The overall winner for this year's Care Accolades is:

East Glasgow Community Health and Care Partnership (CHCP) – Pathways to Progression

• recruits participants
• enables them to undertake an HNC in Health Care whilst working within the CHCP
• provides ongoing support for individuals who experience difficulties sustaining training and employment
• helps them compete for vacancies in the CHCP or consider options elsewhere in the Glasgow area.

When asked how the team felt about winning the 2009 Care Accolades they said: "Absolutely fantastic! We’re speechless! It’s astonishing, a great sense of achievement and recognition of commitment. You realise you have a good project. It is a good idea to enter into the Care Accolades if you think your project has got what it takes and can change lives."

The winners of each category are:

Best initiative for workforce investment

Dumfries and Galloway Council, Social Work – Studentship/sponsorship Scheme

Dumfries and Galloway Council piloted, then created, a rolling social work qualification programme to improve recruitment and retention of social workers in the Dumfries and Galloway region.

The programme which takes six entrants each year is accessible to all parts of the council.  So far, 14 members of staff have completed the diploma in social work, 10 have completed the degree in social work with another 20 workers at various stages of the programme.  Practice teaching and mentoring are vital parts of the scheme as are facilitated student group sessions, consistent line management and senior approval for a handbook that clarifies the role of all stakeholders.

The scheme has been evaluated with oversight from the Institute for Research and Innovation in Social Services (IRISS) and this showed there was a high degree of support from students, practice teachers and line managers keen to extend and develop the scheme further.  The scheme takes into account of the Codes of Practice for Social Service Workers and Employers and the Continuous Learning Framework by developing the learning culture of our organisation.

When asked what they felt about winning the Accolade the team said:”Fantastic! Brilliant! Very proud! My head is now full of plans for the service and Care Accolades for next year. We were encouraged by senior staff and although it was lots of work, it makes you realise we are really good at the work we do.  Winning is fantastic, wonderful. It means a great deal personally and professionally.”

Best partnership working in adult care services

BUPA – Implementation of the Liverpool Care Pathway

Partnership organisations: Marie Curie Cancer Care

Over the past decade there has been an increase in the number of health care problems that people have before they enter into a care home, one in five deaths in the UK now occurs in a care home.

BUPA looked to address this by reviewing the approach to care of residents, their families and the staff involved. World leading experts such as Marie Curie Cancer Care and the Liverpool Care Pathway Team were approached to assist with this. Working together a project plan was developed and a pilot roll out of the Liverpool Care Pathway at Rodgerpark and Rowantree Care Homes in Rutherglen took place. This involved joint working amongst the care home staff, the Marie Curie nurse and GPs. The approach is now embedded in the care homes and there have been other initiatives as a result of this such as the development of the relative’s rest area. This project is now being rolled out to other care homes.

On winning the Accolade the BUPA team said: “It’s wonderful seeing the home and our work getting recognition. The Care Accolades are very worthwhile. If you have a good idea you should enter. It is fantastic for the corporate profile. Even before winning, as a finalist it raises your profile. It also raises the profile for caring for people dying in care homes and how it has changed. We will certainly be applying again next year.”

Best partnership working in early years and young people services

Glasgow City Council – Intensive Support and Monitoring Service (ISMS)

Partnership organisations: Glasgow City Council: Education Services, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Includem, Scottish Children’s Report Administration (SCRA), Strathclyde Police and SERCO

The Intensive Support and Monitoring Service (ISMS) aims to reduce the offending of serious, high-risk and persistent young offenders by providing a community alternative to secure care. This is achieved through the provision of an intensive multi-agency package of support tailored to each young person’s needs and risks. Key statutory and voluntary partners come together to assess, plan, intervene with and review each young person.

The effectiveness of this approach is clear; more than 80 per cent of young people reduced their offending, and the overall volume of offending fell by 37 per cent. The service has also demonstrated that success does not have to come at a high-cost, with ISMS costing 75 per cent less than the secure alternative. The evaluation indicated that the success of the partnership is the main strength of the service.

Sean Mc Kendrick, Service Manager,Youth Justice and Intensive Services said: “Winning the category of best partnership working in early years and young people was very important for staff, partners and young people. Partnership working can be complex and demanding: the award recognised, rewarded and validated the significant effort made by all in the partnership that is Glasgow’s Intensive Support and Monitoring Service. The recognition is likely to increase the service profile across the country and further strengthen Glasgow’s strategy to develop community based approaches to maintain young people within their communities by utilising an evidenced based approach to our work with partners and service users.”

Special commendation - Orkney Islands Council – Triple P Project

Partnership organisations: members of Orkney Childcare Partnership Management Group, elected members of Orkney Islands Council, NHS Orkney, Orkney Islands Council: Children and Families and Criminal Justice Community Services and pupil support, education and leisure services.

The Triple P (Positive Parenting Programme) initiative in Orkney set out to enable practitioners from all agencies working with children to be trained in Triple P ensuring consistency in principles, advice and support given to families.

The goal is to mainstream “learning to be a parent”, supporting more confident parenting and enhanced community capacity. Eighteen practitioners from 14 agencies have been accredited to deliver Triple P in group and individual formats. The project was initially for parents of children aged from birth to three and primary school age children but was extended and a second, smaller cohort was trained in Teen Triple P for working with parents of teenage young people. A project called Stepping Stones, for parents with a disabled child, is also now available.

Orkney now has 150 families per year benefiting from attending the Positive Parenting Programme. The project has funding, staff time, management support and oversight from across all the partner agencies.

Best innovative training programme

Dundee City Council, Social Work Department – VIG Development Team

Video Interaction Guidance (VIG) is an innovative method being used in Dundee to improve communication and relationships in families.

For people who have difficulties, eg parents whose drug use is problematic, or young mothers lacking confidence, using VIG in the home environment can help them, sometimes for the first time in their lives, to see what it is that they can do well.  Parents in these situations benefit from having an opportunity to stand back and reflect on their communication, behaviour and family relationships.

By offering people the chance of seeing themselves communicating effectively, VIG empowers individuals and changes their self perception. Research and evaluations show clear evidence of increased self esteem, self belief and better relationships within families.

The unique nature of this method is such that people who use services and workers alike find that thinking changes, practice changes, communication improves, and confidence increases.

On winning the Accolade Callum Strathie of the VIG Development Team said: “Winning a Care Accolade award feels like a real vindication of lots of hard work. It’s a good feeling.”
Sandra Strathie of the VIG Development Team added: “If anyone is thinking about entering in the future I would say definitely do it, it’s worth it, it’s for recognition of the project, it’s also for the people and families you work with.”

Special commendation - Highland Council, Social Work Service - Getting Ready for Grading, Enabling Service User and Carer participation

This project shows the work being done by Highland Council to prepare for the Care Commission’s new gradings based inspections. It allows managers to share their knowledge and experience to prepare for self-assessment and how this work was used as an opportunity to produce a good practice guide called “Enabling service user participation”. The guide aimed to encourage a value-led commitment to people who use services and carer participation across social work, and to encourage a creative and empathetic approach to engagement.

The results of this approach are reflected in the strength of the gradings which Highland Council services are receiving, and the benefits are reflected in improved services and participation for people who use services and carers.

Best involvement of the local community

East Glasgow Community Health and Care Partnership (CHCP) – Pathways to Progression

This partnership of East Glasgow Community Health and Care Partnership (CHCP), John Wheatley College and Gera builds on the role of the CHCP as a provider of high quality health and care jobs. By providing a supported pathway that enables local unemployed people to gain the skills and qualifications necessary for sustainable employment beyond entry-level, the project:

• recruits participants
• enables them to undertake an HNC in Health Care whilst working within the CHCP
• provides ongoing support for individuals who experience difficulties sustaining training and employment
• helps them compete for vacancies in the CHCP or consider options elsewhere in the Glasgow area.

The project was piloted in 2006/7 and is now in its second phase.  In the first phase out of 12 participants:

• nine achieved an HNC
• 10 obtained jobs with the CHCP.

There are 18 places in the second phase.

Best leading on learning programme

North Lanarkshire Council – Assessment, Planning and Reflective Practice Programme

North Lanarkshire Council’s Assessment, Planning and Reflective Practice programme aims to fundamentally shift the focus of social work engagement with people who use services from traditional service-led provision to an outcomes-based approach.

The approach highlights the strengths and flexibility of workers and places the people who use services at the centre of the programme.  Led by senior managers, staff have a clear framework to follow when undertaking the programme.

We believe that this programme is enabling North Lanarkshire Council to support more people more imaginatively. The programme is having a powerful impact on staff, is helping to reshape our services, and is contributing to the SSSC’s vision of a confident, competent social services workforce.

Best social service team or unit in Scotland

Cornerstone Community Care – Forensic Services in Aberdeen

Cornerstone Forensic Services in Aberdeen really makes a difference to the community and the people it supports. The service aims to help adults with learning disabilities who have a history of offending behaviour get stability back in their lives. This is made possible by having well trained staff and setting strict guidelines for each individual to ensure that they enjoy a valued life.

With no episodes of re-offending and individuals getting the opportunity to go to college and gain work placements, the service will expand their operations to improve the lives of even more people throughout Scotland.

The people Cornerstone supports are heavily involved in the delivery of the service and the results of this have been dramatic with major life changes for the people involved.

Chief Executive of Cornerstone Forensic Services, Edel Harris said: “We are absolutely delighted. I am very proud of the staff, they deserve the award. The Care Accolades is a fabulous way of recognising the staff of Cornerstone across the country. Winning the award means recognition of staff who are often forgot about and recognition of staff across the country who really deserve it.”


If you would like high resolution copies of any photographs from this year's Care Accolades please contact Sandra Wilson on 01382 207248 or email sandra.wilson@sssc.uk.com