What is a social work practice?
A Social Work Practice (SWP) is a small, independent social work team focussed entirely on working with children in care. It is funded by the local authority, in this case Bristol, is social worker led and child-centred. The idea is that a SWP can respond more quickly to the needs of the children with whom it works and, whilst still controlled by the local authority, won’t have all the same demands of services that are closer to the local authority (like too many computer tasks!). This means that SWP social workers will be able to spend more time with you, your family if appropriate and your carer, making sure that you get the support that you need.
Bristol has decided to join a national pilot of SWPs in order to look at how best to deliver an improved service to children in and leaving care. This will involve developing both the local authority children in care social work teams and the social work practice way of doing things. Your views will be really important in helping us assess how the social work practice is doing.
Does this mean I will be getting a new social worker?
No, we are working with social workers from the children in care teams to develop the Bristol SWP called Vista by April 2012. Our plan is to support your relationship with your current social worker and so it shouldn't mean that you get a new social worker, even if your Social Worker is moving to the new Practice.
Why are you doing this?
It's a new way of working that should offer children in care and care leavers a better service and more say in the way their social work service is provided. If Vista achieves what it hopes to achieve, you will see and speak to your social worker more often and get quicker decisions made about the things that affect you and your life.
If your social worker is going to be part of Vista, you'll be told about this and will be able to give your views about the way Vista works for you. Letters were sent to all of the children and young people involved in late January 2012.
How are children (CiCC) involved in this?
We’ve met with some of you through the CiCCouncil and asked you to tell us your top 10 tips for social workers. After Vista has been established, we'll ask young people what they think about the service they receive from Vista and will continue to use the top 10 tips to see if Vista is delivering on the important areas that you identified.
Want to see an interview between Sharmaine and Ann James, who is the person overseeing the SWP?
Click on the following link to see the interview:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dz25MpDAw1o
