Commissioning social work to deliver personalisation

Workshop themes

The business case for social work in a changing landscape for commissioners

Differing approaches to the deployment of social workers

Implications for employers and the social work

profession

The context for social work

in adult services

The Care Bill – radical shift of emphasis from crisis driven services to a more preventive approach based on well being

Integration agenda in health and social care

Facilitation of citizen and community led approaches to the meeting of social care needs

Environment of severe financial constraint

Endorsement for the future of

social work in adult services ADASS - Publication of two Advice Notes and

support for social work workforce commissioning (in partnership with SfC)

TCSW - Currently working in partnership with the profession to develop a robust business case with supporting materials

Chief Social Worker - Lobbying government to embed Social Work within the Care Act.

TCSW business case for social work with adults

Focus on the evidence base for: The social return on investment Meeting statutory requirements Principal social workers in adult care Social work in community development Approved mental health professionals and

leadership Social work with older people

The Care Bill

Lobbying underway to gain recognition for the specific roles social workers can undertake in the areas of: Information and Advice Assessment of need Safeguarding Powers of access

radical shift of emphasis from crisis driven services to a more preventive approach based on well being

New and emerging social work roles

Evolving roles around Assessment, planning and review

New opportunities in Safeguarding, Prevention and Early Intervention and Community Capacity–building

Leadership roles for social workers within the Integration agenda

Differing approaches to social work deployment across local authorities

Adjustments to numbers of social workers employed within local authorities (up as well as down)

Redesign of the roles being undertaken by qualified and un qualified staff within local authorities

Outsourcing of social work services in some areas

Variations in the involvement of the independent sector

TOPAZ Social Work Community Interest Company

www.topaz.uk.net

Overview: A Social Work Practice Pilot

• The Lambeth site is the only site based in London.

• TOPAZ: Team Offering People Advice & Zest has been in operation since November 2009.

• TOPAZ is an innovative, multi-disciplinary team consisting of three registered Social Workers, a Community Worker and an Occupational Therapist.

TOPAZ Social Work Community Interest Company: launched in July 2012

• A Community Interest Company (CIC) is a limited company created for the use of people who want to conduct a business or other activity for community benefit, and not purely for private advantage.

• Early intervention – will delay the deterioration of independence.• Prevention - rather than treatment.• Support to create resilient communities and reduce dependency on

care services.• A dedicated team to support ‘self-funders.’• Reaching out to our communities – to engage citizens • Low level support – thereby reducing the overall spend on social care in

the long term.• A reduction in admissions to permanent, institutional care.• Early intervention – to reduce unnecessary hospital admissions.• Specialist support to those with multiple diagnoses / needs.• Promoting the Safeguarding Awareness campaign to self-funders and

Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic groups.

TOPAZ – benefits

Citizen’s needs

Identified Needs of attendees

TOPAZ - outcomes

• Improved Health & Well Being• Improved Quality of Life• Making a Positive Contribution • Increased Choice & Control • Economic Well Being • Maintaining Personal Dignity & Respect• Freedom from Discrimination & Harassment

Impact

• A reduction in unnecessary visits to General Practitioners - via improved support in the community.

• A proactive approach to care and support - to avoid crisis and use of secondary care services.

• Promotion of social opportunities and engagement.

• Prevention: invest to save!

Choice and control

• Promotion of independence and wellbeing. • Promotion of safety and access to relevant

support services.• Improved understanding of local need

through detailed data collection.• An improvement in citizen and carer

satisfaction - due to an increased knowledge/support.

TOPAZ endorses the Asset Based Approach

• Asset based approaches are concerned with identifying the protective factors that support health and wellbeing. They offer the potential to enhance both the quality and longevity of life through focusing on the resources that promote the self-esteem and coping abilities of individuals and communities

TOPAZ: Team of the Year 2011

• We won Team of the Year – Adult’s services (Social Work Awards)

“The judges felt that this team showcased imaginative work and was extremely focused upon the service user impact. They liked the way the team had used a core social work service and implemented it in an original way and the outcomes and successes were very clearly defined.”

The Co-operative Council

• The objective of the co-operative council is to ensure that people are involved and have control of the services they use and the places in which they live by putting council resources in their hands.

Summary

• Creating resilient communities is essential.• Asset based approaches emphasise the

need to redress the balance between meeting needs and nurturing the strengths and resources of people and communities.

• Thank you.

Making the most of social work to deliver personalisation

The profession and employers across a locality can work together to develop innovative ways of utilising the skills, knowledge and experience of social workers in new roles.

This involves the liberation of social workers from the “Care Management” model of working to enable them to use their skills, knowledge and experience in creative ways both within and beyond the local authority

And requires avoidance of making decisions about social work deployment on the basis of short term expediency alone

Making the most of social work to deliver personalisation

Social Workers need to develop a common social work identity - in terms of defined professional capabilities rather than in the context of employment setting, service user group, or job title

This involves Culture change within the profession in order to empower and embrace new ways of working

This in turn rests on an enhanced emphasis on professional leadership– development of leaders at all levels of an organisation (strategic and operational)

There are a number of resources to support decision making around the commissioning of the social work workforce

Skills for Care is currently undertaking a refresh of the resources that accompanied the ADASS second advice note (The deployment of social workers in adult services: September 2012)

These will be re-launched in the Spring 2014 and uploaded onto the “Employing Social Workers” page of the Skills for Care website.

Resources

Skills for Care has produced resources to support culture change within organisations.

Developing social workers' practice: Core principles for employers providing opportunities for social workers continuing professional development http://www.skillsforcare.org.uk/Social-work/Social-work-CPD/Continuing-to-develop-social-workers.aspx

Social Work Leadership Toolkit: tools and resources to support social work management http://www.swltoolkit.co.uk/

Resources

Discussion topics

On what basis are decisions about the social work workforce made

within your organisation?

What can be done to support culture change amongst social workers in

your organisation?