Getting it right for every child: managing the change – ideas from theory and experience

Jane Aldgate Professor of Social CareThe Open University

Why 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

Change 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

What will help agencies work together?

• A common purpose – to promote children’s 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

How 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

Two key agents of change

• Transformational leadership• Changing through learning

Main sourcesA 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).

Transformational Leaders in Children’s Services:

• Recognize that they are operating in permanent ‘whitewater’. Change is constant

• Know that most children’s 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

Transformational 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

Qualities of effective leadership• Dedication• Values• Integrity• Charisma• Bravery• Motivation• Credibility

Leaders and managers - effective style

Leaders aren’t 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 isn’t 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

Learning 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

Appreciative 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 system’s capacity to

discover and develop its potential• Invites participants to think differently about the

organisation• Creates enthusiasm and commitment• Change is inevitable

Translating 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?

Changes 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

Changes 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 child’s 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

Including children and families• ‘We feel more equal’• Young people chairing their own meetings• Single meeting at times to suit families means more

involvement

Valuing people rather than procedures - 5 questions for all practitioners

• What is getting in the way of his child or young person’s 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?

Working 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

A Positive Culture and New Directions

If I could ask one thing in any situation …it would not be ‘What’s wrong and what will fix it?’ but ‘What’s 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)