WANDSWORTH BOROUGH COUNCIL
Children’s Social Care
Workforce Training Strategy
2015-16
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Training and Development Service, Department of Education and Social Services
Children’s Social Care Workforce Training Strategy 2015-16
Contents
Page No.
1
Introduction
2
2
Context
2
3
Purpose
3
4
Equality and Diversity
3
5
Principles
3
6
2015-16 Training Priorities
4
7
Key Knowledge and Skills
5
8
Target Audiences
5
9
Stakeholders
5
10
Service Users’ Views
6
11
Roles and Responsibilities
6
12
Publicity
6
13
Evaluation and Impact
6
14
Governance
6
Appendices
Appendix 1: Professional Capabilities Framework
7
Appendix 2: Children’s Social Care Training Events 2015-16
8
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Children’s Social Care Workforce Training Strategy 2015-16
1. Introduction
Wandsworth Council is committed to providing high quality learning opportunities for social care
staff to support their continuing professional development. There is an integrated approach to
training driven by an understanding of the skills, knowledge and abilities that the workforce
requires to achieve good outcomes for children, young people and their families. Through a
combination of internal training events, external award programmes, external courses and
conferences the Training and Development Service, within the Department of Education and Social
Services, aims to ensure that all social care staff are kept up to date with social work
developments and best practice.
2. Context
In England the current overarching professional standards framework for education and training is
the Professional Capabilities Framework (PCF) which sets out expectations for social workers at
each stage in their career. See Appendix 1 for the PCF for social workers. The PCF has been
mapped against the Standards of Proficiency for Social Workers in England (HCPC 2012a) as
regulated by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) (Link to: http://www.hcpcuk.org/assets/documents/10003B0BMappingoftheHPC'sstandardsofproficiencyforsocialworkersinEnglanda
gainstthePCF.pdf).
This strategy is informed by relevant legislation, statutory and policy guidance including:
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The Children Act 1989 and 2004
Children and Families Act 2014
Human Rights Act 1998
Data Protection Act 1998
Carers and Disabled Children Act 2000 and Carers Act 2004
Children and Adoption Act 2006
Working Together to Safeguard Children 2015
Public Law Outline 2014
The Care Act 2014
Messages from Department for Education Biennial Reviews since 2005 (M. Brandon et. al.)
The London Child Protection Procedures 2015
Wandsworth Children and Young People’s Partnership: Guide to Early Help 2015
Fostering Service: National Minimum Standards 2011.
This training strategy recognises that the social care workforce works within a dynamic and
changing environment. The Office of the Chief Social Worker for children and families and the
Department for Education are proposing a national accreditation system for children social
workers, supervisors and practice leads. This will require the Training and Development Service to
be responsive to these changes.
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Children’s Social Care Workforce Training Strategy 2015-16
3. Purpose
This strategy provides the framework and direction for developing the children’s social care
workforce in Wandsworth over the next year to ensure it is capable and confident to safeguard
and promote the welfare of children and young people. It aims to ensure that the workforce is
inducted, supported and appropriately trained to perform to the highest standard.
4. Equality and Diversity
Training events will be conducted in ways which create a climate that respects and values diversity
and promotes anti-oppressive practice.
5. Principles
The children’s social care training programme is underpinned by the following principles:
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Training is child focused
Trainers are knowledgeable in their specialist area(s)
Training is underpinned by theory, research, local and national policy and practice
developments
Training and development activities enhance social work capability inline with PCF
domains.
See Appendix 2 for a list of training events available to the children’s social care workforce during
2015-16.
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6. 2015-16 Training Priorities
Training Priority
1. Provide an effective and flexible training programme that develops a capable
and confident children’s social care workforce
2. Deliver, implement and review Signs of Safety and Wellbeing training to
support the DESS in embedding this theoretical approach
3. Gather and analyse information about training needs to inform priorities in
provision
4. Keep informed about, and where possible participate actively in, local and
national developments in policy and practice that affect the social care workforce
5. Apply latest learning from research, partnership reviews and serious case
reviews to the planning and content of training events, using a wide range of
delivery methods including new technology
6. Promote the professional development of social workers through the Assessed
and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE) programme and appropriately
targeted Higher Education (HEI) courses designed to develop PCF and Knowledge
& Skills capabilities
7. Explore opportunities to involve service users in the design and
implementation of relevant social care training events
8. Work with social care staff to quality assure, support best practice and develop
the workforce
Success Indicator
a. Training activities cover the key knowledge, skills and values that the
workforce needs to improve outcomes for children and families
b. The Training and Development Service responds to feedback or requests from
social care managers regarding specific provision
a. All social workers and social work managers working with children and
families have attended SOSWB training
b. Practice leads have been identified and trained
a. Training and operational staff meet to identify learning needs and to receive
feedback on current provision
b. Event evaluations are gathered, reviewed and inform future delivery
a. Training and development staff contribute to local and national debate and
development of best-practice
b. Membership of organisations that provide access to current professional
thinking is maintained
c. Social Work Conference is delivered
d. HEI seminars on topical issues are promoted
a. New learning events are provided or enhanced
b. New learning/delivery methods incorporated into the training offer
a. A supportive, challenging and effective ASYE programme is delivered
b. A CPD progression rationale for workers and managers from
Consolidation/Progression in Practice through to Specialist, Practice Educator,
Supervision and Leadership modules is available
a. Service users are involved in the design and implementation of selected
training programmes and/or their contributions inform the training
a. The value and relevance of supervision, analysis and critical reflection within
social work practice is promoted through training
b. Managers and social care workers can access advice on their CPD, learning
needs and progression
c. Social work Internship Scheme is in place
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7. Knowledge and Skills
The children’s social care training programme addresses the following knowledge and skills used
by the children’s social care workforce:
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Relationships and effective direct work
Communication
Child development
Adult mental ill health, substance misuse, domestic abuse, physical ill health and disability
Abuse and neglect of children
Child and family assessment
Analysis, decision-making, planning and review
The law and the family and youth justice systems
The role of supervision
Organisation context.
The training programme is delivered within the context of the theoretical practice framework
which is Signs of Safety and Wellbeing.
8. Target Audiences
Training events are available to all staff employed by Wandsworth Council in social work and social
care roles. Specific courses will be targeted at different levels and full details are available on each
event description. The Training and Development Service is responsive to the training needs of
the social care staff within the Department of Education and Social Services.
9. Stakeholders
The key stakeholders who influence and will be influenced by the children’s social care workforce
training programme are illustrated below.
Children,
young people
and parents /
carers
Wandsworth
borough
residents
Central and
local
government
Social
Work
Higher
education
institutions
Professional
bodies
Children and
young
people's
workforce
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Children’s Social Care Workforce Training Strategy 2015-16
10. Service users’ views
In 2014-15 a sample of service users informed the Training and Development Service of the
following qualities, skills and knowledge that they expect staff and volunteers working with them
to display.
11. Roles and Responsibilities
Operational service leads meet regularly with the Training and Development Service to discuss,
request, review and evaluate the quality and impact of training delivered. The training
programme is informed by the training and development needs of the children’s social care
workforce. Managers and staff have responsibility for identifying learning needs and enabling
staff to access appropriate training suited to their role and the needs of the service.
12. Publicity
All children’s social care training events are advertised on Wandsworth Training and Professional
Development Online (www.wandsworthtpd.org.uk). Registered users are alerted to new training
events each week via automated email. Fliers are used to promote training events to staff and
their managers across the workforce. The Training and Development Service and line managers
have responsibility for supporting effective dissemination of training course information.
13.
Evaluation and Impact
All children’s social care training events are evaluated by participants and some priority events will
be impact evaluated at least three months after they have taken place. Feedback is used to refine
and develop the training programme.
14.
Governance
The Training and Development Service is mandated and funded to provide core training to the
children’s social care workforce. The service reports to the Department for Education and Social
Services Senior Management Team. A Children’s Social Care Training Group will be established to
ensure the training programme effectively meets the needs of the children’s social care workforce.
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Children’s Social Care Workforce Training Strategy 2015-16
Appendix 1: Professional Capabilities Framework for Social Workers
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Children’s Social Care Workforce Training Strategy 2015-16
Appendix 2: Children’s Social Care Training Events 2015-16
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Analysing Family History in Assessment
Attachment
Attachment – Experienced Workers
Background to Safeguarding Children (online
learning)
CAADA Young People Affected by Intimate Partner
Violence
Child Abuse Linked to Faith or Culture (online
learning)
Child Development
Child and Family Assessment
Children Missing from Home and Care
Child Permanency Training
Child Protection Process and Procedures (online
learning)
Child Protection Refresher
Child Sexual Exploitation – Level 1 (online learning)
Child Sexual Exploitation – Level 2 (online learning)
Child Trafficking
Complex Neglect
Connected Persons Assessment
Court Skills for ASYE or Recently Qualified
Critical Thinking in Assessing Harm
Domestic Violence and Safeguarding Children
(Advanced)
Emotional Abuse and Children’s Attachment
Empowerment of Children and Adolescents of
Mentally Ill Parents
Faith Based Abuse
FGM as a Safeguarding Issue
Honour Based Violence
Introducing Signs of Safety and Wellbeing (online
learning)
Impact of Parental Substance Misuse on Parenting
Impact of Parental Learning Difficulties
Impact of Domestic Violence on Children
Keeping Children (and Ourselves) Safe and Secure
Online
Keeping Good Records (online learning)
Learning from Reflective Practice for Experienced
Workers
Learning Lessons: Key Themes and Practice Learning
Points from a Wandsworth SCR
Meet and Greet – Induction
Multi-agency Signs of Safety and Wellbeing
Multi-agency Working (online learning)
Planning and Decision Making in Child Protection
Protecting Young People from Sexual Violence
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Recognising Abuse and Neglect Scenarios (online
learning)
Referring Safeguarding Concerns (online learning)
Responding to a Disclosure – What you should do
(online learning)
Safety Planning
Signs of Safety
Self Harm
Sexual Exploitation: Identification and Intervention
Sexual Exploitation: Identification and Response for
Managers
Signs of Safety and Wellbeing in Wandsworth: 3
Years On - Your Journey So Far
Signs of Safety and Wellbeing – Safety Planning
Signs of Safety and Wellbeing – Social Care
Signs of Safety and Wellbeing – TACs
Signs of Safety and Wellbeing: Tools for working
with children
Social Work Conference
Supervision Skills
Tools for Working with Children
The Effects of Parental Mental Health on Children
The Effects of Parental Mental ill Health on Children
(Advanced)
The Record Business
Training the Trainers
Understanding Children's Development (0-11)
Understanding Adolescence
Using the Signs of Safety and Wellbeing approach in
TAC meetings at specialist level
What is Sexual Violence?
Working with Challenging Adolescence
Working with Child Sexual Abuse
Working with Gangs
Working with Hard to Help Families managing
Authoritative Practice
Working with Hard to Help Families developing
Authoritative Practice
Workshop to Raise Awareness of Prevent:
Identifying those at risk of being drawn into
terrorism
Young People and Violence Against Woman and
Girls
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