Peer Challenge in the South
East
Orientation and Preparation
Please contact
[email protected]
07880-787007 if you have any questions
What is Peer Challenge?
• Important part of the sector-led
improvement activity
• Directed by the host DCS
• Self-evaluation undertaken by the host,
and shared with the visitors
• 1.5 days of field work gathering evidence
• 0.5 days reflections and feedback
• At least 6 months later, follow-up visit
Who are the Challengers?
• A team of four, drawn from different
authorities
• A DCS, an Assistant Director, and 2 x
practitioners
• Nominated by their DCS
• Staff time supplied on a mutual basis
between the participants in each Round
Topics
Summary from Rounds 1-7 (38 challenges)
Early Help x 7
School Improvement x 7
Alternative Education x 5
Educational Psychology x 2
Children’s Centres x 3
LSCB arrangements x 2
SEND x 2
Work with Families x 2
Child Sexual Exploitation
CiC Placement Stability
Social Work Practice
Partnerships
Health Integration
Raising Participation Age
Missing Children
YOS
Participants
Summary from Rounds 1-7 (38 challenges)
Bracknell Forest - 4
Brighton and Hove - 4
East Sussex - 2
Hampshire - 2
Hertfordshire - 1
Kent - 2
Medway - 1
Milton Keynes - 2
Oxfordshire - 1
Portsmouth - 3
Reading - 2
Southampton - 2
Surrey - 3
West Berkshire - 3
West Sussex - 1
Windsor and Maidenhead - 3
Wokingham - 2
Modelling Good Practice
• Reflective Practice
• Professional Supervision
• Subject to Independent Audit
Reflective Practice
• Obviously for the host, who undertakes a
self-evaluation of the topic
• The topic is nominated by the host DCS,
and fits with active improvement journey
• Less obviously, the Peer Challenge event
is also a great opportunity for the visiting
team members to reflect on their own
practice
Professional Supervision
• Of the host organisation by the visiting
challengers
• Important that the team includes a
Director, and Assistant Director and
practitioners with relevant professional
experience
Independent Audit
Peer Challenge is not the same as
• Case Record Review
• Observation of Practice
• Validation of Audits
… but the programme organised by the
hosts may include some of these elements
Assurance Triangle
Essential Principles
The visitors:
• are engaged at the invitation of the host
DCS
• act in the host’s interests, and
• provide assistance as critical friends to the
host’s improvement journey
Peer Challenge
•
•
•
•
•
•
IS
Critical Friend
Offering professional
insight
Appreciative enquiry
Private, narrative
feedback
Context specific
Responsive to host
circumstances
•
•
•
•
•
•
IS NOT
Inspection
About making
judgements
Deficit analysis
Published
discoverable reports
Templated
Following the visitors’
formula
…and now for some Reflection
• Explore your hopes, fears,
worries, concerns, questions
and queries
• Listening Practice
• “Time to Think” – Nancy
Kline (1999, ISBN:978-0706377-45-3)
• …then we will decide how to
allocate the remaining time
together
Exercise
Tips for Peer Challengers
• Observe the 80/20 rule
– You listen for 80% of the time
– You speak for 20% of the time
• Ask don’t tell
– Remember it is about encouraging reflective
practice
– Gather evidence by listening to what they say
• Never, ever start “In my authority, we …”
Bloom’s Taxonomy
Questions?
• Open not closed
– Tell me about …How do you …What is
important about…Have you considered …I’m
curious, please explain more …
• Work through Bloom’s hierarchy
– Invite analysis and evaluation as well information
And if you are stuck …
Two stand-by questions:
– what went well? (WWW)
– …and it would have been even better if …
(EBI)
…and if you are really stuck …
…is there anything else you want to say?
Tips for Hosts
• Be good hosts – make sure the visitors are
well looked after (food, rest, travel, base
room, wi-fi)
• Programme ‘me/us’ time for the visitors
• A range of sources of evidence – Cllrs?
Partners? Service Users? Managers?
Staff?
• Observation of practice?