National Assessment & Accreditation System (NAAS) for Child and Family Social Workers

1. National Assessment & Accreditation System (NAAS) for Child and Family Social Workers NAAS Explained V1: June 2019

2. What is NAAS? NAAS is a voluntary assessment and benchmark of good practice against the knowledge and skills statements (KSS). It is a tool to: encourage employers to embed the KSS and improve their continued professional development (CPD) offer enhance the expertise and knowledge of social workers

3. What are the benefits? Provides more vulnerable children and families access to expert, high quality support and protection. Allows social workers to demonstrate expertise against the KSS, develop their career and remain at the forefront of best practice. Enables employers to embed the KSS, provide targeted training and grow workforce capability. Delivers a national benchmark of good practice for children and family social workers.

4. What is the process? • Review and streamline internal systems against KSS • Familiarise and engage with SW’s practice and development needs against KSS • Manage workloads to release candidates for CPD and assessment Release SWs for assessment and offer ongoing support on and after assessment day Discuss outcome of assessment with SW’s Work through any areas for development Consider data from assessment results for workforce development purposes Employers Employers Before assessment During After assessment Social workers Social workers Before assessment During After assessment Identify development needs and learning gaps against the KSS Complete relevant preparations for practice endorsement Consent to take part in assessment and book slot on online platform Attend assessment centre and take assessment Create a development plan with employer based on outcome of assessment Share learning with other members of the workforce Consider retaking assessment if desired

5. Where are the NAAS sites? • North East: (3) • Durham • Darlington • Middlesbrough • Yorkshire and Humber: (9) • Barnsley • Bradford • Calderdale • Doncaster CT • Leeds • North East Lincolnshire • Nth Lincs • Nth Yorks • Rotherham • North West: (11) • Bolton • Bury • Lancashire • Manchester • Oldham • Rochdale • Salford • Stockport • Trafford • Warrington • Wigan • East Midlands: (3) • Lincolnshire • Nottinghamshire • Derby City • East: (3) • Central Beds • Essex • Southend • West Midlands -Future Social (14) • Birmingham • Coventry • Dudley • Herefordshire • Shropshire • Solihull • Staffordshire • Stoke • Telford and Wrekin • Walsall • Warwickshire • Wolverhampton • Worcestershire • Sandwell • London: ( 9) • Bexley • Hackney • Hammersmith and Fulham • Islington • Kensington and Chelsea • Lambeth • Lewisham • Waltham Forest • Westminster • South West: (2) • Cornwall • Plymouth • South East: (2) • Hampshire • West Berkshire

6. What are the timelines? 5 Authorities Bury, Leeds, Manchester, Oldham, Wigan 16 Authorities Bexley, Bolton, Bradford, Calderdale, Cornwall, Doncaster CT, Essex, Hackney, Islington, Lewisham, Nth Yorkshire, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Trafford, Waltham Forest Some start earlier 35 Authorities Barnsley, Birmingham, Cambridgeshire, Central Beds, Coventry, Darlington, Derby City, Dudley, Durham, Hammersmith & Fulham, Hampshire, Herefordshire, Kensington & Chelsea, Lambeth, Lancashire, Lincolnshire, Middlesbrough, Nth East Lincolnshire, Nth Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Plymouth, Rotherham, Sandwell, Shropshire, Solihull, Southend, Staffordshire, Stoke, Telford & Wrekin, Walsall, Warwickshire, West Berkshire, Westminster, Wolverhampton, Worcestershire Some start earlier

7. How can we influence NAAS? NAAS would not be where it is today without the input and feedback from the profession. Working together with DfE social workers continue to: • Play a key role in evolving and developing the system • Take part in the independent research • Support development of assessment content to ensure that it’s appropriate for the profession • Provide user views on new software developments prior to implementation • Help develop assessment centres that allow social workers to demonstrate their skills to the best of their ability

8. What are the expectations? On agreeing to participate in NAAS the expectations of sites are that they: • Support the aims of NAAS • Assist their workforce in becoming more familiar with the KSS • Consider how NAAS forms a part of their career progression • Commit to assessing an initial 20-30% of social workers in post within one year of joining the programme • Participate in independent research studies • Enable senior leaders to attend a DCS forum twice a year