Doncaster has hit the headlines for the wrong reasons again. they are now being investigated regarding the level of the children servcies and it has been compared to Haringey. Have workers had experience of the services in doncaster and if so do they fee lthis recent report is justified.
Hi Lins
We were wondering the same thing in the Community Care office. So far we are hearing concerns over vacancy levels.
If anyone in Doncaster children's services has any comment to make, don't forget you can do so anonymously on CareSpace.
Bronagh
A former Doncaster social worker wrote a letter to the Doncaster Free Press - saying: "Doncaster pays its social workers less than any other local authority in the country, no wonder it has to rely on new workers and agency staff to deal with cases that are so emotive and distressing and where, whatever you do, will be judged to be wrong." Read in full here
The staffing levels are concerning. The newly qualified staff statr at just over £20,000 and have to work in very very difficult areas. They then decide to leave not because they want to but due to the lack of money and they end up working for a neighbouring authroity which pays alot more.
The over concern is that I agree SW is at a critical level and so is the confidence. The commitment is amazing but the workers are tired overworked and the local press are constantly having a go at them. On top of that the service users bully the staff (some who are quite young) into submission.
Yes, the report is totally justified. Until about four or five years ago Children's Services in Doncaster weren't great but were doing okay and getting better. Then the Mayor appointed a new MD, who had experience of managing places in Australia and South Africa. Following her arrival there was a massive reorganisation of all council services. This led to some strange events, such as the disbanding of the Education Welfare Service and the training and development service, the amalgamation of some child care teams into a huge (& ultimately unmanagable) team and several senior managers from other disciplines (housing, refuse collection - you get the idea) suddenly managing social care when they had no experience of this. Many experienced staff and managers saw the writing on the wall and left. This compounded staffing problems and the authority is now highly reliant on agency and overseas workers. Some of the managers are agency or employed on temporary contracts and they seem to come and go fairly quickly. The Mayor and the MD then had a falling out and following a period of suspension (& a pay out) she left.
It wasn't long before it became apparent that things were dangerous. More restructuring and tinkering took place (imagine the cost of all this) and another reorganisation of some teams is still ongoing - including getting rid of the out of hours service, or so I've heard. There are many dedicated staff but also many inexperienced workers and managers, under great pressure, and sometimes the wrong decisions have been made - as is borne out by some of the findings in recent serious case reviews. The common problems I've heard about seem to relate to lack of accountabilty, no one knowing who is managing what, people being promoted beyond their ability, the aggressive management style of some managers, the very inexperienced and beleaguered duty service and a large void where induction, training and development used to be. While all this was happening the Local Safeguarding Board was quietly failing and has been declared unfit for purpose. Pity the poor souls who are still there (unlike those who took the agency shilling and left) they deserve a medal.
I too have worked in Doncaster in their duty and Assessment team. Fortunately I was there as an agency worker, I wholeheartedly agree with the comments in the above post/contants of letter.
I am a very experienced worker and choose, professionally, to work independently as an agency Social Worker, I am used to and expect to, hit the ground running, I expect to have cases given to me with very little information. Doncaster is the only authority I have worked in that I had to hide behind my computer screen and not make eye contact with one of the many managers that were in charge.I did not know it was possible to make such inconsistent, managerial decisions. I will leave my comments there!!!
Furthermore you had the impression that at directoratye level no one gave a ****.
I, along with other workers was asked to work through a backlog of referrals that were several months out of date and NO information had been gathered and no follow up carried out. There should be a team of just short of 30 social workers, at a team meeting when people introduced themselves it was apparent that the majority of workers were unqualified and a few qualified workers were straight from College.
Given the amount of cases in the backlog systen (filing cabinets full!!!) I am very suprised that there has not been a lot more cases needing serious case review scrutiny.
If there is a zenith of poor practice in how to run and organise an Initial Response Team and a beacon standard in how not to recruit, retain and reward Social Workers Doncaster ranks amongst one of the best qualified candidates.
I am not alone when I say that things were dangerous, I was lucky, I identified a new post and got out as did other agency workers; my heart went out to the substantive workers left behind and to the childeren and families in that Borough.
I find that the workers at Doncaster are on the whole a committed and dedicated bunch who are trying very hard to do their jobs under mounting pressures from all sides. Children dont trust them due to the short period of time they have workers, parents dont want them becuase they want to carry on with their lifesytles and previous work which should have been done just wasn't. Chronolgys are none existant reports are poor, recording is not done and staff just dont have the time to correct mistakes of others.
Its not just the pay its respect from senior management who change on a monthly basis as do team managers. The ship is sinking fast and those who remain will be blamed while others are not permitted to speak out for fear they will not be employed anywhere else.
I would like to add if there are any members of parliment who partake in this forum you can email me prviately and i wll tell you what is happening.
I have passed on your message to a MP, im sure he will be in touch. Doncaster is my area also, however im afraid i cannot give a opinion on the whole picture, suffice to say Doncaster has lost a lot of very experienced, exceptional SW`s so one has to ask why. It is also important to stress that Doncaster council have been recently rapped for all the infighting and general chaos. Im afraid that chickens, home and roost come to mind and its a crying shame its been the innocent that pay the ultimate price, service users and providers alike.
If any social workers from Doncaster wish to contact me please e-mail me on Sharon.patrick@itn.co.uk
I work for ITV news and would like to hear your views.
Many thanks
I agree that it's too easy to blame the social workers. I work at Doncaster too, but Childrens' Services isn't a department of social workers - its a partnership of exceptionally skilled staff (and a lot of exceptionally skilled former staff) who together should be able to make it work. The reason they can't? Because of headless chicken leaders who haven't a clue what they are doing and respond to every crisis with redundancies and "reorganisation" - usually getting rid of the very staff who have performed well and best understand how the make the service work. All in the name of "efficiencies". With leaders who don't know how to lead, and staff constantly confused about their jobs - or even if they will have one - is it any wonder that things go wrong? Without a doubt, heads will roll - but I bet they won't be the right ones.
On mon was takeing my youngest two children aged 11 and 9 to swimming club, my daughter put on the radio in the car, and we were subjected to media coverage relating. My own eleven year old daughter said to me, 'mum dont let any children die will you'... This is having a profound impact on me... I am also concerned about what my children think I do or dont do, when I go to off to work...
My son is worried about what is happening and the anger coming form people on the streets of Doncaster. The problem being that there are some very good hardworking SW in Doncaster who are being blamed for the poor leadership. I am not surprised by what is happening the areas around Doncaster are very very poor ares with alot of pressures on all generations. The drugs, domestic violence are impacted by the poverty. Children dont go to school and roam the streets at night. You cannot blame SW for that it is entreched and runs through generations.
SW would love to speak out but are gagged so we sit back and take the blame. I am proud of being a SW but ashamed by what is happening here. What does amaze me when looking at allocated cases coming through is why there has only been 7 deaths because this computerised system does not give you a clear understanding of families. It is bitty and misses out valueable information and reads more like a ticky box system than anything else. Where are the MPs and councillors. Get out your ivory towers and come and talk to the workers PLEASE
Hi there,
I'm a reporter for BBC news and am really keen to get a better picture of exactly how difficult it's been for social workers in Doncaster. I've read a lot about cost cuts and restructuring but would really like to speak to a social worker to get an accurate picture. Would you - or anyone else you know - be prepared to speak to me? Anonymity guaranteed. My mobile number is 07834845432 or am working from our leeds newsroom today - 01132247042 .
Really hope you can help me.
Jenny Hill
BBC News
My name is Sharon Patrick and I work for ITV news. I am very keen to speak to social workers at Doncaster to hear your views. Please contact me on sharon.patrick@itn.co.uk or call me on my mobile 07775 584963. Any conversation we have will be off the record.
Sharon Patrick
ITV news
Community Care would like to hear from anyone who has worked at Doncaster - contact deputy news editor Maria Ahmed - maria.ahmed@rbi.co.uk or call 0208 652 4864. You can be quoted anonymously if you wish.
it a shame that ther so much dishornesty in Doncaster as a regeister SW i find it difficult to work in a service where the management don't care, and it also a shame that they appoint to a position where they are not suited, but if you have ever notice there is a a few organisation that do that. But what are friends in high places for
I don't work for Doncaster, but everything I've read could so easily apply to the Local Authority that I work for (and I'm sue others). That we have not had more serious case reviews is a miracle and nothing to do with good management. We have high staff sickness levels, extra hours for part time workers and agency workers are not an option because the authority won't or can't pay for them. How they have got away with it I don't know. We're in crisis and management just ignore the workers. Any that do stand up are either threatened, intimidated or bullied. I empathise with what Doncaster workers are going through but wish that our LA could be busted as at least then we might get listened to and get some resources.
Could I ask that you clarify the dishonstey in doncaster please?
Just read the Doncaster response to Maria Ahmed.
When those at the top say they have a 'full complement of staff' they mean they have 'bums on seats' not necessarily those who are able to and to be up and running to do the job (middle and front line workers). Be afraid, very afraid of these oh so political responses. They are meaningless.
Social work status will not be improved and indeed there is a move to privatise as much as they possibly can and as stealthily as possible. I have been saying this for the last five years.
I have read these threads and what they do is repeat everything that is going on in practically every social work team in the country (to a greater or lesser degree). The "league" tables are a joke - being rated poor for having too many children on the CP register, then criticised for not having. Suggest you all go to work in places (which are mostly everso posh) where they rate outstanding. League tables are pointless too eg Haringey etc etc, as are OFSTED. But they'll turn it round to make SW's the authors of their own misfortune.
PS Karen Mathews got 8 years. Anyone know what she'll actually serve ? Can anyone enlighten me of the 'tariff' setup. Is it different the more serious it is ? Or is it always serve half for good behaviour ?
My thoughts are with all of you as you continue to fight the good fight against all the odds. I get so angry and impotent on your behalf. You do good and the majority of you are good and do your vey best - you wouldn't chose such a (bloody awful at times) profession if you were not. Keep the faith and your sense of humour.
Read Doncaster director's response that Mary refers to here
This probably will not be posted because I use my own name and so this will identify where I work which is apparently a sin!
For the last five years I have been fighting along with my Colleagues in the advocacy project we run to point out what are fairly obvious failings in our local SSD and Children's Service partly due to the inappropriateness of the qualifications of the people running them.
Our Head of Adult Services has no social care qualifications at all and added the SSD 'brief' onto his existing portfolio of Housing and Refuse collection.
The place fell and is continuing to fall into disarray.
We were a lone voice and were marginalised for speaking out but as with Doncaster and seemingly other areas, this inappropriate style of 'anyone can manage' social care is being shown up for what it is, nonesense.
People who manage Social care for children or adults need to have an understanding and experience of Social Care and these situations have all developed because of the marginalisation of Social Work as a profession and the idea that one size fits all.
I can't open the link to read Doncasters response to Maria; I am second guessing that they are minimising the problems they have, my evidence for this is that every SW agency that operates in South Yorkshire has rung round in the last week offering £35 an hour to experienced front line agency workers to go in a large team to assist. One gets the feeling that DMBC are trying to make the sticking plaster bigger.
My evidence for this is that I am one of the social workers in question.
I hope a representative from DCFS is watching these comments as they really need to talk to workers who have worked there in the past.
I will put my neck on the line and state that the best thing Doncaster could do is to tell the truth, go into special measures and use the money for root and branch reform after consulting with frontline workers who know what needs to be done
I work in child protection but not in Doncaster. But I am extremely concerned. As of 1st April, this year, the LA I work for are making huge changes. These changes will mean that some teams will be managed by manager's who have no social care training. They mostly come form education.
My colleagues, including some of the more senior managers have had their doubts from day one. But as per, none of the front line workers were spoken to regarding their fears about such a major change.
Note the date the change will be implemented. No, it is not a joke.
We have a new director of Children's Services and like most they decided to 'put their mark' on the LA.
Watch this space.
hi keep an eye on the news this week as a new scandle about doncaster social services is about to commence, so far the sun, the news of the world, and both bbc and itv are intrested in running it, things could kick of as early as tomorrow enjoy it is very intresting
I guess that depends on how you define interesting.
Sorry victim1, but it's a bit sad to suggest that we should enjoy hearing about the failings of an organisation that led to children suffering or enjoy hearing about the stress placed on workers who are trying to keep children safe and make sure their needs are met. Seeing as there's nothing in the news yet can we presume that none of the august media bodies you mention were actually interested in running your story?!
I am seriously considering applying to them as a NQSW in the next few weeks, are Doncaster really so much worse than other LA's?
Got a private message response telling me that social workers cannot walk the streets safely and that there have been bomb scares at the offices. Not sounding great really.
frankie was the source from someone who regularly posts on here or was it a mole?
Although not being the source of this information - does it really matter, since both comments are true? The attempt to bomb council offices is a matter of public record, and social workers are not at all popular with the general public in Doncaster. Honestly, it isn't the fault of the social workers, who do a difficult job that isn't improved by total management failure. But most of the public don't get this fact, and they can't get at the managers - so it is the staff who bear the brunt of it as usual.
Benhadden:Although not being the source of this information - does it really matter, since both comments are true? The attempt to bomb council offices is a matter of public record, and social workers are not at all popular with the general public in Doncaster. Honestly, it isn't the fault of the social workers, who do a difficult job that isn't improved by total management failure. But most of the public don't get this fact, and they can't get at the managers - so it is the staff who bear the brunt of it as usual.
A child care specialist and sessional playworker employed by Doncaster Council was yesterday jailed for six weeks after pleading guilty to five counts of making indecent images of children. In the national press he was described as a "social worker" which was incorrect. Full story here