SWIA Self-evaluation Guide

SWIA has been working closely with the Changing Lives Performance Improvement Group to develop a Self-evaluation Guide for social work services. The move towards increased self-evaluation is consistent with the recommendations of the Crerar Review, as well as SWIA’s intention to take a more proportionate approach to inspection following the completion of its round of performance inspections in March 2009. Increased self-evaluation will also help to address the need to embed a culture of continuous performance improvement across social work services as identified in Changing Lives.

SWIA’s Self-evaluation Guide is based on the well-established Performance Inspection Model (PIM). The Guide sets out the key questions that should be addressed under each of the quality indicators in the PIM, as well as suggesting possible sources of evidence. The Guide also provides updated illustrations of good and weak practice under each quality indicator which are designed to help users arrive at a judgment as to the current standard of their performance. The Guide will be supported by an e-tool which will assist users in completing self-evaluations and can be used to generate a range of reports that will identify areas for development.

A number of local authorities have assisted SWIA in this work and have been involved in both drafting and testing the Guide. The Self-evaluation Guide will be launched on 11 February 2009, with a further suite of good practice guides on commissioning, performance improvement and leadership to follow later in the new year.