£3.25
July - September 2017 issue
The spotlight on your profession
06
12
Achieving Best Evidence Integrated care
Working in Canada
Learn how to achieve best evidence with forensic open-ended questions.
One year on, we find out what integrated care looks like in Greater Manchester.
Discover what it’s like to work in social work in Ontario, Canada.
Recommended by you…
16 readers share the best piece of advice they’ve been given and their preferred practice models. Pg.8
Your questions answered…
Our experts answer questions on social work practice, career progression and more. Pg.16
From crisis to recovery…
Three mental health practitioners discuss the challenges they face and what continues to motivate them. Pg.18
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In this issue
Contents July - September 2017 issue
06
08
Achieving Best Evidence
Recommended by you
“The best interviews empower the child” explains trainer, Robin Watts, as he discusses the importance of open forensic-style questions for achieving best evidence.
Hear from 16 readers on the best piece of advice they’ve ever been given, what practice models they prefer and the tools they couldn’t work without.
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12
Work life
Integrated care
“It's about being someone that service users can rely on, who treats them with respect and follows through on your promises” Principal Social Worker, Adam Pickford, walks us through his typical day.
Greater Manchester became the first local authority in England to take control of its health and social care budget. One year on, we take a look at the benefits of wide-scale integration.
16
18
Your questions answered
From crisis to recovery
Do you want to take your social work career in a new direction, or perhaps you are newly qualified and want some advice about making family visits or appearing in court? Our panel answers your questions.
How do you help somebody experiencing their first episode of psychosis and remain personally detached? These are just two questions we ask three qualified Adult Mental Health Professionals.
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Reflective supervision
International working
Research in Practice’s Dr Susannah Bowyer, discusses the merits of evidence-informed reflective supervision, including job satisfaction, staff retention and increased critical thinking.
“It's very common for social workers to be deployed as part of multi-disciplinary teams” recalls one social worker on her time in Ontario, Canada.
Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 02
Sanctuary
Editorial
foreword The overarching theme for this edition of the magazine is the need for a collective rethink on mental health services, and in particular, health and social care integration. I feel confident in saying that this very subject is one that concerns most social work practitioners and not just the many mental health professionals who have kindly taken the time to contribute to this issue. Sarah O’Toole
Meet the team
The very determination of those working in frontline social work remains unabated though. Interviews with several practitioners, managers and researchers reveal that even though there is a drastic need for mental health service improvements, there’s an incredibly resilient workforce working creatively on the ground to help those at their most vulnerable (see pages 18-19).
Of course, the picture is a challenging one; there’s no denying it. Even though Greater Manchester has made a vast amount of progress since taking control of its health and social care budget, taking charge has not been easy (see pages 12-13). The rhetoric behind such large-scale change is promising though. Working in partnership with a number of local authorities, I understand the value of taking a more integrated and holistic approach. Whether that’s with families whose children are on the edge of care or looking at ways to help vulnerable adults receive the support they need.
Sarah O’Toole
Managing Director, Skylakes
Emma Plummer,
Andrew Pirie,
“I am proud to say that this edition is the product of 31 social work and mental health professionals, which makes for an informative read direct from the frontline. I would like to thank everybody who contributed.”
“With continuing professional development in mind, this issue offers tangible insights and advice from a broad range of social work professionals, which can be easily transferred into daily practice.”
Owen Dye,
Amy Dawson,
"This edition sees a range of new design features, aimed at communicating a variety of new content in a clearer, more digestible way. I particularly enjoyed the images used in the 'International Working' feature."
“It’s heartening that so many of our readers are keen to share their experiences to help further the development of their peers. It’s this passion that makes the social work community truly exceptional.”
Editor
Marketing Director
Art Director
Editorial
0333 7000 040 | press@sanctuarysocialcare.com
Research & Events Manager
Advertising
0333 7000 040 | advertising@sanctuarysocialcare.com
Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 03
News bites
News bites Key news stories and announcements.
Children and Social Work bill becomes official The Children and Social Work Bill has received royal assent, enshrining it to law. The Act, which mainly applies to social work in England, has been designed to give greater clarity to the role of councils as ‘corporate parents’ of children and care leavers. It also offers greater guidance relating to safeguarding cases. The Act will also see the development of a new social work regulator, Social Work England (SWE), which is likely to come into effect next year.
Birmingham Children’s Trust announce first Chief Executive Andy Couldrick has been named the first Chief Executive of a new independent trust which will take responsibility for Children’s Services in Birmingham. The trust, which will be fully operational as of April 2018, will be responsible for improving outcomes for children and young people across the city. Mr Couldrick will be responsible for delivering and executing the Trust’s overall vision and strategy.
Mental health priority for new ADASS Chief Raising the profile of Approved Mental Health Professionals (AMHPs) will be a priority for the new President of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services. (ADASS) During her inaugural speech at the ADASS Spring Seminar, Margaret Willcox stated that “despite great progress…people with long-term mental illness still die far earlier than the average adult in this country.” You can read more about the pressures faced by AMHPs and what they are doing to overcome these pressures in our article on page 18-19.
Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 04
From the frontline
From the
frontline News directly from council teams.
Lidl backs NSPCC campaign The NSPCC has teamed up with Lidl in a campaign aiming to keep children safe from abuse. The long-term commitment from the supermarket will enable the NSPCC to reach one million children with its ‘Speak Out Stay Safe’ primary school programme. The intention is for the NSPCC to visit every primary school in the UK with its interactive assemblies.
Online simulation improves child protection training
Charity launches free advice service for social workers
The Centre for Child Protection (CCP) at the University of Kent has developed innovative work into the use of serious game simulations to upskill professionals into complex and difficult aspects of child protection practice.
The National Deaf Children’s Society has launched a free information service for social care professionals supporting children with any level of hearing loss.
‘Zak’, jointly developed with Kent Police, focuses on radicalisation and ‘players’ use a traffic light system to spot where and when Zak is being groomed online. The most recent simulation, ‘Behind Closed Doors’, explores issues related to the grooming for radicalisation of three girls to travel to Syria, and a young man groomed for a far-right organisation by a female groomer. To find out more, visit kent.ac.uk/sspssr/ccp
The service is staffed by a specialist adviser with 20 years’ experience as a social worker, who can offer guidance on assessing and meeting the social care needs of deaf children. This involves advice on anything from communicating with a deaf child, helping foster carers and adoptive parents, as well as advice on preparing assessments and care plans.
Visit ndcs.org.uk/socialcareadvice or email socialcare@ndcs.org.uk for more information.
Share your news! Simply email press@sanctuarysocialcare.com if you have a story you wish to share with us. Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 05
Achieving Best Evidence
How to
Achieve Best Evidence Retired Metropolitan Police Detective and Sanctuary Training tutor, Robin Watts, who spent his last 10 years in service leading child protection investigations, discusses Achieving Best Evidence (ABE). Most social workers will be aware of ABE; the forensic interviewing of children, intimidated, vulnerable and disabled adults for criminal investigations and the court process. But there are still some misconceptions over the exact role of the social worker within the interview process.
Let me try and dismiss some myths. A lot of people think that an ABE interview is a police officer-led interview. This is not necessarily the case. The criminal investigation is, of course, police led and this is endorsed by recommendation 99 of the Laming Report into the death of Victoria ClimbiĂŠ. In the manual, this is explained in paragraph 2.22. However, the same paragraph states that, this being the case, does not mean that the police should take the lead in the interview, and explains that provided both have been trained in accordance to this manual, there is no reason why either the police officer or the social worker cannot take the lead. My view is that, where possible, the child chooses who takes the lead; whether this is by a direct request, or how and who the child responds to the best on the initial meeting(s). Of course, other factors can have a bearing too.
Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 06
Achieving Best Evidence
Taking the lead in the interview
Robin Watts
From my experience of working in this field for around 20 years now, I know there are some excellent police interviewers of children. However, there are some equally skilled social worker interviewers as well. Despite this, the social worker very rarely takes the lead in this type of interview. Most will deflect to the police and not put themselves forward to interview the child about the crime they have suffered or witnessed. As safeguarding professionals, we are there for the child and aiming to give them the best possible service we can. We need to be able to objectively decide who is the best lead interviewer for the child and then plan the interview around them (and not us).
Of course, it’s never as simple as purely the re-phrasing of questions; Achieving Best Evidence is much more complex than this. When I teach groups of social workers, I walk them through the entire forensic interviewing process and a far more open way of questioning is taught and examined using role play. This results in the input of the interviewer being minimal and reduces the potential for the child to say what he or she thinks we want to hear, as opposed to what is real and true.
Fail to plan, plan to fail How much priority is given to planning the interview is another concern of mine. Chapter 2 of the guidance report is around the planning of the ABE interview. It is quite an extensive chapter, and the phrase “fail to plan, plan to fail”, comes to mind here. How many interviews are conducted without a proper strategy meeting? How many times do we arrange the interview time and place based on our needs rather than the child’s? Do we consider their individual needs? Areas around culture, religion, medical needs, timings, age, gender, and more besides. Are they considered? If not, are we really Achieving Best Evidence? The interview itself is vital to the investigation, and subsequent conviction, of child abusers. A poorly planned and conducted interview can have devastating effects on the victim. We all know convictions for child abuse are low, and a poor interview can contribute to this.
The importance of open questions I would ask you to think for a moment about how you question children and carers. Does this type of question sound familiar? “Can you tell me about that?”, “Can you remember?”, “Can you tell me a little about...” These are the type of closed questions that can lead to inaccurate and insufficient information. The best interviews I have witnessed empower the child to tell their account using a forensic questioning style, which I teach. Let’s break down “Can you tell me a little about...?” as an example of a closed question. Firstly, “Can you” closes a good open question as they could simply say “No”. Secondly, it’s inaccurate as you don’t want to know a ‘little’; you want to know a lot. Change this to “tell me about...” and make sure you keep the interview open. Use silences in a way that enables the interviewee to fill the silence; nod, smile, echo, or simply use “okay, go on”.
Achieving Best Evidence training Robin Watts’ CPD accredited ABE course, offered by Sanctuary Training, is a five-day intensive pass or fail course that concentrates on the whole process of forensic interviewing of children and adults. It explores the entire process from planning to the conclusion. Professional actors portray child victims/witnesses realistically and respond credibly to the candidate who will interview them, allowing candidates to test their skills and approaches in a convincing but ‘safe’ environment.
I was mind blown by what I learnt on the ABE course. It made me totally rethink how I question children, and in fact, anybody. I had been in frontline social work for nine years and have been involved in many Section 47 cases, yet I was completely unaware I was asking children and young people leading questions.” Lauren Blighton, Duty Team Manager
To book a training course, simply visit sanctuarytraining.com or call 0333 7000 028. Further reading The guidance on Achieving Best Evidence in Criminal Proceedings can be found at cps.gov.uk/publications/ docs/best_evidence_in_criminal_proceedings.pdf
Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 07
Reader recommended
As recommended ...by you
We’re delighted to launch our brand-new feature, giving you the chance to share your tips and best advice with fellow practitioners. So, if you’re looking for a bit of inspiration or simply want to know what others would recommend, this article is a must-read!
What is the best piece of professional advice you’ve ever been given? “To have a work-life balance, as the job is stressful and we need to look after ourselves to look after others.” Linda, Chippenham
You will never know everything in one area. The minute you think this, you are dangerous. Learn daily and stay humble.” Victoria, Bury “Appreciate and be proud of your profession. Apply with honour and a strong conviction. Demonstrate respect to all clients. Do not work on your own; share with the team. Read, review, comprehend and apply.” Francis, Middlesex “That to be a social worker you need to be rhino, because they have a silky-smooth soul to allow them to love, a leather skin to protect their soul and a horn to cut through all the bulls**t. This was given to me by my law lecturer at Uni!” Jen, Middlesborough Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 08
Reader recommended
What are your preferred models of social work practice and why? “A systemic approach to social practice has enhanced my practice knowledge and ability to work with families and the professional system, inviting an appreciative stance to efforts made by parents to attempt change whilst holding the needs to the child as central to this process.” Jacqui, London “Strengths-based, Signs of Safety. It’s service-user led, working your way from top down. Strengths to weaknesses. It encourages families” Ebahi, Dagenham “ABE training is really insightful and assists you in working with children and young people. You never know when one of your conversations with a young person will end up in court, which is why this training is so important. It reminds you of the importance of using open-ended questions and not leading questions.” (See page 6) Michaela, Wiltshire
Allan, Torquay “The annual Voice of the Child Conference - particularly for children’s social workers - refocuses the mind, presents up-to-date research and information and increases motivation to undertake what is a difficult job.” Julie, Birmingham
“Strengthening Families Model encompasses not only the birth family but also the extended family. This model helps families search within themselves through the most difficult circumstances with professional support to identify and maximise the resources (strengths) they have.” Navlet, London “Mixed use of local authority and commissioned services with complex assessments such as SGO, fostering and adoption assessments commissioned out. This allows local authority social workers to focus on more specialist safeguarding assessments and have more time with children and families.” Mahongo, Oldham
The old ones are the best. Two books; Messages from Research and Beyond Blame (Reader, Duncan and Gray).” Linda, London “Sexualised Behaviour training with Barnardo’s. The course helped me in my work with foster carers and young people in care.” Amanda, Selby “Community Care Live. You meet experts from other teams, and it’s good to hear different points of view.” Sibongile, Hackney
“The Safe and Together domestic abuse model. It focuses on the offending parent’s pattern of harm, holding them accountable for their role and impact on children…” Dave, Inchinnan
If you could recommend something that has informed or changed your practice, what would it be? “Honestly speaking, my biggest tool in social work has been my links with social workers. I take a keen interest in what training they have attended, what past experiences they’ve had etc… I keep a mental note and always have a list of people I can go to. This works both ways though, so it means letting others know I am also available to support them.” Danielle, Birmingham
“Try to keep up-to-date with case law and legislation. I use CC Inform, the Sanctuary advice and information, and the SCIE website. I also encourage peer support.”
“I find going to COMPASS job fairs very good. They allow you to see how other councils work and there are seminars on new research. I find this very helpful, even though I am not looking for a job!” Caroline, Banbury
Next issue Next issue, we will be focusing upon your personal recommendations for what makes an effective team. Perhaps you’ve been given some inspiring advice from a senior manager, or maybe you’ve participated in an excellent management training workshop - whatever it is, we want to hear from you! Simply share your suggestions via our online survey surveymonkey.co.uk/r/asrecommendedbyyou
Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 09
A day in the life of
Work life A day in the life of...a principal social worker.
Adam Pickford is a locum senior practitioner currently working as a principal social worker at Derby City Council, supporting adults with learning difficulties and mental health issues, as well as older people with dementia. He is also an Associate Lecturer, Examiner and Mentor for the Open University (OU) social work degree programme.
Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 10
A day in the life of
My journey into social work
Adam Pickford
As part of my first degree in education, I did a placement at a rehabilitation centre in the USA, and I continued to do that kind of work for a few years after graduating. After time spent working within the retail sector, I realised that the work I had undertaken in the US had fulfilled me, and I wanted to explore this further. So, I took a job in a home for children with challenging behaviour, then in a children's secure unit, before finally deciding to train formally as a social worker. I studied for the Diploma in Social Work at Anglia Polytechnic University, graduating in 1999, then joined the Community Mental Health Team in Southend.
My typical day I'm usually at my desk around 8am and start the day by responding to emails and dealing with any reports and correspondence that was left unfinished the day before. I may be supervising the duty team, which involves looking at what has come in overnight and helping my colleagues prioritise their caseloads. As well as attending internal team meetings, I'm involved in three multi-disciplinary Community Support Teams working out of GP practices. We meet regularly to discuss any high-risk people with mental health issues in the community, for example, those who may need or be at risk of needing admission to hospital. Between February and August, I also have my OU teaching and mentoring, mainly involving a fixed programme of workshops which I can easily fit into my schedule. There are a few 'pinch points' with a lot of assignment marking, but I just knuckle down and make sure I find the time to get that done.
My proudest moments The most rewarding times in my social work career have been when I've been working with someone who is very resistant to support, and I've really had to use my skills and experience to communicate and engage with them.
I'm often dealing with people who have had negative experiences throughout their lives and lack confidence in the ability of professionals to help them. It's great when you're able to gain not only their trust, but also the trust of their family members." I also get great satisfaction from working with my OU students to help them develop their social work careers.
Lessons I've learnt I think the most important thing is that you have to maintain your integrity. It's about being someone that service users can rely on, who treats them with respect and follows through on promises. I've also learnt to be resilient. "When you're going through hell, keep going," as Sir Winston Churchill once said. As a social worker, you have to face some pretty difficult challenges. You just have to keep going. If you have one of those mornings when everything is coming at you from all angles, just make a cup of tea and take it one step at a time.
The most challenging part of my job Dealing with violence is always difficult. Because I've always specialised in working with people who have challenging behaviour; it's something I've had to cope with throughout my career. I've had formal training in conflict resolution, but it's experience that really counts. You develop a sixth sense that tells you when a situation has the potential to become dangerous. You're always aware, and you instinctively prepare yourself with strategies to minimise risk, such as sitting close to the exit door or keeping your hands in view when you're interacting with a vulnerable person.
After work I'm a keen skier and cyclist, and I've done some extreme sports, such as a triathlon and an Ironman event. However, these days my leisure time is mostly taken up with relaxing at home and working in the garden. We have an eight-year-old son, so I'm also kept pretty busy doing all the usual dad things. As for getting away, my wife worked for an airline, so over the years we've had some fantastic holidays around the world. These days though, we tend to stick to one destination. We've got a small apartment in the Spanish Pyrenees where we can really get away from it all and forget we live in England.
Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 11
Integrated care
Integrated care in Greater Manchester
In April 2016, Greater Manchester became the first local authority in England to take control of its health and social care budget. One year on, we take a look at the benefits of wide-scale integration.
The devolution deal also delivered a ÂŁ450million Transformation Fund over five years to support longer term change in a process that heralded a new culture, with health and social care working more closely than ever before. The first anniversary came as Manchester elected a new mayor in the form of former Health Secretary Andy Burnham and, more recently, faced the challenge of treating, caring and supporting a population affected by the terrorist attack of 22 May at the end of the Ariane Grande concert.
Quayside walk, Manchester
It was a major step; one that from April 2016 saw Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership (GMHSCP) take charge of the ÂŁ6 billion spent on health and social care services in the region.
Working together over care plans GMHSCP, a coalition of 37 NHS organisations and local authorities acknowledges that some initiatives may have worked better than others in these early days, but it is focusing on the positive and remains optimistic about the future. Associate Lead for Primary & Community Care, Tracey Vell, points to how devolution has helped get a range of professionals 'in the same room to communicate together.'
We have public sector workers next to health care workers and social care next to nursing so that we can agree plans together,�
Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 12
Integrated care
Decisions taken locally
Diabetes and dementia
With clinical commissioning groups and councils working together, devolution of health and social care means that decisions previously taken in Whitehall or by NHS England are now taken locally in Greater Manchester.
People at risk of type 2 diabetes are to be offered support to improve their lifestyle while innovative projects are underway to support 30,000 people across Greater Manchester living with dementia.
Key aspects of the GMHSCP’s Strategic Plan, Taking Charge, lie in helping people 'start well, live well and age well'; ensuring local health and social care services, and hospitals, work better together.
A multi-disciplinary team of doctors, nurses, health and social care professionals and mental health nurses is working with dementia patients in Rochdale while in Salford, there is a 12-month project focusing on 30 people with mild/moderate dementia. Funding of £2.3m has created the Dementia United five-year region-wide strategy designed to make the region ‘the best place to live in the UK’ for dementia care. A comprehensive mental health strategy has also been agreed.
More joined up services are seeing patients and their carers now speaking to fewer organisations about care, and often dealing with one person and one organisation, while 'care navigators' help people find their way around the system and access the services they need. Dr Vell talks about 'standardisation of care' so that patients in Stockport, for example, receive the same primary care service as those in Oldham or Salford. But the biggest point she makes is about no longer talking about health and social care…and simply talking about ‘care’.
More GP appointments A £41m investment has put GPs at the heart of the NHS in Greater Manchester to make more appointments available, often out-of-hours, and see more care taken out of hospitals and placed closer to people’s homes.
These services, open seven days a week, will offer a range of health and social care services, including diagnostic tests, access to routine and urgent care and deliver support to nursing and residential homes." Other Transformation Fund awards include £29m to Bolton, £15m to Wigan and £12m to Manchester to drive service improvement and cohesion. Manchester Town Hall
Examples of success With a single budget for health and social care, there is now a crossover in use of facilities. An example lies in 2000 people with long-term conditions receiving 'exercise on prescription' at council-run leisure facilities, while within the first few months, Salford, Tameside, Glossop and Stockport were given £60m to bring hospitals, social services and community care closer together. The mantra of 'start well, live well and age well' saw initiatives for newborns and mothers; adult social care excellence plans to deliver care; and more integrated care in places such as Stockport where eight neighbourhood teams of health, social care and voluntary sector professionals were established.
Engagement and enthusiasm As GMHSCP - with 100,000 staff, 280,000 carers and 300,000 volunteers - enters its second year, more initiatives are coming on stream such as supporting carers and embracing technology for the benefit of patients and care professionals. But as Steven Pleasant, Chief Executive of Tameside Council explains, a big factor has been the level of engagement and enthusiasm from people working in the system through being given an opportunity to reshape their future and 'deliver better outcomes for their patients and the people they care for.'
Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 13
Author interview
Child protection and parents with a learning disability We catch up with Consultant Clinical and Forensic Psychologist and author of the book 'Child Protection and Parents with a Learning Disability', Penny Morgan. With research indicating that parents with a learning disability are over-represented in child protection investigations, we talk with author, Penny Morgan, about the potential emotional and mental health issues in the context of a person’s parental role.
What inspired you to write your book? Having specialised in working with parents who had a learning disability or difficulty as well as co-existing emotional or mental health problems, I became aware that social workers and other support staff had limited access to training opportunities. Staff would be expected to work with a generic caseload and, at the same time, be able to complete specialised assessments on parents with complex presentations, including learning problems. Much of the literature in this area focuses on planning and philosophical issues; whilst these are essential discussions, they do not necessarily inform the detail of everyday case work. My book, Child Protection and Parents with a Learning Disability, is a response to these concerns.
Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 14
Author interview
How does it bridge psychology and social work?
Penny Morgan
I offer a psychological perspective on the assessment process, explaining the relevant psychological models (intelligence, mental health and attachment), showing how they are used in relation to people who have a learning disability and how they align with and complement the social work assessment process. I also highlight constructive ways of working with families which can be readily incorporated into routine practice.
How important is engagement?
Where does mental health factor? It may be more complex for parents who experience mental health issues as their learning disability may interact with their mental health difficulties. Take post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), for example. A high proportion of parents with a learning disability where child protection is an issue have a history of trauma. Research shows that the interaction between the parent’s cognitive difficulties and emotional or mental health problems (resulting from trauma) can limit the parent’s capacity to prioritise their child’s needs, leading to child protection concerns.
Engagement is a fundamental issue with families where one or both parents have a learning disability. Social workers have to negotiate the dual role of supporter and assessor, which affects the nature of the relationship formed with the family. Yet a parent’s understanding of the reasons for the assessment and the need for support or change may be limited. Here are a few pointers to help establish a positive, contained relationship allowing parents to say when they do not understand or need help: •
Use straightforward explanations and simple language structures
•
Allow the expression of strong emotions such as confusion, fear and anger but seek to contain these emotions
•
Be sensitive to known vulnerabilities (history of abuse, social exclusion and mental health issues)
•
Work collaboratively on goals and tasks to diffuse imbalance in power with parents
•
Include extended family members within the assessment process
How important is a cognitive assessment? It should be commissioned as early as possible. Tests of cognitive functioning and IQ scores give an idea of thinking and learning style, speed and capacity. It will not only help your assessment if you have a clearer idea of a parent’s strengths, but family courts will be looking to see if you have worked appropriately to their individual strengths and needs. However, any cognitive assessment must be set within a wider context. After all, each person will have a mix of inherited familial characteristics, their own personality, environment and upbringing as well as any identified learning disability.
Parents themselves, lacking a clear frame of reference, may not recognise past experiences as traumatic or have the language to describe what happened. Friends and relatives may have dismissed their symptoms. Past abusers could still be present and powerful within the family structure. Helping a parent to build their personal story, and within this, recognise traumatic events and the role that effective treatment could play, are helpful first steps in working with parents with PTSD. Early referral to skilled support is essential, as waiting times for treatment may be lengthy. It is also important to recognise the demands that the treatment process places on the individual and to support this process in order for it to be successful.
10% discount for SSWN readers! Simply visit jkp.com to purchase your copy of ‘Child Protection and Parents with a Learning Disability’ using discount code Y17 at the checkout.
Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 15
Your questions answered
Your questions answered Our experts answer your questions on social work practice, career progression and more…
Our experts answer your Q: “I am a newly qualified social worker due to visit questions on social work practice, a family I haven’t been to before. What do I need to think about in terms of my safety?” career progression and more… Claudette, London Welcome to our Q&A feature, where we bring together our network of social work specialists to answer questions sent in by you.
A: Make sure your manager and team know your whereabouts and the time set for your visit. Check the full case history before you go. Also, you’ll want to ask yourself: Are there any risk indicators? Does this require two people? Would an office visit be more applicable? If it is an announced visit, introduce yourself first by phone and start to build your relationship before you visit. If it is unannounced and you’re newly qualified, take a colleague. Ideally, you should have a buddy or mentor. Have you got parental consent to contact agencies? If so, do your research first. You might want to consider, if applicable, a visit with another agency that the family are already familiar and comfortable with. If you do visit alone, check in by texting a colleague as you arrive. Request a call if you have not checked out within a set period of time (an hour etc.). Make sure you take your mobile phone and if you feel uncomfortable or threatened on the doorstep, do not go in. Remember your skills and training; communication, empathy, conflict resolution, listening and empowerment. Ultimately, your safety comes first. Sarah O’Toole
Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 16
Your questions answered
Q: “I’m about to make my first court
appearance and I’m a bit nervous. Can you give me any advice on what to expect?” Otis, London
A: I have given evidence hundreds of times, Sarah O’Toole, Managing Director of social work delivery business, Skylakes
and I found the following helps. Be yourself, be honest, don’t guess at answers; nothing is wrong with saying you don’t know. If you don’t understand a question, ask for clarification. Revise your case before going into court. Nerves are good; they tend to go after the first couple of questions. Answer to the Judge not to the lawyer. Make your answers as short as possible. Do not let the lawyer confuse you and ask the Judge for the question to be rephrased. Keep to the facts, don’t expand with opinion. Think before you answer; small silences are fine. Ask for time to think if needed. Take big breaths and try and relax.
Robin Watts, Independent Tutor on Achieving Best Evidence and Section 47 training
Robin Watts
direction towards fostering and adoption social work, what will I need to consider?”
Q: “Whilst I managed to evidence all my
Jon, Devon
Debi, Manchester
some experience of working in child care social work before making such a move as this gives you so much insight into the children and their backgrounds, which you can use to help foster carers and adopters.
CPD activities back in November, it was very time-consuming. How can I make this process easier?”
A: Our CPD assessors recommend you
Sophie Cornillon, Acting Registration Manager at the Health and Care Professions Council
Roger Chapman,
Q: “I’m thinking about a change in
ensure a CPD activity is undertaken and recorded at least every 3 months and that you should get in the habit of recording your CPD activities as part of your day-to-day work. Sparing a few minutes a month to log activities throughout the year will prevent spending a long time going back and trying to remember what activities you have completed. Before you start, make sure you look at the HCPC website, as there is a lot of information designed to help you, including sample profiles and video tutorials (hcpc-uk.org/ registrants/cpd/profile/). Familiarise yourself with the examples of activities provided in our CPD guide (also available on the HCPC website) as there may be things that you already do on a weekly basis that you may not have recognised as a CPD activity. Sophie Cornillon
Independent Social Worker and Form F Assessor Trainer
Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 17
A: Ideally, I think it is good to have had
CoramBAAF and Fostering Network are two organisations that offer lots of training and publications about Fostering and Adoption and, obviously, Sanctuary Training provide specific courses in undertaking fostering assessments. I would also recommend that practitioners familiarise themselves with the legislation about fostering and adoption which would include the Fostering Services Regulations (2011, amended in 2013) and the National Minimum Standards (2011). Roger Chapman
Do you have a question? Simply email your question to our team at yourquestions@sanctuarysocialcare.com and we may feature it in our next issue!
From crisis to recovery
From crisis to recovery We interview three practitioners working in adult mental health and discover the familiar challenges they face and what continues to motivate them.
Douglas Mhizha,
Senior Social Work Consultant and Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP)
What is involved in working as an AMHP? Essentially, it involves making certain legal decisions and applications under the Mental Health Act 1983 (MHA). AMHPs are responsible for MHA assessments and it is our duty, once medical recommendations have been made, to decide whether or not to make an application for the detention of the person who has been assessed. I’ve seen a lot of changes since qualifying as an Approved Social Worker (ASW) in 2004. Up until ten years ago, it was purely ASWs who made such decisions under the MHA. But in 2007, amendments to the law allowed other mental health professionals to undertake this role. Although the majority of AMHPs are social workers, psychiatric nurses, occupational therapists and psychologists can train to become one.
What is the most rewarding aspect of the role? Mental health affects such a large percentage of the population. Helping somebody along the path from crisis to recovery makes it a very rewarding job; seeing them progress through illness to become independent or giving them the support to progress in their lives.
How do you remain personally detached? You need to be very balanced in the way you work. It’s not easy, but professionally, most AMHPs are trained to empathise with the patient without getting emotionally involved. This ensures we are best positioned to help the person in crisis.
Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 18
From crisis to recovery
Pamela Smith,
Social Worker supporting patients with complex mental health conditions.
What are the main challenges of supporting those who have experienced their first episode of psychosis (FEP)? Determining what has been going on in the person’s life prior to becoming unwell. Sometimes what the person communicates to you can be bizarre, but there are ‘truths’. Despite someone being paranoid, building an initial good relationship is very important. How you relate and not being judgmental is essential.
Stephen Lonsdale,
Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP)
What made you decide to work as an AMHP? The role of an AMHP is unique, and I consider myself to be extremely privileged to be able to work within a legal framework, which requires professionals to utilise the least restrictive options available to them whilst supporting individuals who present to services.
As an AMHP, I experience situations across the continuum; from crisis work to supporting and maintaining recovery. As such, your skills are proactively and reactively employed across every stratum.”
‘Illegal Highs’, skunk and crack cocaine are major challenges. Working within a hospital setting, I know just how difficult it can be to manage illicit drug taking within hospitals. The misuse of substances can hugely impact the effectiveness of anti-psychotic medication. The quicker you get the person to access appropriate medication, the better. Medication doesn’t always work though. It’s also important to listen and check whether the person is concordant. Some people believe that the illegal substances can help when it may have been ‘masking symptoms’.
The number of people turning up at A&E to be ‘processed and assessed’ is very challenging.” Things get lost in communication. Nurses may not know the full background of the person they are assessing or have the time or the opportunity to speak with other colleagues or access the complete records held.
It’s important to give clear information about what is happening to the carer; the services on offer to them, their rights to an assessment and information on how to cope, together with emergency contacts. Information needs to be supplied in various formats; verbal, written, and in the appropriate language.”
What support do you offer carers?
What are the specific challenges of making sure people stay well in the community?
People caring for adults with FEP can spend an average of 6-9 hours per day providing care. Caring can be a strongly positive experience, but it is often associated with burdens that are subjective (perceived) and objective; for example, contributing directly to ill health and financial problems or in displacing other daily routines. Yet, the ability of a carer to cope can have an impact on the recovery of the patient.
The role requires you to be confident and competent in interpreting legislation in order to take positive risk safely. Establishing and maintaining effective multi-agency partnerships supports this role. However, it feels good to be able to make an independent decision which may differ from the collective, however scary this might be!
Reassuring them that they are able to cope, is crucial. Often, they’ll telephone many times a day asking for advice until they learn to cope. From my experience, I believe carer-focused interventions should be considered as part of integrated services for people with severe mental health problems. This improves the experience of caring, quality of life and reduces the psychological distress of the carer.
How have you incorporated Asset Based Community Development into your work? Understanding the social care landscape enables AMHPs to signpost individuals to non-statutory services. This can often reduce social stigma and promote autonomy.
Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 19
‘Shop front’ social work
Better Lives at No.42
We go behind the scenes at Calderdale Council’s ‘shop front’ social work service. Calderdale Council’s community social work practice has set up a new ‘shop front’ service that is already making the team more accessible to the local community. We catch up with Iain Baines, Head of Adult Social Care (DASS), at Calderdale to find out more.
What are the benefits of introducing the service?
How does it compare to last year’s smaller-scale pilot?
There are two strands to the service, which are focused on prevention and wellbeing. The first is the strengths-based approach, which we have been using for over two years. This is where we focus on what people can do as opposed to what they are unable to do. We have a team of skilled social workers who advise and support people to remain in control and resilient whilst they gain confidence as to how to manage their care and support needs. The social workers were based in our council offices until we opened the ‘Better Lives at No.42’ shop on 3 May 2017.
Better Lives at No.42 has been open for a few weeks and the number of people coming into the shop is increasing. The outcomes are consistent with those we experienced whilst still operating from our council office. The team receives between 200 and 250 referrals per month, and we aim to see people within a week of being referred.
Using a strengths-based approach saw the team achieve 75% diversion from traditional routes of social care.
We achieved a 20% reduction in Statutory Assessments for new referrals in year one, and a further 15% reduction in year two." The second strand to the service is accessibility, which we have now been able to achieve with the shop. We operate without any eligibility criteria and our social workers are available immediately to support people face-to-face. People, therefore, receive a much quicker service.
It’s heartening to see that the people coming into the shop probably wouldn’t have referred themselves or their relatives through a formal process." This is encouraging as it means we are reaching more people and helping them sooner due to our accessibility.
Are there plans for expansion? Yes, this has been our intention from the outset. We aim to open hubs in other parts of Calderdale during Autumn\Winter 2017, based around market premises like Better Lives at No 42. Calderdale is made up of market towns, so this feels like a good model to maintain.
Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 20
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To view the full list of online training courses, visit us at sanctuarytraining.com
Social Work Tutor
“We need to look to retention as well as recruitment” In a guest column, Social Work Tutor, voices concerns over the future social work workforce.
As things stand, national staff shortages are critical in social care with almost a fifth of all children’s social work jobs in England vacant, the situation is not much better in adult care.
Social Work Tutor
Many social work departments, particularly those in child protection are feeling the strain. The temptation, it seems, is to claw back permanent staff from the pool of agency workers and fast-track those on government schemes into the profession. With this in mind, several councils have taken to offering enticing permanent recruitment packages and with the updated IR35 tax rules, the hope is that permanent staff who left to work for agencies will come back into the fold. Yes, we do need more social workers, and whilst there is some rudimental logic to this approach, it fails to consider that many social workers choose the agency route for the flexibility, opportunity to work in a broad spectrum of roles, and for the professional challenge such roles bring. Add to this that agency social workers do such an important job, most notably in time of crisis; coming in at short notice, picking up cases that are often in disarray and hitting the ground running, it’s clear that clawing back from the agency pool isn’t the only option we need to consider here. So far, the Government’s solution to the social work recruitment crisis has been to invest heavily into fast-track training schemes, with the aim of 25% of all newly qualified social workers in child protection having come through schemes such as Frontline. Although the notion of ‘fast-tracking’ people into our profession can stick in the craw of some; I’ve engaged with many
fast-tracked workers and found them, for the most part, bright, caring and committed to children. My argument has never been against such schemes; I truly believe they all have a part to play and I welcome a diverse workforce. Instead, my argument is for parity with traditional courses. I’ve spoken with students on traditional university courses who feel hard-done-by when facing bursary cuts as their ‘high flying’ future colleagues are paid a handsome salary to train. I’ve also heard many similar tales of students coming out of university with no statutory placement experience and, again, feeling like a second-class citizen compared to the guaranteed council placements of their fast-tracked peers. But even if we get lots of fast-tracked workers through our doors, address the unfairness faced by university graduates and bring locum social workers back into the permanent fold, we are missing the elephant in the room…
Why are people leaving Social Work in the first place? It feels like all the focus is on recruitment and yet there’s nothing at all on retention. Even when more experienced social workers are considered in schemes to boost the workforce, it is in back-to-work courses, not in keeping people in the jobs they are already doing. We must make sure there’s some thought given to those of us who’ve been plugging away for years. Whether we’re agency, permanent or part-time, show some love to the veterans and don’t take us for granted! Website: socialworktutor.com Facebook: socialworktutor
Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 22
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Reflective supervision
Best practice in ref lective supervision Research in Practice’s Assistant Director, Dr Susannah Bowyer, discusses the merits of evidence-informed reflective supervision. Whilst it is commonly accepted that good quality supervision is vital for enabling social workers to be the best they can be in their work with children and families, the evidence base in this area needs development. While studies have shown an indicative association between supervision and outcomes such as practitioner stress or intention to leave, there is little conclusive proof that the effects can be attributed to supervision itself.
Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 24
Reflective supervision
Nevertheless, the evidence does suggest that supervision featuring task assistance, social and emotional support and a good relationship between supervisor and supervisee is strongly associated with job satisfaction, staff retention and increased critical thinking. Ensuring high quality supervision of this kind across children’s social care and family support is a significant challenge for social work employers.
Dr Susannah Bowyer
The pack also explores Group reflection in its various forms, and as one of our participants so aptly describes it,
You need much more than one worker running around with a piece of string. You need a net, and a net is held by a group of people."
In 2015, in response to the strong demand from the Research in Practice network, we initiated a ‘Reflective Supervision Change Project’. The Change Project method has been developed over the two decades of RiP’s existence, and is an excellent method for co-producing practice-oriented and research-informed resources. The initial phase involved participants from 19 Partner organisations. The group met over a period of nine months to share the research evidence and draw that into dialogue with practitioner expertise. The group work focused on two fundamental questions. Firstly, how can reflective supervision support analysis and critical thinking in work with children and families? And secondly, how can it contribute to emotional resilience? Out of this process a resource (published in April this year) was produced, which includes a set of tools designed to support various aspects of reflective supervision. Rather than producing resources that proscribe, the pack is designed to help develop and consolidate both group and one-to-one supervision activities. A draft version of the pack was tested across our network in 2016. Amongst other elements, the pack includes: •
Materials on recording reflective supervision, including templates to aid the recording process
•
Tools to support critical reflection
•
Materials to help understand and build emotional resilience
•
Methods for setting up and facilitating multi-agency group supervision
The strength of multi-agency teams is the variety of perspectives and practice approaches brought to bear on casework. To make best use of this diversity, the resource explores how teams might develop an approach that enables them to actively explore differences before seeking consensus. Speaking on her involvement within the pilot groups for the RiP Change Project, Principal Child and Family Social Worker for Lincolnshire County Council, Sam Clayton, says: “When the opportunity arose for involvement in the Change Project, it seemed too good to let pass. In Lincolnshire, a lot of work had been done to develop reflective supervision, but there were some things that were just not as consistent as we wanted them to be, and we needed to have another look at this. We had also started to use Signs of Safety across all our work with children and their families, and so the approach to supervision needed to be updated to align with this; the language, format and approach needed to be refreshed. “Speaking on behalf of Lincolnshire, we were delighted to be involved. We’re proud of the resulting resources, and we would definitely do it again. The opportunity to be part of the Change Project on this particular topic reminded me about how important reflective practice is in allowing us to continually develop our work and improve practice. Now that it’s firmly in place we are looking forward to the resources helping us to improve the quality and consistency of supervision. The ultimate test will be if children and families tell us we are doing things better.”
Download a copy To download a copy of Research in Practice’s ‘Reflective Supervision: Resource Pack (2017)’, simply visit rip.org.uk/resources/publications/practice-tools-andguides/reflective-supervision-resource-pack-2017
Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 25
International Working
A transatlantic journey We discover what it’s like working in children’s and adults social services in Ontario, Canada. What is it like to practise as a social worker in Canada? To find out, we spoke to Luton Borough Council Social Worker Stella Bakare, who trained in Ontario and spent several years working there in the social services sector. It was in 2002 that Stella Bakare and her family decided to move from the UK to Canada. Her husband already had work lined up in the form of a printing franchise. However, Stella, who was working as a community care officer, was faced with the daunting challenge of finding a job. Although Stella had several years' experience working in social services, she was still an unqualified social worker, having studied political science in Nigeria for her first degree, later gaining an MA in Information Technology in the UK. Unfortunately, her lack of formal social work qualifications proved to be an issue when she began to look for work on arriving in Canada. "I assumed that I would be able to apply for similar social work roles to the one I was doing here," she explains. "However, I soon realised that wasn't going to be possible. Although I had several years' social work experience in the UK, I found that I would need to have a Masters degree to practise in Canada."
Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 26
International Working
Determined to continue her social work career, Stella took a job as a counsellor at a centre for people with learning disabilities and began studying for her Masters degree in social work. During her five years in Canada, Stella also worked at three other Ontario social care organisations: Halton District School Board, the Intake and Family Services Department of Peel Children's Aid Society and Christian Horizons in Oakville.
Stella Bakare
So, did Stella find working in Canadian social services very different from working in the UK? "There's a similar dividing line between adults' and children's services", she says. "However, the main difference is that most of the providers in both areas are government-funded social enterprises, rather than being under local authority control. That means they have a much greater degree of independence and flexibility, enabling them to make decisions more easily based entirely on local needs." "That being said, it also means that there tends to be less access to specialist support resources for frontline professionals. For example, in the UK a social worker would usually have the opportunity, via the local authority or the NHS, to refer a child with behavioural problems to other organisations for interventions such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). In Canada, the social worker is more likely to rely on their own therapeutic skills and expertise." While in Canada, Stella worked in both children's and adult services. In children's services she experienced similar working practices to the UK. However, she found the situation in adult services quite different. "The integration of health and social care is much more well established in Canada," she says. "It's very common for social workers to be deployed as part of multi-disciplinary teams, which include nurses and other health professionals."
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada
In terms of her own role, Stella found that her duties and responsibilities were similar to those she might expect to have as a social worker in the UK. But what about the social issues she was dealing with? "They were similar too, particularly in children's services," recalls Stella. "The types of cases I was working on were exactly the sort of things you would expect to see in the UK."
The historic Rideau Canal, Ottawa, Canada
Having relocated 3,000 miles across the world, what cultural differences did Stella encounter? "Although we speak the same language, it turned out to be a real culture shock for me," she admits. "It wasn't just the issues I encountered in navigating the Canadian social work education and employment system."
As a social work practitioner, I found I was engaging with people from a much wider variety of ethnic backgrounds than I would in the UK, many of whom were struggling to integrate successfully into Canadian society." "Unlike in the UK, there seems to be very little government or local authority support available to help them integrate. Although there are local community groups in some areas, access to information is often limited." Parts of Canada still have a frontier feel and the weather can be pretty extreme. So, did Stella find the terrain and climate challenging? "Luckily, I was based in urban areas of Ontario throughout my time in Canada," she says. "I had to do quite a bit of driving for work and I found the huge amounts of snow in winter quite treacherous. It was lovely for the kids to play in at weekends, but very challenging when I had to drive through it to get to work, college or university." If Stella were to choose one thing that the UK could learn from the Canadian social work system, it would be the provision of social workers in schools. "The Canadian Ministry of Education directly employs social workers and it is standard practice to have social workers in schools" she explains. "I think that's a really good thing. It means that issues with children and young people can be identified early and appropriate interventions can be put in place."
Sanctuary Social Work News ~ 27
Give your CPD a boost …by reading and downloading articles inside Sanctuary Social Work News.
In this issue: Learn how to achieve best evidence for a successful prosecution 16 social workers share the best advice they’ve ever received and the practice models they prefer Our guest panellists answer your questions on safety, presenting evidence in court, how to move into fostering, and more… Each and every article has been carefully selected to offer insight into how social work is changing, making it easier than ever for you to count reading the magazine as part of your Continuing Professional Development profile. We strongly believe in giving our readers every opportunity to contribute to the magazine and our editorial team will happily consider any ideas you might have. Let us know your ideas by filling in our feedback survey at sanper.ltd/2cesHZX or get in touch using the details below. We look forward to hearing from you!
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