Principal Children and Families Social Worker network meeting · 12/12/2018 · Isabelle Trowler -...
Transcript of Principal Children and Families Social Worker network meeting · 12/12/2018 · Isabelle Trowler -...
Principal Children and Families Social Worker network meeting
Wednesday 12 December 2018
Welcome & minutes of last meeting
Claudia Megele & Adam BirchallNational Co-Chairs
Nicola McGeown, Principal Social Worker
East Sussex County Council
“…it is time for digital literacy in social work to move beyond
the skills to send an email or update computer based records,
to more complex tasks that require an intricate and nuanced
understanding of technologies and the connected world.”
Amanda Taylor (2017): Social work and digitalisation: bridging the
knowledge gaps, Social Work Education
• Confidential info being shared and stuck
forever online
• Families and children having open
access to us all the time
• Don’t actually know how to do it and
keep my self safe online yet alone
others
Structural barriers
• The mantra of no and the risk assessment
• Not having the right technology
• Poor connectivity in large urban/rural LAs
• Slow cultural change across
the service
• Variable levels
of technical
knowledge in the
frontline
• Lack of clarity
of what digital
practice is
Top tips
for digital
practice
• Digital nerd in the frontline to innovate
• Digital nerd who gets social work practice in the backroom to accommodate
• Digital nerd champions across the service
Isabelle Trowler
Chief Social Worker for England (Children & Families)
Strengthening Families,
Protecting Children
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Policy Update
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What Works Centre – Appointments
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The Board
CEO
Publication & Change Projects
The Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel
The Panel all bring different perspectives of the child safeguarding system
gained from their range of experience in both leadership and front line roles
across children’s social care, health, education, police and law.
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Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel
Panel Members
Edward Timpson is Chair of the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel. His career began as a Family Law Barrister specialising in children’s cases
1998-2008. He was MP for Crewe & Nantwich 2008-17, serving as Private Parliament Secretary to the Home Secretary 2010-12and as Children’s
Minister between 2012 and 2017. Currently he serves on the Board of Trade 2017- ; Chair of Cafcass 2018- ; and, he sits on the Children’s
Commissioner Advisory Board 2018;
Isabelle Trowler - took up the role as the Government's first Chief Social Worker for England (Children & Families) in 2013. Since then she has been
instrumental in the development and implementation of the Government's strategy for the reform for Children's Social Care. She is a Founder Member
of the What Work's Centre for Children's Social Care, a Member of the National Panel for Child Safeguarding Practice Reviews and the National
Stability Forum. She also sits on the Ministerial led Family Justice Board and the Partners in Practice Governance Board;
Sarah Elliott - Non-Executive Director at Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust and the Chair of the Local Safeguarding Children
Board (LSCB) for Poole, Bournemouth and Dorset. She was previously Regional Chief Nurse for NHS England South;
Mark Gurrey - Chair of the South Gloucestershire Improvement Board and Chair of the LSCB for Devon & Wiltshire. He has a wealth of experience
working to bring about improvements at authorities in intervention;
Karen Manners – formerly Deputy Chief Constable of Warwickshire Police, she has 32 years of experience in policing. She led for policing on the
Vulnerability Action Plan;
Professor Peter Sidebotham – recently retired Peter was Associate Professor in Child Health at Warwick Medical School, Consultant Paediatrician at
South Warwickshire NHS Trust and a designated doctor for safeguarding children at Coventry and Warwickshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG);
Dale Simon CBE - a qualified barrister and previously the Director of Public Accountability and Inclusion at the Crown Prosecution Service. She is
currently the Non-Executive Director at the Parole Board; and
Dr Susan Tranter – Executive Headteacher of Edmonton County Schools and Chief Executive of Edmonton Academy Trust. She is a member of the
Mayor’s Office for Policing And Crime (MOPAC) Strategy Group and is a member of the Audit and Risk Committee of the Office of the Children’s
Commissioner.
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Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel
What the data tells us after 5 months of operation:
Notification numbers
Number of serious incident notifications, 2014-15 to 2017-18
(Ofsted data)
In comparison:
• From July to mid-
November 2018 the
Panel has received 173
serious incident
notifications
• If this trend continues we
can expect to receive
c500 notifications in
2018-19
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Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel
Cases notified by region (provisional data)
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
LAs who have notified LAs who have not
The Panel have considered cases from 89 out of 152 LAs.
They have not received any cases from 63 LAs.
Region
Number of LAs who
have notified over
the total in region
London 12/33
South West 10/16
South East 12/19
East 8/11
West Midlands 11/14
East Midlands 7/9
Yorks & Humb 7/15
North West 16/23
North East 6/12
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Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel
Types of cases considered by the Panel
The Panel has considered 195 cases
89 were child death cases
106 were serious harm cases
43 of those cases have been considered twice or more by the Panel, usually due to further correspondence or the Panel disagreeing with the LSCB decision.
32%
52%
6%10%
LSCB intend to initiatean SCR
non-initiation
non-publication
other (no SCRdecision, delay ofSCR, advice onpublication, SCR forinfo)
LSCB decision Cases
Initiate SCR 62
Non-initiation 101
Non-publication 13
Other
(no SCR decision, delay of SCR, advice on publication, SCR for info)
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Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel
Using the Right Criteria
Rapid Reviews are intended to help identify the key questions which might
need to be answered as part of a SCR, local or national review. In order to do
that you need to use the right criteria:
LSCBs should continue to use the criteria for a SCR set out in Working
Together (2015) when telling us whether or not they intend to commission a
SCR and they should indicate whether or not they think the cases raises
any issues that are complex or of national importance such that a national
review might be appropriate as set out in Working Together (2018).
Safeguarding Partnerships should use the criteria set out in Working
Together (2018).
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Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel
Rapid Reviews
We have seen some very good
examples:
The best provide a robust platform
from which to improve practice
Some have been thoughtful,
reflective and offered a good
analysis of the case and incident
Some have clearly set out next
steps
It should be clear about who was
involved in the decision-making
process.
Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel
The focus shouldn’t be on blame and
insight from relevant staff across
agencies will be crucial. This will help
you and the Panel to understand what
happened and identify wider issues
relating to safeguarding children.
It should attempt to explain what you
know about why processionals acted as
they did and look at professional
practice within the organisational
context.
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NAAS – Initial research findings
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They said We are doing
Candidates have said that the most valued support
available to them prior to assessment is:
information and activities that manage
expectations and answer practical questions about
what to expect on assessment day and after
learning their assessment outcome
opportunities to refresh knowledge on specific
topics – legislation, therapeutic approaches
We are building on this and creating a series of case
studies and blogs to highlight the user experience
and start building a NAAS community. The blogs
are being sent to sites and will be used for wider
communications campaigns. The first blog is
attached to this briefing.
Those closest to NAAS can describe its aims but
social workers who are not being assessed are
less aware with some unable to communicate
what it is beyond accreditation
We are looking at wider engagement activities to
help embed clear key messages of NAAS.
Current key messages are below.
We are also looking at what more Local Authorities
can do to promote NAAS themselves through
their embedded communications channels
NAAS is raising awareness of the KSS tool amongst
staff preparing for assessment.
We are looking at what more we can do to widen
this focus to ensure that all children’s social care
staff, not just those involved in NAAS, are fully
aware of and recognise the KSS as the post
qualifying standards.
There is some confusion around practice
endorsement and how it should be applied.
We are gathering evidence to set out
recommendations for practice endorsement in
phase 2.
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The case for clear blue water: overview
• Care proceedings concluded in 2018 & 2012
• 4 local authorities across England; 100+ children
• Families’ needs the same as 20 years ago; no greater complexity
• Families living in poverty (little commentary on social context)
• 37% return home on supervision orders; 25% to extended family
• More families subject to thin red line decisions, where the decision
could go either way
Increase in care proceedings
6,7866,323 6,474
8,8319,203
10,250
11,10710,620
11,159
12,792
14,59914,223
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
14000
16000
2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18
Source: Cafcass
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Supervision Orders: The National Picture
LA Supervision or
Assessment2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Supervision order 1,236 1,222 1,170 1,231 1,519 2,149 2,597
LA Supervision or
Assessment2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Supervision order 5,135 6,681 7,709 6,550 7,485 7,695 8,068
Number of children involved in Supervision Order applications made in Family courts in England and Wales, annually 2011 – 2017. Source: Ministry of Justice, Family Court Tables (Jan to Mar 2018)- Table 3
Number of children involved in Supervision Orders made in Family courts in England and Wales, by type of order, annually 2011 – 2017. Source: Ministry of Justice, Family Court Tables (Jan to Mar 2018)- Table 4
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The case for clear blue water
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Next steps
• Principles of the Children Act 1989: the primacy of family, the principle of
partnership with parents, the use of voluntary accommodation and the
concept of No Order – legitimate & respected in policy, practice & inspection
• Building the evidence base about most effective support for families
(targeted improvement)
• Shared care should be developed and incentivised!
• National learning programme: calibrate senior social work leaders’ decision
making within and between local authorities across England.
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Refreshment Break
Growing up digital
Anne LongfieldChildren’s Commissioner
Artificial Intelligence and Social Work
Steve Liddicott
Interim Manager, Consultant (and Social Worker)
Uses of Technology in Social Work
Recent national media coverage about local authorities using ‘algorithms’ to predict the likelihood of a child being abused.
Should this worry us, or should we be encouraged by the possibility of improving outcomes for children?
Algorithms, machine learning and artificial intelligence tend to get confused.
A useful starting point is that algorithms don’t need computers.
An algorithm is just a list of instructions showing how to accomplish a task.
Thinking,Fast and Slow
• Daniel Kahneman in ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ shows that almost all of the time, we ‘think fast’ using limited data, without thinking about how we are thinking – working unconsciously – and then drawing rapid conclusions before taking action.
• Fast thinking follows learned responses or simple rules of thumb – where there are many complex variables or complex situations, we very often make mistakes unless we deliberately ‘think slow’ – consciously working things out so that we don’t miss the trees for the wood.
• Algorithm• A set of rules
• Machine Learning• Machine learning is a way of
“learning” which enables an algorithm to evolve.
• “Learning” means feeding the algorithm with a massive amount of data so that it can adjust itself and continually improve.
• Artificial Intelligence• It involves machines that have
the ability to carry out tasks characteristic of human intelligence. It’s a much broader concept than machine learning.
Algorithms, Machine Learning
and Artificial Intelligence
ThinkingSlow
• Conscious or ‘slow’ thinking uses complex algorithms, and in the professional world these are often codified into ‘flow diagrams’, ‘process charts’ or ‘operational descriptions’. Even the most talented professional needs an aide memoire to avoid slipping into ‘fast thinking’. (The downside is that these developments can be said to ‘de-professionalise’ practitioners, but I’d much prefer to have a surgeon who went through a checklist with their team …)
Algorithms
Following the Rules
Just Checking
Algorithms
Following the Rules
Computerised Algorithms
• So, we’ve all been using algorithms for years. What’s new is clearly the operation of computers in applying the algorithm. Computer-based algorithmic system is likely to be effective and rapid if it is fed accurate and relevant data and is properly set up to assess and take account of missing or partial data. Compared to a human decision-maker with the same data, the computer-based system ought to be better – computers don’t get bored or have off-days. However, it’s important that algorithmic systems are checked to ensure that they do not simply codify and automate human biases.
Machine Learning
Voice to textFacebookAlexaGoogle Maps
Artificial Intelligence
• The New York Times reports that the average flight of a Boeing plane involves only seven minutes of human-steered flight, which is typically take offand landing.
• Weak AI - The Spotify discovery mode, Netflix recommendations, Siri and autopilot ….
• General AI - The intelligence of a machine that could successfully perform any intellectual task that a human being can. AI can make a computer smarter and more aware of its past iterations, so it can gain new capabilities and knowledge. And it doesn’t exist yet ….
So, how does it work?
• Big Data• The more data sources the better
• Sources• Social Care
• Early Help
• Domestic Abuse
• Education
• Youth Offending
• Housing
• Revenues and Benefits
• Health
• Police
• Excluding• Ethnicity, location etc
Data Processing
• Anonymised Data Processed
• Identifies families “at risk”• Of social care intervention
• Refer to Early Help
• Where CP Plans could be stepped down
• Re-think protection plan
• Where CP Plans could be stepped up• To avoid care proceedings
• But the system only highlights concerns
• People decide whether there should be an intervention / change of plan
And What Does ThisTell You?
• Early identification• Subject to professional decision
making
• Earlier Step Down• Subject to professional decision
making
• Preventing Escalation• Subject to professional decision
making
My Conclusion?
• Computer-based algorithmic systems are the future, but so are professionals, both to ensure the algorithms themselves are appropriate, and to ensure that the output of the algorithm is reviewed intelligently and not applied blindly.
Lunch
A child centred model for assessingOnline Risks and Safeguarding Children and Young People Online
Dr Peter Buzzi
Refreshment Break
Social media and its impact
on the family courts
Anthony Douglas CBE, Chief Executive of Cafcass
PSW Network Conference
12th December 2018
A typical social media day for Cafcass
We have a statutory responsibility to safeguard
children’s welfare and inform parents of their
responsibilities. The media has a responsibility to
report on a situation accurately and honestly
before sharing on social media, to improve public
knowledge and avoid jigsaw identification. Social
media giants have a responsibility to ensure that
content being shared on their platforms is
appropriate.
Social media as evidence
• Practitioners work with unverified information every day and should assess
social media information as they would any other (excerpt from the Cafcass
Social Media Policy 2017).
• Social media increases the chances of knowing what is going on, but it has
risks that need managing e.g. children who are groomed via social media within
a few hours.
• No to fishing expeditions, yes to legitimate lines of enquiry e.g. using Facebook
to trace a missing parent; in CSE assessments, identifying adult perpetrators,
vehicles used etc.
• Authenticating online information is complex as screenshots and recordings can
be manipulated – ‘Alexa, start recording this meeting with Dad’.
• Use of social media to improve child protection assessments is crucial, but the
right consent or authority must be sought.
• Increase of digital information and potential ‘evidence’ can cause a danger of
information overload. See the wood for the trees.
• Evidence across national borders is increasingly important and needs a new
skill-set e.g. dealing with overseas governments, hostile campaigns.
• Use a corporate account when going on social media as a professional.
Is he or isn’t he? Did he or didn’t he?
A mother told the practitioner that the child’s
father is a drug user and other adults visit
his home to use drugs.
She provided screenshots of the father’s
Facebook page, where drug use was
mentioned. When asked about drug use,
the father said neither he nor his friends
used drugs, but some of them may have
made jokes about drug use on social media.
Child Impact: a new Voice of the Child app for
children to contribute more evidence
• A series of guided scenarios against which children can express their
thoughts and feelings.
• Completed using drawing, writing, scaling and sticker tools to portray people,
places and emotions.
• Upon completion, the app exports a PDF version which can be automatically
uploaded to the Cafcass electronic case file, allowing children to
communicate with their practitioner throughout the life of the case.
Matthew’s Top Tips for professionals working with
children and young people with autism
Top Tips for professionals when working with
brothers and sisters
Top Tips for professionals working with children
and young people affected by domestic abuse
Top Tips for separated parents
Child Impact Assessment Framework (CIAF)
Social media provides a support network for
families in the family court
• Social media has a strong role to play in raising issues and creating change –
‘each child is worth £200,000 to the forced adoption system: she was
snatched from the delivery suite by the Council’.
• Social media gives a degree of empowerment to vulnerable and
disadvantaged parents and other family members e.g, the Rotherham mother
who was a rape victim recently waived her right to anonymity by posting her
story on Twitter and now the Prime Minister has said she’ll ‘take action’.
• Parents can connect with other parents, to feel less alone, and to quickly
crowdsource support, even though theirs (the parent’s) is not the only
perspective the family court has to consider.
• Parents can alienate others including their children by seeking to overwhelm
the case with their own emotions or by their behaviour e,g covert recording
• “When cases such as this (Charlie Gard) go viral, the watching world feels
entitled to express opinions – whether or not they are evidence-based. A lot
of things have been said by those who know almost nothing about this case
but who feel entitled to express opinions... based on feelings rather than
facts”, Mr Justice Francis – this is a long way from ‘transparency’’.
The potential for AI and VR in practice
Sentiment analysis
• Commonly used by call centres. Software picks up on key phrases spoken by
an unhappy customer and provides guidance to the call handler.
‘Intelligent Assistants’: Cortana, Siri, Alexa
• The technology is there to install this software on phones or in meeting rooms.
The software can be programmed to pick up on tone or keywords, to then
prompt a notification to a line manager or start videoing the meeting discreetly
– this could improve the safety of social workers.
• In time we will I am sure combine AI and sentiment analysis. For example, we
will have software to generate a baseline report based on a scan of case
recording and other relevant documentation in a case.
A virtual reality toolkit
• VR can change the way parents and carers understand neglect, domestic
abuse and other high impact situations on children.
• VR can be used in training to radically shorten the time taken to learn, absorb
and apply key principles and programmes.
Pointers for the future
• As social workers, learn to be comfortable with exposure. If you practice
well, you have nothing to be afraid of e.g., imagine what ever you say or do
is being taped or filmed.
• Learn to distinguish evidence from noise, using clear thresholds for evidence
e.g., evidence of harm to a child with long-term implications and with a need
for specialist help and support.
• In our national public law reform strategy, we do need to be clearer about
grounds for adoption, the separation of siblings and the thresholds for interim
and permanent removal of children from their families.
• Social media offers new fresh opportunity to use a public health approach to
combating neglect, emotional harm and sexual exploitation, for example.
Social media and its impact
on the family courts
Anthony Douglas CBE, Chief Executive of Cafcass
PSW Network Conference
12th December 2018
WWC update
Ryan WiseSCIE