Projects and Initiatives to Support Workforce Development in Social Work Services
The National Strategy for the Development of the Social Service Workforce in Scotland outlines the actions that are being taken forward to support and develop those working in the sector.
This strategy along with Improving Front Line Services: A Framework for Supporting Front Line Staff were prduced by the National Workforce Group in 2005.
In addition, a sub-group of the National Workforce Group produced the Labour Market Report to look at key trends in the social services labour market.
All of this work is now being delivered within the context of Changing Lives, the report of the 21st Century Social Work Review which highlighted the need to build the capacity of the social work services workforce.
The Scottish Executive has developed and/or supports a number of workforce development projects and initiatives. These will continue to evolve under the policy umbrella of Changing Lives.
The Scottish Institute for Excellence in Social Work Education (SIESWE) was formed in July 2003, and comprises the nine Scottish universities that teach qualifying social work programmes. SIESWE works collectively to:
- achieve the policy objectives of the new social work honours degree (first cohort September 2004)
- strengthen the evidence base for social work practice
- support the implementation of an employer development framework for the whole social work services workforce
Since the publication of Changing Lives in February 2006, SIESWE has been additionally concerned with ensuring that higher education programmes meet policy objectives.
The Learning Exchange, the world's first interactive library of digital learning resources for social work services was launched by SIESWE in November 2005. It comprises an on-line library of materials which can be drawn on for the design of learning units, courses and programmes for the social work services workforce. The Learning Exchange is being rolled out to all social work services educators and employers in Scotland.
The Scottish Practice Learning Project (SPLP) is a joint initiative between the Scottish Executive, the Scottish Social Services Council and SIESWE. Practice learning is an integral part of the new honours degree in social work, ensuring that social work students have appropriate and sufficient experience of practice in a working environment in their training. Established in June 2005, the SPLP works with key stakeholders to:
- increase the quality, quantity and diversity of practice learning opportunities
- promote the development of a learning culture throughout the social services sector including the development of regional Learning Networks
- develop the Practice Learning Qualification for Social Services
The project is now funded to March 2008, to assure alignment with Changing Lives and the National Strategy for the Development of the Social Services Workforce in Scotland.
Learning Networks
Four regional learning networks, established during 2005/06 and representing all of Scotland (North, West, South East and Tayforth) have been set up to:
- improve the quantity, quality and diversity of practice learning opportunities
- develop systems to embed continuing professional development for all social services workers
- support all partner organisations to meet the registration requirements for their staff
- help to achieve workforce planning and development
The Learning Networks are formal partnerships between social work services employers and higher, further and vocational education. They also aim to work with other services providers such as health and housing.
Around 138,000 people work in the Social Services Sector in Scotland and at least 25 per cent of them work in the voluntary sector. The Scottish Executive set up the Voluntary Sector Workforce Unit to support and promote the development of the voluntary sector social services workforce in Scotland.
Leading to Deliver
This is a major leadership development programme for frontline and middle managers in social work services across the statutory, voluntary and private sectors. Its purpose is to build the capacity and capability of managers in social work services to lead and deliver high quality, user-focused services now and in the future. The programme leads to a post graduate certificate awarded by Robert Gordon University. Four cohorts, some 400 students, have successfully participated in this programme.
Return to Learn was developed jointly by UNISON and the Workers' Educational Association and is designed to assist those in the workforce, who have poor educational experiences and little or no formal educational qualifications. It is a programme of training to give students the opportunity to tackle basic study skills such as research, communication and presentation. The programme offers a range of workplace learning opportunities which support and direct workers into other career and personal development based learning.
Centres for Excellence:
The Criminal Justice Development Centre was set up in 2001 and is based at the University of Edinburgh, working in partnership with the University of Stirling. Its aim is to forge links between current research, knowledge and practice development in the fields of criminal and youth justice social work by operating as an independent national resource.
The Dementia Services Development Centre at the University of Stirling was set up in 1989 to extend and improve services for people with dementia and their carers in Scotland. The education and training service at the centre plays a significant role in achieving this. The centre is committed to providing learning opportunities for front line workers and managers in different settings.
The SCLD was launched in October 2001 in response to recommendations made in the Same as You - a major review of services for people with learning disabilities and their carers in Scotland. It works with 13 partners who are: ARC Scotland, Badaguish Outdoor Centre, BILD, Capability Scotland, Down's Syndrome Scotland, Enable, Key Housing Association, PAMIS, Quality Action Group, University of Abertay, University of Dundee, University of St Andrews, and the Glasgow University Affiliated Programme. The SCLD reflects a wide range of interests in the field of learning disability.
Scottish Training on Drugs and Alcohol (STRADA) was launched in 2001 to improve the skills of professional staff addressing drug and alcohol misuse throughout Scotland and to ensure that interventions were based on the evidence of what works. STRADA is based at the University of Glasgow. STRADA is a consortium consisting of the University of Glasgow's Centre for Drug Misuse Research and Department of Adult and Continuing Education and the UK wide voluntary organisation, DrugScope.
The Scottish Institute for Residential Child Care (SIRCC) was established in 1999 to ensure that residential child care staff throughout Scotland have access to the skills and knowledge they require to meet the needs of the children and young people in their care. SIRCC is based in the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow and offers a variety of courses at different levels, from short courses to an MSc degree