Practice Leadership Programme

Learning outcomes:

• Building the group identity
• Understanding what makes a good Practice Leader
• Understanding the importance of basic belief system and influence on practice
• Reflecting on leadership and management style and own individual strengths
• Planning for the year with development coaches

Lead and govern excellent practice (KSS 1)

Learning outcomes:

• Building the group identity
• Understanding what makes a good Practice Leader
• Understanding the importance of basic belief system and influence on practice
• Reflecting on leadership and management style and own individual strengths
• Planning for the year with development coaches

Creating a context for excellent practice (KSS 2)

Learning outcomes:

• How to engage staff in a shared direction/vision
• Creating the environment where effective practice can flourish
• How to improve when the practice system isn’t working

Morning

• Presentations from DCSs who have instigated practice change or improvement programmes within their authorities

Afternoon 

• Scenario: Taking on an organisation with various strengths and areas for improvement.

Designing a system to support effective practice (KSS 3)

Learning outcomes:

• Understanding systemic leadership
• Understanding the necessity of a theory of change for families which provides the basis on which the staff operate

Morning

• Introduction to systemic concepts and how to apply them to leadership

Afternoon

• Scenario: Applying systemic concepts to a leadership challenge in a local authority context

Developing excellent practitioners (KSS 4)

Learning outcomes:

• How to make best use of knowledge and research evidence about effective social work practice
• How to ensure there is sufficient professional development within the organisation
• How to maintain social workers in front line practice

Morning

• What does the research tell us about effective practice?
• What does the research tell us about supervision?
• Effectiveness of practice – what is the evidence?

Afternoon

• Scenario: Based an overall approach (E.g. domestic abuse)

Support effective decision making (KSS 5)

Learning outcomes:

• Knowing how to build a culture where managed risk is accepted and understood
• Developing a culture of learning, reflection and acceptance of accountability

Morning Session One

• Lessons from the Behavioural Insights Team about behaviour patterns and determinants which will include examples from children’s social care settings.

Morning Session Two 

• Thought provoking presentation covering: Managing and holding risk, accountability and learning from case reviews

Afternoon

• Scenario:  System in place for decision making within a complex organisation

Quality assurance and improvement (KSS 6)

Learning outcomes:

• How to manage the politics, corporate centre and other local authority pressures
• Understanding the tension between professional social work accountability and local government

Morning Session One

• The local government environment: Managing the politicians and the role of the corporate centre

Morning Session Two

• Use of data and statistics: How the Family Justice Review identified and made use of data to inform practice

Afternoon

• Scenario: Based on children’s social care experiencing tensions with a corporate centre

Reflecting on participant’s experience of the programme

Learning outcomes:

• Reflections on own progress during the year
• Preparation for becoming a practice leader

Reflecting on participant’s experience of the programme

Learning outcomes:

• Reflections on own progress during the year
• Preparation for becoming a practice leader