CWDC Update: Can ASWP status help retain social workers?

It represents one of the most advanced stages of a social worker's career structure and encourages them to remain on the frontline.

The Advanced Social Work Professional (ASWP) status was launched in autumn 2010 by the Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC) and was developed in partnership with social workers and managers.

Partners told us they would value a national assessment process based on standards for identifying individuals who could be ASWPs. They also wanted the status to be flexible to facilitate local determination of how ASWPs should be deployed.

Carolyn Spray, Service Improvement Manager at Sheffield City Council, talks about how the flexibility of the ASWP status will allow Sheffield City Council to recognise its excellent social workers.

Sheffield's story

"I was really pleased when I heard about the launch of the ASWP status as I think it's a really attractive way of keeping excellent social workers on the frontline.

"In Sheffield we have developed the ASWP role as part of our recruitment and retention strategy. This has led us to establish a career and developmental pathway for social workers that enable experienced social workers to make real choices about how they want their career to progress. If they want to move into management they can apply to become a team manager. If they want to focus on developing practitioners they can apply to become a social work consultant. If they want to remain in practice they can apply to become an Advanced Social Work Professional. Whatever their choice we pay the same for each role.

"We employ a rigorous process when recruiting ASWPs to ensure they are capable of delivering the high standards required of the role and we currently have six ASWPs in post. As well as taking the most complex cases they are expected to take on a practice teacher role with student social workers. They also mentor and jointly work with less experienced colleagues. I expect them to lead practice and be seen as leaders of excellence.

Flexibility

"Implementing the ASWP role in our local authority hasn't been without its challenges. I meet with them each month to ensure that there is consistency applied across the posts because they are all different. This does not mean that their role cannot be tailored to meet local needs, it simply means that the role delivers the same high standards no matter where it is being deployed in the service. This is one of the strengths of the ASWP status; it allows you to do this in the way that is right for your local authority.

"It's important that we do all we can to raise the profile of this status as this will help build the profession's credibility inside and outside the sector. In Sheffield we have sought to develop the role in a way that reflects a clear career and developmental pathway, and this is in line with what the Social Work Reform Board has recommended. Their recommendations are clear about the importance of retaining excellent workers and improving practice.

"Inevitably, improved practice benefits children, young people and their families. As national standards are established in this way, we'll also achieve more consistency in practice standards across England."

WHY ARE EMPLOYERS INVOLVED IN THE ASWP STATUS?

"ASWP will help identify social workers who are excellent at practice and give them the status they deserve.

"It should be adopted nationally. It means something no matter what the pay is because the standards are high; standards that employers have helped to build."

Karen Mistry, Team Manager, Nottingham City Council

"The great thing about the ASWP status is that we can adopt this and own it completely. For us it is about recognising our excellent social workers and it is something really positive for our staff."

Nicci Woolnough, Practice Learning Co-ordinator, London Borough of Barking and Dagenham Council

"It has been a challenge for us to see exactly where ASWP fits into our structure and that's the beauty of the status - it's flexible so we are going to look at building it into our career structure. It will give successful candidates a status that is transportable."

Wendy Allen, Service Manager, Thurrock Council

FURTHER INFORMATION

• To find out more about ASWP or to nominate a candidate, visit www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/social-work/aswp or call our ASWP team on 0113 390 7628
• Sign up to our new ebulletin by visiting www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/ whats-new/e-bulletin-sign-up.