ASYE forum: assessment and accreditation of social workers September 2016

Putting Children First Published in early July sets out fundamental reform of each of the three pillars on which the children’s social care system stands: people and leadership – bringing the best into the profession and giving them the right knowledge and skills, and developing leaders equipped to nurture practice excellence practice and systems – creating the right environment for excellent practice and innovation to flourish, learning from the very best practice, and learning from when things go wrong governance and accountability – making sure that what we are doing is working, and developing innovative new organisational models with the potential to radically improve services

Focus on people and leadership Providing clarity over standards with the publication of the KSS and introduction of assessment and accreditation Transforming initial education: Expansion of Frontline and Step Up Expansion of Teaching Partnerships Supporting transitions and focus on CPD: New cohort of ASYE A development programme for practice supervisors (we’d welcome ideas!) A talent programme for aspiring practice leaders (to be delivered by Tri-borough) New development programme for social workers making permanence decisions Creating a new regulator to oversee the profession

Why assessment and accreditation We believe that assessment and accreditation is a key part of achieving a fully confident and highly capable social work profession, trained in the right way and with the right knowledge and skills There is really good practice in the system but: Quality of practice is variable Different interpretations of what good looks like Lack of transparency over the quality of practice Assessment & accreditation provides the mechanism for embedding the knowledge and skills statement It provides a window into the practice of individuals (and employers) Helps define what good looks like and supports the system to achieve this Develops confidence in social workers (and of social workers in themselves) A commitment was given in ‘Putting Children First’ to roll out the new system of assessment and accreditation for all child and family social workers, practice supervisors and practice leaders by 2020

Proof of concept phase and proposals for rollout

The assessment in proof of concept Knowledge assessment: general knowledge and applied knowledge sections Digital scenarios: aimed to test decision making and logical reasoning to test ‘soft’ skills: role plays, a reflective conversation with the observer and a short written piece Digital assessment Employers ratings (172) and direct observation (58): to validate the outcomes of the assessment (954) (204) Proof of concept – the model * Numbers indicate the number of social workers that took part in that aspect of the proof of concept Simulated assessment

Proposed assessment For frontline practitioners and practice supervisors: Knowledge assessment (general and applied) Simulated observation Written assessment We are working on the approach for assessing practice leaders

Does not meet the standard one or more aspects of assessment Proposed assessment Practice endorsement Does the social worker display the right knowledge and skills against the KSS? External assessment Knowledge assessment (general and applied) Simulated observation Written assessment Accreditation Does not meet the standard one or more aspects of assessment Support and developmental either… or… Appeald/re-marking

Phase 1 rollout plans

Rollout plans – phase 1 of A&A Phase 1 will run from autumn 2016 to September 2018 We have 31 volunteering employers for phase 1 We will also be working with ASYE cohorts From April 2017, social worker assessment will begin Phase 1 will give us the opportunity to work with employers to understand the impact of accreditation on individual social workers and make decisions about future rollout at scale Phase 2 is expected to start in October 2018

Phase 1 employers Yorkshire and Humber: North East: Leeds Durham North East Lincolnshire North Yorkshire Wakefield North East: Durham Hartlepool North West: Bolton Bury Manchester Oldham Rochdale Salford Stockport Tameside Trafford Wigan East Midlands: Lincolnshire Nottinghamshire East: Cambridgeshire Luton West Midlands: Birmingham London: Hammersmith and Fulham Islington Kensington and Chelsea Kingston upon Thames Lambeth Richmond upon Thames Westminster South West: Bath and North East Somerset Plus ASYE nationally South East: Hampshire Kent

Over the summer.. We have been developing our thinking further, for example about: The roll out schedule Exactly which social workers assessment and accreditation should apply to (e.g. those doing statutory functions) How to treat agency staff and those moving in to child and family services Informed by a series of regional events. Will be set out in consultation document.

What next… In October we expect to… Publish the practice endorsement guidance Publish a consultation document, including proposals on the shape of the assessment Launch the procurement process for a delivery partner In the autumn we will…. Further develop the content of the knowledge and simulated observation Work with phase 1 local authorities on logistics of rollout Start employer endorsement in phase 1 areas In the spring we will… Publish consultation response Appoint delivery partner Between 2017 and September 2018 Accredit workforce in phase 1 local areas PLEASE LOOK OUT FOR THE CONSULTATION AND MAKE YOUR CONTRIBUTION! importantly, in your verbal explanation I'd like you to set out that we'll be asking a question in the consultation about whether the focus for A&A should be on those who carry out statutory functions or not and which ones - this has come out of many of the roundtable meetings we've been to

And finally… From 1 October DfE emails are changing, you can contact us at: socialworkreform.sg@education.gov.uk