Meeting Title: Eastern SWAN meeting
AGENDA ITEM / DISCUSSION / AGREED ACTION / WWW
(Who does what & when)
Meeting Title:Eastern Social Work Area Network
Participants: Angela Weston (National Fostering Agency), David Gower (UCS), Deb Ireland (Thurrock C), Estelle Thain (Peterborough CC), Fran Woodall (Skills for Care), Hannah Smith (Norfolk CC), Helen Thacker (Norfolk CC), Ikedola Animashaun (Cambridgeshire CC),Irina Morosanu (ARU), James Cross (Skills for Care), Jan Williams (Essex CC), Jane Rozier (Cambridgeshire CC), Lorraine Willoughby (Suffolk CC), Marcia Eldridge (Hertfordshire CC), Marian Brandon (UEA), Maryanne Henderson (Suffolk CC), Penny Black (UEA), Steve Jordan (Essex Uni), Tracey Field (Essex CC).
Apologies:Amy Thulbourne (Central Bedfordshire C), Brenda Kenny (Open University), Christine Whiting (Life Resolutions Ltd), Debbie McQuade (Peterborough CC), Emily White (Central Bedfordshire C), Jon Seth (Bedford Borough C), Julia Warrener (University of Hertfordshire), Karen Rodgers (Cambridgeshire CC), Lesley McNeill (Luton BC), Ray Halford (Central Bedfordshire C).
Date: 28/01/16 / Venue:Cambridge PDC, Foster Road, Cambridge / Time: 13.00 -16.00 / Chair:Fran
Scribe:Fran
AGENDA ITEM / DISCUSSION / AGREED ACTION / WWW
(Who does what & when)
  1. Apologies
/ As above
  1. Feedback from the Children’s Champion’s Group
/
  • The group met in December and focused on reviewing and agreeing case studies.
  • They are developing a best practice guide on external moderation panels.
  • The Essex joint paperwork has been agreed and will be available on the SfC website shortly
  • The group may be disbanded in March
/ If anyone has any queries or concerns please contact Jan Williams / All
  1. Update from Skills for Care
/
  • Adults ASYE registrations deadline is 29.01.16. We will notify employers of their second milestone payment amount by the end of February.
  • At this point in time we do not have confirmation about ASYE funding for 2016/17
  • A refreshed guide to the ASYE for employers in the independent sector will be published very shortly.
  • The Skills for Care website has had a refresh. The SW briefing includes information on where the social work pages are now located
  • The deadline for submission of the ASYE partnership Memorandum of Collaboration (MOC) for external moderation is 1st Feb. This is being linked to funding. If the partnerships are unable to meet the deadline they need to let Fran know.
  • A Direct Observation project is underway with five partnerships of employers and HEI’s. Focusing on IT solutions to videoing and secure storage of Direct Observations, tightening the criteria for assessment, providing guidance on developing the skills and knowledge of Assessors. Project will run from now until October but initial findings will be reported in June
/
  • Group members to make sure all their NQSW are registered on the portal by 12pm on 29.01.16
  • Fran to ask the central SW team what organisations can do about NQSWs who start their ASYE after 29.01.16
  • Fran to inform group when details of funding become available
  • Fran to share link to resource when it becomes available
  • Group members to familiarise themselves with the new look website
  • Fran to advise the central SW team that the 2 partnerships will not meet the 1st Feb deadline for the MOC and ask for a short extension.
  • Fran to share example MOCs for ASYE Partnership moderation with key people
  • Hannah, Estelle, Ikedola and Deb volunteered to develop the MOC for the Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk, Peterborough and Thurrock ASYE partnership.
  • Marcia to liaise with the rest of the Beds, Herts, Luton sub-region to develop MOC
/ An extension granted until 12thFebruary
Email examples by 29.01.16
Task group to meet to develop MOC and submit by close of play on 12 February.
  1. Social Work Reform and the expansion of Teaching Partnerships
/ The group had a broad discussion around Teaching Partnerships (TPs)based on the eligibility and stretch criteria developed by the DfE for the TP pilots. Concerns, challenges and opportunities for the region were raised. Key actions were agreed to help the region begin to plan the implementation of TPs in the Eastern region.
The group felt there are likely to be two TPs set up in the region; one covering the Beds, Herts, Luton area and the other covering the rest of the region.
As Marcia was the only representative from the Beds, Herts, Luton area, the group’s focus was on the other sub-region. It was felt that a TP for this area would include 4 HEIs (UEA, ARU, UCS and Essex), 7 LAs (Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk, Peterborough, Southend, Suffolk and Thurrock,) and PVI organisations.
The group discussed the eligibility and stretch criteria and agreed it would be useful to undertake an audit on how the region is currently doing against the criteria.
The group felt it would be useful to set up a meeting for April to look at the results of the audit, the findings from the HOST evaluations of the pilot TPs (due out in March) and any other guidance that may be developed. The Strategic Workforce Leads and Principal Social Workers could also be invited. / Feedback from the meeting to be shared with the skills for care social work team so it can be shared upward with the Chief Social Workers, DfE etc.
Key leaders in LAs and HEIs need to be aware of the expansion of TPs, what this means to local areas and what will need to be done to move to this model. Buy in from senior leaders will be critical to the success of the partnerships.
An audit template to be created based on eligibility and stench criteria. Group members volunteered to develop questions for the 8 different areas, as follows:
  • Governance: Marcia (Hertfordshire)
  • Admissions: Marian (UEA), Penny (UEA), David (UCS), Irina (ARU) and Steve (Essex Uni)
  • Placements and curriculum: Estelle (Peterborough), Jane andIkedola (Cambridgeshire)
  • Academic delivery: Marian (UEA), Penny (UEA), David (UCS), Irina (ARU) and Steve (Essex Uni)
  • Support and development of students on practice placements: Maryanne and Lorraine (Suffolk)
  • Progression (employability rates): Hannah (Norfolk)
  • Workforce planning: Deb Ireland (Thurrock)
  • Academics’ experience of practice: Marian (UEA), Penny (UEA), David (UCS), Irina (ARU) and Steve (Essex Uni)
Jan Williams tocollate questions and transform into a ‘smart survey’ for all to complete.
Group to consider holding an additional meeting in April to look at audit return / Fran to share challenges, concerns, opportunities and actions with the SfC social work team.
All to explore and discuss with senior management teams
James to take to the regional Workforce Lead’s meeting
Jan to discuss with Mandy Nightingale to feed into the national PSW meeting
Questions for the audit template to be developed and sent to Jan Williams by 19th February
Jan to collate questions and transform into a ‘smart survey’ for all group members to complete (date for completion TBC).
Fran to liaise with the group to find a volunteer LA to help organise.
  1. Implications of the reforms on regional and sub-regional SW partnerships
/ There are currently 3 sub-regional social work partnerships which feed into the SWAN:
  • Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough (NSCP)
  • Essex, Southend and Thurrock
  • Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Luton (BHL).
These sub-regional groups are structured differently and often link with members of different partnerships for specific pieces of work (i.e. NSCP link with Thurrock and Essex for ASYE moderation). The group discussed the sub-regional partnerships and the meetings that they attend; highlighting that there is some duplication and capacity is an issue. They considered if there were any other ways of working that could be adopted, and agreed that changes are happening already and TPs are likely to have a further impact on the sub-regional working.
There are other regional networks including the Principal Social Worker group and the Workforce Leads Group which the SWAN should link with. James shares papers from the SWAN with the PSW and is the link to the Workforce Leads. Communication between groups and within organisations seems to be an issue, with many members advising that they do not get updates from colleagues who attend the other networks. / The group felt the SWAN was a useful forum for employers and HEIs to meet together and focus on both children’s’ and adults social work. However, there needs to be consistency in attendance to get the full benefit. It was agreed that we need to be clear on who intends to remain part of the SWAN
The group felt the current model for the SWAN meetings was too burdensome and agreed to move to a model where the agenda for the next meeting was set at the current meeting, with chairing responsibilities rotating alphabetically. External national speakers should be invited to meetings to discuss key topics. We could also look at the potential of using skype and webinars.
The group felt it may be useful to hold a large event for key groups to look at the regional structure and priorities for the year. The Chief Social Workers could be invited. / Fran to contact representatives from all 11 LAs to see if they intend to remain part of the SWAN and can commit to attending meetings.
Meeting model to be changed with the Chair rotating alphabetically (based on LA). Fran to approach Jon Seth from Bedford Borough to ask him to chair the next meeting.
Group members to consider this.
  1. Future meeting, format, topic and date of next meeting
/ Next meeting to focus on assessment and accreditation for child and family social workers and the ‘proof of concept’ work which is underway. The Children’s PSW from Bedford is to be invited to share information on the work they have been involved in.
Other agenda items to include Social Work Reform and Teaching Partnerships. / Fran to contact Jon Seth to see if he can chair the next meeting and invite his PSW to come to speak about the ACFP proof of concept work.
  1. AOB
/ Hannah asked if LAs have started preparing for the ACFP. Most LAs are waiting for more information to come out but some have started to tell their staff its coming and are planning on linking it with re-registration training
Date of next meeting:
19.05.2016, 13.00 - 16.00, Cambridge Professional Development Centre, Foster Road, Trumpington, Cambridge, CB2 9NL
Chair: Rep from Bedford Borough
Notes: Fran
Future dates:
22.09.2016, 13.00 - 16.00, Cambridge Professional Development Centre, Foster Road, Trumpington, Cambridge, CB2 9NL

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