1. Jane Aldgate Professor of Social Care The Open University
Getting it right for every child: managing the change – ideas from theory and experience
Jane Aldgate
Professor of Social Care
The Open University

2. Why change? Children have a right to reach their potential
Children do best when they meet their well-being indicators throughout childhood
Children are our future

3. Change takes time
Transformational change does not come easily but requires a raising of awareness, a redesign of how practitioners go about their business, multi-agency training that is based on common language and processes, and the fostering of trust and understanding across services and with children and families
Adam Ingram, Minister for Children and Early Years

4. What will help agencies work together?
A common purpose – to promote children’s well-being and achieve the best outcomes for a child
Shared principles and values of Getting it right for every child
A common language and theory– the components of the Getting it right for every child practice model
Mutual benefits
Changes in culture, systems and practice

5. How will changes be achieved?
Lifting constraints on workers’ professional creativity and innovation
Accountability linked to managers’ trust in professionals’ autonomy and judgement
Career structures that support professional leadership/mentorship skills
Managers who respect and work alongside practitioners. promoting life long learning
Changing governance from a culture of blame to one of learning and improving performance
Valuing input from academics and service users as part of the learning agenda
Adapted from Changing Lives, the 21st century review of social work, Scottish Executive 2006

6. Two key agents of change
Transformational leadership
Changing through learning
Main sources
A Guide to Getting it right for every child, Edinburgh, Scottish Government (2008)
Aldgate, J., Healy, L., Malcolm, B., Pine, B., Rose, W. and Seden, J (eds) Enhancing Social Work Management – Theory and Best Practice from the UK and the USA, London, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, (2007).
Changing Lives, the 21st century review of social work in Scotland, Edinburgh, Scottish Executive ,(2006).

7. Transformational Leaders in Children’s Services:
Recognize that they are operating in permanent ‘whitewater’. Change is constant
Know that most children’s services jobs are high stress with high potential for burnout
Understand that a positive workplace starts with a management philosophy that values individuals and views staff as competent and responsible

8. Transformational Leaders:
Develop participatory structures
Believe that participation is an ethical imperative
Recognize that their most valuable resource is the individuals who work in the organization
Know that feelings of achievement and satisfaction are essential to high morale
Strive to attain a learning organisation
Act out the values and principles of Getting it right for every child

9. Qualities of effective leadership
Dedication
Values
Integrity
Charisma
Bravery
Motivation
Credibility

10. Leaders and managers - effective style
Leaders aren’t all at the top. People at all levels should be given opportunities to lead. Leadership is about doing the right thing. A good leaders sticks to their values and isn’t knocked off course.
Leaders need not necessarily be managers but all managers should be good leaders
From Changing Lives, the 21st century review of social work in Scotland,Scottish Executive, 2006

11. Learning to change
Service improvements will not take place unless those who work together in the human services are willing to learn together
From Aldgate, Healy, Malcolm, Pine, Rose and Seden (eds).2007
Enhancing Social Work Management: Theory and Best Practice from the UK and the USA, London, JKP

12. Appreciative Enquiry A strengths based approach out of action research
Both a theory of change and a methodology for fostering innovation
Begins with assumption some things are working well
Invites stakeholders to share what is going well
Asks questions that strengthen a system’s capacity to discover and develop its potential
Invites participants to think differently about the organisation
Creates enthusiasm and commitment
Change is inevitable

13. Translating the theory into practice
Using Appreciative Enquiry in the Highland Pathfinder
What is going well in implementation of change?
What would you like to see more of?
What needs to change further?

14. Changes in leadership and systems
Chief officers owning and supporting change
New focused job descriptions to help people feel safe championed by chief officers
Interagency project team recognised as leaders on behalf of their agencies
Reference groups single and multi agency
All agencies, including vol sector included

15. Changes in practice and culture
A common practice model and practice tools
Moving from child protection to protecting children
Children and families are included and valued as stakeholders
Single child’s plan meeting focuses everyone
Permission to share information early on
More positive individual responsibility
Valuing professional skills and judgements
Improved communications within and outwith Highland as common language spreads

17. Including children and families
‘We feel more equal’
Young people chairing their own meetings
Single meeting at times to suit families means more involvement

18. Valuing people rather than procedures - 5 questions for all practitioners
What is getting in the way of his child or young person’s well-being?
Do I have all the information I need to help this child or young person?
What can I do now to help this child or young person?
What can my agency do to help this child or young person?
What additional help, if any , may be needed from others?

19. Working together and learning together
Multi-agency training essential to recognise skills of different agencies
Single agency training to discuss the detail
Understand everyone has a positive contribution that is valuable
Learn how to collaborate and share knowledge

20. A Positive Culture and New Directions
If I could ask one thing in any situation …it would not be ‘What’s wrong and what will fix it?’ but ‘What’s possible here and who cares?’
Weisbord 1987, quoted in Aldgate et al. Enhancing Social Work Management – Theory and Best Practice from the UK and the USA London, JKP, (2007)