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Chapter 1: Introduction

We have an ambitious vision for the social service workforce. That is of a workforce which is competent to respond to changing needs, confident that it can make a positive difference to people's lives and valued for the contribution it makes to Scottish society. Learning and development is integral to this vision and to equipping the sector to respond to the challenges of the 21st century.

Why do we need a strategy?

The social service workforce delivers services every day, often to the most vulnerable people. Theirs is life changing work. If we want to provide the best quality services, we need to have the best quality workforce. That doesn't happen by accident. It takes determination, commitment, imagination and flexibility to respond to the challenge. It means that employers, employees, training providers, the Scottish Executive, national organisations and other key stakeholders need to work together to plan for, and achieve, short and long term goals aimed at producing the best possible services.

This strategy sets out a plan for developing the social service workforce over the next five years. It has been produced by the Scottish Executive's National Workforce Group which is made up of representatives reflecting the needs and interests of everyone with an interest in the Scottish social service sector.

What does it aim to achieve?

Our vision for the future is to have a social service workforce that is competent, confident and valued.

• Competent to respond to changing needs.
• Confident that it can make a positive difference to people's lives.
• Valued for the contribution it makes.

Training and development is vital to achieving this vision and equipping the social service sector to respond to the challenges of the 21st century.

This strategy aims to focus on the development of the social service workforce and to enable everyone involved in delivering social services to give of their best. It puts forward the following positive solutions to the challenges facing the whole workforce. These are:

• to tackle the problem of recruiting and keeping staff by having creative strategies to develop the workforce;
• leading the way in changing attitudes, so that learning is valued in every workplace; and
• offering learning and development opportunities at every level, so that workers can deliver better outcomes for service users and carers.

Organisations in the public and independent sectors, managers, employees, users and carers and training providers need to work together to achieve our vision. This strategy makes clear links between policy, working practices and workforce development. It makes the case for change, shows what needs to be done, sets out what is already happening to support the development of the workforce, and identifies the resources and supports that can help to make the vision a reality.

Who is the social service workforce?

The most recent Annual Scottish Labour Force Survey 2004/05¹ estimated that there are around 138,000 people working in social services in Scotland. Employment in the sector has grown by around one third over recent years. They work in the voluntary sector (25%), the private sector (33%) and in local authorities (42%). ²

It is estimated that practising social workers comprise around 6,350 of the total workforce, with around 82% of these workers in employment in local authorities. ³ The Early Education and Childcare workforce comprise around 34,250 workers overall, ⁴ with nursery workers accounting for around 17,000 workers and childminders 6,100. There are around 4,800 whole time equivalent ( WTE) staff in the adult day care workforce ⁵ and 12,800 WTE staff in local authority adult homecare services. ⁶ Other professions are increasingly represented, including occupational therapists and nurses who each comprise 9% of care managers within the workforce. For occupational therapists this 9% is in addition to their more traditional role in relation to disability, equipment and adaptations.

The social service workforce is predominantly female - 82% in 2004. Employment levels of both men and women have been increasing since 1994. The total number and overall percentage of full time jobs are increasing. Full time jobs increased from 47% of the total in 1994 to 63% of the total in 2004. ⁷ Total male employment in the sector has increased by over 50% since 1994, from a low base of 12,000. ⁸

Detailed information about the composition of the workforce is available from the National Workforce Group's 2004 publication, Scotland's Social Care Labour Market. ⁹ As the workforce is constantly changing, we need to keep track of these changes as they are happening. An updated picture will be available by the end of 2005.

Who is the strategy for?

The strategy is aimed at social service employers, employees and training providers. There are important roles for organisations, managers, human resources ( HR) services, and individuals. However, it is intended for all those with an interest in developing the workforce and improving the quality of services. Childminders will also find benefits in this document, although not all sections will be directly relevant to them. The strategy will also be of interest to service users and to unpaid carers.

Throughout this strategy we use the term 'organisation' to describe all service providers and employers regardless of their size or the sector they work in.

Why is developing the workforce so important?

All those with an interest in social services are responsible for making sure that they have a future workforce which can respond to change positively. This vision for the social service sector and for society is ambitious. To help all those with an interest in having a competent, confident and valued workforce the strategy therefore sets out:

• what organisations, employees, users and carers need to do to develop the workforce;
• what needs to be taken into account in developing the social service workforce - policies, labour market trends and other initiatives. You can access further information about this at the Scottish Executive ¹⁰ and the Scottish Social Services Council websites; ¹¹ and
• what already exists to support organisations and employees to progress workforce development.

It is good business sense to invest in the workforce. We know that the available workforce will continue to shrink and demand will continue to rise as will the expectations of service users. ¹²

It should also be recognised that Scotland's paid workforce provides a vital link to the nation's unpaid carers. Nearly 600,000 people in Scotland provide unpaid care for a relative or friend. This contribution represents 80% of care provided to people who need support, children and adults with disabilities or chronic illness and older people. Scotland's paid workforce of 138,000 is matched by 115,627 unpaid carers who care for over 50 hours per week (just over 24% of the carer population). A further 60,293 provide 20-49 hours of unpaid care every week. ¹³

This strategy aims to make sure that Scotland's paid workforce is adequately trained and equipped to support unpaid carers as full partners in providing care. The Care 21 Report: The Future of Unpaid Care in Scotland 2005¹⁴ has recommended similar support for unpaid carers to help them carry out their caring role.

The requirement to train and develop staff is clearly set out in the Scottish Social Services Council Codes of Practice for Social Service Workers and Employers¹⁵ The Regulation of Care Act (2001) places a duty on employers to take account of these Codes. The Care Commission and the new Social Work Inspection Agency ( SWIA) which was launched in April 2005 will inspect employers' adherence to these Codes in care provision and local authority field services. SWIA inspections will focus on performance outcomes and promoting best practice.

What are the main challenges facing the sector now and for the future?

Recruitment and retention

Given demographic changes and increasing expectations of service users, attracting, keeping and developing quality staff is a continuous challenge. Most people say they choose to work in social services because they feel confident that they are doing a good job that makes a positive difference to someone else's life. If staff do not feel well enough equipped for the job, are not sure what is expected of them and fear the consequences of getting it wrong, they will leave, or keep their heads down and fail to reach their potential. That is why it is so important to make sure staff get the training and development opportunities they need.

Spotlight on Practice: Recruitment and Retention

Dundee Social Care Academy

The Dundee Social Care Academy was established to pilot a new approach to recruit and train local people for social care jobs in Dundee. In attracting new people to the sector, it aimed to promote social care and career opportunities and encourage local people to take up high quality, sustainable employment. A key part of the pilot project was to develop partnership working between the Social Work Department, Dundee College and the independent sector with the specific aim of developing 'capacity to sustain, in the long run, training and employment for local people for the benefit of local service users within the local economy'. Overall, the collaborative working between the Social Work Department and Dundee College was groundbreaking, and both sides have a better perspective of what each other have to offer. Their joint provision of recruitment and training is far more effective than either was able to achieve without the project.

Meeting the registration requirements of the Scottish Social Services Council

The number and level of qualifications achieved within the sector are improving at every level. The percentage holding NVQ level 5 or above has increased from 10% to 15% from 1996 to 2004. Over the same time period, the number holding no qualifications has decreased from 23% to 12% of the workforce. However, the drive to develop a qualified workforce is long term and requires cultural change. There is a phased approach to registration of the workforce. Registration of social workers, Care Commission officers, students undertaking the degree in social work and residential child care workers has already commenced.

New and changing policies

The Joint Future agenda ( Report of the Joint Future Group 2000¹⁶) has made significant progress in making sure services are built around the needs of service users and carers. Under proposed changes set out in 'Getting it Right for Every Child: Proposals for Action 2005'¹⁷ children and family services will need to work more effectively with other agencies. The same approach underpins Scotland's Criminal Justice Plan - 'Supporting Safer, Stronger Communities: Scotland's Criminal Justice Plan 2004'. ¹⁸ For joint working to be effective, everyone involved must be confident about their own knowledge, skills and contribution, respecting each other's professionalism and learning from each other. New legislation, such as The Mental Health (Care and Treatment) Scotland Act 2003, also places new demands on, and therefore requires new skills from, social service workers.

The National Review of the Early Years and Childcare Workforce aims to increase employment opportunities for workers in the sector and help raise the status of the sector. It is looking at five key areas:

• roles and responsibilities;
• recruitment and retention;
• workforce planning;
• career pathways; and
• qualifications and training.

The Management of Offenders etc. (Scotland) Bill will place new responsibilities on local authorities, the Scottish Prison Service, the Police - and in certain cases, other organisations - to put in place robust arrangements for the assessment and management of offenders who present a risk to the public. This is a new policy development which has at its core a desire to improve public safety through a co-ordinated joint working approach.

As new policies are introduced, social service workers will need to work in new ways. This will mean that workers will need to develop their existing skills and gain new ones. To produce services which are truly joined up around the needs of service users, learning must take place with other disciplines and professions, as well as across local authority and independent sectors. It should also involve users and carers who have a great deal to offer in the learning environment. The importance of shared training is also highlighted in the consultation paper, The NHS Education for Scotland ( NES) Strategic Work Plan 2005-2008 'Educational Solutions for Workforce Development'. ¹⁹

Spotlight on Practice: Partnership

STRADA and Dundee University

Scottish Training on Drugs and Alcohol ( STRADA), in partnership with the University of Dundee are providing a specific training programme for qualified Social Workers on child protection and its interface with parental substance misuse, domestic abuse and mental health. The programme is delivered in two stages, two days to criminal justice and community care staff, who are then joined by children and families social workers for an additional two days. The four-day course is accredited at SCQF level 9. It is delivered locally across all 32 Local Authorities in Scotland. The aim of the programme is to help practitioners help children be safe. This is to be effected by contributing to the provision of effective, protective professional networks.

A list of key policy documents is available at the Scottish Executive Education and Training Social Work and Social Care²⁰ website.

Flexible, user-focused services

If social services are to be able to respond effectively to changing policies and the growing needs of the population, it will become ever more important to see service users and carers as being actively involved in the care process. People are now better informed about care and have significantly greater expectations of social services. The 21st Century Social Work Review highlighted the importance of building on the strengths and skills of users and carers and giving them more control over how and when services are delivered. This will challenge traditional ways of delivering services and the workforce will need to gain new skills and flexibility.

Spotlight on Practice: flexible, user-focused services

Changing Children's Services, Aberdeen City Council

This project focuses on support for staff to achieve better outcomes for children. One example of this project's multi-disciplinary approach is the Children's Services Training and Assessment Centre ( CSTAC) which is comprised of multi-agency staff who come together under one roof as a Joint Development Team. The team itself, and the childcare and playwork staff they train, benefit from shared training resources and joint planning. By working together they expand their capacity, enabling them to move and react quickly to community needs. This team is now well placed to move forward into an integrated early years setting.

Professionalism of the Workforce

Registering with the Scottish Social Services Council, adapting to changing policies and creating flexible, user-focused services are all examples of the ever increasing professionalism of the social service workforce. An increasingly professional social service sector will work with other professions to deliver the services that users, and their families, really need. It will show a commitment to staff development, where each organisation and each individual takes responsibility for driving up standards. It will also change the way different professions view each other within the sector. However, the most important aspect of professionalism is that everyone is able to be the best that they can be.

Skill Gaps and Shortages

Making sure we have accurate information on the skills needed in the workforce is vital for us to be successful at planning our workforce for the future. The skills that need developing change over time and across the sector. At present, areas which need further development are:

• working with other organisations;
• working in equal partnership with service users and their families;
• strong leadership and management; and
• critical decision making.

Although recruitment activities and campaigns have done a lot to increase the workforce, it is clear that there are still shortages. This means that services cannot respond in the most effective way to the needs of users and carers. Much has been done to address these, however, shortages continue to exist across different parts of the sector and vary across Scotland as a whole.

There is already widespread agreement on the areas we need to focus our attention on. Many of these have already been highlighted by the 21st Century Social Work Review and include:

• developing enabling leadership and effective management;
• developing a culture of continuous performance improvement;
• understanding what interventions work and why;
• implementing evidence based practice;
• enhancing critical decision making and reflection;
• well informed risk management;
• research and evaluation;
• working with other professionals within and across agencies;
• assessment of need; and
• communication with and between organisations.

A lot is already happening nationally and locally to support workforce development. All those involved with, or who have an interest in, the social service workforce, need to make sure that best use is made of existing structures, processes and resources to meet the challenges identified. The actions identified in this strategy, which aim to make sure the workforce can respond positively to the demands being made of it now and in the future, should be taken confidently forward.

KEY MESSAGES

• Everyone with an interest in social services now needs to make sure the workforce is able to develop and respond positively to changing demands.
• Developing the workforce is critical to ensuring we have the right people, with the right skills, in the right place, at the right time.

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