Directors want revamp of services

The Association of Directors of Social
Services is calling for a rethink of the way children’s services
are commissioned.

In a
report due to be published at the end of the month, the ADSS will
raise the possibility of developing a strategic organisation
responsible for commissioning all child care services, including
education and youth services as well as social services.

This
could be achieved through the development of children and young
people’s strategic partnerships, and could involve the use of
pooled budgets.

Tomorrow’s
Children, which
is being produced by the ADSS children and families committee in
consultation with the Department of Health and the voluntary
sector, looks at best practice, short-comings, ways of uniting
services and staff, and desired outcomes.

Former
committee chairperson Rob Hutchinson said: “If people are going to
get a decent choice about what they need, we have to think about
the system as a system. It’s no good just to think I’m in education
so my job is SATs.”

It
also calls for a review of the recruitment, training and morale of
workers in child care services, and a reduction in the volume and
weight of work that social workers carry.

Hutchinson said the report
offered some options for providing better services for the future
and was recommended reading for all social care staff, managers and
students.