As more local authorities (LAs) are starting to use a model of social work practice, we are often asked about what is most likely to lead to success and what can improve the children and families’ experiences? In this commentary, we reflect on our experience and findings from inspection over the last year.

When we talk about ‘models of practice’, we mean a particular way of, or approach to, working with children and families. It is values-based and, when successful, transformative. The accumulated challenges that our children and families face need systemic responses (the response is focused on how children and family relationships and their social context shape their experiences and thinking). The models we choose must reflect and respond to these challenges. They must provide the knowledge, tools and skills to enable great social work practice with children and families to thrive. It is critical that any model of practice used ensures a continuous focus on children’s experiences and progress.

New ways of working can really support a profession that is striving to improve. What we shouldn’t do though, is forget the basics. We have seen significant investment and innovation as models of practice have developed. When it’s done carefully and well, innovation moves social work forward and that leads to better decision-making and more impactful direct work with children and families.

I want to build on a previous blog about models of practice, repeat some of the key messages and answer some questions to support you to deliver these models:

• what works best in implementing a model of practice?
• what are the ingredients that make a model effective?
• does Ofsted have a preferred model of practice?

Social work practice continues to evolve. We are all still learning what works.

I want to begin by highlighting again some of the important elements of leadership that are essential for success. There needs to be a clear operating model that sets out:

• the local authority’s vision and values
• the LA’s philosophy of social work
• the structure of teams
• how cases move through the system
• how social work practice will be carried out
• the provision of help, protection and care for children
• what the thresholds are
• what services are expected to do and monitoring services for their quality and effectiveness

What works best in implementing a model of practice?

As highlighted in ‘A preferred model of practice’, we’ve found significant variation in how well some models are implemented. It is critical that, whatever model is chosen, there is a clear implementation programme that makes the most of its benefits.

The name of the model does not tell you what it is or what it does – the same named model can be implemented quite differently in different places. It is important that you know what you are trying to achieve and what success looks like. The same approach is not necessarily right for every local area.

A whole-system approach

Through our inspections, we have seen that a carefully implemented whole-system approach is critical to success. If a model has just been tagged onto the existing system or ‘dragged and dropped’ from elsewhere, this can lead to tools not being used effectively or being used mechanistically. It can also mean a less coherent experience for children and their families and the opportunity to impact positively on practice can be missed. At worst, it can impact negatively on the progress, experience and even on the safety of children.

We are finding that when models have been well implemented strategically and operationally over time, they permeate the culture and thinking of social workers and leaders.

A whole-system approach means that, at each part of the child’s journey through the system, the principles of the approach have been embedded in the way professionals work with children and their families.

For example, in Hillingdon the dedicated and knowledgeable leadership team models a child-centred approach to all strategic and operational interventions for children. This is replicated throughout the staff group. Their consistent use of the ‘analysis of risk’ model is effective in identifying areas of risk and strength for children.

In North Yorkshire over a sustained period, leaders have built on an established philosophy of practice, which is clearly understood both across the service and by partners. At the heart of this approach is a belief that stable relationships with workers, who know their children and families extremely well, is the key to creating and sustaining positive change.

LAs stressed how important it was to ‘co-produce’ the plan to implement a chosen model of practice. Co-production means the plan is developed with, and therefore owned by, all partners, social workers, managers, families and young people. Planning also needs to be long-term and actions measurable.

A clear ethos

The Children Act sets out the main ethos for working with children and their families. A model of practice is most effective when the LA’s own ethos is clear and underpins the approach.

For example, in Bexley, the ethos behind the well-embedded social work methodology is that children should grow up in their own families and other family networks when it is safe for them to do so. Family-based relationship work starts with the whole-family network and is supported and underpinned by a clear operating model.

Developing a confident and committed workforce

LAs need to provide the whole social care workforce with the language, knowledge, tools and skills to deliver any model they have chosen. A model won’t work unless there is ongoing training and support for all staff. Managers have a crucial role. They need to believe in and ‘own’ the model. That way, they can embed the model through all learning activities, supervision and management oversight. This will support staff in being both confident and skilled in delivering the model of practice. I cannot overstate the role of effective management oversight and supervision in ensuring that a model of practice makes a positive difference to the quality of practice.

A well-articulated approach to social work can also support good morale and help with staff retention and recruitment.

In Calderdale, social workers, aided by their practice managers and Calderdale Therapeutic Team (CTS), are helped to reflect on their practice and its impact and to identify ways to further help children, using an embedded and systemic social work model. Social workers told inspectors that they feel safe and enabled “to make a real difference in children’s lives”.

Models that set out clear expectations

Every practitioner needs to understand what is expected of them. At both an individual and organisational level, everyone needs to understand what success looks like.

A consistent approach means applying the same operating model at all levels, with the same principles and philosophy behind it. However, consistency does not mean rigidity. The best models are adaptable and flexible so that practitioners can modify them for specific situations. Models should support social workers to do the right thing and not become a mechanistic way of responding to families.

Building on solid foundations

When the conditions for social work to flourish are not present, then it is likely the model won’t work. Implementing a model is not a ‘quick win’.

Models need to be built on some solid foundations, as highlighted in our blog:

• a stable workforce
• manageable caseloads
• effective management oversight and frequent supervision
• highly visible leaders and managers
• a strong culture of learning
• good qualitative assurance, performance monitoring and performance management arrangements
• mature partnerships with other agencies

Retaining focus on core social work tasks

When implementing a model, there is a risk that it may inadvertently lead to a loss of focus on some of the basics. For example, previously we have seen an LA implement a model of working in ‘pods’ (small groups of social workers who work closely together with a ‘practice lead’, who has a close working knowledge and oversight of their work). This led to good reflective discussion and assessment. However, with the shift to this new way of working, professionals lost their usual level of focus on timely decision-making, leading to delays for children. The best social work practice is founded on both values and professional standards, which are applied with discipline.

Monitoring the impact of the model

There will always be unintended consequences of implementing a model that need to be responded to quickly. It is critical that:

• the impact of the model is very closely monitored
• a robust quality assurance and performance management system is in place
• where necessary, remedial action is taken promptly

The best places evaluate their model over the longer term, being clear about how far success criteria have been met. They involve their practitioners well in the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the model.

What are the ingredients that make a model effective?

So, are there certain ingredients across different models of practice that enable them to be effective? I think there are, and I want to begin highlighting these.

A family-focused approach

Models that tend to make the biggest positive difference to the progress and experiences of children take a whole-family, holistic approach. They address key needs and risks while identifying and using strengths.

For example, practitioners in Bexley use a family-based relationship model involving the entire network of family and friends. This approach is underpinned by the belief that families have strengths and can identify solutions to their difficulties using their relationships with workers who know their children well. But, as with anything, there is a balance. A focus on the family must not lose a focus on the child.

Valuing stable relationships

Most models focus on the importance of stable relationships with social workers. They see this as a critical element of achieving sustainable, positive change for children and their families.

For example, in East Sussex the model of ‘connected practice’ (a methodology that supports practitioners to create change through meaningful and helpful relationships with children and families) has been comprehensively rolled out and is fully embedded. It is now resulting in helpful, enduring and trusting relationships between practitioners, children and their families, sometimes over many years.

In Kensington and Chelsea, the social work model is a strength. It means children and families receive consistent, stable social work support for as long as they need. Children’s services staff are trained as systemic practitioners. The social work model ensures that children and families experience minimal changes of social worker, even though their service needs may change, so that the relationship can remain stable.

Leeds has established a well-understood practice model that promotes child-centred work and productive working relationships between workers and families. Everyone is clear about what successful outcomes look like. The LA uses a restorative approach, which promotes working ‘with’ a family rather than doing work ‘to’ them. This includes early help. For example, the Restorative Early Support (RES) teams work intensively with families, setting clear goals that are reviewed weekly. Families ‘own’ the plan promoting sustainable change.

Relationship-based practice is a clear feature of all work in Leeds. Children are allocated a social worker in a timely way and, whenever possible, they remain with the same social worker. This helps build trusting relationships and reduces the number of professionals in the family’s life.

A shared model across agencies

Models of practice can be particularly effective when used across agencies.

Our report ‘Growing up neglected’ (a joint targeted area inspections (JTAI) overview report of the ‘deep dive’ theme ‘older children living with neglect’) found that some local areas took a strategic multi-agency approach. This ensured that staff across agencies had the support, training and tools needed to tackle neglect of older children. These areas had a more consistent and considered way of working that was having a positive impact on many children.

Islington and its partner agencies are embedding a model of trauma-informed practice. This is driving a cultural shift across the partnership. Their model promotes developing a skilful and confident workforce that builds good relationships with children and their families and keeps children at the centre of interventions. Professionals have commented to inspectors that this training has transformed the culture in schools, for example by providing a safe space for children to disclose abuse and by helping teachers to be professionally curious.

Focus on strengths and balance with risks

Any model should have a focus on families’ strengths and their capacity to change but must also clearly identify the risks. The implementation needs to ensure that the model guards against over-optimism and against assessment and intervention becoming too adult-focused.

For example, in North Yorkshire the vast majority of assessments are of a high quality. Professionals use a well-embedded model of practice to explore strengths and areas of concern within a family.

Essex uses the ‘relationship strengths-based’ practice model, which is fully embedded and well understood by staff and partner agencies. This model helps professionals to understand children’s lived experiences and to develop effective and sustainable solutions. Staff have a clear understanding of the model and build strong relationships, getting to know children and families. They use a family’s strengths to help identify strategies for them to achieve and sustain positive changes and improve outcomes for their children.

Purposeful direct work

The best LAs see purposeful direct work with children and families as a fundamental part of their practice model.

For example, in East Sussex, creative and purposeful direct work with children is widespread. Professionals use a range of direct work tools, as well as a neglect toolkit, to enable effective communication and participation with families. Their work is all underpinned by the well-embedded ‘connected practice’ model. The strength of these relationships and the care that children and young people receive substantially enrich and improve their lives.

In North Yorkshire, professionals use purposeful, sensitive and imaginative direct work to gather the wishes and feelings of children and to understand their needs. There is a clear and well-embedded practice methodology that is well understood. This guides the work of all practitioners, both within children’s social care and the wider multi-agency partnership.

Summary

Ofsted does not have a preferred model

I want to reiterate that Ofsted has no preferred model of practice. We do not endorse one over another. What we look for, as in all areas of inspection, is the impact that the model has on children’s progress and experiences. Embedding a new model is a challenging process. It is not a quick fix!

A whole-system approach to implementation will give the model the best opportunity to improve practice. It is critical that there is an unrelenting focus on the basics of social work practice, alongside good support for staff and strong management oversight. What success looks like needs to be clearly defined. The impact on children’s experiences and progress needs to be evaluated through a robust quality-assurance process.

I will continue to return to this important issue because it’s clear from our inspections to date that models of practice implemented well can have a positive impact on the lives of children and their families.

Published 26 February 2019

• New plans to extend Isles of Scilly Special Protection Area
• Thousands of seabirds including Manx shearwaters, European shags and great black-backed gulls are offered greater protection
• Public invited to have a say on proposals

Home to a greater diversity of breeding seabirds than anywhere else in England, the existing Isles of Scilly Special Protection Area (SPA) supports over 8,000 pairs of 13 different seabird species – including the European storm petrel and lesser black-backed gull – and is one of only two places in England where Manx shearwaters breed.

Natural England has outlined plans to extend the SPA by almost 13,000 hectares, helping maintain healthy and productive breeding colonies for generations to come. The extended boundary now recognises the importance of additional species for the first time, including the European shag and great black-backed gull, and includes not only seabird nesting sites but also nearby sea areas used for feeding, resting, preening and other social interactions.

The Isles of Scilly form an archipelago of over 200 low-lying granite islands and rocks situated in the South-West approaches, 45km South-West of Land’s End in Cornwall.

Environment Minister Thérèse Coffey said:

Our coastline is home to some of the most magnificent wildlife in the world and we are proud to be a world leader in protecting our marine environment.

It is suggested that these new protections will provide thousands of birds on the Isles of Scilly with a safe haven for foraging and feeding, safeguarding precious marine habitats for future generations. I welcome the consultation and encourage local residents to give their views.

Interim Chief Executive of Natural England Marian Spain said:

Extending the Isles of Scilly Special Protection Area would bring huge benefits for some of our most important seabird colonies.

We look forward to hearing what people think and, hopefully working with everybody who lives, works in and visits the Scillies to make these plans become a reality and make this coastline a key addition to the UK’s marine protection network.

Special Protection Areas are sites designated to protect populations of rare and vulnerable seabirds from human activity while minimising disturbance to birds’ open water feeding areas. There are already 47 such sites designated in English waters.

They are just one type of the many Marine Protected Areas (MPA) in place around the UK to conserve rare, threatened and nationally important habitats and species for future generations.

As part of the government’s commitment to becoming a world-leader in marine protection, it has now protected 36 per cent of English waters through the Marine Protected Areas (MPA) network, recently held a consultation on designating 41 new Marine Conservation Zones, and has called for a third of the world’s oceans to be protected as MPAs by 2030.

The consultation will run from 26 February 2019 until 21 May 2019 and seeks views of all interest parties on the proposed boundary change. The public can view the consultation details on gov.uk and can respond online, by email or by post.

More than 100 rural primary schools across England are set to get gigabit-capable broadband connections within the next few months as part of the Government’s commitment to improve internet infrastructure in rural areas.

Under the £3 million pilot programme, 3 schools have already been connected, and 52 have signed contracts with work expected to be completed in the coming weeks. There are also ongoing discussions with another 72 schools who are interested in participating. The trial was originally planned to reach 100 schools, but the project has been delivered under-budget, allowing even more schools to benefit.

Minister for Digital, Margot James said:

This project is a great example of the Government’s new “outside in” approach to rolling out full fibre broadband, which is taking gigabit broadband to the hardest to reach rural areas first. As well as making a dramatic difference for students in the classroom, by using the schools as broadband hubs we are also making ultrafast broadband available to thousands of rural homes and businesses across the country more quickly.

Those schools already connected under the programme have seen their broadband speeds jump from 0.5 Megabits per Second (Mbps) to 100Mbps, and have the capability to be upgraded to 1,000Mbps (1Gbps) in the future should they wish to do so.

These new speeds are enabling whole classes to simultaneously surf the internet on tablets as part of structured lessons, and gives schools easier access to online training and educational learning. Access to cloud services not only means savings as staff go paperless, but it has also enabled the decommissioning of the school’s local servers to reduce hardware, maintenance and IT support costs.

Mary See, Headteacher at Cheselbourne Village School, Dorset said:

Having new super-fast broadband reach our school has revolutionised the way we work. The much faster and reliable access to the web has allowed staff to work more efficiently; while the children, although still geographically remote, are no longer technologically isolated and will have the same opportunities as their urban peers in preparing for a more technological future.

Education Secretary Damian Hinds said:

In our inter-connected world, a fast, reliable internet connection has never been more important. The schools will be connected to the world of technology, enabling teachers to realise the benefits that fast and reliable broadband has to offer, from reducing teacher workload to improving access to high-quality resources.

I don’t want schools in villages and rural areas to be left in the slow lane when it comes to broadband, and the funding announced today will benefit the schools that are most in need.

Kim Mears, managing director for Strategic Infrastructure Development at Openreach said:

We’re really pleased to be able to support the Government’s drive to connect up schools with full fibre broadband through our Full Fibre Infrastructure Build programme, which enables schools not in our commercial roll out plans to still connect to our full fibre network – without incurring any build costs. Without fast reliable connectivity there is the risk that children will miss out on what is now an essential learning tool, so being able to connect up schools in this way is great news.

The trial is part of the Government’s £190 million Local Full Fibre Networks (LFFN) programme, and will see the schools benefit from fully-funded and future-proof full fibre connections directly into their classrooms. In addition the new connection being provided to schools has had the added benefit of increasing connectivity for the surrounding homes and businesses. Once the fibre has been laid (with the school acting as a “hub”) connecting other premises in the area becomes much more commercially viable to broadband providers.

The trial will be instrumental in shaping the new £200 million Rural Gigabit Connectivity Programme, targeting the hardest to reach areas in the UK. Building on the same principle, the programme will deliver gigabit capable connections to key public and business buildings, including schools, as well as encouraging broadband providers to create additional connections to local homes.

Notes to Editors

1. In the recent Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review (FTIR), the Government made it a priority to connect hard-to-reach rural areas, with the overall aim to connect 15 million premises to full fibre broadband by 2025, and the whole of the UK by 2033.
2. In addition to the existing Local Full Fibre Networks Programme a further £200m of funding was announced in the 2018 Autumn Budget to pilot the “Outside In” approach described in the FTIR – connecting harder to reach areas of the UK. That funding is available from April 2019 and the Programme will be called the Rural Gigabit Connectivity programme (RGC)

List of schools connected already or due to be connected shortly

Dorset

Cheselbourne Primary

Derbyshire

Peak Forest Primary

Devon

Cheriton Fitzpaine Primary School, Highampton Community Primary School, Princetown Community Primary School, Holbeton School, Farway Church of England Primary, Filleigh Community Primary School, St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School

Gloucestershire

Hartpury Church of England Primary, Slimbridge Primary School, Northleach Church of England Primary School, Churchdown Parton Manor Infant School, Churchdown Parton Manor Junior School

Kent

St John’s Primary, Blean Primary School, St John’s CE Primary School

Lincolnshire

Horblings Browns, Wrangle Primary School, The Hackthorn Church of England Primary School, Fleet Wood Lane Primary, Fairfield Infant and Nursery School, Quadring Cowley, Dunston St Peters School, Langtoft Primary School, Louth Kidgate Primary Academy, The Hackthorn Church of England Primary School, Whaplode Primary, Sturton by Stow Primary School, Nocton Primary School, Digby CofE Primary School, St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Bucknall Primary School, Legsby Primary School

Somerset

Banwell Primary School, East Anstey Primary School

Wiltshire

Wardour Catholic Primary School, Lacock Church of England Primary School

Cambridgeshire

Wittering Primary School

Derbyshire

Wigley, All Saints CofE Junior School, Osmaston CofE (VC) Primary School, Stoney Middleton CofE (C) Primary School, Stretton Handley Church of England Primary School, Brailsford CofE Primary School, Peak Dale Primary School, Thornsett Primary School, Pilsley CofE Primary School, Parwich Primary School, Kilburn Junior School, Duke of Norfolk CofE Primary School, Saint Mary’s Catholic Primary, Hady Primary School, Westhouses Primary School, Eureka Primary School, Stanton Primary School

East Sussex

St. Peter’s CE Primary School, St. Michael’s CE Primary School (Playden), Stonegate CE Primary School

Herefordshire

Bromesberrow St Mary’s Church of England (Aided) Primary School

Northamptonshire

Old Stratford

West Sussex

Wivelsfield Primary School

Leaving the EU with a deal remains the government’s top priority and would give businesses the stability and certainty to prepare for our new relationship after EU Exit. However, the government must plan for every possible outcome, including no deal.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is working closely with trade bodies, product suppliers, the health and care system in England, the devolved administrations and crown dependencies (the Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey) to make detailed plans to ensure the continued supply of medical products to the UK in the event of a no-deal EU Exit.

Together with industry and the health and care system, DHSC has analysed:

• the supply chains of 12,300 medicines
• almost half a million product lines of medical devices and clinical consumables
• vaccines used in national and local programmes
• essential non-clinical goods on which the health and care system relies, such as linen, scrubs and food

Around three-quarters of the medicines and over half of the clinical consumables we use come from or via the EU. The main risk to supply is reduced traffic flow between the ports of Calais and Dover or Folkestone.

DHSC also has responsibility to ensure medicines supply on behalf of the devolved administrations and crown dependencies, and they have accepted the department’s offer to manage the supply on their behalf. All supply arrangements therefore take into account the requirements for the whole of the UK. There has been excellent engagement from all parties, and preparation plans are well advanced as a result.

Following this analysis, DHSC has put in place a multi-layered approach to minimise any supply disruption, including:

• securing, via the Department for Transport, additional roll-on, roll-off freight capacity away from Dover and Folkestone for goods to continue to come into the UK from 29 March
• buffer stocks and stockpiling, where this is practical, or asking industry or NHS Supply Chain to build up buffer stocks in the UK before 29 March
• buying extra warehouse space to hold additional stock
• booking space on aeroplanes for products that require an immediate shipment due to short shelf-life or specific storage conditions
• making changes to, or clarifications of, regulatory requirements so companies can continue to sell their products in the UK even if we have no deal
• strengthening the processes and resources used to deal with shortages in the event that they do occur despite everyone’s efforts

A combination of securing freight, buffer stocks, stockpiling and warehousing, and regulatory flexibility will be required help to ensure the continuation of medical supplies.

By securing additional freight capacity to ensure a continued flow of products, stockpiling and providing warehouse storage capacity as a further contingency, and removing regulatory barriers, medicines and medical products should continue to be available for the NHS, other healthcare providers and the public in the event of a no-deal EU exit.

Local stockpiling is unnecessary and could cause shortages in other areas, which could put patient care at risk. It is important that patients order their repeat prescriptions as normal and keep taking their medicines as normal.

While we never give guarantees, we are confident that, if everyone – including suppliers, freight companies, our international partners, and the health and care system – does what they need to do, the supply of medicines and medical products should be uninterrupted in the event of exiting the EU without a deal.

More information can be found in the written ministerial statement to the House of Commons on Monday 25 February.