Introduction to Social Service Practice

The guidance in this section acknowledges the different starting points of a wide variety of staff e.g. those new to the social service sector, those joining the organisation with a qualification such as HNC, SVQ, Diploma or Degree, those new to the organisation but not to the sector as a whole etc. The material below can be adapted to the induction needs of all staff members.

Social Service Practice
Communication
Protection of vulnerable people
Personal Safety
Understanding and responding to people's needs
Responsibility for on-going learning and improving and developing practice
Workforce Registration

Social Service Practice

Social Service Practice covers a wide range of activities ranging from social care and early education and childcare, to social work and aspects of health care. It covers many tasks which require the application of values, skills, knowledge and personal qualities if the best possible service is to be provided. There is increasing emphasis on providing services in a person-centred way, which includes:

• Listening to people
• Respecting their dignity and privacy
• Recognising individual differences and specific needs, including cultural and religious differences
• Enabling people to make informed choices, involving them in all decisions about their needs and care
• Providing coordinated and inclusive responses to their needs
• Sharing power
• Involving and supporting carers
• Being aware of everyone's rights and entitlements, including those of children and young people

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Communication

Effective communication is at the heart of good practice. It involves many skills. For staff new to the sector, it is essential to consider the following aspects of communication at the point of induction:

• Developing supportive, valuing relationships
• Listening skills
• Using verbal and non-verbal communication
• Using understandable language
• Exploring how best to communicate with each individual
• Understanding and dealing with barriers and difficulties which may affect communication
• Using observation skills and writing records so that appropriate information is passed on

Once completed, this will highlight strengths and areas for improvement in the area of communication and can provide the beginnings of a Personal Development Plan for the staff member.

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Protection of vulnerable people

It is everyone's responsibility to protect people from any harm or abuse. Some understanding of this is vital at the point of induction. Again, the following should be considered by staff at the point of induction:

• Examining their own thoughts and feelings about abuse
• Understanding the meaning of different kinds of abuse
• Recognising different kinds of abuse
• Knowing what to do and what not to do if abuse is suspected or disclosed
• Knowledge of the organisation's policies and procedures in relation to abuse and protecting people

It is very important that newly qualified social Workers understand and are confident about meeting their responsibilities in relation to the protection of children and adults from harm. Therefore, all qualified social Workers are required to focus five days (30 hours) of their Post Registration Training & Learning on working effectively with colleagues and other professionals to identify, assess and manage risk to vulnerable groups. This is in order to ensure that they are assisted to meet their primary responsibility of protecting children and adults at risk from harm.

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Personal Safety

Social Service workers need to be enabled to protect themselves as well as others from harm and abuse. At the point of induction, Employers should ensure that staff:

• Know their organisation's policy in relation to personal safety
• Are aware of their right to work in a safe environment in which the risks to personal safety have been minimised
• Know the boundaries and limitations of their role
• Know when it is appropriate and acceptable to ask for help
• Know who is their health and safety representative

Some workers including childminders are lone workers. They need to ensure they consider risks and personal safety in a way that is appropriate to the service they offer. This might include always having standby emergency contacts to support them in times of crisis. Childminders should work closely with the Care commission and their professional organisation to ensure they have a way of ensuring this happens.

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Understanding and responding to people's needs

Most social service practice is about meeting people's needs. Supporting people needn't be complicated and staff can often use skills that they already have e.g. practical skills and communication skills. It is important to emphasise that how things are done is just as important as what is done. i.e. Staff should:

• Understand what is meant by a needs-led, person centred/child centred approach.
• Know the meaning of observation, assessment, care planning, implementing care plans or children's personal learning plans and evaluation
• Look at the skills and knowledge they already have that can be used to support people
• Identify skills and knowledge that are needed
• Work as a member of a team
• Improve the environment in which people are supported
• Recognise the need for partnership and collaboration across organisational and professional boundaries

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Responsibility for on-going learning and improving and developing practice

Social Service Workers must be enabled to understand that they are accountable for the quality of their work and for maintaining and improving their knowledge and skills. In order to do this staff need support to:

• Understand their job
• Understand any new procedures that are put in place and attend training for these if necessary
• Question poor practice
• Have opportunities for supervision and on-going learning and training
• Have opportunities for constructive feedback from service users, carers, colleagues and other relevant people. Find ways of engaging with children that means you get feedback from them.
• Contribute positively to working with and learning from people from different backgrounds and agencies who may be working alongside them or in partnership with them
• Keep a personal development plan and a learning log/reflective diary of their on-going learning and development

At the induction stage, employers and, in particular, line managers, should ensure that new staff members are informed about the organisation's policies and procedures in relation to the points above. However, more important than policy statements is the manager's role in creating a working environment which actively promotes reflection on practice and the continuous development of staff.

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Workforce Registration

Given the commencement of registration and regulation of the social service workforce in April 2003, it is important that organisations are clear about whether or not new recruits will be subject to registration by the SSSC or another relevant regulatory body (and, if so when?). Also, amendments to the National Care Standards refer to employers having a staff development strategy and yearly training plan in place for all staff which focuses on them achieving the qualification required for registration with the SSSC. Therefore it will be important that employers identify if new recruits hold the qualification(s) required for registration or have yet to gain them (further information is available here).

Employers also have a key role in supporting all their registered workers to meet Post Registration Training and Learning (PRTL) requirements, including those regarding specific training for all social workers on protection of children and adults from harm, and the extended PRTL requirements for newly qualified social workers.

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