[title] A new way of evidencing practice [sub-title] FOR MANAGERS - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Social Work Assessment [title] A new way of evidencing practice [sub-title] FOR MANAGERS AND PRACTITIONERS [date] [venue] September 2015 1

Aims and Objectives Understand why the new (single) Social Work Assessment has been introduced Understand the changes to practice and processes Know what ‘good’ looks like Know how to manage ‘pipeline’ cases Understanding your role in recording on the form – how and when Know how to check progress and run reports September 2015 SWA training presentation v1 2

Background Eileen Munro’s Review of Child Protection – Promoting child focused practice, review of the ‘system’, aiming to reduce time spent in front of computers to promote time spent with families Working Together (2013 + 2015) Ofsted 2013 – Plans for introduction of SW Assessment in Norfolk put on hold, Review of CareFirst Restructure and ongoing improvements Statutory returns to DfE, Annexe A, etc. September 2015 SWA training presentation v1 3

Key Changes On 5 October 2015 Norfolk is implementing the single Assessment. It will be called the ‘Social Work Assessment’. CareFirst forms will be updated accordingly. The new Social Work Assessment will replace the following CareAssess Forms: Initial Assessment Core Assessment S47 Core Assessment/SW report to ICPC Mandatory Child Data Form Manager checkpoints introduced to provide evidence of management oversight and to prevent any drift. The progress of the completion of this form will be monitored by a ‘self service’ tracking report . September 2015 SWA training presentation v1 4

Social Work Assessment – Overview The Social Work Assessment is: The recording tool to coherently bring together information and evidence gathered through enquiries and interventions with the child, their family, network and partner agencies Enables further decision making and planning Used at points where clear and analytical thinking needs to be well evidenced. (The exception being Pathway Plan Needs Assessments):  Evidence the work undertaken following a referral into Children’s Services  Evidence Child Protection (s.47) enquires following a strategy discussion  Doubles up as the Social Workers Report to an Initial Child Protection Conference  Used whenever there is a necessity to provide an up to date assessment on a child or young person September 2015 SWA training presentation v1 5

Signs of Safety and the Assessment Framework Signs of Safety is an approach: Focuses on safety Strengths within the family A questioning approach Relationship based Greater transparency Clearly represents of voice of the child and impact on child No jargon Consistency is ensured through use of agreed tools, changes to meeting structures, i.e. Signs of Safety mapping as a visual tool to create dialogue. Information collected from children, families and partner agencies still needs to be represented within the Assessment Framework, (as set out in Working Together 2015). September 2015 SWA training presentation v1 6

The Assessment Framework September 2015 SWA training presentation v1 7

Working Together 2015 The principles and parameters of a good assessment High quality assessments: Are child centred. Where there is a conflict of interest, decisions should be made in the child’s best interests Are rooted in child development and informed by evidence Are focused on action and outcomes for children Are holistic in approach, addressing the child’s needs within their family and wider community Ensure equality of opportunity Involve children and families Build on strengths as well as identifying difficulties Are integrated in approach Are a continuing process not an event Lead to action, including the provision of services Review services provided on an ongoing basis Are transparent and open to challenge September 2015 SWA training presentation v1 8

Design Principles The design of The Social Work Assessment was based on the Initial and Core Assessments which Norfolk Children’s Services have been using since 2013: Whole family recording (Matrices to add names of the children and adults in the household. The form is then duplicated to each child’s record) Open text boxes to enable free narrative (Child’s Developmental Needs, Parenting Capacity, Family and Environmental Factors) Information pulling through into plans to be copy and pasted into boxes of the Smart Plan Sharing of information via ‘view last’ buttons where ever possible Hint text supports Signs of Safety Further review of all forms will decide whether additional text boxes should be added which will pull through to plans i.e. Danger statements, Safety Goals September 2015 SWA training presentation v1 9

Trigger Points The Social Work Assessment can automatically triggered from 2 forms: Contact and Referral Form Missing Child – Notification of Return Manually triggered from all other points i.e.: CIN Review Review CP Conference LAC Review Court directed Strategy Discussion on open cases Supervision (this includes a case discussion outside of formal supervision) E.g. Whenever there is a need for information to be pulled together to assist in decision making September 2015 SWA training presentation v1 10

Manager Checkpoints On Day 1, produce the ‘work plan’ and record the anticipated ‘end date’ of assessment: Checkpoint recording timescales: Day 7-10, Day 11 -20, Day 21-35, Day 36+ Input comments where required Managers’ comments are not automatically included on the output, but can be if required Used to prevent drift (via the Tracking Tool report) Anticipated that most SW Assessments will continue to be completed by day 10, with cases closed or stepped down “Manager’s comments on final assessment” pull through to ‘Observations’ September 2015 SWA training presentation v1 11

Process Frameworks and Timescales Child in Need process framework and Child Protection process framework have both updated to reflect: Use of Social Work Assessment Transfer points Timescales Local Protocol – All Social Work Assessments (including for LAC) to be completed within 35 working days (day 1 = day decision was made for assessment) All children must still be seen by day 10 at the latest, mostly much sooner S47 timescales remain the same (ICPC within 15 days of first strategy discussion) Rapid network meetings (Initial CiN Meeting) by day 20 for complex CiN cases where a Child in Need plan is required See also Step-down process September 2015 SWA training presentation v1 12

‘Pipeline’ Cases Those with Open Assessments on 5 October Guidance produced General rule – do not abandon assessments, however, there are exceptions… Where abandoning – must backdate SW Assessment to start date of the original Old forms (IAs & CAs) can still be duplicated but not created (need to use same start date) Mandatory Child Data forms should never be abandoned Mandatory Child Data forms will still be triggered from old IAs and must be completed (Mandatory child data built into new form) Need to manually trigger SW Assessment from Contact and Referral and Missing Child Notification of return forms that are already open on the 5 October September 2015 SWA training presentation v1 13

Glossary Some CareFirst Terminology Activity An alert to advise something needs to be done e.g. allocate case/ authorise CareAssess form Assignee The person who is responsible for completion of the piece of work Base Data Information held within CareFirst which can be used in different form and data can be gathered from e.g. address/DoB/Qualifications, etc. A way of pulling information from ‘base data’ if it is available Peek and Grab Classification Data extraction tool: information from which key information can be (type question) gathered e.g. Ethnicity/Language/Legal Status, etc. Key Classification A classification which displays on the child/YP front screen (desktop) which provides important information e.g. Has information sharing been discussed (DP1) is the child Missing (Missing Episode) If there is a ‘required’ question type unanswered you will not be able Required (aka mandatory) to complete the form Pulls through information from ‘shared question sets’ (similar to copy View Last and paste) September 2015 SWA training presentation v1 14

Useful Information To enable the flow of information between forms via the ‘ view last ’ function, forms have to be completed (and authorised where applicable) in the right order because the ‘shared answer’ comes from the form which was last completed. IMPORTANT – REDUCING THE RISK OF DATA BREACHES: The Household Entry section within the SWA is for information only (does not print out on the ‘output’ version). If you become aware it is not reflecting a true picture of the child’s living situation, this needs to be amended. (This cannot be done within the form; instead go to Main Menu>Biography>Household Entry and make the changes) There are two ways of keeping the network up to date: Prior to completing the Social Work Assessment, check and update the network. This can pull through into the form via ‘ peek/grab ’ and will feed back into the base data at the point of completion Add new relationships (or end old ones) directly within the form and this will feed back into base data at the point of completion/authorisation September 2015 SWA training presentation v1 15