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Appendix 3: SWIA performance inspection process
The lead inspector for this performance inspection was David Rowbotham (0131 244 5091).
Along with the completion of a self-evaluation questionnaire, we began the inspection process by asking Midlothian Council to provide background information including strategic plans, policies, guidance, procedures, commissioning arrangements and information relating to performance, finance and quality assurance. We also read the reports relating to the council from other regulatory bodies and inspectorates including Audit Scotland, the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care (Care Commission) and Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education ( HMIE).
Questionnaire and file reading statistics
Questionnaires | Number issued | Number returned | Response rate |
|---|
Service users | 500 | 129 | 26% |
|---|
Carers | 500 | 127 | 25% |
|---|
Staff | 359 | 144 | 40% |
|---|
Partners and stakeholders | 50 | 19 | 38% |
|---|
File reading | Number |
|---|
Total files read | 103 |
|---|
Children and families | 43 |
|---|
Community care | 60 |
|---|
Fieldwork
Together with five staff from Midlothian Council, we spent four days reading case files from a cross section of care groups.
We then spent ten days in Midlothian looking at services for children, young people and their families, services to adults (physical disability, learning disability, mental health and substance misuse), and services to older people. We also examined strategic planning and support services.
We examined services in a number of ways:
- meeting people who use social work services and carers
- interviewing staff at all levels of the organisation, both individually and by bringing them together in focus groups
- meetings and interviews with councillors and with staff from other parts of the council
- meetings with partner organisations providing services
- observation of relevant meetings and visits to a range of services
- direct observations of social work practice - some examples taken from the case file reading exercise.
The table below sets out the number of sessions we undertook.
Inspection activity | Number undertaken |
|---|
Visits to centres and offices | 3 |
|---|
Meetings with people who use services | 11 |
|---|
Meetings with carers | 5 |
|---|
Meeting with front line staff, first line managers and middle managers | 30 |
|---|
Meetings with senior social work managers, council officials and elected members | 25 |
|---|
Meetings with partner and provider organisations | 14 |
|---|
Observation of meetings | 20 |
|---|
Observed practice, case file and good practice follow-up | 20 |
|---|
Total sessions | 128 |
|---|
After the inspection
Following the inspection, the council will be asked to develop an action plan to take forward the recommendations in the performance inspection report. SWIA will monitor the improvements taking place over the next year and will undertake a follow-up inspection one year after the publication of the performance inspection report.
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