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Resources: News Archive
This pages contains the archived news from the past months.
News is available as an RSS News Feed
27 November 2008
Changing Lives Autumn/Winter 2008 Newsletter Published
The Changing Lives Newsletter - Autumn/Winter 2008 is now available. If you would like to receive a hard copy of the newsletter and/or would like to be added to the mailing list for future Changing Lives updates please contact Ben Coburn. Email ben.coburn@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
26 November 2008
Interested in Long Term Workforce Development?
If so, you have the chance to get involved in the debate across children’s services. Children in Scotland will be producing a series of newsletters and holding some small seminars around the country over the next few months. The government wants to ensure we achieve “transformational change” in the outcomes for children and their families. The Workforce has a key role in delivering this but can we be sure it is sufficiently equipped to deliver the change required? Can we learn anything from the approach taken in Europe and Scandinavia? Look out for more information and updates on: www.childreninscotland.org.uk/workforce
25 November 2008
Private Care Sector Workforce Initiative
This is a new initiative to be managed by Scottish Care in partnership with Scottish Care at Home – on behalf of the wider private health and social care sector in Scotland.
The initiative is funded by the Scottish Government through the Older People’s Unit and the Workforce and Capacity Issues Division. It has arisen from the outcomes of the recent Workforce Surveys carried out by Scottish Care and Scottish Care at Home.
The initiative team will be managed by a contracted team lead by David Rennie and will be accountable to Scottish Care and Scottish Care at Home.
For more information go to www.workforceinitiative.co.uk
24 November 2008
Learning Network North News bulletin
The Learning Network north have issued their November news bulletin
17 November 2008
National Practitioner Forum meeting
The follow up to the first National Practitioner Forum meeting (that took place at Crieff Hydro in September) takes place on Wednesday 19th November at the Malmaison, Edinburgh.
The meeting, hosted by ADSW, is an opportunity for chairs of Local Practitioner Forums to meet with ADSW and Scottish Government officials, including ADSW President Alan Baird, to discuss issues relevant to Local Practitioner Forum members.
17 November 2008
Leadership and management – an update
Due to factors outside of the Scottish Government’s control, Changing Lives activity in relation to leadership and management has been severely disrupted since August. This month, however, the Scottish Government has brought forward a comprehensive set of arrangements to re-energise this agenda.
Against this backdrop the Scottish Government plans to:
- further develop and launch a Leadership Framework by March 2009
- provide renewed support to the existing leadership communities in the West and South East of Scotland (from November onward)
- establish and provide support for new leadership communities in the North and Tayforth areas of Scotland (during early 2009)
An evaluation of the “Leading to Deliver” programme was published on 30th October, which the Scottish Government is currently considering.
Further information on Leadership and management will follow in due course
17 November 2008
Learning Network West e-Bulletin
The Learning Network West have just issued their November e–Bulletin
11 November 2008
Minister attends reception to mark launch of new BA Childhood Practice Degree
On 11 November Minister Adam Ingram attended a reception to launch the new BA Childhood Practice degree at the University of Strathclyde.
Following on from his launch of the ‘Benchmark for Childhood Practice’ in October 2007, training providers have risen to the challenge and developed, using the standard, new SCQF level 9 courses (BA Childhood Practice).
220 students started on the first courses at the end of September this year, delivered by the Universities of Strathclyde & UHI, Edinburgh, Dundee and Glasgow.
10 November 2008
Social Services Knowledge Scotland (SSKS) – Press Release
The Scottish Government is funding development of a knowledge management strategy for social services, to underpin the goals of Changing Lives. Production of this strategy is being managed jointly by IRISS and NHS Education for Scotland, and builds on the firm foundations already in place for knowledge support provided by Social Services Knowledge Scotland (SSKS).
SSKS is a powerful service providing a single point of access to knowledge and information for the Scottish social services workforce. SSKS is the outcome of a partnership between IRISS, NHS Education for Scotland, the Scottish Learning Networks and the Social Care Institute for Excellence. It includes input from a growing number of key social services knowledge and information brokers and providers including each of the Centres for Excellence.
Click here for the Full press release including details of contacts and SSKS information sheet.
5 November 2008
Evaluation of Leading to Deliver programme published
The Scottish Government established the Leading to Deliver programme in 2003 to develop leadership and management skills for first-line and middle managers working in the social services sector in Scotland. This evaluation seeks to inform decisions about the programme’s future after five years of operation.
5 November 2008
Consultation on final dates for achieving registration with the SSSC
The Scottish Government is seeking your views on the final dates for social service workers to register with the SSSC. You can view the consultation ‘Introduction of final dates for prescribed descriptions of social service workers to achieve registration with the Scottish Social Services Council’ here.
The consultation closes on 31 December 2008.
5 November 2008
Core Minimum Dataset updated
The core minimum data set (CMDS) was developed by the Scottish Government and other stakeholders in the social services sector in Scotland in 2005 and was finalised following a number of consultation events with employers throughout Scotland.
The CMDS is a data template which was formulated to help resolve the general lack of high quality, consistent, comprehensive, person-based data and information about the sector’s workforce. It is now embedded in the two main workforce data gathering processes in the sector, namely, the Care Commission’s annual reporting system for service providers and the Scottish Government’s annual census of local authority social work services staff. Between them, these two data gathering processes are thought to cover some 90% of the workforce.
The CMDS was updated earlier this year and details of the latest version can be downloaded from the Scottish Government’s website.
5 November 2008
Protection of Vulnerable Groups Scheme update October 2008
Proposals to strengthen and streamline Scotland’s disclosure system so that unsuitable people are excluded from working with vulnerable groups and end the need for multiple disclosure applications have been published by the Scottish Government.
The proposals are in response to a detailed consultation on the steps required to implement the new vetting and barring scheme (PVG scheme), introduced through the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007.
Children’s Minister Adam Ingram said: “There is no greater responsibility than the protection of Scotland’s children and vulnerable people. We must ensure that when we drop our children off at school or when a family member requires health or welfare services, they are not left in the care of someone who has a history of harmful behaviour.”
The detail of the PVG Scheme will be defined in draft secondary legislation which will be introduced to the Scottish Parliament in 2009.
For the full document, please go to Scottish Government’s website or click for more information on the PVG scheme (including FAQs).
