The Academy was established in June 2014 to bring together recruitment, retention, training and qualifications for the children’s workforce.
Case study synopsis
The Academy was established in June 2014. Its purpose was to bring together recruitment, retention, training and qualifications for the children’s workforce.
This included a specific focus on recruitment and retention of social workers (vacancy rate of 51% at that time) and ensuring a good programme of ASYE support, CPD and supportive developmental opportunities for aspiring workers. The model was developed from an existing programme in support of Early Years and Children’s Workforce already in Central Beds. All of these areas came together and the Central Bedfordshire Academy of Social Work and Early Intervention was created.
The Academy is now a well established model of efficient and effective delivery of recruitment, retention and aspiring leadership and is unique in its approach in working beyond the role of social work, supporting the development of the whole Children’s Workforce.
Achievements
- The Academy operates both statutorily and commercially, utilising both core budget and income to provide the services on offer
- Highly acclaimed ASYE programme
- Valued relationship with University of Bedfordshire faculties, social work health, education and early years
- Shadow Teaching Partnership arrangements UOB and other LA’s locally. Successes include the development of a two-year social work degree
- Supported reduction in recruitment and retention to 17 per cent (June 2017)
- Highly valued IAG service offered across Central Bedfordshire that also offers CBC staff bespoke career planning
- Highly praised by the four awarding bodies it works to for qualifications and apprenticeships (recent NCFE/CACHE EV visit – achieved Excellent in all areas)
- Innovation, e.g. Early Help Standards, supported two year social work degree development and current trailblazer graduate social work apprenticeship and development of Persona Adviser Apprenticeship
- Numerous awards and accolades
- Contributes to 93 per cent early years settings good or outstanding
‘The success of the social work academy has helped to increase workforce stability. It also promotes the development of staff in children’s social care, early help and early years. All staff, including agency workers, have access to high-quality training. Social workers are well supported during their assessed and supported year in employment…Staff turnover is low. Children and families are benefiting from the continuity that this provides’ (Ofsted 2017)
The challenge:
Growing a high quality children’s workforce with a focus on reducing the number of agency social workers and agency managers and ensuring a sufficient and highly qualified workforce in all areas of Children’s Services.
The solution:
An Academy that that diligently focuses on recruitment, retention, and continuing professional development with key areas of work on staff retention, growing future leaders and supporting our vision of ‘Happy, Healthy and Safe Children in Central Bedfordshire.
The impact:
Comments from Ofsted, July 2017
Services for children and families in Central Bedfordshire are good. Leaders and managers have built a strong service, where social workers are well trained and supported.
Senior managers and leaders are outward looking and open to challenge. They have succeeded in creating a learning culture, one in which social work can flourish. The social work academy has made a major contribution to improving workforce stability. It has also been successful in promoting professional development across children’s services.
The success of the social work academy has helped to increase workforce stability. It also promotes the development of staff in children’s social care, early help and early years. All staff, including agency workers, have access to high-quality training. Social workers are well supported during their assessed and supported year in employment.
The local authority is creating an environment in which good social work can flourish. New members of staff appreciate the quality of their induction and having small teams and manageable caseloads. The results of the staff survey are very positive. Staff feel valued and morale is high. All but one of the heads of service is now in permanent posts. The local authority’s reliance on agency workers has reduced, and is down from 52% three years ago to 17% at the time of the inspection. Staff turnover is low. Children and families are benefiting from the continuity that this provides.
How is the new approach being sustained?
Increasingly we are moving to a model of income generation utilising access to skills funding and LA levy along with self funding learners. Our work in support of ASYE’s is still grant funded and is balanced with the savings made from a more costly agency workforce.
Contact:
Debbie Crawford, Head of Central Bedfordshire Academy of Social Work and Early Intervention, 0300 300 4879 or email [email protected].