Annual Report of the Adults Principal Social Worker

Key Achievements and Developments

The work of the Adults Principal Social Worker (PSW) Andrew Errington for Coventry City Council during 2020/21. A hybrid year of home and office working during the COVID-19 pandemic.

What is a PSW?

Care Act 2014 states a PSW should;

• be visible across the organisation
• support and develop effective conditions for practice
• oversee quality and improvement of practice
• have direct contact with the Adults Director and front-line practice

The PSW for Adults, Andrew Errington commenced in post in July 2016 and is the Head of Safeguarding and Practice Development. Andrew reports to the Director of Adult Services Pete Fahy.

Workforce Development

• Updated the Learning and Development portfolio for Adult Services in response to COVID-19, ensuring access to a range of relevant and current virtual training opportunities
• 63 training events relevant to Social Work attended by 1200 staff
• Hosted a 6th ‘virtual’ annual practice week with the Children’s PSW providing access to a week of practice focused events
• two more SWs trained as deafblind assessors
• New training opportunity for unqualified staff via an apprenticeship to support professional development commenced
• Training lead for Liberty Protection Safeguards, preparing learning and development activities in advance of implementation
• Organised Adult Services Wellbeing week with over 200 staff attending various online and in person activities and events focusing on health and wellbeing

Social Work Education

• Embedding and growing links with our local Higher Education Institutions Coventry and Warwick Universities and supporting the West Midlands Social Work Teaching Partnership
• Practitioners supporting teaching on the Adults Module at Coventry University
• Continuing to support new routes into Social Work, including the new Degree Level Social Work apprenticeships
• 6 members of staff now undertaking the Degree Level SW apprenticeship, two further places planned for 2022

Meeting Standards

• Supporting the relaunch and embedding of the Post Qualifying Standards for SW Practice Supervisors across the WM region. Purchased reflective, theory and self-cards practice for every supervisor to use
• Prepared practitioners for the 2nd renewal with their Social Work Regulator ‘Social Work England’ via team briefings and workshops
• Produced a Performance Management and Quality Improvement Framework for Adult Social Care

Strength Based Approaches

• Continuing to support a Strength-based Practice Framework with Motivational Interviewing training
• Coproduced with practitioners a new direct work resource with a range of tools to support communication and engagement
• Continued to host Risk Enablement Panel discussions virtually during COVID-19, chairing 6 panels
• Leading on reviewing the diversity of people accessing Adult Social Care and exploring experiences of different communities

Practice Development Roles

• SW Practice Development roles are supporting newly qualified Social Workers, promoting Practice Education and providing practice support to front line staff and managers
• Supporting 15 new NQSWs (end of March 22)
• 17 primary placements for Social Workers
• 3 new SW Practice Educators trained

Practice Quality

• Practice Quality Assurance Framework with new simplified audit system. Includes observation of practice, practice and supervision audits. Allows organisational view on practice issues
• 248 audits undertaken in 21/22
• Supported practitioners to respond to the 2nd National Social Work Health Check

Professional Curiosity

• Ensuring practice informed by evidence and curiosity, raising the profile of our subscription to Research in Practice for Adults, ‘Care Knowledge’, and ‘SW Connect’ helping staff to stay up to date on the latest expert information and legislation to help day to day practice
• 196 staff are now using Care Knowledge
• 84 staff now accessing SW Connect

Policy and Best Practice Guidance

• Chairing the Adult Services Policy Group, making sure policy and public information are accessible to all relevant staff and up to date. Group also ensures adult social care takes account of NICE National Guidelines
• Reviewed, updated and produced a whole new suite of public information for Adult Social Care

Safeguarding Adults

• Supporting the work of the Safeguarding Board through chairing the Workforce Development and Policy subgroups. Board multi-agency learning events on hot topics, re-framed as virtual events including those on MSP, Learning Disability Awareness, Domestic Abuse and LPS
• Over 500 people attended virtual learning events

Practice Leadership

• Elected Co-chair of the West Midlands Adults Principal Social Worker Network until 2023 (chairing network since January 2017)
• 4th annual ‘virtual’ conference in May 2021 with a focus on strength-based practice in the West Midlands, held jointly with OT network and a 5th LPS ‘virtual’ conference in Dec 2021 with adults, children’s, OT and DoLS lead networks
• PSW network linked with WM ADASS Branch and supporting a regional 3-year evaluation of strength-based practice with the University of Birmingham
• Supported successful bid to National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) to develop a research culture in the region
• Maintained contact with practitioners virtually via ‘SW Cold Calling’
• Support and encouraging use of technology and new ways of working including Digital Dictation
• Undertaking regional virtual ‘practice reviews’ prior to Peer Challenges

Engaging and Coproducing

• Co-chair of the Adult Social Care ‘Stakeholder Group’ working to support coproduction, meeting on a virtual basis
• Leading on the production of Coventry’s ‘Local Account’, an annual report reflecting on the work of Adult Social Care
• Established a new ‘real time’ experience survey to seek feedback from people, identify areas for improvement and to ask people if they want to get involved

Celebrating and Connecting with Practice

• Virtual networks and forums in place for staff engagement continued during the pandemic
• Keeping in touch with staff via the Adult Services E-Bulletin and ‘Let’s Talk’ sessions

Priorities for 2022/23

• To continue to embed strength-based tools and techniques in practice and ensure they are translating into strength-based conversations, recording and positive outcomes for people
• To prepare practice for social care reforms including Liberty Protection Safeguards and CQC Assurance Frameworks
• To embed new ways of working fostered during the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring staff are supported and maximise the opportunity for the use of digital technology