SOUNDS GOOD IN THEORY

PQ AND EMPLOYER ENGAGEMENT – Colin Young,

Judith Evans, Linda BruntEve Rees

Youngc1@cardiff.ac.uk

Linda Brunt

Team Manager

Rhondda Cynon Taff

Workshop Overview

Origins Organisation Structure Content Candidates’ Experience Exercise Points for Discussion

Origins of the South WalesPQ Community Care Programme No equivalent to the PQ Child Care Award in

Wales

Training Officers from Caerphilly, Newport, Cardiff, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Bridgend, The Vale of Glamorgan and Monmouth worked on a plan for an equivalent course for social workers in adult services

The agencies approached the local HEIs. UWIC and Cardiff University were interested

The Welsh Context

South Wales demography: urban Newport Cardiff and Swansea, small ex mining towns in the valleys and rural South West Wales.

Distinct multiple cultural identities. Welsh language and culture; Welsh Assembly Government social policy and legislation

: (e.g. Welsh Language Act 1993 requirements)

The Welsh Context

The root – UK Government White Paper in 1998 – advent of new Labour’s policies in health and social care

Since then, different policies, implemented at different times around the UK, e.g:

Distinctive Welsh Policy – Examples UK: Modernising Social Services 1998

Dept. of Health – key document

England: National Service Framework (NSF) – Older People 2001

Wales : NSF Older People 2006

Delayed Discharges, etc Act 2003 Act not implemented

Carers (Equal Ops.)Act 2004

Implemented in Wales

Valuing People 2000 – Learning Disability

Strategy

Fulfilling the Promises 2001

LD Strategy

No Secrets – POVA Guidance 2000

In Safe HandsPOVA Guidance2000

Judith Evans

Programme Co-ordinator UWIC

Implications for the programme

Contractual relationship between 13 agencies, commitment to pay for set numbers, range of adult service workers, language of assignments, assessment, mentoring, externals.

Example of Anti-Oppressive / anti-discriminatory practice, within a bi-lingual context

Agency commitment

0 2 4 6

2004

2005

2006

2007

* non partner agencies

Vale of GlamorganTorfaenSwanseaRhondda Cynon TaffPowys*PembrokeshireNewportNeath Port TalbotMonmouthshireMerthyr TydfilCeredigion*CarmarthenshireCardiffCaerphillyBridgendBlaenau Gwent*

Core Strengths of the programme

Agency driven… high commitment to management, course content and assessment. Formal agency contract

Teaching from tutors up to date with local practice Very good administration: advance planning, clear

communication and information sharing, careful tracking of candidates.

Clear standards of practice were presented to those from

a variety of agencies

Core Strengths of the programme. 2

Ideas for change came from the candidates, the tutors, the Assessment Panel or the Management Committee and was taken up in development groups when needed.

Support from agencies for Practice Mentors who guided and advised candidates.

Line managers involved in verifying work of candidates

Effective dialogue between college and agency markers regarding the assignments

Dr Colin Young

Tutor Cardiff University

Eve Rees

Tutor UWIC

Structure

Module 1 Contemporary issues in Community Care……..1 assignment.

Teaching material started from the perspective of day to day practice

Module 2 The Law and Regulation– critical for employer engagement - 2 assignments

Module 3 Networking and Multi Agency Working. Informal presentation plus an assignment

= 60 PQ credits for the three module programme

Structure 1

Module 1 – e.g. user /carer input, reflective practice, risk management within the context of organisational practices (e.g. POVA) - Prof. Tom Horlick-Jones.

- addressed contemporary developments in practice across a range of service user / carer groups.

See handout

REFLECTIVE PRACTICE – Schon (1983)

Candidates having a deeper knowledge than they are aware of.

Asking reflective questions – being prepared to be “constantly surprised” by responses.

Every situation encountered is a complex contradiction of the familiar and the unique

Structure 2

Module 2 - Law teaching 2 parts teaching split between Cardiff University and UWIC –

Part 1 – legislation, guidance and judgements - law quiz, law test using a given scenario – facilitated by Martin James, Operational Manager, Cardiff Council

Part 2 - Regulation (see handout)

Structure 3

Module 3 – completed the sequence – partnership working, focus on skills

Assessment

Assessment Panel of tutors plus one rep from each agency

All assignments read by a tutor and agency panel member

Struggles between knowledge and practice issues.

As both were of equal importance candidates could fail for either.

Results

Module 1 - 2005

A7%

B36%

C29%

Non Submit7%

D7%

E/F14%

A

B

C

D

E/F

Non Submit

Module 1 - 2007

A8%

B30%

C31%

D12%

E/F4%

Withdraw n15%

A

B

C

D

E/F

Withdraw n

Module 1 - 2003

B57%

C26%

Defer due to ill health

4%

Withdrawn4%

A9%

A

B

C

D

E/F

Defer due to ill health

Withdrawn

(n = 14) (n = 26)

(n =23)

Candidates’ comments

Mod.1: “Session on D/deaf awareness was very informative and thought-provoking.” “Useful day – now I feel more enthusiastic about my job.”

Mod.2: “Really think I’m starting to get it now! Head is still trying to take it all in – overall very good and so interesting” “An excellent course delivered effectively in a way that is of great practical use in practice settings”

Group ExerciseUsing Success as Audit (Prof. Johannes Herwig-Lempp, Merseburg University)

Asking for recognition of success How did you do it? How could you apply what you have

learnt to future experiences? Asking for recognition for oneself and

from others Recording success as part of an

organisation’s audit

Service user Involvement

Service user input on the teaching of module 1

Material presented at 2 “involvement events” organised by the Coalition of Disabled People – service user input on module development for new PQ MSc course commencing Oct. 2008

What have we learned If agencies come up with the idea initially they are

more committed to continued partnership and prepared to work on content, management and assessment.

A good administrator improves everything. Being responsive to change was possible when

Assessment Panel, Management Committee and Practice Mentor reps worked together on issues.

Annual update of material was necessary to reflect social policy changes.

Candidates valued the opportunity to step back from the emotional impact of their work and see the work in the wider context

Questions for discussion

How applicable are the issues raised to your own workplace setting – what have you learnt and how could you apply it? What would you do differently?

What are the obstacles?

What things have we missed?

References:

Herwig-Lempp, J (2005) Lets talk about Success! Guidelines and 6 arguments why to talk about success. Unpublished paper. Merseburg University.

Schon, D (1983) The Reflective Practitioner Aldershot: Ashgate.