David Williams, service director at Quarriers, said:“This is generally a welcomed statement about the breadth of the review in terms of seeking widespread views and responses on the nature and quality of social work provision across Scotland. Although we might want to make some cautionary note about not wishing to see an entire new industry created in forthcoming years to oversee the implementation of the Review. In other words, the emphasis on culture change within social work services in the future in order to achieve change and effective social work practice applies as much to regulatory and inspection bodies, rather than an expectation that there will be increases in resources in these bodies to manage this.
In terms of the Recommendations:
Quarriers absolutely endorses the view that the basis for any service provision to the most vulnerable members of our communities is that a ‘person centred approach’ is taken in every instance and where full inclusion in the planning and delivery of services by recipients of services is the norm. These standards of practice are and have been in recent years, the staples of Quarriers’ work and are fundamental to how we operate across the organisation, generally seen hitherto as ‘added value’ in terms of our work, and it’s reassuring that these approaches will be seen as mainstream expectations in future.
However, there is a considerable challenge facing providers in achieving this against a backdrop of continuous and significant cuts to funding, short term funding streams, and complex and uncertain mixed funding packages all of which seriously compromise a consistent ability to assure the maintenance of such needs led and rights based approaches.
Quarriers welcomes the recommendations regarding the drive for much more efficient and meaningful joined up working, particularly in the areas of prevention and early intervention, and will welcome opportunities in the future to become involved in the strategic planning processes in Local Authority areas to ensure that such intervention is a priority area.
The need for streamlined and flexible approaches to commissioning ought to ensure a more effective approach to the development and delivery of services that accompanies strategic planning as opposed to the current ad hoc and inconsistent approach across commissioning bodies which is hugely resource intense for providers for most often little or no return. A flexible commissioning approach will reduce the current ‘cattle market’ effect where commissioners and tendering organisations focus all their energies on trying to secure the best tender. This results in services, expected to meet a current and anticipated need, taking inordinate numbers of months to develop anddeliver rather than a focussing of this energy and resources on meeting needs as it arises in a mature partnership way.
Quarriers’ hope in relation to flexible commissioning, joined up working and involvement in strategic planning at all levels is that the partnerships that develop between statutory agencies, themselves and also between statutory agencies and the voluntary sector are meaningful partnerships that genuinely move beyond the traditional (in the case of the relationship with the voluntary sector) purchaser/provider model – making the best use of what the voluntary sector can provide.
In relation to the workforce development, Quarriers welcomes the Review’s recommendations and the principles behind them, and looks forward to working effectively with social workers on the ground with clear expectations of them set out by the 4-tier approach and the accountability frameworks that emphasises particularly the effective management and learning culture in response to difficulties that may arise. This supportive approach will reduce the ‘blame culture’ that social work services have historically faced, and thereby ensuring a flourishing of creativity and innovation to release the potential within the profession and ensure positive outcomes for those that use social work services.
In terms of implementation, we await plans for how we as an industry takes these recommendations forward.”
Quarriers is one of Scotland’s largest and leading social care providers - offering support and care for adults and children with a physical or learning disability, for children and families facing poverty, family breakdown, exclusion and disadvantage and for young people with social, emotional or behavioural difficulties, or who are homeless. The organisation also offers support to carers of all ages who need respite, advice or just a friend to listen, and has the only residential epilepsy assessment centre in Scotland. Quarriers aims to bring a real and positive change to people’s lives.
ENDS
This information and further details can be obtained from Jane Smith at The Business:
T: 0131 718 6022
M: 07780 666 136
E: janes@thebusinesspr.co.uk
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