Options proposals for out of hours services

Service improvements

· That measures be taken to improve the management information available from SS Direct regarding services for children (including monitoring of numbers of children accommodated, accommodated children visited by a social worker, CP referrals receiving a social worker visit).

· That SS Direct review the information available to partner agencies and clarify expectations of the department acknowledging the constraints with which the service operates.

· That consideration be given to facilitating direct telephone access to SWs for other professionals regarding existing referrals.

· That regular, formalised arrangements be made for the exchange of social workers and managers between SS Direct and mainstream services e.g. through inductions, secondments, job swaps.

· That an evaluation of the impact of the changes to the rota and the staffing structure be carried out to look at the impact on the use of overtime and capacity to ensure children accommodated out of hours are visited by a social worker.

· Ensure that SS Direct have direct access to electronic client records with effective business processes which enable the safe transfer of information between SS Direct and area teams. (This should be achieved through the implementation of SWIFT

Description of each option with key advantages and disadvantages

Option A

Enhanced out of hours service with district-based social workers on call linked to

Social Services Direct. This addition to the current out of hours service would mean

that social workers were available to undertake visits to children and families in

distress.

Advantages:

· Improved service to children and families

· Locally responsive

Disadvantages:

· Management cover

· Risks to staff of lone working at night

· Some additional staffing costs

Option B

Extended Reception and Assessment service working beyond office hours.

This would involve staff working flexible rotas to cover early mornings and

late evenings. Social Services Direct would continue to provide an emergency

response service through the night.

Advantages:

· Greater continuity of care for children and families

· More locally responsive

· Staff could be properly remunerated for the hours worked

· Increased goodwill from staff for recognition and valuation of work being done

· Options for flexible working could help recruit and retain staff

Disadvantages:

· Significant staffing costs (estimate that would need three times more social workers and more managers)

· Staff attitudes to working flexible hours are unknown

Option C

24 hour multi-agency response service for children and families. Access to all

services to children and families would be via a single co-ordination point.

Separate out of hours services would cease.

Advantages:

· Substantial improvement in access to services for children and families

· Integrated services in the spirit of the Green Paper

Disadvantages:

· Not feasible to implement within 2 years

The case for the preferred option

Option A was rejected by the stakeholders as a backward step and an unsafe service. While Option B would significantly improve the service and benefit staff, the costs of extending reception and assessment services to work outside office hours would be substantial as it is estimated that teams would require three times the present number of social workers. Stakeholders agreed that Option C could not be implemented within two years. However, this option was seen as a long-term vision in the spirit of the Green Paper.

The preferred option at this stage is a variation on Option B with children's social workers working outside office hours. These additional workers would be ring-fenced to deal with new work only and not existing cases. This option would provide an enhanced service to families and children in need with the aims of preventing family breakdown and reducing re-referral rates. Advantages of operating a more flexible service include the potential for social workers to provide back up for support workers and volunteers working outside office hours. While costs preclude additional staffing across the county, piloting in one area with a view to phased implementation, would provide an opportunity to test the market for recruiting social workers to flexible `out of hours' posts.