addict, playing both online and one-to-one. As for getting away from it all, every year I go to a beach festival in Spain, where I let my hair down and party for 10 days! It’s a chance to enjoy some ‘me’ time.
Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 09
th e e r of k r o cial W h e S o a rd s 2 0 1 6 t t a Aw Dee Year
Council spotlight
Council spotlight We discover what it is like to work for Wandsworth Children’s Services.
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Dawn Warwick
ollowing a disappointing Ofsted inspection in December 2015, Wandsworth Children’s Services has been working hard to make service improvements. In a recent monitoring visit, Ofsted found the Council to be making “positive progress” with “improved management oversight and direction at all levels of the organisation”. We catch up with Director of Children’s Services at Wandsworth Council, Dawn Warwick, to discover more about the changes and what it’s like to work in the Brighter Borough.
Could you tell us about Wandsworth’s ‘positive progress’? We have developed new Practice Standards including our ‘Top Ten Non-Negotiables’, increased our staffing at the ‘front door’, strengthened management oversight and created new assistant team manager roles. We’re running bitesize sessions for staff alongside our core training 7 development offer and have introduced monthly social work ‘sharing’ sessions. Looking to the future, we’ve just launched proposals to strengthen early help structures and practice and now have a much stronger approach to commissioning. For example, we’re opening a new children’s home in Wandsworth later this year and a training flat for care leavers. Ofsted have told us that they can see the impact of
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this positive progress and that we now know ourselves better.
How are Wandsworth and Richmond working together? The two councils will retain political sovereignty, with their own priorities and ambitions, but will be served by one set of staff across common service areas. Richmond and Kingston’s Children’s Services are currently run by a joint arms-length company, Achieving for Children (AfC), while Wandsworth’s Children’s Services remains an in-house team. However, there are links – AfC has been appointed by the DfE as our Improvement Partner, and their CEO, Nick Whitfield, chairs the Improvement Board. This has brought both challenges and valuable support. For example, in looking at how AfC’s performance regime works, Wandsworth has adopted some of their practice.
How do you use the Signs of Safety model? Our practice framework, ‘Signs of Safety and Wellbeing’ (SoSWB) is based on the Signs of Safety model. Our ambition is to use SoSWB to support cultural change and develop excellence in our practice, strengthening the child’s voice, relationships with families, their own networks and partner agencies. We have SoSWB ‘practice leads’ who have received extended training and development opportunities to support and develop staff. We also have over 50 practice leads across social work, social care and partner agencies.
Council spotlight
Ofsted notes youth participation is a strength at Wandsworth. Could you tell us more?
Benefits of living & working in Wandsworth •
Good transport with easy links between London, the Home Counties and the South Coast
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Excellent local amenities including some of the best parks, libraries and schools in London
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The lowest average council tax rate in the UK Priority on shared ownership housing schemes for people who live or work in Wandsworth
CLICK (Children Living in Care Kouncil) is a group for young people who represent and speak up on behalf of looked-after children to positively influence decision-making and shape the services they receive. They communicate with their ‘corporate parents’, from frontline staff to elected members, and have helped develop ‘The Pledge’ which describes what we will do to help young people get the best start in life. They contribute to training and development programmes and recruitment and have helped establish the ‘Wandsworth; Journey Through Care’ guide; a starter pack to promote independence for care leavers. We were delighted by Ofsted’s comment because members of CLICK and care leavers have all spoken positively about their engagement with the local authority.
Could you tell us more about your training programme? We have a high quality and well-developed training offer focused on progressing and retaining strong frontline staff. There’s a combination of bitesize workshops, face-to-face and online training, external courses and conferences, as well as an external award programme. Plus, there’s a strong professional development framework for newly qualified social workers in their assessed and supported year in employment (ASYE). We also have an ambitious vision for our Social Care Academy to reinforce our development programmes for our staff at all levels of their career and promote recruitment and retention. This affords excellent opportunities for career progression into senior and consultant social work, assistant team management and team management roles.
What would encourage people to join your team? We are committed to focusing on quality of practice, keeping caseloads low and giving social workers the time to be able to form relationships with children and their families
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through high quality direct work. We have the flexibility to accelerate high performing staff and have a strong record in supporting those who want to progress into both managerial and practice specialism roles. For anybody new to Wandsworth, we understand that first impressions make the world of difference so we have launched a brand new digitalised induction process where all staff will have an allocated ’buddy’ to help them get started.
Apply today For vacancies, please visit sanctuarysocialcare.com/jobs or call Sanctuary’s permanent recruitment team on 0333 7000 026.
What can you expect if you join the team? •
Competitive salary (plus annual Performance Related Pay award)
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Retention bonus of £3,000 for every two years of continuous service
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Fantastic career development opportunities
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Accelerated progression through salary scales for high performers
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Annual ‘wellbeing’ social work conference
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Signs of Safety and AMBIT training and a highly regarded ASYE development programme
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Flexible working across community hubs and at home
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Practitioner and management forums to have your say
Youth participation
Redefining youth participation Care leavers set out to prove the value of involving young people in service improvement.
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hen care leaver Luke Rodgers founded Foster Focus, he set out to disrupt the tokenistic involvement that was damaging the perception of the value of youth participation in re-defining social care service delivery. Having interviewed Luke a year and a half ago, we catch up with him to discover how far he has come in this goal.
How has Foster Focus evolved in the last 18 months? Over the last year and a half, I’ve seen a real change in culture and mindset as we prove that youth participation works. Many young people leave care feeling worthless, struggling to see the value of their experiences. When I set up Foster Focus, I was driven by a dream to grow it to a level where other care leavers could use it as a platform to affect change. I am proud to say, with the support of three other care leavers (including Ric Waters, featured on page 14), we now offer four main services; keynote speaking, training masterclasses, cultural change management and foster care recruitment. Collectively, our mission is to ensure young people can see that their experiences have worth.
Luke Rodgers
Last year, our care leaver consultants worked directly with 20 organisations, delivered 120 keynote speeches and masterclasses to over 100,000 delegates, took on 11 major youth participation projects and ran two very successful foster care recruitment campaigns.
What’s different about Foster Focus? I believe we have created a very intelligent, professional and unique service with a genuine and authentic culture that people warm to. We are care leavers who have our own experiences and have turned around altruistically to change services, demonstrating to people that outcomes are possible.
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Youth participation
Before we start, each project has to answer two questions; firstly, can it make a measurable social impact and secondly, can it save or generate finance to ensure the work is sustainable and scalable. If either of those questions can’t be answered, we won’t take on the project. This is the heart and mind of Foster Focus.
Is there more of an appetite for youth participation? Quite often, Children in Care Councils are created with a pre-set agenda where young people are asked for their input in a monthly or bi-monthly meeting. This type of involvement only engages a small number of people and as a result, the outcome of these groups provides very little change. We found that approaching young people and asking them what things they think need to change works best. Many councils we have worked with embrace participation. The ‘Aspire to More’ campaign, which we collaborated with Inspired Youth on for York’s ‘Show Me That I Matter’ Children in Care Council was commended by the Children’s Commissioner and Department for Education (DfE). It’s a really strong example of how giving young people a voice and support to be self-directive can lead to the delivery of effective projects. We are still very much in the middle of a cultural shift towards fully embracing youth participation though. If we stopped pushing forwards, it would very quickly fall back into a token approach. That’s why our work is so important.
Who are you working with?
fostering. This led to a number of fixed and long-term projects for the engagement of young people in a number of the Innovation funded projects. We have delivered training to various councils; we worked with North Yorkshire County Council to develop their ‘No Wrong Door’ service, which was nationally recognised for the way residential services are facilitated for young people. We have delivered keynote speeches at several large conferences, including the National Association for Virtual School Heads, which led to 41 further speeches across the country. We have also created a training package to educate schools about attachment, behaviour management and understanding looked-after children.
When I set up Foster Focus, I was driven by a dream to grow it to a level where other care leavers could use it as a platform to affect change. We work with The Fostering Network on their ‘Mockingbird Family Model’ on a national youth-led forum highlighting the benefits of the programme. The sole aim is to provide foster carers with positive stories about how they helped those in their care, boosting morale and shining a positive light on their role.
Foster Focus is now international. Tell us more.
We have developed robust relationships within the sector; including the Spring Consortium, Innovation Unit, University of Oxfords Rees Centre, DfE, and The Fostering Network. As we are facilitating youth participation in such a measured and sustainable way, our associates have given us the platform to pilot our ideas.
We’ve worked in five countries now. We’re currently working with the International Youth Foundation in the USA on a global framework to involve young people in employment, having been named as one of six global leaders in youth participation. The work, which is supported by the World Bank, Ford and Kellogg’s, started this January and will run for two years.
Since the launch of DfE’s Children’s Social Care Innovation Fund two years ago, we have been involved with a variety of projects, speaking at a number of DfE conferences on the importance of involving young people in care leaving services, social impact bonds and
We are also starting a new project in Australia in May for the Department of Education and Training. This is supporting the design, development and delivery of youth-led projects through services that are for looked-after children in education.
Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 13
Youth Participation
Rap therapy East London-based Rap Therapist, Ric Waters (A Boy Called Ric) uses the art of rap creativity and his experience in foster care to elevate the youth for positive change. “You should never underestimate the power of your voice. It’s the most powerful tool of amplification you have.” Working with likeminded musicians, artists and organisations such as Foster Focus, Ric’s on a mission to “change a community of people in an inspiring way”.
A Boy Called Ric
S
ince witnessing the impact of his first solo project with children in care in Wales, Ric continues to inspire young people through mentorship and creative workshops with Foster Focus whilst developing his own music with the hip hop group, Jungle Brown.
Recently a keynote speaker and performer at the Attachment Awareness Conference in Bournemouth, which he describes as “the very place that changed my life, and family as I know it”, Ric reveals his main motivation behind his work: “I never thought I would be able to be a public speaker, but you should never underestimate the power of your voice. It’s the most powerful tool of amplification you have. In the presence of no fear, anything is possible and I want young people to know that”. Making what he calls a “conscious shift to focus on giving back through public speaking”, Ric will be touring the country this year to deliver his message to social workers, teachers and other professionals.
Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 14
Language & autism
Language & autÄąsm
The terminology social workers use when supporting autistic people and their families is so important. 21-year-old blogger and author, Paddy-Joe Moran, shares his advice.
I
have met many social care professionals over the years and as somebody with autism, I’ve had many positive experiences. But when it comes to the language used in communication, there are a few tips I would like to share, especially with those who are new to supporting those on the spectrum.
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Language & autism
Functioning labels: The use of the terms high-functioning and low-functioning is unhelpful. The first reason being that an individual’s functioning level can change from hour to hour, or they can be great at one thing, and totally unable to do something else. The term low-functioning is offensive, even if it is not intended to be. Add to that the fact that people who are called high-functioning are often denied help and have their needs underestimated, you can see why functioning labels can be obstructive.
Autism is not a mental health issue:
“People who are called high-functioning are often denied help and have their needs underestimated, you can see why functioning labels can be obstructive.”
Social care professionals might have autism training as part of a wider mental health course, or the job might entail looking at people with both autism, and a co-existing mental health issue. But it is important they make it clear to the people they are working with that they know the difference between the two.
Use parents’ names not mum/dad: Autistic people can take things literally, and if you turn to someone’s mum and say “What do you think mum?”, it can be confusing. You are of course not talking to your mum, but their mum. This is not something that confuses everyone, but it could confuse some people. The other side of this is that if you meet up with an autistic teenager, or even an adult, and their parents are present, saying “What does mum / dad think about this?” can inadvertently come across as patronising.
Be clear with your plans: When meeting with an autistic person, make sure you let them know what to expect and be clear. For example, tell them the meeting will
end at 3:30pm, not around 3:30pm. If possible, make it clear to them what you will talk about, have a structure, and do not be vague. Depending on what they want, things might change, but if you give a clear idea of what will happen and when, this helps people relax and takes away the stress of uncertainty.
‘Autistic’ vs ‘with autism’: I use both terms, and am happy with both. But many autistic people have very strong feelings about the terms they like, and do not want to be referred to as `having’ autism. I don’t want to use this to make a case for either side, but if you are talking to someone who feels strongly either way then make sure to refer to them using the language they identify with, and they feel happy with both in their notes and in conversation.
Body language: Body language is a huge part of how people communicate, but autistic people often struggle to understand it and therefore miss the message being conveyed. So when you are interacting, try telling them things outright. For example, if you need to go then it is better to be direct and say so rather than using a nonverbal hint that might not be picked up. You might feel rude doing so at first, but you are talking to someone in a language they understand, and are therefore being much clearer and inclusive. This is not to say you should stop using body language - much of it is subconscious anyway - just try to use verbal communication, or visual aids to get your message across, and not rely on body language. If you found this article helpful, my latest book, Communicating Better with People on the Autism Spectrum, contains 35 tips for effective and sensitive communications with individuals on the spectrum.
Author profile Paddy-Joe Moran is an autistic author who blogs and writes about autism. He runs the free autism online advice service ‘ASK-PERGERS?’ via Facebook (facebook.com/ASKPERGERS) and Twitter (twitter.com/ASKPERGERS?). His latest book ‘Communicating Better with People on the Autism Spectrum’ details 35 tips that are easy to implement in everyday practice.
Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 17
Supporting UASCs
Unaccompanied
asylum seeking children Senior Practitioner, Rosie Corby, discusses the challenging but rewarding work she does in supporting unaccompanied asylum seeking children.
W Rosie Corby
henever a child enters the care of a local authority, they are accommodated under the Children’s Act 1989, but the experience of an unaccompanied asylum seeking child (UASC) can be very different to a child already residing in the UK. So how, as social workers, do we support these vulnerable young people?
The cultural context Most social workers are able to access background information about a child’s previous life experiences, but this is simply not an option for practitioners working with an UASC. The majority of young people I work with will arrive without any documentation, and no means to contact other professionals such as previous teachers and often parents or family members. With no way of obtaining an adult’s perspective on their life, it is often a real challenge to learn even basic details such as childhood illnesses. If a topic is too distressing for the child to speak about, it can be difficult to gain a clear picture. You are reliant on the use of an interpreter but this is not without its difficulties. I work with some highly skilled interpreters, but the reality is that you cannot control
“It’s so important, as a social worker, to develop an understanding of the cultural context in which you are communicating.” another professional’s subtleties in communication; their body language, gestures and exact choice of words. These all impact how a young person understands something. When you cannot use your own verbal communication skills, you often have to place more reliance on body language. You also have to be aware of how a young person views the interpreter, for example if it is an older person from their culture, they might adjust what they say to show respect and feel uncomfortable discussing personal topics. This is why it’s so important, as a social worker, to develop an understanding of the cultural context in which you are communicating.
Breaking the stigma Many children arrive here having experienced significant trauma, but will often surprise you how resilient they are. Of course, some do need mental health support, but you have to remember that receiving such support can have a stigma attached to it. We work with them to understand that accepting help is a strength rather than a weakness and explain what will happen.
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Supporting UASCs
“Many arrive with dreams of a perfect life, as adolescents often do, but the reality is that adjusting to a new life can be very tough.”
Building trust Entering the care system can be disorientating for any young person, but for an UASC it can be especially difficult. Suddenly they find themselves at the centre of a complex health and social care system which is very different to what they are used to. They might have also been told to be afraid of those in authority, including social workers and foster carers. They are not sure where to `place’ you as an adult in their life and it can take weeks or even months to build up trust. As you begin to build up that trust though, it becomes possible to help them make sense of their new environment and adjust to life here. Often one of the first things they will ask about will be a familiar place of worship. This can be difficult as there might not be something local, but once we find somewhere they can attend, we try our best to facilitate access.
Adjusting to a new life We offer both emotional and practical support to young people as they adjust to their new life. They often need assistance with changing their sleep pattern, as they become nocturnal after weeks spent staying awake at night to keep safe. Communication with their foster carers can be difficult, as to begin with many
speak little or no English. Arriving in the UK is often the first time they have no one who speaks their native language around them, as even during their journey they are likely to have been travelling with others from their culture. Many arrive with dreams of a perfect life, as adolescents often do, but the reality is that adjusting to a new life can be very tough. Not only will they have to cope with all the usual challenges of adolescence but also with adjusting to life in care. And the reality will rarely live up to the unrealistic expectations of a dream. They can feel as though people treat them as asylum seekers first and young people second and have to carry the weight of being stereotyped, which is an enormous responsibility for any young person. However, I have met some amazing foster carers who offer support and understanding. It’s incredibly rewarding when I help children become settled and start to make plans for the future. A big part of being able to do this is remembering that they are young people. Holding the same standards as you would for any other child, you must be tough enough to lead with their needs and listen to their story.
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Safeguarding projects
Ambitious projects
set to tackle abuse Nine projects have been awarded a share of a £2 million Department for Education (Df E) grant.
W
e take a closer look at the DfE-funded landmark projects that Edward Timpson, Minister for Vulnerable Children and Families, hopes will give frontline staff “the freedom to turn their passion and expertise into providing life-changing support”.
Domestic abuse, drug and alcohol misuse Tavistock Relationships: Aimed at high-risk families, Tavistock Relationships will train 90 frontline staff and 8 qualified clinicians to deliver mentalisation-based treatment interventions to help parents and couples where violence and abuse dominates family life.
Home-Start UK: Fathers from low-income families in Shepway in Kent (whose children are aged between 0 -11 and where abuse is an issue) will receive specialist support to improve their involvement in parenting and family life to help break the cycle of abuse.
Church of England’s Children’s Society: The Dorset-based project will help 175 children and young people from 58 families who have experienced domestic violence or parental substance misuse. To provide this service, 150 professionals will be trained in intensive support.
Sheffield Futures: Sheffield Futures will develop youth worker-led group work programmes for schools and community groups where unhealthy relationships, low-level child sexual exploitation, gang activity, negative peer groups, and domestic abuse have been identified as issues.
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Safeguarding projects
Female genital mutilation Midaye Somali Development Network: The project aims to safeguard girls from female genital mutilation (FGM) by increasing the capacity of professionals in statutory services to work effectively with members of affected communities across 5 London boroughs.
FORWARD: FORWARD, the leading African women-led organisation supporting females affected by FGM, intends to strengthen the multi-agency response to FGM within schools and other statutory services across London, Manchester, Birmingham, Newcastle and Bristol.
Radicalisation Street Teams: Training pupils and 350 education professionals in 50 schools in Walsall, Street Teams aims to address indications of potential radicalisation of young people, whilst making young people aware of the risks.
Kidscape: Kidscape will help secondary schools, across tier 1 London boroughs, embed radicalisation and extremism prevention into their safeguarding policies by being better connected to their local communities.
Victim Support: Based in Lancashire, the project will upskill 30 diverse young leaders. In turn, they will reach out to other young people, their parents and communities to identify what puts somebody at risk of being groomed and what skills and information would prevent them from being radicalised.
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Careers advice
Returning to social work
Craig Davis, Head of Social Work at Sanctuary Social Care, discusses returning to the sector from a career break.
O Craig Davis
nly those who have worked in social work will truly understand how rewarding it can be, despite the challenges. The personal satisfaction of helping vulnerable people is why many find themselves drawn back into the profession.
There’s certainly a demand from employers to welcome those with the appropriate skills and experience within both children’s and adult social care, as Chief Social Worker for Adults, Lyn Romeo reaffirmed during the launch of the Government’s ‘Come Back to Social Work’ campaign: “For people who are wanting to get back to real social work, the time is absolutely right for them now and I think they can make a real contribution.”
The Care Council for Wales regards readmission to the register as a new application and the Scottish Social Services Council does not have a return to practice requirement. Instead, social workers must undertake 15 days of post-registration training as learning (PRTL) within their three-year registration.
Shaping your own route There’s no single route for re-entering the profession. If you’ve not practiced for several years, you will need to think more creatively about how you might gain some tangible experience. This is not just for registration purposes, but to demonstrate to an employer that your skills are relevant to the needs of those you would be supporting.
The answer as to how easy it is to return to practice though largely depends on how long you have been absent for, where you intend to work in the UK, and what you are proactively doing to make the move.
Registration In England, if you have been out of practice for up to two years you will not be required to update your skills and knowledge before you can re-register with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). If you are returning after a period of two to five years, you must spend 30 days updating your skills and knowledge and for those over five years, it is 60 days. This can comprise a combination of supervised practice, formal study and private study.
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Careers advice
You’re unlikely to gain voluntary social work experience at a council due to the statutory nature of the work, but it is possible to arrange work shadowing opportunities. Some councils are keen to offer this as a way of supporting those returning to the profession. You will still need to evidence your registration though and have all the relevant DBS checks. You could also consider closely related voluntary work; for instance, as a support worker within a homeless shelter, refuge or family centre.
Keeping up-to-date We all know how quickly legislation changes, and with that social work practice. There are some very practical things you can do to make refreshing your knowledge that much easier. We’ve pulled together some pointers.
Check for recent legislation, policy and research updates from the Department of Health and Department for Education. Read case reviews for your local area that have helped shape practice. Be familiar with the key national concerns most councils will be seeking to address. In each issue of Sanctuary Social Work News, we include articles from practitioners working in specific practice areas. A full library of back issues can be found at sanctuarysocialcare.com/social-work-newsmagazine
“For people who are wanting to get back to real social work, the time is absolutely right for them now and I think they can make a real contribution.” If you’ve been away from the world of work for some time you might also want to refresh your interview technique. There’s a host of information and downloadable tools available on Sanctuary’s Careers Hub: sanctuarysocialcare.com/careers-hub
For children’s social work, research your Local Safeguarding Children Board’s website. You might even be able to book onto some courses, which is great way to network and form new relationships with social work professionals in your area. If you have the means to undertake training, there are many courses run by local universities and if you are looking to bring your communication and assessment skills up-to-date, Sanctuary Training runs a number of courses. You can browse all upcoming courses at sanctuarytraining.com
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At Cafcass I have the opportunity to undertake direct work with children and influence positive change for them. Family Court Advisers are unique in children’s social work - they ensure that the voice of the child is heard. As a Family Court Adviser you are continuously working towards positive outcomes for children by using your expertise, combined with direct work with children and families.
We know the Family Court Adviser role is both demanding and rewarding. To help you maximise your potential we provide a comprehensive package of professional development, as well as: • innovative technology enabling you to work flexibly at home, in the office, at court, and with children and families • support for your health and wellbeing • regular supervision • an in-house research and practice library • legal advice • case consultations with clinical psychologists.
Does this sound like the role you have been looking for? Visit our website for more information and to view our current vacancies
www.cafcass.gov.uk/cafcass-careers
Training
Moving into a new
specialism
C our s c a l en d e ar
!
Take a look at our new course calend ar at sanctua rytrainin g.com
As Patricia Nkwonta prepares herself for work as an Independent Form F Assessor, we find out more about the skills and training needed for the role.
“F
Patricia Nkwonta
ostering is like straddling two sides of the same fence” says Patricia Nkwonta, Children’s Social Worker from Essex, as she discusses her motivation for progressing her career into fostering. “Having spent the last five years as a frontline children’s social worker, I am looking forward to being an advocate for both the child and the foster carer” says Patricia, who will shortly be joining St Christopher’s Fellowship in Chelmsford as an Independent Form F Assessor. After attending Sanctuary Training’s two-day CPD accredited Form F Assessment workshop, Patricia recalls the moment she truly understood the role of an assessor: “First impressions count and if the potential foster carer doesn’t feel comfortable with you, it could skew the whole assessment. It’s all about creating a rapport with the family.” To help build the confidence needed to assess the suitability of foster carers, course tutor, Roger Chapman, equips attendees with detailed knowledge on how to meet all statutory requirements when compiling
reports and preparing Fostering Panel presentations. Crucially, he teaches participants how to reflect on and manage their own personal and professional values during the assessment process. “I already work in an analytical role so I knew that my skills would be transferrable. Form F Assessments rely on being able to gather and examine information to identify risk. It just involves applying what I already have experience of in a slightly different way”, she adds. Crucially for Patricia, who plans on combining her role as an Independent Form F Assessor with her existing work in the Referral and Assessment Team at Southend-on-Sea Borough Council, the course has a dual benefit: “The training has enhanced the way I analyse information to enable me to stand by the decisions I make, both as a Form F Assessor and in the referral and assessment of looked-after children.”
Sanctuary Training is running courses in more locations than ever before. Find out which course may be local to you at sanctuarytraining.com
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Location, location
Working on the
Isles of Scilly We discover what it’s like to deliver adult social care for the people living on an archipelago of islands off the coast of Cornwall.
T
Beverley Hodgson
he Isles of Scilly is an area of outstanding natural beauty. It enjoys Britain's mildest weather, attracts more than 120,000 visitors to its unspoilt shores each year and has just 2,153 residents. It is not difficult to see why Adult Social Worker, Beverley Hodgson, was so keen to talk to us about her experience of working and living there. “I remember it clearly”, Beverley recalls. “It was an uneventful Friday afternoon. My husband had gone to London for the day when Sanctuary got in touch about the role. Before I knew it, I had applied for what was initially a 12-week position and within a couple of weeks I was sitting on a veranda in the heart of Hugh Town on the main island of St Mary’s.” Beverley instantly fell in love with island life and when her husband, Ian, joined her for two weeks, he decided to stay. As soon as a permanent position became available, Beverley accepted it. “Ian and I are quite reserved people. We would never have chosen to live in a small village, but there’s something special about the Isles of Scilly” she says. With 1,666 residents living on St Mary’s, an Island covering just 2.5 square miles,
everyone knows everyone. “For instance, within half an hour of our son visiting us, the entire community knew who he was!” recalls Beverley. Whilst the close-knit community certainly has its benefits, it also has its challenges. For example, if somebody was to have an appointment with the Community Psychiatric Nurse at the GP surgery, those waiting for another appointment would be able to see. Also, with the community being so small, there’s “no specific place of safety for victims of domestic abuse” says Beverley.
“The Isles of Scilly, and its people, will always hold a special place in my heart. “It’s incredibly important to constantly be aware of your boundaries as a social worker” she remarks. More often than not, those working in statutory services will know the relatives or friends of the person they are caring for. Beverley says she found it best to be upfront and would say to them “I am going to see you out and about, but rest assured I’ll maintain your confidence”. This was really important as often Beverley would socialise with the people she worked with. Each morning, colleagues from health and social care services would meet for a 20-minute multi-disciplinary meeting at St
Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 26
Location, location
Mary’s Hospital. “We would bring different ideas and discuss with the local GP the best care options for individual patients. The paramedics would also be present to provide us with details of any visits they had made the previous day. It was very effective, but only made possible by the size of the community.” After the meeting, Beverley would make her way back to the office where she would notify various teams of any changes in care needs, and prepare for the day ahead.
Here, she would train staff in safeguarding and help organise activities for residents; including spa days and a visit from Father Christmas! Following a decision to move back to the mainland to help her parents, Beverley says, “The Isles of Scilly, and its people, will always hold a special place in my heart. If there’s one thing I’ve taken away from my two years on the island, it's that if the decisions you take are safe and you know why you came to each decision, you have done your best.”
The Isles of Scilly
“Generally speaking, I was able to spend a lot more time with those needing my support. That’s not to say that delivering adult social care on the islands is without its stresses” says Beverley. “I had to learn pretty fast, as there aren’t any specialist adult social work teams there. If my manager was away, I would be the only adult social worker on the island” she adds. The geography poses a challenge for those in need of urgent assistance. A number of older people live on the smaller islands, Bryher and Tresco. “These can be really difficult to reach, let alone transport people to and from”, recalls Beverley who has made the ‘tripper boat’ journeys between the islands many times. “In the summer months, it’s not too bad but when winter sets in, getting there can be really difficult”, she adds. Anything serious requires a trip to Truro hospital in Cornwall. Despite the physical challenges, there was a lot of scope for Beverley to be creative in her practice. Most days, she visited Park House, an 11-bed care home on the island, where she became a familiar and welcome face.
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What would you like to read ...as part of your Continuing Professional Development?
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roviding a magazine that is interesting and relevant to you is our top priority and we would like to hear your thoughts on what you would like to see featured. After all, reading Sanctuary Social Work News can count as part of your Continuing Professional Development. Our editorial team will happily consider any ideas for future content. Perhaps you are involved in or know about a project you think deserves wider recognition, or maybe you or your team would like to contribute? Let us know your ideas by filling in our feedback survey at sanper.ltd/2cesHZX or by getting in touch using the details below. We look forward to hearing from you!
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