Transcript Slide 1
Service User and Carer
Involvement in Social Work
Education: Learning from
experience
Dr Eleni Skoura-Kirk, Lecturer in Social Work CCCU
Presentation at the Working in Partnership Conference, 10—
12 March 2008
Introduction
Present experience of service user and
carer involvement as part of social work
education at CCCU
Project funded by GSCC and Skills for
Care, started April 2007
Whole systems approach
towards participation
Successful participation reaches beyond
specific events to include a whole overarching
approach (Kirby et al, 2003; Wright et al, 2006)
values
structures
actions
Levels of participation (adapted
by Arnstein, 1969)
Project aims:
To promote the inclusion of service user
and carer perspectives within the social
work educational programme offered at
the University
to facilitate networking and collaborative
opportunities for service user and carer
groups across Kent and Medway.
Plan implementation
Mapping exercise
Steering group
Service user groups
Training and support
Networking opportunities
A) Mapping exercise of existing
involvement work across Kent and
Medway
Took place June-September 2007
Based on questionnaire designed by
existing Experts by Experience group, as
part of their research training
Sent to social care organsiations
Mapping exercise findings
Service user and carer involvement a
common aim
Existing innovative work across agencies
Lack of networking opportunities
Lack of feedback at a regional and
national level
B) Steering group
Through event members of the steering
group were recruited.
Steering group mainly made up of service
users and carers.
Meeting monthly, consistent membership
at the moment
C) Service user groups
Three main groups originally identified, based on
existing or new links:
Experts by Experience group (mental health)
Young people (leaving care, homelessness)
People with learning difficulties, challenging
behaviour
Service user groups cont.
Further expansion planned to include
older people, people with physical
disabilities, carers, amongst others.
Recruitment efforts to include existing
service users and carers (workshop
format, contact with agencies, mentoring
role)
D) Training and support
Recognised need and good practice to
avoid 'tick-box' involvement (Turner, 2008; Levin,
2004; (Branfield et al, 2007)
Training programme planned (JanJune 2008)
Topics include information on higher
education, teaching and learning,
personal skills.
Training and support cont.
Service users to be used as trainers.
Service user registered as part-time
students with CCCU
E) Networking opportunities
Website
Database
Plans for a regional newsletter
Plans for a regional charter
Long-term aim to promote feedback at a national
level (SCIE recommendation)
Learning from experience:
Good practice
Recognise existing expertise
Aim at involvement on all levels
Transparency of structures and roles important
Use of group meetings beneficial
Access to resources
Offer training and support
Challenges:
Payment and the benefits system
Risk of 'burn-out' for those involved
Ensuring representativeness in terms of
groups
Ensuring representativeness in terms of
perspectives
Resource implications
References
Arnstein, S. R. (1969) A Ladder of Citizen
Participation, Journal of the American Planning
Association, Vol. 35, No. 4, pp. 216-224)
Branfield F. and Beresford, P. with Eamon J.
Andrews, Patricia Chambers, Patsy Staddon,
Grace Wise and Bob Williams-Findlay, (2006)
Making service user involvement work:
Supporting service user networking and
knowledge, Joseph Rowntree Foundation
References (2)
Branfield, F. Beresford, M. and Levin, E
(2007) Position paper 7: Common aims: a
strategy to support service user
involvement in social work education ,
SCIE/Shaping Our Lives National Network
Department of Health, (2002),
Requirements for Social Work Education,
Kirby, P., Lanyon, C., Cronin, K. and Sinclair,
R. (2003) Building a culture of
participation, London: Department for
Education and Skills.
References (3)
Levin, E. (2004) Involving Service Users
and Carers in Social Work Education,
London: SCIE
Turner, M. Shaping Our Lives National User
Network,
http://www.swap.ac.uk/learning/usersw2.asp),
accessed 5/3/2008
Wright at al, (2006) Practice guide 6:
Involving children and young people in
developing social care, SCIE