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Appendix 3SWIA performance inspection process
The lead inspector for this performance inspection was Audrey Mistry (tel 0131 244 3529).
We began the inspection process by asking the council's social work senior managers to complete a self-evaluation questionnaire about how well they were meeting the six key questions of the Performance Inspection Model (see appendix 1).
We also asked for a range of background information including strategic plans, policies, guidance, procedures, commissioning arrangements and information relating to performance, finance and quality assurance. We read the reports relating to the council from other regulatory bodies and inspectorates such as Audit Scotland, the Care Commission and Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education ( HMIE).
We sent out questionnaires to staff, and adults who use the council's social work services, carers, partners and stakeholders.
Groups | Sent | Returned | Response rate |
|---|
People who use services | 500 | 96 | 19% |
|---|
Carers | 350 | 137 | 39% |
|---|
Staff | 500 | 212 | 42% |
|---|
Partners and stakeholders organisations | 50 | 25 | 50% |
|---|
Together with five members of staff from the council's social work services, we spent four days reading a total of 111 case files, 47 of which were children and families and 64 community care from across the services. We also read ten criminal justice files.
We then spent two weeks in the council examining aspects of both the services directly provided or services commissioned from the independent or voluntary sectors. We looked at services for children, young people and their families including youth justice; services to adults relating to physical disability, learning disability, mental health and substance misuse; and services to older people. We also examined strategic planning and support services. We did not inspect those aspects of services which are already regulated by the Care Commission.
We examined services in a number of ways:
- meeting people who use social work services and their carers
- interviewing staff at all levels of the organisation, both individually and by bringing them together in focus groups
- meeting with elected members and with staff and managers from other parts of the council
- meeting with partner organisations and voluntary organisations providing services
- observing relevant meetings and visiting a range of services
- following up examples of good practice from case files which we had earlier read in the case file exercise.
The table below sets out the number of sessions we undertook.
Inspection activity | Number undertaken |
|---|
Visits to centres and offices | 5 |
|---|
Meetings with people who use services | 9 |
|---|
Meetings with carers | 7 |
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Meeting with front-line staff, first line managers and middle managers | 35 |
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Meetings with senior social work managers, council officials and elected members | 19 |
|---|
Meetings with partner and provider organisations | 15 |
|---|
Observation of meetings | 25 |
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Observed practice, case file and good practice follow-up | 19 |
|---|
Total sessions | 134 |
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