Workforce developmentin challenging times

FDAP Conference 2010

Oliver StandingJoss Smith

11 November

Adfam

• Umbrella organisation• Regional partners• Developing communities • Good practice; identifying key issues • Grandparents• Domestic Violence• Workforce• Influencing policy and practice • Responding to policy and identifying opportunities

The Drug Sector Partnership

• Formed from the recommendations of the Cordis Bright report of 2006

• The Partnership consists of Adfam, The Alliance, EATA and DrugScope

The Drug Sector Partnership

• We work together to provide an effective link between the drug/alcohol sector and Government in the delivery of the 2008 Drugs Strategy

• Funded by Department of Health until March 2012

Adfam’s role

• Adfam is responsible for the workforce development strand of the project.

• I am looking at NOS, competencies, role profiles and the qualification and/or accreditation of family support practitioners in the drugs and alcohol/family support workforce

Workforce development

• We want to support all the family practitioners doing a good job supporting families affected by drug and alcohol use

• This could be through a qualification or accreditation scheme, but first mapping was necessary

Phase 1 - mapping

• January – September 2010 I:1. Conducted lit-review of background policy2. mapped national occupational studies (NOS),

qualifications and role profiles3. conducted a survey of stakeholders4. run consultations with stakeholders in London

and Leeds (practitioners and service-managers).

The workforce

• 55 people answered our online survey with information about their family support organisations. Statistics below of are of all staff identified in the survey.

• 62% identified as voluntary sector organisations, 26% as statutory and 12% as private

The workforce

Here is what we found in our survey

The workforce

The workforce

The workforce

Phase 1 - mapping

• We have produced role profiles which succinctly describe the core competencies necessary for family support work. Role profiles are the building blocks of our project and underpin future work.

Phase 2 - development

• From November 2010 I will meet with Sector Skills Councils (Skills for Health, Skills for Care) and other partners (CWDC) to discuss ways forward.

• Our finalised role profile may be used to create a qualification through an awarding body (probably Open University) and/or...

Phase 2 - development

• Create an accreditation scheme so family support workers who demonstrate their competencies against the NOS in the role profiles could be accredited.

• Practitioners would register with Adfam/FDAP having demonstrated competencies to an external assessor.

Exercise

• Do the role profiles cover everything? Do you see your job in them? Do these competencies exist in your organisations?

• What are your training gaps? How do you see training/workforce development in current financial climate?

Thanks

Thank you!

o.standing@adfam.org.uk

02075537656