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