1. Impact of the Care Act on the Adult Social Care Workforce
Joanna David, Assistant Director of Social Care Reform
(ADASS)
Rachael Wardell, Corporate Director of Communities
(West Berkshire Council)

2. Workforce: Critical to Implementation
A piece of reforming legislation – opportunity to develop and promote a change in culture and practice
Much of the Act consolidates good practice and existing policy in statute
But … new statutory duties and responsibilities likely to require an increase in workforce capacity and/or new roles and ways of working
Analysis and planning needs to start now

3. Understanding the Impact on the Workforce
Review CA policy, duties and responsibilities against current local practice
Identify and scope potential workforce capacity, skills and knowledge gaps
Determine operational approach – council delivered function or commissioned / delegated
Recruit / train or commission / contract

4. Key areas for staff training and development
Basic understanding / awareness of the overarching principles of the Care Act – wider workforce, key council and external partners
High level legal training – senior managers and social workers, social care lawyers
Culture change – best practice - implications for social work practice – senior managers, social workers, commissioners

5. Key areas where the Act likely to affect workforce capacity
Assessments and support plans - significant increase in demand for assessments expected, particularly Carers
2015/16
Universal Deferred Payments – councils likely to need to expand DPA function and train key staff
Right in law to a direct payment – councils currently with low numbers may need to expand function and strengthen back office
2016/17
funding reform and care accounts

6. Partnerships and Dependencies
Closer planning, collaboration and integration with health, housing
Integration of health and social care integration
Responsibility for social care needs of prisoners- significant impact for councils with one or more prisons within their boundaries
Safeguarding –new legal framework and statutory duty
Councils will need to assess current practice, identify gaps and plan to meet their new responsibilities.

7. In the South East Stock take analysis Approaches
Work under way to support changes
No workforce development plans currently in place
Approaches
Oxfordshire
Buckinghamshire
East Sussex
Brighton & Hove
West of Berkshire

8. Oxfordshire Changing workforce Need to improve capacity and capability
Increased demand & widening gap
Threats
Smaller pool of young adults
Immigration policy & economic trends
High turnover & vacancy rates
Negative reputation
Commissioning practices
HETV funding

9. Buckinghamshire Increase in pace and extent of work on workforce
Awareness-raising for senior managers
Leadership work with Ernst & young
Organisational capacity & resources
Organisational design – “The Future Shape” initiative
Capacity calculation
Skills audit
Customer journeys

10. East Sussex Amongst the highest numbers of older people
Scale and depth of change; capacity; timescales; recruitment & retention
Tasks
Mapping new learning & skills
Planning & developing training
Workforce implications of process changes
Case studies to support decision-making
Estimating self-funders
Estimating initial and ongoing assessment & care management capacity

11. Brighton & Hove Developing a stronger professional workforce
Link to professional capability framework
Delivery through other organisations
Information / advice / prevention embedded
Develop focus on people’s personal assets and social capital
Roles of care-coordinators / navigators / brokers
Cultural shift
Integrated teams – different too
Overlapping circles mapping work.

12. West of Berkshire Berkshire West integration programme
HETV funding – to develop integrated workforce strategy & plans
Skills for Health & Skills for Care involvement
Appointing workforce development specialist
Mapping - gaps, needs , current workforce – training, terms and conditions, career path, age etc.
Questions for Berkshire West including:
volume of work will significantly increase – numbers and calibre to match the demand?
Do assessments need to be completed by social workers – what scope is there for ‘skill mix’?

13. Questions
Would a regional approach be helpful in relation to workforce development planning?
How can ADASS in the South East help councils to move forward in a collaborative way?
What are the approaches which councils have found most useful?
Could we use/adapt the Skills for Care approach (or similar) as a template for wider use?
How can we share best practice most effectively?
Would a Network or ‘Task and Finish’ group be helpful?