Leadbetter to head up practice learning taskforce

President of the Association of Directors of Social Services,
Mike Leadbetter, has been appointed as head of the practice
learning taskforce.

The taskforce has been set up to meet the demand for more
practice training in the new social work degree and will start work
in September this year, hosted by training organisation TOPSS
England.

As director of the taskforce Leadbetter will be supported by a
project manager and nine practice learning change agents. These
posts are currently being advertised.

The taskforce will be supported by a range of other initiatives
by the department of health which include monitoring the provision
of practice learning through performance indicators, a review of
the funding mechanisms for practice learning and the production of
guidance materials, including e-learning.

Leadbetter, who is director of social services at Essex, said:
“We will take a creative and radical look at how we fund, support
and develop learning opportunities for social workers.

“The importance of embedding social work training within a
learning organisation and promoting continuous professional
development will also be part of our task,” he added.