Search results for ‘Publisher:"scottish social services council"’ Sort:
Results 1 - 10 of 54
Newly qualified social workers in Scotland: a five-year longitudinal study: final report
- Authors:
- GRANT Scott, et al
- Publisher:
- Scottish Social Services Council
- Publication year:
- 2022
- Pagination:
- 189
- Place of publication:
- Dundee
This final report presents the findings of a five-year longitudinal study exploring the experiences of newly qualified social workers (NQSWs) as they progress in their careers in Scotland. The research's objectives were to (1) examine journeys of professional transition and development; (2) understand how participants experience and navigate a complex, contested and dynamic professional landscape, in relation to professional roles, tasks, structures and settings; (3) understand how participants are supported, trained and developed across diverse practice settings; and (4) identify ongoing professional development needs as social workers progress their careers. The study focused on education, employment, competence and confidence, learning and development, professional identity and leadership. Key takeaways include: the first two years of employment represent a crucial period of transition from the point of qualification - it takes time for new practitioners to feel comfortable in their roles, and we need to acknowledge that becoming a professional is a fluid and plural process; colleagues and the informal peer support, advice, guidance, learning and emotional space they offer cannot be underplayed; agile working reduces opportunities for informal and critical reflections and discussions which impact on sense- and 156 decision-making in cases - we need to harness the best of flexible working with the best of static / fixed models of working; too much weight is placed on workload management as a negative process and not enough on exploring less obvious dimensions of critical reflection, sense making and ethical judgment intrinsic to case discussions. (Edited publisher abstract)
Scottish social service sector: report on 2021 workforce data
- Author:
- SCOTTISH SOCIAL SERVICES COUNCIL
- Publisher:
- Scottish Social Services Council
- Publication year:
- 2022
- Pagination:
- 75
- Place of publication:
- Dundee
The report combines administrative data from the Care Inspectorate with data collected by the SSSC directly from local authorities to form a comprehensive picture of the paid workforce employed in the social service sector in Scotland at the end of 2021. The data shows that the size of the workforce has dropped slightly to 208,360, a fall of 0.6% since 2020. The social service workforce makes up approximately 7.9% of all Scottish employment. This decrease has been driven mainly by decreases to the care homes for adults and housing support/care at home sub-sectors, while the day care of children sub-sector grew greatly in contrast. The whole time equivalent (WTE) measure of the workforce is 159,150, a decrease of 0.1% since 2020. The stability index of the workforce is 75.5%. This means just over three-quarters of the workforce remained in the same post since last year. The largest employer type differs between local authority areas, with services in Orkney, Shetland and Na h-Eileanan Siar (the three island authorities) provided mainly by the public sector. However, in most areas the private sector is the largest employer. The three largest sub-sectors are housing support/care at home, care homes for adults and day care of children; together these account for almost 79% of the workforce. The median age of the workforce is highest in the public sector (47) and lowest in the private sector (40). Staff working in early years services in the private sector have the lowest median age (28). The percentage of men working in the sector is 15%, although it is around double or greater that proportion in criminal justice social work and residential children's services. The workforce is mainly employed on permanent contracts (83%). The median figure for the typical weekly hours worked by staff is 33 and 53% of the workforce work full time (more than 30 hours per week). (Edited publisher abstract)
Staff vacancies in care services 2020
- Authors:
- SCOTTISH SOCIAL SERVICES COUNCIL, CARE INSPECTORATE
- Publisher:
- Scottish Social Services Council
- Publication year:
- 2021
- Pagination:
- 66
- Place of publication:
- Dundee
This report brings together data on the number of registered care services in Scotland with a vacancy and data on whole time equivalent vacancies reported by services. The data on the number of registered care services with a vacancy lets us see the proportion of services in local authority areas and service types impacted by them. At 31 December 2020, there were just over 12,200 registered services providing care and support for children, young people, adults and older people across Scotland – 36% of services reported having vacancies. The percentage of care services reporting vacancies fell by 3 percentage points over the last year, and by 2 percentage points since Dec 2017. The rate of WTE vacancies for all services was 5.1%, down from 6.2% in 2019. This was higher than the overall vacancy rate across all establishments in Scotland of 1.9% reported in the Scottish Government’s Employer skills Survey 2020. At 31 December 2020, 43% of services with vacancies reported having problems filling them; down 6 percentage points from the previous year. This varied by type of service and geographical area: care at home services (63%), care homes for older people (54%), housing support services (52%) and nurse agency services (57%) were all significantly above the national average for all care services. (Edited publisher abstract)
Developing your leadership as a social work student
- Author:
- SCOTTISH SOCIAL SERVICES COUNCIL
- Publisher:
- Scottish Social Services Council
- Publication year:
- 2021
- Pagination:
- 11
- Place of publication:
- Dundee
This document illustrates some connections between your practice as a social work student and the six leadership capabilities promoted and developed in social services in Scotland. There are six leadership capabilities which are needed to support good leadership in social services. These are: vision; self-leadership; creativity and innovation; collaborating and influencing; motivating and inspiring; empowering. (Edited publisher abstract)
Newly qualified social workers in Scotland: a five-year longitudinal study: interim report 3
- Authors:
- GRANT Scott, et al
- Publisher:
- Scottish Social Services Council
- Publication year:
- 2020
- Pagination:
- 60
- Place of publication:
- Dundee
This report presents findings from Year 3 of a five-year longitudinal study which aims to develop a national picture of how early career social workers (ECSWs) experience and navigate their early years in practice. Methods of data collection include annual repeat-measure online questionnaires, participant observation and in-depth interviews. Year 3 findings draw on 120 responses to a national online questionnaire, 14 in-depth interviews and a ten-day period of observation in a single local authority. Year 3 findings indicate a workforce that is increasingly confident, capable and critical regarding its professional identity, purpose and contribution. Across enquiry areas, ECSWs emerge as clear and committed to their professional role in helping the most vulnerable in Scottish society, while also significantly constrained by what they perceive to be harsh and sometimes hostile economic, political, organisational and interprofessional climates. In this respect the findings suggest a distinctly plural and at times conflicted professional identity and experience. However, there are significant constraints, dissonance and dilemmas also recounted by participants, particularly when given space for reflection. Experienced constraints mostly relate to a lack of adequate resource – both for social work services and the broader welfare services on which social work depends; and a perceived lack of political, inter-professional, media and public regard for social work, its complexities and contribution. Perhaps for these reasons, ECSWs appear to have little confidence in the will or capacity of existing political or macro-professional structures to effect significant change or improvement for the profession. Relatedly, across the data sets, there is a developing sense that some of the early career workforce’s expressed optimism, strength and resolve functions as a necessary protection and defence in a professional environment riven by challenge, change and uncertainty. (Edited publisher abstract)
Guidance for employers on core training for redeployed workers, temporary workers and volunteers
- Author:
- SCOTTISH SOCIAL SERVICES COUNCIL
- Publisher:
- Scottish Social Services Council
- Publication year:
- 2020
- Pagination:
- 11
- Place of publication:
- Dundee
This resource provides a practical approach and guidance for care settings that may require the use of redeployed workers, the introduction of temporary workers and volunteers due to the staffing challenges facing the sector as a result of the spread of COVID-19. Expectations for employees and volunteers may differ and this resource sets out the key messages employers need to think about and what needs to be in place to promote the safe delivery of services. It includes resources available for inducting workers into different care settings and provides guidance on training and learning available to help people develop the knowledge, skills and competence to support our most vulnerable. It is recognised that services will be subject to demands which will require different approaches to how they make use of staffing and other resources. This may include deploying staff from other services and recruiting temporary workers and volunteers. The document stresses that it is important that during the COVID-19 pandemic employers continue to maintain the wellbeing and safety of people using services. It is also notes that it is advisable to continue to check national websites for the most up to date advice and information as it continues to change. (Edited publisher abstract)
Workforce skills report 2016-17: extended version
- Author:
- SCOTTISH SOCIAL SERVICES COUNCIL
- Publisher:
- Scottish Social Services Council
- Publication year:
- 2017
- Pagination:
- 71
- Place of publication:
- Glasgow
This report summarises some of the data on access to social services in Scotland, outlines the key characteristics of the workforce, and examines many of the current challenges and developments. Social services in Scotland employs over 200,000 people. They hold key roles in social work, adult social care and early learning and childcare. This report breaks down the figures and the budgets and offers projections going forward. More specifically, the report identifies a number of recent workforce development initiatives including the end of life and palliative care learning framework; outlines the role of the social service sector and summarises some of the data on access to services; briefly explores the economic contribution of the sector; outlines the key characteristics of the social service workforce; outlines the registration of the social service workforce process; covers many of the key recruitment and retention challenges for the sector and outlines some of the initiatives tackling these issues; summarises the key skills issues and challenges for this workforce; highlights the significant volume of learning and development provision in this sector, including Scottish Vocational Qualifications and the childhood practice award. (Edited publisher abstract)
The standard for foster care
- Author:
- SCOTTISH SOCIAL SERVICES COUNCIL
- Publisher:
- Scottish Social Services Council
- Publication year:
- 2017
- Pagination:
- 69
- Place of publication:
- Dundee
This Standard provides a framework of learning for foster carers in Scotland. It aims to ensure that they have the opportunity to learn about the different ways to support children and young people and develop their knowledge about the foster carer role. It also aims to provide a level of consistency in the learning and development programmes provided for foster carers in Scotland. Part 1 outlines the vision for the standard; how it links to foster carer roles and values; and the benefits for both foster carers and foster children and young people. Part 2 describes the 19 standards, which outline what all foster carers should achieve and also the expectations for foster carers at the pre-approval and induction; post-approval; and continuing professional development stage. (Edited publisher abstract)
Knowledge acquisition: a study of knowledge acquisition methods currently used to support candidates taking SVQ Social Services and Healthcare at SCVF level 7
- Author:
- SCOTTISH SOCIAL SERVICES COUNCIL
- Publisher:
- Scottish Social Services Council
- Publication year:
- 2016
- Pagination:
- 81
- Place of publication:
- Dundee
Research report to examine the support Scottish Vocational Qualification (SVQ) candidates get to acquire knowledge in preparation for assessment and the effectiveness of different methods and approaches of supporting candidates. Research methods included an online survey of assessment centres, a small scale emailed questionnaire survey of SVQ candidates, assessors and internal verifiers, and a small scale email survey of social service employers. Findings showed social service employers were generally satisfied with the knowledge acquisition processes currently used; however, concerns were raised about candidates’ readiness for assessment and the satisfactory demonstration of some areas of knowledge in practice. These areas were the law, policy and guidance which inform practice, specialist knowledge and theories for practice. The report provides positive evidence of how employers and training providers are supporting workers to gain underpinning knowledge relevant to their qualification at SCQF level 7. It also includes suggestions of types of support to help knowledge acquisition for candidates involved in SVQ. Suggestions cover actions for candidates, assessment centre staff, employing organisations, and external organisations of different types of support that could be beneficial for candidates suggested by people involved in SVQ (Edited publisher abstract)
Supervision: learning resource
- Author:
- SCOTTISH SOCIAL SERVICES COUNCIL
- Publisher:
- Scottish Social Services Council
- Publication year:
- 2016
- Pagination:
- 84
- Place of publication:
- Dundee
This learning resource promotes good practice in supervision across social work and social services in Scotland. Supervision is a process that involves a manager meeting regularly and interacting with worker(s) to review their work. It is carried out as required by legislation, regulation, guidance, standards, inspection requirements and requirements of the provision and the service. The purpose is to monitor tasks and workload, solve problems, support workers in dealing with complex situations and moral and ethical dilemmas and to promote staff development. This resource provides opportunities to explore experiences and expectations of different types and approaches to supervision. It draws on examples of good practice and includes resources and templates to support the development of supervision. The document covers: supervision contracts; different approaches to supervision; different types of one-to-one supervision; group supervision; supervision as a space and place for difficult conversations; making the transition from frontline worker to supervisor; and evaluating and reviewing supervision. (Edited publisher abstract)