« Previous | Contents | Next »
Listen
Chapter 7: A plan for action
It is important that the actions identified are taken forward to turn the strategy into reality. Effective partnerships between a range of organisations will be needed to ensure success of the strategy. Monitoring and evaluation will also be important to ensure we are moving in the right direction.
This strategy is based on the belief that the success of social services in Scotland depends on all the people who work in them. The social service workforce is charged with delivering a wide range of services to meet the increasing and diverse needs of service users and carers, often in the most challenging and complex of circumstances. It is vital that we make sure we have the right people, with the right skills, in the right place at the right time. Much has already been achieved.
Actions already achieved in 2004-2005
- Sector Skills Council for the social service workforce now in place.
- Supporting Frontline Staff toolkit produced.
- Recognition of Prior Learning Guidelines published.
- Employers issued with SSSC Codes of Practice for issue to all staff.
- The Black and Minority Ethnic ( BME) Sub-Group has initiated a pilot project in association with PATH Scotland to support BME fast track social work students.
- Discussions held with Scottish Enterprise to look at support for the independent sector.
- Scottish Practice Learning Project has developed an audit tool of key features of a learning organisation for use by all social service organisations.
- Core projects managed by the Scottish Institute for Excellence for Social Work Education have been completed.
- Voluntary Sector Social Services Workforce Unit established on 1 April 2005.
However, there is still much to be done to ensure that the momentum everyone has worked hard to build continues and that our long term plans become a reality. It is important that the actions identified are taken forward to turn the strategy into reality. Effective partnerships between a range of organisations will be needed to ensure success of the strategy. Monitoring and evaluation will also be important to ensure we are moving in the right direction.
This Plan for Action will be underpinned by an implementation plan and which will set out how progress in implementing the strategy will be monitored and evaluated. This will take account of any implications for the development of the social service workforce arising from the 21st Century Social Work Review and the National Review of the Early Years and Childcare Workforce.
A PLAN FOR ACTION 45
MAXIMISING THE POTENTIAL OF THE SCQF
Action | Timescale | Staff | Employers | Sector Skills Council | SSSC | Scottish Executive | Training Providers | SIESWE |
|---|
Information and advice about the SCQF to be made available by the SSSC to employers to help them to understand how SCQF can be used to increase learning opportunities. | By June 2006 | | | | X | | | |
|---|
SSSC to work with universities, Colleges, SQA and Training Providers to maximise use of SCQF across the sector. | By June 2006 | | | | X | | | |
|---|
SSSC to develop and implement Recognition of Prior Learning ( RPL) pilot projects and disseminate findings to the sector. | By December 2006 | | | | X | | | |
|---|
BEING A SECTOR SKILLS COUNCIL
Action | Timescale | Staff | Employers | Sector Skills Council | SSSC | Scottish Executive | Training Providers | SIESWE |
|---|
Employers to have in place plans to support Practice Learning with evidence of the number of learning opportunities to be offered to meet specific demands, in line with the Confidence in Practice Learning paper. | By February 2006 | | X | | | | | |
|---|
Social service employers to have in place plans to address targets for workforce registration for workers in phase 1 and 2 and which take account of other regulators recognised for employment in this sector. | Phase One by March 2006 Phase Two by August 2006 | | X | | | | | |
|---|
Employers to identify and develop internal systems and structures required to support employee development for all staff (including the requirements for post registration training & learning). | By October 2006 | | X | | | | | |
|---|
FUNDING
Action | Timescale | Staff | Employers | Sector Skills Council | SSSC | Scottish Executive | Training Providers | SIESWE |
|---|
Scottish Executive, in partnership with key stakeholders, to review existing funding streams for social services (Section 9, Specific Grant Training Fund, etc.) and to identify how they should best support the strategy. | By September 2006 | | | | | X | | |
|---|
Employers to review current spend and available monies to ensure alignment with registration requirements of SSSC and other regulatory bodies, including CPD and other training requirements, e.g. health and safety, etc. | By October 2006 | | X | | | | | |
|---|
Organisations to identify a percentage of their total service budget for workforce development and link this to their workforce development plans. This should take account of any training that is funded and provided nationally. | By January 2007 | | X | | | | | |
|---|
Scottish Executive to identify opportunities for streamlining and simplifying diverse funding streams. | By July 2007 | | | | | X | | |
|---|
EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT
Action | Timescale | Staff | Employers | Sector Skills Council | SSSC | Scottish Executive | Training Providers | SIESWE |
|---|
Black and Minority Ethnic working group to identify and make recommendations on key actions to support diversification of the workforce. | By February 2006 | | | | | X | | |
|---|
The Scottish Executive to work with the Centres for Excellence to identify how they can best support implementation of the National Strategy for Development of the Social Service Workforce. | By March 2006 | | | | | X | | |
|---|
SIESWE to work closely with HE and college sectors to identify opportunities for increased flexibility of learning provision at registration levels. | By November 2006 | | | | | | | X |
|---|
The outcomes of the core projects managed by SIESWE are embedded in the educational practice of universities and partner agencies and rolled out to the whole social service workforce. | By August 2007 | | | | | | | X |
|---|
« Previous | Contents | Next »