National Social Policy and Local Organisational Policy Context - Report Example

ORGANISATION REPORT ON SOCIAL WORK AGENCY Contents 0 National Social Policy and Local Organisational Policy Context 3 1.1 What the agency does 3 1.2 Evaluation of what the agency does compared to policy requirements 3 1.3 Legislative framework/guidance of the agency 4 2.0 Characteristics of the service users who use the agency 5 2.1 Ethos behind the system 5 3.0 How the agency monitors and evaluates its impact 7 3.1 Service user’s needs 7 3.2 How does the agency monitor and evaluate service 8 3.3 Service users feedback system 10 3.4 Theories that supports service user’s evaluation 10 3.5 Understanding of how social work interventions is applied 12 4.0 The collaborative relationships that exist between the agency and other groups 13 4.1 Demonstrate the values of anti-discriminatory practice 13 4.2 How the agency work around issues 14 4.3 Policy context national/regional and the organisation level of policy 14 4.4 Mission statement 15 4.5 Source of Funding 16 References 17 1.0 National Social Policy and Local Organisational Policy Context 1.1 What the agency does As collective entity under the social work agency, the agency can be said to be responsible for Adult Operational Services which is mandated with goals of achieving adult social care. As part of this goal of the agency, and as required by national social policy provisions, there are very specific objectives that are pursued to achieve the goal. Some of these objectives include the promotion of independence, well-being and the minimisation of the daily living risks that people considered vulnerable in society go through. From the stated objectives, it will be noted that the agency plays a multivariate roles which cannot be accomplished by just a single entity or field. In the light of this, there are several fields that have the objectives distributed among them for efficient and effective implementation of the objectives. One such field is the Affective Disorder Services which is overseen by the Stockton Affective Disorder Team. 1.2 Evaluation of what the agency does compared to policy requirements In evaluating the roles and work output of the agency, particularly the Stockton Affective Services, it can be said that the agency has live up to its policy requirements and expectations. For example in line with policy requirement demanding that there will be independent and well-being among vulnerable individuals, the agency has made it its aim to ensure that individuals who suffer from severe and enduring mental health problems are give maximum attention through the use of evidence based treatments that are based on the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE). Once these services are provided to these vulnerable people, it ensures that there is the maximisation of the productive and fulfilling life with particular emphasis on returning to or achieving independent living in the local community in which the affected people find themselves. With this said, it can be confirmed that national policy on both independence and well-being are fostered. 1.3 Legislative framework/guidance of the agency As it has been stated above, the Stockton Affective Services and the agency as a whole functions and operates under the NICE guidance and recommendations. Because the clinical and care interventions used by the agency entail treatment that uses medical, psychological, social, emotional and educational solutions, it has always been the case that when it comes to the prescription and monitoring of these interventions, the national recommendations put forth by the NICE guidance are followed. It would be acknowledged however that apart from such national frameworks and guidance as the NICE, the agency has often had its own framework of care, which is largely based on the unique and dynamic situations that each vulnerable individual seeking affective care faces. The need to be innovative with the framework is supported by Cooper (2013) who indicated that all patients and clients needing affective care must be seen as independent and individual beings who have peculiar needs that must satisfied whiles seeking to apply national interventions. 2.0 Characteristics of the service users who use the agency 2.1 Ethos behind the system There are a number of theories and methods that explain and define the interventions that are put in place by the agency and the delivery of its roles. It is however important to mention that these interventions that are based on theories and methods are largely based on the characteristics of the service users who use the agency. The overall characteristic that can be given about the service users is that they have various degrees of mental health problems which can be described as being severe and enduring. Because of this characteristic of the service users which makes them highly vulnerable, the ethos behind the system used in delivering service to them are such that it incorporates the provision of support and advice to carers and their families as well. This means that as part of the ethos of the system, the guiding beliefs or ideals that characterize the agency is to ensure that care is not limited to service users alone but their immediate environment also. There are a number of theories of social work intervention that support and explain the ethos behind the system which ensures that the interventions are care are expanded to include the families of the service users. Typical examples of some of these are the theories of social organisation and social change, and theories of social stratification (Ungar, 2011). Weinbren (2010) explained that these two theories are based on the justice feet of social work, where the need to provide social change and social development is the emphasis of social work agencies. As part of the theories social organisation and social change, and theories of social stratification, social work agencies aim to focus their interventions on the correction of long-term problems in communities (Johnson, 2011). In effect, the agencies do not only look at the help that the individual receives but also the help that the people that can be identified within the immediate environment of the service user may require. 3.0 How the agency monitors and evaluates its impact 3.1 Service user’s needs Within the social work context, Cooper (2013) explained that the monitoring and evaluation of work is very important in ensuring that there can be effectiveness with service delivery, as well as ensuring that the agencies are able to execute their roles in a manner that is expected under the national regulatory policies. The first area of evaluation undertaken by the agency is in terms of identifying and providing the service users’ needs. The needs of service users are largely identified by the use of the mental capacity assessment which helps to determine the extent of a person’s mental problem and what needs to be done for such a person. In this it can be said that the service users’ needs have largely been to attain independent living within their communities. Of the service users however, there are different groups that can be identified among them, even though they are all people with severe and enduring mental health problems. Some of the groups are those who do not have English as their first language and those with disabilities. For such groups there are special assignments of roles that ensure that their peculiar needs are met. 3.2 How does the agency monitor and evaluate service In order for the agency to be sure that their services to the users are those that meet the needs of users, it uses a quarterly assessment schedule that is based on an assignment and allocation of roles mapping system. As showed below, the flowchart helps the agency to identify very specific people who are assigned for the achievement of particular tasks among the service users. The assessment mapping system therefore makes it possible to determine how well various people given tasks deliver these tasks. By so doing it is possible to monitor and evaluate the services based on the output of work of those assigned the duties. Whiles undertaking the monitoring and evaluation of the assigned roles, the flowchart clarifies that those service users classified in special groups such as the disabled and those who do not have English as their first language are given very special attention Figure 1: Assessment mapping flowchart 3.3 Service users feedback system Feedback has been described as a very important form of data gathering that helps social care homes and institutions to be aware of the extent to which the care they provide meets that needs of service users (Ungar, 2011). In practice, now many institutions are found to heed to the need to incorporate service users’ feedback because of the feeling that service users do not have the professional knowhow to determine how well or back the service they receive have been. This is however not the case with Stockton-On-Tee, given the fact that it has its own internal feedback system used to gain service users’ feedback. The feedback system has been made part of an overall review support planning, which is part of a client support plan used by the agency. As part of the review, care managers use support plans, discussions and continued need of the service to review state of customers. Through these same procedures of support plans, discussions and continued need, the expected support outcomes are identified. During the stay of the client and at the end of stay, the expected support outcomes are presented to them to give their qualitative feedback on how well these outcomes were achieved. In a personal encounter with one service user, she gave me a feedback of how the agency has been useful in not just meeting her expectations but that of her immediate family. 3.4 Theories that supports service user’s evaluation Two major theories which support the service users’ evaluation are based on performance management system, which has been depicted in figure 2 below. These are the goal-setting theory and expectancy theory. The goal-setting theory posits that in a typical work setting, the individual goal set by an employee is very crucial in motivating the employee to put up superior performance (Aguinis, 2009). In a like manner, in a social care setting, the individual goals set by clients or service users through the expected support outcomes and the review support planning given to them is very important in determining the level of confidence of the service users in the entire care program. The expectancy theory also explains that individuals adjust their behaviour in an organization such as the Stockton Affective Disorder Services on the basis of their anticipated satisfaction of valued goals set by them (Salaman & Storey, 2005). In effect, the service users’ own goals are important to determining their behaviour. It is for this reason that service users’ evaluation that helps to know how well the goals set by users and the organisation at large is being achieved is very important. Figure 2: The Performance Management Cycle 3.5 Understanding of how social work interventions is applied As far as the Affective Disorder Services are concerned, there are several forms of interventions and treatments based on the overall idea of social work interventions that clients may receive. Some of these include cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), cognitive analytical therapy (CAT), social services assessment, and occupational therapy assessment and treatment interventions. Based on my experience at the centre, the understanding I have gained on how social work interventions is applied is that these interventions ought to be based on the specific and unique needs of each individual. That is application of social work interventions are based on individual needs of clients. This is justifiable as against an application of social work intervention system where there are generalised interventions for the entire organisation. On the whole, it can be said that social work interventions are applied in such a way that identifies the individual needs of clients and provide a client-based solution. The overall advantage with this approach is that it ensures that each client receives maximum care that solves their unique needs. In effect, the client-based solution approach ensures that there is effectiveness with the interventions as their quality can be guaranteed. Having said this, it would be admitted that there is a disadvantage with the resource intensity of this approach, including resources of time and personnel. As a result of this, the overall efficiency of the approach where it is expected that fewer resources will be used to achieve several outcomes may generally be affected negatively. 4.0 The collaborative relationships that exist between the agency and other groups 4.1 Demonstrate the values of anti-discriminatory practice There are core values based on which social work functions and is practiced. One such value is the inclusion of all people in society for the betterment of their lives. This means that social exclusion is eschewed as a form of anti-discriminatory practice of social work (Johnson, 2011). There are several factors that can be given to justify the value of anti-discriminatory practices within the context of social work as a whole and the Affective Disorder Services to be specific. In the first place, all people, no matter their social status and condition do not need to be excluded or marginalised because they are part of the collective body of people that makes society a complete phenomenon (Weinbren, 2010). Secondly, it is possible that through the application of different forms of interventions, people thought of to be at a disadvantage in society could have their lives made better or improved within their social setting. These are factors that justify the need for all people to be included in an anti-discriminatory practice. 4.2 How the agency work around issues The Stockton-On-Tee and its Affective Disorder Services can be said to demonstrate full understanding and application of the anti-discriminatory practice within its setting. One of the first indicators that justify this is the fact that the agency’s work is generally focused and directed at people who are considered to be vulnerable in society, most of whom might have gone through social exclusion if the agency was not in place. In the second instance, the agency’s policy on inclusion of clients is such that it has been made wide enough to include all classes and calibre of disadvantaged people. Using the Affective Disorder Services as an example, it would be noted that even among people with severe and enduring mental problems, there is particular emphasis placed on those with physical disabilities and minorities who do not have English as their first language. 4.3 Policy context national/regional and the organisation level of policy There are several national policies that have forced the framework and basis for the agency’s policies on anti-discriminatory practices. Most of these national policies take their inspiration from legal definitions of discrimination as spelt by such laws as Disability Discrimination Action 2005, Equality Act 2010, and Race Relations Act 1965. Based on these laws, the Stockton-On-Tee Affective Services ensures that it also has its own framework of policy that guides it in the inclusion of all people identified and assessed to have certain degrees or levels of mental health. At the organisation level therefore, there is the Equal Opportunities Policy which has been accepted on the basis of the Borough Council as its being the basis on which equality of opportunity shall be given to all people, even other groups and teams whose inclusion and involvement can be considered ideal for the overall betterment of society. 4.4 Mission statement The mission of the agency can be said to be influenced, affected by and linked to the National Quality Protects objectives. These actually form a strategic policy aims for the agency which are largely used as mission statement. As part of the strategic policy aims, the agency has a mission of ensuring that children are securely attached to carers who have the capability of providing safe and effective care for periods considered to be within the duration of childhood. The protection of children includes any forms of protection that gives them emotional and physical care, as well as protects them from sexual abuse and neglect. More importantly, it has also become part of the mission of the agency to see to it that children who are looked at gain sufficient life chance benefits from educational opportunities, health and social care (Stockton-on-Tees Health and Social Care Policy and Practice Guidance, 2011). The mission that has been driven by the Stockton-on-Tees Affective Mental Services has been changing over the past 20 years. The changes have been largely based on the changing trends with the National Quality Protects objectives. The reason for this assertion is that the agency takes inspiration from these objectives in determining what its mission would be. As far as the National Quality Protects objectives are concerned also, it can be said that the objectives have been changing due to changing needs of society, where there are regular amendments to ensure that the needs, concerns and social justices of the most vulnerable people in society are protected to the highest levels. By so doing, the objectives do not become a white elephant which is only available for the beauty of having it but that it becomes available because its implementation and use can be guaranteed as solving the unique needs of vulnerable people in society. 4.5 Source of Funding As far as funding is concerned, the agency appreciates the important role that other teams, organisations and individuals can do to facilitate the running of the organisation. As a result of this, it collaborates with benevolent institutions and organisations that make funding available for the execution of its daily expenditure. Largely though, the government has been the major financier of the agency’s works and activities. For this reason, the agency can be said to be directly accountable to the government and its regulatory bodies. References Aguinis, H. (2009). Performance Management. New Delhi: Dorling Kindersley India Pvt. Ltd. Cooper, P. (2013). Social work man. Leicester: Matador. Johnson, G. (2011). A very famous social worker. Bloomington, IN: iUniverse Inc. Salaman, G. & Storey, J. (2005). Strategic Human Resource Management: Theory and Practice. New York: Sage Publications Ltd. Ungar, M. (2011). The social worker: a novel. Lawrencetown, N.S: Pottersfield Press. Weinbren, M. (2010). King Welfare. Bakewell: Peakpublish. Read More