Reclaiming Social Work Steve Goodman Director Morning Lane Associates

Children's social care – a complex task Highest context –management of risk Understanding families in poor environments Knocking on the door Working with parental behaviour Gaining confidence of the system Helping families change

The traditional model – why it doesn’t work The social work degree Responses to perceived past failures Administrative burdens Audit and managerialism Assessment overload Waste and impossibility of the team manager role

Reclaim Social Work – a new operating system

Shared Values 1989 Children's Act Managing risk together proactively Believing in families Privileging direct work Collaborative and respectful practice

Strategy Whole system change Reduce children in care numbers Invest in social workers Invest in family support Be brave and principled

Systems Reduce processes and procedures Rebel against ICS Family focussed assessment tools Turn decision making on its head Take bureaucratic burden away from social workers Fit for purpose test

Skills Systemic approaches Social Learning Theory interventions Joint working – get things done quickly Access to highly skilled supervision Learning circles Invest in skill development

Style Leadership not management Risk management not risk adverse Role generosity Allow for difference Take responsibility Be a learning not a blaming service

Staff Remember the complexity of the task they do The most valuable resource Spend time recruiting the right people Give them freedom to act Help move on those for whom its not working Support, nurture, develop and enthuse

Structure CONSULTANT SOCIAL WORKER CHILDREN’S PRACTITIONER UNIT CO-ORDINATOR FAMILY THERAPIST / CLINICAL PRACTITIONER SOCIAL WORKER

LSE (Munro) 2010 Evaluation 40% reduction of children in public care 30% reduction in time taken to conclude care proceedings 50% reduction in staff sickness levels Positive outcome measures (CORC) for families. Openness and support for staff Re-establishes the primary focus on the family Bureaucratic burden significantly reduced Better consistency and continuity of care Better risk decision making Reflective practice encouraged and enabled A new skill mix bringing new perspectives for child protection practice

Tilda Goldberg Foundation (Forrester) 2012, forthcoming 200 practice observation days across 3 authorities Structured in-depth discussion of every child on a regular basis Systemic approach was ever-present – mobilising family resources and creation of a common language for creative thinking about cases Training and education was reinforced by organisational structure and values Clinicians had an absolutely crucial role - expertise and authority without managerial power provided a constant source of input, skills development and alternative viewpoints in teams. Properly supported (practice) informed by theory A far higher quality and consistency in practice 2 to 3 times more direct work with families The approach to practice is “exceptional”