1. Building & Maintaining Bridges Learning the Lessons on the Journey to Involvement John Dow, Richard Ingram & Jim Sinclair

2. John Dow Service Specialist

3. Why do we need involvement of users and carers? What can we celebrate? What are the challenges to sustaining real and meaningful involvement ?

4. The framework for Social Work Education in Scotland Launched in 2003 following on from action plan for Social Services Workforce (April 2002)

5. Patient Focus, Public Involvement initiative, (Scottish Executive 2000) “Changing Lives” agenda (Scottish Executive 2006) Scottish Voices; service users, carers and professionals working together to influence Social Work education at a National Level

6. Beresford, P. (2006) Who knows best? Evidence-based practice and the service user contribution. Critical Social Policy, Vol 26(1): 268-284, Sage publications Carr, Sarah ( 2004) Has Service User Participation made a Difference to Social Care Services? Policy Press, Bristol. She writes of the inequality of power in the service user/provider relationship, Addressing Barriers to Participation: Service User Involvement in Social Work Training Gina Tyler Social Work Education Vol. 25, No. 4, June 2006,

7. What are the challenges to real, sustainable involvement? Real money, with committed time and support, to ensure users and carers are truly supported, and are given the opportunity to see their experiences are valued. Ensure that we don’t fall into the DATA trap Transferring all of the knowledge from the many books etc, into real meaningful practice, and continually evaluating our successes.

8. Richard Ingram Lecturer in Social Work University of Dundee

9. Service User and Carer Involvement at the University of Dundee. Setting the scene…. The CU group – principles and activities The CU group – principles and activities Teaching and learning – consultation, assessment and delivery. Teaching and learning – consultation, assessment and delivery. Recruitment Recruitment

10. Key challenges Organisational constraints Organisational constraints Transition from desirability to becoming a requirement Transition from desirability to becoming a requirement Maintaining and developing links in a changing context Maintaining and developing links in a changing context Maintaining momentum Maintaining momentum

11. Jim Sinclair University of Dundee MSc Social Work 2005-2007

12. Service User Influence at Dundee Service User’s / Carer’s Module One Module Two Module Three Module Four Practice Learning

13. Professional Decision Making Professional Decision Making “The Caring Experience” “The Caring Experience” Evaluating and Contributing to Policy Development. Evaluating and Contributing to Policy Development. Contributing to the Enhancement of Colleagues Skills & Knowledge. Contributing to the Enhancement of Colleagues Skills & Knowledge. Evaluation of Practice Learning. Evaluation of Practice Learning. Programme Committee Chair Programme Committee Chair

14. Points to consider Service User and Carer Involvement in a multi disciplinary context Service User and Carer Involvement in a multi disciplinary context Promotion of ethos beyond qualifying programmes. Promotion of ethos beyond qualifying programmes. Real opportunity for user and carers to gain positions on the boards of SCIE, SWAP, IRISS etc.

15. Modules led by Users and Carers, with the professionals in support. How do we ensure that newly qualified Social Workers are supported in translating the learning gained as students into practice as qualified workers? How do we ensure that newly qualified Social Workers are supported in translating the learning gained as students into practice as qualified workers?

16. Recognising the realities of the practice setting with all it’s competing demands, how can we enable more experienced workers to embrace the learning which has been afforded to newly qualifying workers? Recognising the realities of the practice setting with all it’s competing demands, how can we enable more experienced workers to embrace the learning which has been afforded to newly qualifying workers?