Taking forward ASYE in adult services

October 2014

Context

Recommendation 16: Whilst the profession moves towards embracing a Licence to Practise, the current ASYE programme should be extended in scope to include all NQSWs entering practice. The requirements asked of employers engaged in the ASYE programme should be subject to a much more exacting and auditable process than is presently the case. Its assessment methodology should be strengthened and made more open to independent validation.

Re-visioning Social Work EducationProfessor David Croisdale-Appleby, February 2014

Context

Recommendation

1. Universities are sovereign bodies and it is entirely appropriate and justifiable, not least in terms of student choice, that social work degree courses vary. But there needs to be a concise, single document drafted, drawing on the advice of the College of Social Work, academics and, particularly, employers, which offers in a single publication, a GMC style summary of what a newly qualified children’s social worker needs to understand. Such a document should cover not only factual issues but those which are best described as philosophical or attitudinal. I recommend that the Chief Social Worker For Children take the lead in drafting such a document. To provide a foundation for that work, I suggest she needs first to draft a definition of children’s social work.

Making the education of social workers consistently effectiveSir Martin Narey, January 2014

Intentions for ASYE

• Consultation on a knowledge and skills statement

• Developing intentions for ASYE• Consistency• Rigour• All employers

The Chief Social Worker for adults

Intentions for ASYE

1. Minimum criteria for assessment evidence

Assessment process and support recorded through learning agreement, PDP and reviews.

2. Process to confirm, standardise and validate the assessment decision

i.Internal Assessment Panel

ii.External Standardisation Process

iii.Independent validation and quality assurance of implementation

Promoting consistency and rigour with all employers

What about?

• Funding

• Timing

• What are the implications of standardisation• e.g. Paperwork

Issues and expectations

Next steps

• Partnerships meetings (September 2014)• Networks• Working groups (October onwards)• Steering group

Developing and implementing with employers

• 4 – Direct Observations

• Two written pieces demonstrating critically reflective practice

• Work products

• Three pieces of feedback over the course of the year from people who need care and support, or carers.

• Three pieces of feedback over the course of the year from other professionals• Assessor Report

ASYE – Minimum evidence requirements

• A learning agreement

•         Professional development plan

•         Appropriate reviews

Context for learning and assessment

• Increase - Overall requirement to be undertaken by registered social worker

- Minimum of 2 completed by Assessor

- Template?- Assessment criteria- Guidance

Direct Observations

• One showing learning outcomes from the reflective process focusing upon professional development

• One demonstrating reasoned judgement relating to a  practice decision

- Template?- Developing guidance material- Assessment criteria

Critically reflective practice

• Report written for external decision making processes (e.g. Mental Health Tribunal, Best Interest Assessment, Assessment of Needs and Care and Support plan, or other equivalent report)

• Case recording

• Supervision records

- Guidance- Assessment criteria

Work products

• Three pieces of feedback over the course of the year

- Templates?- Assessment criteria

Feedback from People in Need of Care and Support

• Three pieces of feedback over the course of the year

- Templates?- Assessment criteria- Guidance

Feedback from other professionals

- Template?- Assessment criteria

Assessor Report

Holistic assessment against the PCF and Knowledge and Skills statement

Evidence of progressive development Centrality of critical reflection based on feedback from people in need

of care and support Employer owned Assessment completed by a registered social worker

Principles - Given

ASYE – assessment evidence, criteria and guidance

Summary of Key developmental issues -Keep it simple and flexible –avoid bureaucracy

-Build on current model

-Support the nature of it being employer owned and don’t raise the burden on employers

-Standardise templates with core elements that employers can add to

-All templates linked to the PCF – check they support holistic assessment ie against level descriptor not domains, and show progression

- Integrate all the evidence with links between and across with design that supports this.

- Integrate critically reflective practice

- Is it necessary to include work products?

- Feedback from People in need of care and support – move away from questionnaires and integrate

-Importance of PDP to demonstrate progression – support the sector to understand about outcomes rather than activity

- Support the sector to understand the level required at ASYE and how to evidence progressive development.

A new ASYE framework….?

Internal Assessment Panels

Partnership panels

SfC Area Social Work

Networks

SfC National

Partnership meetings

and events

Area standardisation processNational

validation process

Partnership panels

Internal assessment processes

Purpose/output –final ASYE judgement•When - Timing and frequency of meetings, •Who - Membership, roles and responsibilities of internal assessment panels (Role of registered social workers, HR, senior management)•What - Evidence presented to panel, how is this presented, •How – Process for making judgements; providing feedback (templates?); promoting consistency/standardisation within the organisation; reporting specific meetings and identifying short term and longer term themes (positive and negative/areas to address) and tracking actions from previous decisions

Building on existing models:

Internal assessment processes

• Role of Principal Social Workers : include, where available, or a social work professional lead within an organisation.

• Model needs to work and be relevant for all organisations, including small PVI orgs.

• Timing important, NQSWs shouldn’t wait too long for a final decision

• Purpose of internal process can be two fold, to track and review progress and recommend remedial action to individuals and to the programme and to confirm the final assessment decision

• Confirm internal assessment criteria and develop a proforma for assessing evidence (including the number of assessors for each NQSW) and providing feedback to NQSWs and to assessors

• Standards for assessors are important

Messages so far:

External/Area standardisation processes

Principles given:•One validated framework to promote consistency across the country•External standardisation: commonalities necessary to promote and develop consistency:

o Sampling (size and content)o Membership principles o Providing feedback to panel members?o Frequency of meetingso Reporting

•

Building on existing models and good practice

External/Area standardisation processes

• Need to explore relationship to existing partnership structures and panels, role of national validation body and SfC existing evidence checking

• Ensuring new framework is practical, pragmatic, lean and adds value to current arrangements

• Representation across a SfC area, is this feasible?• Engagement of independent and voluntary sector critical• Governance and authority, consequence of consistently not meeting

standards needs to be clear• Administration and co-ordination important

Messages so far..