Update on Innovation’s Project Eileen Munro March 2016

1. Update on Innovation’s Project Eileen Munro March 2016

2. Outline • How we are changing the system: “you can’t grow roses in concrete” • Organisational and cultural changes • How are we doing?

3. Information Technology Management Risk Difficult Problems Rules Strong Emotions Uncertainty Failures Inspection Quality Assurance Coaching Blame Managing Uncertainty Targets Information Technology Quality Assurance Inspection Blame Guidance Training

4. Improving expertise • Basic training in SofS • Ongoing in-house supervision, coaching, co-working • Time for critical reflection in supervision, individual or group • Continual process

9. Moving from compliance to quality assurance • Seniors having good understanding of the work • Multiple sources of information • QA being a collaborative learning process not a trial • Aligning documentation to the tasks

10. Signs of Safety quality assurance system (March 2016) • Case management audit tools in line with Signs of Safety results logic • Collaborative process is primary • Also for file audits • Family survey on experience of practice • Staff survey on organisational fit and implementation   CASE AUDITS FAMILY AND STAFF FEEDBACK informing the LEARNING CYCLE including supervision  • Core data set • For teams, localities, service areas, organisation • Monitoring case inflow, management and outcomes DATA

11. Case audit • A collaborative action learning process involving the actors whose life and work is being reviewed to rigorously explore with the reviewers the successes and weaknesses in the work, and how to improve

12. Ofsted judging Signs of Safety • Showing how QA reflects inspection criteria • Receiving positive comments The recently introduced ‘Signs of Safety’ social work practice model is leading to better engagement with children and parents. (Bristol Report P6)

13. In good assessments, the SoS approach is strongly evident and the wishes and feelings of children are actively explored. This informs the assessments and is reflected in plans. Safety goals, although broad, result in clear specific measurable actions leading to improved outcomes for children. (Brent Report P12)

14. Aligning documentation • Changing documents to match new way of working • Extending to continuum of services -adapting language to suit different services

15. IT • Developing a prototype of user friendly case recording • Using with families • App for 3 Houses

16. From compliance to learning needs culture change • Managing uncertainty • Changing priorities • Managing for quality • Supporting critical reflection • Providing emotional support

17. Uncertainty in practice • We make decisions and take actions based on our assessment of what is likely to be best for the child/ young person • The future is uncertain • Calculating risk of maltreatment is imperfect • Basic research limited to known cases, misses majority • Small events can lead to major consequences

18. Organisational culture around uncertainty • Option A: a blame culture – if something bad happens, find someone to blame (other than the perpetrator) • Option B: a risk-savvy and a just culture – look at the practice, see if anything to learn for future, support staff (unless malicious or reckless)

19. Blame culture leads to Blame prevention engineering Protecting self/agency overrides protecting the child Rules offer defence of ‘due diligence’

20. Creating a shared understanding:risk principles 1– The child’s safety and well-being come first 2 –Decisions have to be made in conditions of uncertainty 3 – Harm and benefits have to be balanced

21. 4 -Judge practice by the quality of decision making not the outcome 5 – Take account of the context in which decisions are made 6 – The standard expected of an individual is that of a group of peers comparable in experience

22. 7 – Learn from successes as well as failures 8 – Good information sharing is key to good risk assessment 9 – Encourage and support staff

23. Improving feedback • We need to improve learning about what is actually happening: • Staff survey measuring blame/learning culture, emotional support, views on SofS • Parent survey measuring understanding worker, feeling listened to, feeling worker cares and is reliable • Performance data

24. Signs of Safety Principle: Working relationships are fundamental • Better engagement with families – indirect indicators: • Time to see families • Organisational priorities • Resources

26. Emotional support • Indicators: • Feelings of stress • Manageable workload • Sense of personal accomplishment • Feeling good work is valued • Feeling supported with difficult decisions

28. Reasoning about cases • indicators: • Able/willing to talk of mistakes • Encouraged to reflect critically • Re-interpreting information/revising judgments is valued • Easy to discuss cases • Punitive reaction to poor outcomes

30. What are you most worried about in your use of the Signs of Safety framework? • 32 front line staff responded (39% of respondents). Of these: • 34% worried about using it correctly • 25% worried by inconsistent use  • 31% had criticisms, main ones:  • Over focus on strengths, loses sight of risks • No context for long-term/historic concerns • 6% were concerned about ‘paperwork’ changing and getting it right. • 3% insufficient time .

31. What are you most worried about in your use of the Signs of Safety framework? • 31 managers responded (69% of respondents). Of these: • 12% worried about it being used correctly • 29% worried by inconsistent use  • 26% had criticisms, main ones:  • Over focus on strengths, loses sight of risks • Prioritises parents over the child • 16% worried would not be sustained • 6 % adds extra time .

32. Independent evaluation • Being carried out by team from Kings College London • Seeing families at Time 1 and Time 2 to monitor for change • Collecting data on time spent • Linking to reported data – CiN census • Reporting September 2016

33. What does ‘good’ look like? • Understanding and sharing uncertainty & risk • More good quality work with children • Good quality safety planning • Growing expertise in the workforce • Improved feedback about what is working well or badly for children and their families so can learn and adapt

34. Key message Improving the service to children and young people is a shared responsibility