Title: Getting it right for every child: managing the change
1Getting it right for every child managing the
change ideas from theory and experience
- Jane Aldgate
- Professor of Social Care
- The Open University
2Why change?
- Children have a right to reach their potential
- Children do best when they meet their well-being
indicators throughout childhood - Children are our future
3Change takes time
- Transformational change does not come easily
but requires a raising of awareness, a redesign
of how practitioners go about their business,
multi-agency training that is based on common
language and processes, and the fostering of
trust and understanding across services and with
children and families - Adam Ingram, Minister for Children and Early
Years
4What will help agencies work together?
- A common purpose to promote childrens
well-being and achieve the best outcomes for a
child - Shared principles and values of Getting it right
for every child - A common language and theory the components of
the Getting it right for every child practice
model - Mutual benefits
- Changes in culture, systems and practice
-
5How will changes be achieved?
- Lifting constraints on workers professional
creativity and innovation - Accountability linked to managers trust in
professionals autonomy and judgement - Career structures that support professional
leadership/mentorship skills - Managers who respect and work alongside
practitioners. promoting life long learning - Changing governance from a culture of blame to
one of learning and improving performance - Valuing input from academics and service users as
part of the learning agenda - Adapted from Changing Lives, the 21st century
review of social work, Scottish Executive 2006
6Two key agents of change
- Transformational leadership
- Changing through learning
- Main sources
- A Guide to Getting it right for every child,
Edinburgh, Scottish Government (2008) - Aldgate, J., Healy, L., Malcolm, B., Pine, B.,
Rose, W. and Seden, J (eds) Enhancing Social Work
Management Theory and Best Practice from the UK
and the USA, London, Jessica Kingsley Publishers,
(2007). - Changing Lives, the 21st century review of social
work in Scotland, Edinburgh, Scottish Executive
,(2006).
7Transformational Leaders in Childrens Services
- Recognize that they are operating in permanent
whitewater. Change is constant - Know that most childrens services jobs are high
stress with high potential for burnout - Understand that a positive workplace starts with
a management philosophy that values individuals
and views staff as competent and responsible
8Transformational Leaders
- Develop participatory structures
- Believe that participation is an ethical
imperative - Recognize that their most valuable resource is
the individuals who work in the organization - Know that feelings of achievement and
satisfaction are essential to high morale - Strive to attain a learning organisation
- Act out the values and principles of Getting it
right for every child
9Qualities of effective leadership
- Dedication
- Values
- Integrity
- Charisma
- Bravery
- Motivation
- Credibility
10Leaders and managers - effective style
- Leaders arent all at the top. People at all
levels should be given opportunities to lead.
Leadership is about doing the right thing. A good
leaders sticks to their values and isnt knocked
off course. - Leaders need not necessarily be managers but
all managers should be good leaders - From Changing Lives, the 21st century review of
social work in Scotland,Scottish Executive, 2006
11Learning to change
- Service improvements will not take place
unless those who work together in the human
services are willing to learn together - From Aldgate, Healy, Malcolm, Pine, Rose and
Seden (eds).2007 - Enhancing Social Work Management Theory and Best
Practice from the UK and the USA, London, JKP
12Appreciative Enquiry
- A strengths based approach out of action research
- Both a theory of change and a methodology for
fostering innovation - Begins with assumption some things are working
well - Invites stakeholders to share what is going well
- Asks questions that strengthen a systems
capacity to discover and develop its potential - Invites participants to think differently about
the organisation - Creates enthusiasm and commitment
- Change is inevitable
13Translating the theory into practice
- Using Appreciative Enquiry in the Highland
Pathfinder - What is going well in implementation of change?
- What would you like to see more of?
- What needs to change further?
14Changes in leadership and systems
- Chief officers owning and supporting change
- New focused job descriptions to help people feel
safe championed by chief officers - Interagency project team recognised as leaders on
behalf of their agencies - Reference groups single and multi agency
- All agencies, including vol sector included
15Changes in practice and culture
- A common practice model and practice tools
- Moving from child protection to protecting
children - Children and families are included and valued as
stakeholders - Single childs plan meeting focuses everyone
- Permission to share information early on
- More positive individual responsibility
- Valuing professional skills and judgements
- Improved communications within and outwith
Highland as common language spreads
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17Including children and families
- We feel more equal
- Young people chairing their own meetings
- Single meeting at times to suit families means
more involvement
18Valuing people rather than procedures - 5
questions for all practitioners
- What is getting in the way of his child or young
persons well-being? - Do I have all the information I need to help this
child or young person? - What can I do now to help this child or young
person? - What can my agency do to help this child or young
person? - What additional help, if any , may be needed from
others?
19Working together and learning together
- Multi-agency training essential to recognise
skills of different agencies - Single agency training to discuss the detail
- Understand everyone has a positive contribution
that is valuable - Learn how to collaborate and share knowledge
20A Positive Culture and New Directions
- If I could ask one thing in any situation it
would not be Whats wrong and what will fix it?
but Whats possible here and who cares? - Weisbord 1987, quoted in Aldgate et al.
Enhancing Social Work Management Theory and
Best Practice from the UK and the USA London,
JKP, (2007)