Reclaiming Social Work in Aberdeen Together we are … Reclaiming Social Work in Aberdeen

RSW model: 7S Model Shared Values (e.g. Managing risk together; believing in families, direct work) Strategy (e.g. Whole system change, reduce LAC numbers, invest in staff) Systems (e.g. Reduce processes & bureaucracy, change point of decision making) Skills (e.g. Systemic practice, skilled supervision) Style (e.g. Risk management not risk averse, Learning not blaming) Staff (e.g. Support, nurture, develop & enthuse) 2

CLINICAL PRACTITIONER CHILDREN’S PRACTITIONER RSW model: 7S Model CONSULTANT SOCIAL WORKER Structure CLINICAL PRACTITIONER SOCIAL WORKER UNIT CO-ORDINATOR CHILDREN’S PRACTITIONER 3

RSW in Aberdeen: the journey so far April 2012: Meeting at Scottish Government June 2012: Morning Lane Associates (MLA) make presentations to Scottish Government & ADSW Conference Feb 2013: MLA presentation to Aberdeen Children’s Services Annual Practice Improvement Conference March 2013: SCWB Committee agree to investigate the Reclaiming model in Aberdeen 4

Transformation Evaluation Messages Systemic units delivered a more consistently high quality of direct work Reduction in number of children in care Reduction in staff sickness levels Bureaucracy significantly reduced Positive outcomes for children and families Better decision making around risk Consistently high levels of skill in direct work with families More time spent with families and children (2 to 3 times more) More intensive help for families – particularly at times of crisis or for families with complex problems'

RSW in Aberdeen: the journey so far April 2012: Meeting at Scottish Government June 2012: Morning Lane Associates (MLA) make presentations to Scottish Government & ADSW Conference Feb 2013: MLA presentation to Aberdeen Children’s Services Annual Practice Improvement Conference March 2013: SCWB Committee agree to investigate the Reclaiming model in Aberdeen 6

RSW in Aberdeen: the journey so far May 2013: Report from MLA to Practice Improvement session & work on children’s services shared values June/July 2013: volunteers sought from staff group to get actively involved September 2013: SCWB Committee agree the model will be introduced in Aberdeen on a 3 year implementation programme October 2013: Programme Board established, first meeting takes place November 2013: 3 day managers training course takes place and first caseload weighting exercise carried out by CSMT

Children’s Services Core Values Keeping children safe in families Showing children respect and dignity Openness and transparency Having willingness to challenge and change Being a learning organisation 8

RSW in Aberdeen: the journey so far May 2013: Report from MLA to Practice Improvement session & work on children’s services shared values June/July 2013: volunteers sought from staff group to get actively involved September 2013: SCWB Committee agree the model will be introduced in Aberdeen on a 3 year implementation programme October 2013: Programme Board established, first meeting takes place November 2013: 3 day managers training course takes place and first caseload weighting exercise carried out by CSMT

RSW in Aberdeen: the journey so far December 2013: 3 workstreams established January 2014: Operational Reference Group established and 18 day systemic training course starts for 60 practitioners February 2014: Fortnightly staff bulletin starts Strap line together we are… and brand agreed Knowledge Hub Reclaiming Social Work group established Intranet site established

RSW in Aberdeen: the journey so far April 2014: Caseload audit to gather evidence for numbers of Units required May 2014: Streamlining of process and system commences to free up time for direct contact, less paper July 2014: Structure proposed and approved at programme board and staff engagement event to share the proposed structure August 2014: Evaluation of implementation commissioned (Blake Stevenson)

RSW model: Evaluation references Cross, S. et al (2010) Reclaiming Social Work London Borough of Hackney Children and Young People’s Services, Human Reliability Associates & London School of Economics http://www.safeguardingchildrenea.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Eileen-Munro-Review-of-the-Hackney-Model.pdf Forrester, D. et al (2013) Reclaiming Social Work? An Evaluation of Systemic Units as an Approach to Delivering Children‘s Services, Tilda Goldberg Centre for Social Work and Social Care, University of Bedfordshire http://www.beds.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/258491/Final-Report-RSWv3-19072013.pdf 12

Reclaiming Social Work together@aberdeencity.gov.uk 13