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Speech to Association of Directors of Social Work conference

Wednesday 10 May 2006

Dave Prentis - General Secretary of UNISON

GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY

MAY I THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF UNISON FOR YOUR KIND INVITATION TO SPEAK AT YOUR CONFERENCE.

I WOULD FIRST OF ALL SAY THAT I HAVE JUST COME

FROM AN EVENT IN EDINBURGH TO LAUNCH UNISON SCOTLAND'S "REVITALISING OUR PUBLIC SERVICES" CAMPAIGN. OUR MANIFESTO FOR SCOTLAND'S PUBLIC SERVICES IN THE RUN UP TO THE 2007 ELECTIONS.

AT THE LAUNCH I EMPHASISED OUR FIVE MAIN PUBLIC SERVICE PRINCIPLES WHICH ARE:

• DEMOCRACY
• INVESTMENT
• FAIRNESS
• EFFECTIVENESS
• PARTNERSHIP

I WOULD STATE HERE, THAT UNISON IS TOTALLY

COMMITTED TO THE DELIVERY OF WORLD CLASS PUBLIC SERVICES.

WE HAVE AN ETHOS AND VALUES -

A BELIEF IN HOW WE CAN IMPROVE THE SOCIETY WE ALL LIVE IN THROUGH PUBLIC SERVICES PROVISION.

AS I EMPHASISED IN MY SPEECH TODAY, PARTNERSHIP HAS BEEN THE CORNERSTONE OF SCOTTISH PUBLIC SERVICE REFORM. CO-OPERATION RATHER THAN COMPETITION CONTINUES TO OFFER THE BEST ROUTE FORWARD.

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YOUR CONFERENCE IS BEING HELD AT AN IMPORTANT TIME FOR SOCIAL WORK IN SCOTLAND.

THE REPORT OF THE SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE'S 21^ST CENTURY SOCIAL WORK REVIEW, "CHANGING LIVES", PUBLISHED IN FEBRUARY POINTED THE WAY FORWARD IN THE CHANGING CONTEXT FOR SOCIAL WORK SERVICES HERE IN SCOTLAND.

FROM ITS INCEPTION IN THE SUMMER OF 2004, UNISON SCOTLAND WELCOMED THE REVIEW AND PARTICIPATED FULLY IN THE MAIN REVIEW GROUP AND SEVERAL OF THE SUB GROUPS.

WHEN THE REVIEW REPORTED, WE WERE HAPPY TO FIND THAT THE CONCERNS, FRUSTRATIONS AND ASPIRATIONS OF MANY SOCIAL WORK STAFF HAD BEEN LISTENED TO AND REFLECTED IN IT.

LIKE MOST OF YOU, WE ALSO WELCOMED THE RESPONSE OF THE SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE TO THE REPORT AND THEIR INTENTIONS TO:

• SET UP A CABINET DELIVERY GROUP TO OVERSEE THE REFORMS;
• ESTABLISH A NATIONAL SOCIAL WORK SERVICES FORUM, CHAIRED BY THE MINISTER;
• DEVELOP NEW JOINT APPROACHES BY BRINGING TOGETHER REGIONAL AND NATIONAL PARTNER AGENCIES.

WE PARTICULARLY WELCOMED THEIR STATED INTENTION TO SUPPORT THE CHANGE PROCESS WITH ADDITIONAL FUNDING. ALL TOO OFTEN, PROPOSALS ARE ANNOUNCED WHICH WOULD MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE TO PUBLIC SERVICES IN SCOTLAND, BUT WITHOUT THE NECESSARY FUNDING, THEY WITHER ON THE VINE. THE COMMITMENT FROM THE EXECUTIVE TO INCREASE FUNDING IS VERY MUCH TO BE APPLAUDED.

WE ALL NOW AWAIT THE PUBLICATION OF THE SECOND STAGE OF THE EXECUTIVE'S RESPONSE LATER THIS YEAR, WHICH WILL BRING FORWARD DETAILS OF THESE FUNDING PROPSALS, AND SET OUT THE PROPOSED ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING OUTCOME AND THEIR PERFORMANCE MONITORING PROPOSALS.

OTHER MEASURES PROMISED BY THE EXECUTIVE WERE:

• DEFINITION OF THE PROTECTED FUNCTIONS OF THE SOCIAL WORKER
• A CAREER STRUCTURE FOR SOCIAL WORKERS
• A CLEAR FRAMEWORK OF PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY
• A CAPABLE WELL PREPARED AND SUPPORTED WORKFORCE
• INTRODUCE THE CONCEPT OF THE PARAPROFESSIONAL SOCIAL WORKER

• HOW WILL IT CHANGE OUR WORKING LIVES?
• HOW WILL IT SOLVE THE CURRENT DIFFICULTIES OF RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION?
• WILL SUFFICIENT FUNDING BE AVAILABLE?
• THE IMPACT AND CONCERNS SURROUNDING THE NEW PARAPROFESSIONALS.

ON THE FIRST ISSUE, DELEGATES FELT THAT "CHANGING LIVES", IF FULLY IMPLEMENTED, WOULD FINALLLY GIVE THE SOCIAL WORK PROFESSION THE RECOGNITION AND STATUS IT DESERVES. IT SHOULD ALSO ENABLE SOCIAL WORK STAFF TO DO THE JOBS THEY WERE TRAINED FOR AND WHICH FOR THEY HAVE A PASSION, INSTEAD OF DROWNING IN PAPERWORK, WHICH IS HOW A LOT FEEL AT THE MOMENT.

INTRODUCING POSITIVE, WELL-TRAINED MANAGEMENT WHICH MOVES AWAY FROM THE CURRENT "BLAME" CULTURE, WOULD GREATLY ASSIST RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION.

THE BLAME CULTURE IS FELT FROM VARIOUS SECTORS OF SCOTTISH SOCIETY, FROM POLITICIANS AND THE MEDIA, WHO PROMOTE THE IDEA THAT IT IS POSSIBLE TO ELIMINATE ALL RISKS FROM SOCIETY. AS YOU WILL ALL BE TOO WELL AWARE - IT WILL NEVER BE POSSIBLE TO CREATE AN ENTIRELY RISK-FREE SOCIETY. IN THIS CONNECTION, WE WERE VERY DISAPPOINTED TO HEAR THE FIRST MINISTER'S KNEE-JERK REACTION TO AN INCIDENT, BY IMMEDIATELY BLAMING SOCIAL WORKERS FOR A HIGH PROFILE INCIDENT - WHICH HAD NOT AT THE TIME BEEN INVESTIGATED - AND THIS WAS JUST TWO WEEKS AFTER THE REPORT WAS LAUNCHED - THIS ATTITUDE IS UNACCEPTABLE AND HAS TO BE CHALLENGED BY ALL OF US.

WE WERE GLAD, THEN, TO READ THAT DESPITE ALL THE NEGATIVE PUBLICITY, A MORI SURVEY CARRIED OUT BY THE EXECUTIVE LAST YEAR, AS PART OF THE 21^ST CENTURY REVIEW FOUND THAT SOCIAL WORK HAS A BROADLY POSITIVE PROFILE IN SCOTLAND. THIS SHOWED THAT 78% OF THOSE WHO HAD USED SOCIAL WORK SERVICES WERE SATISFIED WITH THE SERVICES THEY RECEIVED AND 69 PER CENT FELT THAT SOCIAL SERVICES WERE QUICK TO RESPOND TO NEEDS. WE WOULD DEARLY LOVE TO SEE MORE POSITIVE STORIES OF THIS NATURE IN THE FUTURE AND WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO WORK TOGETHER ON THE POSITIVE PROMOTION OF THESE SERVICES.

OUR MEMBERS WERE CONCERNED THAT THERE WOULD STILL BE INSUFFICIENT INVESTMENT IN THE SERVICE WHICH WOULD NOT MEET THE REALISTIC COSTS OF PROVIDING GOOD SERVICES TO USERS.

THEY WERE ALSO VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE INTRODUCTION OF THE PARAPROFESSIONAL

• WHAT WOULD THEIR ROLE BE?
• WHAT WOULD THEIR STATUS BE?
• WHAT KIND OF TRAINING WOULD THEY GET?

IN SUMMARY - UNISON DOES NOT WANT SOCIAL WORKERS ON THE CHEAP AND WE NEED REASSURANCE THAT THIS WILL NOT BE THE CASE.

WE KNOW THAT YOU'VE COME THROUGH THE WORST EXCESSES OF BIDDING WARS FOR THE NUMBER OF QSW'S AVAILABLE THAT SERVED NO-ONE, LEAST OF ALL USERS AND CARERS.  WE KNOW THAT EXECUTIVE HAVE RESERVED "FAST TRACK" TO ADDRESS ACUTE SHORTAGE AND WE KNOW THAT EQUAL PAY ISSUES HAVE BEEN AS DIFFICULT TO DEAL WITH IN SCOTLAND AS ELSEWHERE IN THE UK, BUT AS YOU WERE ENGAGED IN BIDDING WARS OF GOLDEN HELLO'S ETC SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT FINANCE COMMITTEE WAS DELIVERING A REPORT WHICH SAID THAT IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT PAY, FAR FROM 32 SOLUTIONS THE ANSWERS IN LARGE PART LAY IN A NATIONAL SETTLEMENT.  WE ECHO THAT NOT NECESSARILY NATIONAL GRADES BUT A NATIONAL FRAMEWORK

WE VERY MUCH HOPE THESE CONCERNS WILL BE ADDRESSED IN THE EXECUTIVE'S SECOND RESPONSE.

ONE AREA OF THE REVIEW OUR MEMBERS DO WELCOME IS THE EMPHASIS ON "THE CRITICAL ROLE OF A HIGHLY SKILLED WORKFORCE AND THE DESIRE TO MAKE THE BEST OF THOSE SKILLS".

AND THIS IS AN AREA WHERE WE HAVE WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH YOURSELVES - MOST RECENTLY IN CREATING "THE NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SOCIAL SERVICE WORKFORCE IN SCOTLAND - PLAN FOR ACTION 2005-2010". THIS NEW STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN FOR "LIFE-LONG LEARNING FOR LIFE-CHANGING WORK" WILL ENSHRINE LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT INTO THE ETHOS OF SOCIAL WORK SERVICE PROVISION IN SCOTLAND FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. WE WERE PLEASED TO SEE ROBERT BROWN, THE DEPUTE MINISTER FOR EDUCATION AND YOUNG PEOPLE, ENDORSE THE AIM OF HAVING "A WELL TRAINED, WELL SUPPORTED AND HIGHLY VALUED WORKFORCE" IN THE FORWARD TO THE DOCUMENT. WE ECHO HIS BELIEF THAT "BY WORKING TOGETHER WE CAN DELIVER THIS VISION."

BUT PRIOR TO THIS, OVER THE YEARS, YOU HAVE HELPED US DELIVER EDUCATION AND TRAINING SERVICES TO THE WHOLE OF THE SOCIAL CARE WORKFORCE IN SCOTLAND, THROUGH PARTNERSHIP WITH OURSELVES AND THE WORKERS EDUCATION ASSOCIATION. WE ARE DELIGHTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE SUPPORT THAT YOU GIVE US IN DELIVERING THE LEARNING AT WORK PROGRAMME. THROUGH THE SKILLS ESCALATOR PROGRAMME YOU HAVE ASSISTED US IN PROVIDING EDUCATION, RANGING FROM LITERACY AND NUMERACY SKILLS, RIGHT THROUGH TO THE OPEN UNIVERSITY K100 LEVEL.

LIKE US, YOU HAVE RECOGNISED THE NEED TO WIDEN ACCESS TO TRAINING ACROSS THE WHOLE WORKFORCE. MANAGERS, PROFESSIONALS, FAMILY SUPPORT, CLERICAL, ADMIN AND OTHER SUPPORT WORKERS HAVE ALL BENEFITED, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO A CONTINUATION OF THIS PROVISION.

UNISON HAS A PROUD HISTORY OF SUPPORT FOR LIFE-LONG LEARNING, WHICH STARTED WITH OUR RETURN TO LEARN SCHEME. THROUGH UNISON'S UNION LEARNING REPRESENTATIVES AND LIFELONG LEARNING ADVISERS, WE HAVE HIGHLIGHTED AND PROMOTED THE RELEVANCE AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR DEVELOPMENT OF SPECIFIC SKILLS. HOWEVER, WE INVITE YOU TO JOIN US IN CONVINCING THE EXECUTIVE OF THE NEED TO FUND "BACKFILLING" BY PROVIDING THE NECESSARY COVERING OF POSTS, TO ALLOW THIS TO CONTINUE.

WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE WORK OF THE SCOTTISH SOCIAL SERVICES COUNCIL, ITS PLACE IN THE UK ALLIANCE OF SKILLS FOR CARE AND DEVELOPMENT.  WE'VE BEEN PLEASED TO ENGAGE WITH SSSC AND LOOK FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN US SECURING A PART IN LEARNING NETWORKS AS THEY REFLECT LOCAL WOKPLACE TRAINING, LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT.

ONE OF UNISON'S MAJOR CONCERNS FOR THE SOCIAL SERVICE WORKFORCE, IS THE ISSUE OF PROTECTION FROM VIOLENCE. THIS IS AN AREA WHERE WE WANT TO ACTIVELY SEEK YOUR HELP IN DEVELOPING MEASURES TO COUNTER THE CURRENT CULTURE OF PUBLIC SERVICE WORKERS BEING SEEN AS AN EASY TARGET. UNISON IS CURRENTLY UNDERTAKING A SURVEY UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT TO FIND OUT THE EXTENT OF ASSAULTS ON OUR MEMBERS IN SOCIAL WORK. THE RESPONSES WE ARE GETTING SO FAR ARE VERY PATCHY - SOME COUNCILS CAN PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE STATISTICS ON THE FREQUENCY AND NATURE OF ASSAULTS, SOME ARE SURPRISED WE ARE EVEN ASKING THE QUESTION. THIS CAUSES US CONCERN AS YOU, AFTER ALL, ARE THE MANAGERS WHO HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF A DUTY OF CARE FOR OUR MEMBERS.

THE EMERGENCY WORKERS ACT WHICH CAME INTO EFFECT IN 2005, GIVES LEGAL PROTECTION TO CERTAIN WORKERS WHEN RESPONDING TO "EMERGENCY SITUATIONS". UNFORTUNATELY, THIS DOES NOT COVER MOST SOCIAL CARE WORKERS WHO ARE TOO OFTEN ASSAULTED IN THE COURSE OF THEIR NORMAL WORK.

WORKERS IN RESIDENTIAL ESTABLISHMENTS, OR LONE WORKERS ARE PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE AND WE NEED TO ERADICATE THIS CULTURE OF VIOLENCE AS A "NORMAL" PART OF WORKING LIVES.

THROUGH OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH THE EXECUTIVE, WE ARE AWARE THAT THEY INTEND TO PUBLISH SHORTLY A STANDARDISED REPORTING MODEL WHICH AIMS TO GIVE SOME DEGREE OF CONSISTENCY ACROSS THE COUNTRY ON HOW THINGS ARE REPORTED AND RECORDED.

WE ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN

• DEVELOPING ROBUST SYSTEMS AND CULTURES OF REPORTING AND RECORDING INCIDENCES OF ASSAULT
• ENCOURAGING THE USE OF RISK ASSESSMENTS
• INTRODUCING MEASURES, SUCH AS MOBILES AND TRACKER ALARMS TO SAFEGUARD STAFF.

THERE ARE OF COURSE, OTHER AREAS WHERE WE WOULD LIKE TO WORK WITH YOU TO IMPROVE SERVICES AND THE WORKING LIVES OF OUR MEMBERS.

THE ISSUE OF EXCESSIVE WORKLOADS IS CURRENTLY CAUSING A LOT OF DIFFICULTIES FOR OUR MEMBERS AND IS CONTRIBUTING TO EXCESSIVE STRESS IN THE WORKPLACE. OF COURSE, THE RESULTS OF THE REVIEW MAY ASSIST WITH THESE PROBLEMS, BUT WE FEEL THERE IS A ROLE FOR YOU TO PLAY IN IMPLEMENTING PROCEDURES TO RELIEVE SOME OF THE PRESSURES FELT BY STAFF.

WORKLOAD MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS ARE USED IN SOME AUTHORITIES WHERE THEY ARE OPERATED QUITE SUCCESSFULLY. HOWEVER, IN OTHER AREAS THEY ARE SEEN AS AN INTERRUPTION OF THE JOB - MERE TIMEWASTING AND THEY CAN BE DISTRUSTED BY SOME STAFF WHO FEEL THEY ARE BEING USED TO CONTROL THEM.

WE THINK THAT PROPERLY USED, EFFECTIVE WORKLOAD MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS ARE A GOOD METHOD OF ASSESSING WHETHER A WORK PACKAGE IS WORKABLE, OR WHETHER ADDITIONAL RESOURCES ARE NEEDED IN A PARTICULAR AREA.

HOWEVER, WE SEE A DANGER THAT BADLY IMPLEMENTED SYSTEMS COULD WORK AGAINST STAFF AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE BLAME CULTURE, IF THINGS GO WRONG.

THE EASIEST SYSTEM TO IMPLEMENT IS A TIME-BASED SYSTEM IN WHICH EACH WORKER HAS TO

EXAMINE THEIR CASELOAD RECORD, EACH ASPECT OF EACH TASK AND HAVE A TIME FACTOR MEASURED AGAINST EACH ENTRY: SOME MODELS APPORTION TIME TO PARTICULAR TASKS ALONGSIDE THE TIME SPENT WITH SERVICE USERS, GROUPS ETC. THE SIMPLEST MODEL LOOKS AT THIS ON A TASK BY TASK BASIS, INCLUDING TRAVELLING, PAPERWORK, HOME VISITS, RECORD KEEPING, ETC. TIME IS THEN BUILT IN TO COVER TEAM MEETINGS, TRAINING COMMITMENTS, AND OFTEN A SMALL "UNPRODUCTIVE ELEMENT" TO COVER INTERNAL DISCUSSIONS, COFFEE BREAKS, ETC. BY ADDING ALL OF THIS TOGETHER, AND COMPARING THE TIME AVAILABLE, IT CAN BE EASILY RECOGNISED WHETHER THE ALLOCATED PACKAGE IS WORKABLE, OR WHETHER ADDITIONAL RESOURCES WILL HAVE TO BE APPLIED.

WE WOULD WELCOME DISCUSSIONS WITH YOU TO ENCOURAGE THE USE OF WORKLOAD MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS ACROSS ALL COUNCILS AND TO ENSURE THAT THESE ARE PROPERLY USED TO THE BENEFIT OF BOTH STAFF AND MANAGEMENT. IF A SCHEME HAS BEEN PROPERLY NEGOTIATED AND HAS WON THE ACCEPTANCE OF WORKERS WITHIN EACH LOCAL AUTHORITY IT HAS A MUCH BETTER CHANCE OF SUCCESS.

ANOTHER PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN CAUSING OUR MEMBERS MUCH DISTRESS IS THE PROBLEM OF DEPORTATION OF THE CHILDREN OF FAILED ASYLUM SEEKERS. UNISON HAS PARTICULARLY CONDEMNED THE PRACTICE OF DAWN RAIDS. IN RESPONSE TO OUR CONCERNS, THE FIRST MINISTER HAS SAID THAT WHERE A FAMILY WITH CHILDREN UNDER 16 IS TO BE DEPORTED, BEST PRACTICE SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED WHICH INVOLVES EDUCATION AND SOCIAL SERVICES IN ADVANCE OF ANY ACTION BEING TAKEN BY THE IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES.

THE SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE HAS BEEN IN DISCUSSIONS WITH THE HOME OFFICE REGARDING THIS, BUT AT PRESENT THE PRACTICE IS STILL CONTINUING. UNISON'S SCOTTISH COUNCIL HAS BEEN VERY CONCERNED AT THE PRACTICE AND HAS SOUGHT CLARIFICATION FROM THE EXECUTIVE ABOUT THE IMPLICATIONS FOR SOCIAL WORK STAFF IN SCOTLAND.

WE ARE VERY CLEAR THAT UNISON MEMBERS WILL HAVE NO ROLE IN THE ACTUAL DEPORTATION PROCESS BY PHYSICALLY TAKING CHILDREN OF ASYLUM SEEKERS TO A REMOVAL CENTRE. WE SEE OUR ROLE MORE AS PROMOTING THE RIGHTS AND PROTECTION OF THE CHILDREN WHILE THEY ARE LIVING IN SCOTLAND. WE DO NOT ACCEPT THE APPARENT VIEW OF THE HOME OFFICE THAT THESE CHILDREN HAVE NO RIGHTS.

UNISON MET WITH THE SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE EARLIER IN THE YEAR AND WAS PLEASED, THEREFORE, TO WELCOME THE UK IMMIGRATION MINISTER, TONY MCNULTY'S ANNOUNCEMENT THAT CHILDREN OF ASYLUM SEEKERS WILL HAVE A NAMED PROFESSIONAL TO SAFEGUARD THEIR INTERESTS; THAT THERE SHOULD BE INDEPENDENT INSPECTION; AND THAT STAFF DEALING WITH CHILDREN WILL HAVE TO HAVE BACKGROUND CHECKS. UNISON WAS VERY PLEASED THAT OUR ARGUMENT THAT THE CHILDREN OF ASYLUM SEEKERS SHOULD HAVE THE SAME RIGHTS AS ANY OTHER CHILD UNDER SCOTTISH LAW HAD BEEN ACCEPTED, WHICH MEANS THEIR WELFARE MUST BE PARAMOUNT.

WE RIGHTLY CONSIDER THIS A VICTORY OF SORTS, HOWEVER, WE ARE STILL CONCERNED THAT CHILDREN WILL STILL BE DEPORTED, WITH ALL THE HARM THAT MAY CAUSE. THE PROBLEM WILL ONLY BE SOLVED WHEN THE GOVERNMENT ACCEPTS THAT THESE CHILDREN ENRICH OUR SOCIETY, PARTICULARLY IN SCOTLAND, WITH THE EXECUTIVE'S FRESH TALENT INITIATIVE, WHICH AIMS TO INCREASE SCOTLAND'S FUTURE SKILLED POPULATION.

ON A RELATED SUBJECT, I WOULD LIKE TO END ON A POSITIVE NOTE.

UNISON WISHES TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CO-OPERATION AND SUPPORT WITH UNISON'S CURRENT REFUGEE LEARNING PROJECT. BY HOSTING PLACEMENTS FOR REFUGEES IN GLASGOW AND EDINBURGH, YOU HAVE HELPED US GIVE A GROUP OF REFUGEES INFORMATION AND KNOWLEDGE OF WORK IN SCOTLAND AND WE ARE PLEASED TO SAY THAT, WITH YOUR HELP, SEVERAL OF THE REFUGEES WE PROMOTED, HAVE NOW GAINED JOBS.

ON THESE AND OTHER ISSUES, UNISON LOOKS FORWARD TO A CONTINUED WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU IN THE FUTURE. A CONSTRUCTIVE PARTNERSHIP THAT RECOGNISES OUR SHARED OBJECTIVES IN PROMOTING SOCIAL WORK SERVICES IN SCOTLAND.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION.

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