Search results for ‘Author:"institute for research and innovation in social services"’ Sort:
Results 1 - 10 of 39
Care home quality assurance in COVID-19
- Author:
- INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SERVICES
- Publisher:
- Institute for Research and Innovation in Social Services
- Publication year:
- 2022
- Pagination:
- 26
- Place of publication:
- Glasgow
A review of care home quality assurance materials from 17 local authority areas in Scotland to understand how improvement is best supported during periods of acute crisis. It draws out: what was learned about how care homes were managing during the COVID-19 crisis; the local authority approaches to assurance and improvement; examples of creative practice and areas for development. The findings from the assurance visits reflect how the COVID-19 crisis highlighted existing tensions, challenges, and structural issues within care homes and their relationship with the wider health and social care support sectors. The findings highlight the significant tensions between social work/social care support and clinical perspectives on wellbeing, risk, and safety. This tension recurred across almost all identified themes from the care home environment, accommodating people who walk with purpose, maintaining social connections and being, through to seemingly minor decisions such as the reintroduction of uniforms in otherwise homely settings. Working effectively with this tension will be key to recovery from COVID-19; with the recognition that the balance between social and clinical 'safety' may need to be reset, most urgently where human rights concerns come into play. (Edited publisher abstract)
Social work leadership through COVID-19
- Author:
- INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SERVICES
- Publisher:
- Institute for Research and Innovation in Social Services
- Publication year:
- 2020
- Pagination:
- 31
- Place of publication:
- Glasgow
This report provides an overview of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland between March and November 2020, from some of the individuals at the forefront of our social work services, namely Chief Social Work Officers (CSWOs). The CSWO leads local authorities and their partners in understanding the complexities and cross-cutting nature of social work service delivery. This includes issues such as child protection, adult protection, corporate parenting, and the management of high-risk offenders – and also encompasses the key role social work plays in contributing to the achievement of a wide range of national and local outcomes. The CSWO network identified the importance of taking a collective, and connected approach, grounded in a recognition that localised action should be supported by a common philosophy, rather than seeking to create common practice across local authorities. Early emerging challenges were interwoven with the immediate priorities and concerns: the impact of the pandemic on workforce capacity across services; responding to restrictions on, or immediate ceasing of, normal practice or activities; contingency planning; development of guidance for social workers. The report’s contents include: placing social work – voice and influence; the initial response; social work within wider structures; national professional identity; managing the workforce through a crisis; guidance and legislation; Social Work Scotland’s role through the pandemic; and looking to the future. (Edited publisher abstract)
Iriss on… social isolation and technology
- Author:
- INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SERVICES
- Publisher:
- Institute for Research and Innovation in Social Services
- Publication year:
- 2020
- Pagination:
- 4
- Place of publication:
- Glasgow
A brief overview of social isolation, the implications of the COVID-19 crisis, and how technology can support social connectedness, through access to social networks, health and care resources, entertainment or educational content. The document gives a definition of social isolation and explains who is at risk, the causes and consequences of isolation, and the role digital technology. It also highlights and signposts to relevant evidence and literature. (Edited publisher abstract)
Relationships matter: a conversation tool to support practitioners reflect on caring for young people who are leaving care
- Author:
- INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SERVICES
- Publisher:
- Institute for Research and Innovation in Social Services
- Publication year:
- 2016
- Pagination:
- 30
- Place of publication:
- Glasgow
This tool supports practitioners, individually and in groups, reflect on their views and values when continuing to care for young people who are leaving care. The tool consists of a series of question cards designed to encourage conversations and to support: the identification of cultural approaches, attitudes and values that enable and disable relational-based practice when continuing relationships with young people as they leave care; consideration of, and action about, how to better support relational-based practice. Multiple sets of ‘reflection’ and ‘action’ cards are included after the question cards. (Edited publisher abstract)
Keeping it Personal: evaluation report
- Author:
- INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SERVICES
- Publisher:
- Institute for Research and Innovation in Social Services
- Publication year:
- 2016
- Pagination:
- ii, 32
- Place of publication:
- Glasgow
Presents the findings of an evaluation of the Keeping it Personal (KiP) project, which sought to understand how health and social care partnerships can support more person-centred and integrated practice when working in a way that focuses on people first. The project brought health and social care practitioners and people who access services and support and their carers together at two sites; each group came together at six daylong workshops to learn, plan and do together to improve person-centred care in their locale; and new ways of working (combining co-production and improvement methodology) were trialled to increase capacity and capability among people using services and professionals to work as partners, to strengthen collaborative practices between statutory and third sector, and to engender a cultural transformation towards an asset-based, empowerment model. Project outputs included two dementia cafés and a carers café and disseminating information in local GP waiting rooms to support earlier diagnosis of heart failure. The evaluation finds that people felt more confident and capable in engaging and interacting effectively with one another, both across sectors and with others with lived experience. The majority of people with lived experience also described increased awareness of the supports that they could access, while everyone developed new knowledge and experienced. The assets of all came to be more fully realised over the course of the project – with practitioners’ awareness of peoples’ ability to help themselves, in particular, increased. Practitioners had come to understand the difference between consultation (their usual approach) and co-production, with some claiming to have already put this new knowledge into action. New networks had also been established which would be useful in future work. (Edited publisher abstract)
The view from here: understanding the working lives, attitudes and experiences of the social services workforce
- Author:
- INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SERVICES
- Publisher:
- Institute for Research and Innovation in Social Services
- Publication year:
- 2015
- Pagination:
- 28
- Place of publication:
- Glasgow
Reports on the findings of an online questionnaire conducted to better understand the experiences, attitudes and outlook of the social services workforce in Scotland as part of the View from Here project. The analysis highlights the sector wide findings indicating key differences between sectors and job roles. The questionnaire was distributed through social media, the networks of 54 IRISS Champions and though practitioners and organisations involved in the project. A total of 2,167 responses were received, of these 1,678 were complete. The questionnaire was in four sections. Section 1 covered length of time in the profession, motivation, and pay and workload. Section 2 covered how people feel in their role, the extent they can support outcomes being met, perceptions of how their organisation is performing, and challenges and opportunities. Section 3 looked at how people feel valued and can effect change. Section 4 covered demographic information to understand who had taken part in the survey. Illustrative quotes have been used to contextualise the data. It is noted that the response rate from the private sector was small, respondents could skip questions and 23 per cent of respondents did not complete the demographic section of the survey. (Edited publisher abstract)
Homelessness: pathways and prevention
- Author:
- INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SERVICES
- Publisher:
- Institute for Research and Innovation in Social Services
- Publication year:
- 2015
- Place of publication:
- Glasgow
This resource shares the learning from a project led by IRISS and designed to explore the perceptions of, and approaches to, innovation in homelessness prevention in Scotland. Through engagement with a variety of partners, including local authorities, third sector, health and Scottish Government, the project captured key messages from a collection of approaches which help support people affected by homelessness. This resource provides a definition of what homelessness is and summarises the Scottish context. It also presents eight case studies and a range of multimedia resources, including audio recorded discussions, videos and an evidence summary. (Edited publisher abstract)
Imagining the future: a creative exploration
- Author:
- INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SERVICES
- Publisher:
- Institute for Research and Innovation in Social Services
- Publication year:
- 2014
- Place of publication:
- Glasgow
A creative exploration of support, social services and workforce issues in Scotland in the coming decade, setting out four scenario narratives describing different world-views for 2025. These scenarios are intended as a provocative but also useful guide to difficult conversations around the role of professionals, citizen rights and responsibilities, leadership and workforce planning. The four scenarios are: the post welfare world, characterised by increasingly overstretched services and greater self-reliance among individuals and families; the new normal world, where care is sought, generated and bought without stigma and where professional values will shift from provider to enabler; yesterday is another world, characterised by a risk averse workforce, unable to change and locked in a cycle of short-termism, blame and stigma; and the fully integrated world, efficiency- and technology-led, well organised and hierarchical but not people centred and for many confusing, faceless and lacking humanity. (Edited publisher abstract)
Using the Sony Playstation Portable (PsP) for context-based learning: project report
- Author:
- INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SERVICES
- Publisher:
- Institute for Research and Innovation in Social Services
- Publication year:
- 2014
- Place of publication:
- Glasgow
Throughout 2013, IRISS worked with Key Community Supports, an organisation providing support for people with disabilities throughout Scotlan, to explore how mobile technologies might provide context-based information and training for care workers. Specifically, the project looked at how a mainstream device - the Sony Playstation Portable (PSP) - could be used to deliver video instructions and support. It built on an idea developed by SSSC to use the video capabilities of the PSP to take learning and knowledge as close as possible to the point of implementation. The report concludes that while technology of itself does not necessarily deliver the solutions, the PSP has potential as as a helpful way of personalising care and support. In the future it could be used to support workers to prepare complex medication, to allow individuals to talk through their support plan, and to make KEY resources and guidance more accessible and engaging. (Edited publisher abstract)
Hospital to home
- Author:
- INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SERVICES
- Publisher:
- Institute for Research and Innovation in Social Services
- Publication year:
- 2014
- Place of publication:
- Glasgow
Produced as part of a pathway mapping activity with practitioners, this document looks at the care older people experience when discharged from hospital in Scotland and the challenges practitioners face. Four of the most common care pathways are identified and illustrated: returning straight home (with or without family support); early supported discharge or intermediate care at home; step down or intermediate care; and admission straight to a care home. The document also presents key findings from a literature review on delayed discharge and the pathway between hospital and home to highlight some of the key problems and solutions. The resource has been developed as part of a 20-month project to redesign the pathway from hospital to home for older people across Scotland. (Edited publisher abstract)