Growth and development.pdf

7. Modernising servicesThere is a high proportion of ethnic minority residents in Glasgow, especially people ofPakistani origin. Glasgow has also received some 8,000 asylum seekers in the last two years.The provision of an appropriate and sensitive service to asylum seekers presents challengesfor social work staff, including the provision of a service to unaccompanied children.The social work services’ anti-racism action plan 2001-2004 addresses all the requirements of aRace Equality Scheme. The department seeks to embed its equality activity in all its operationalarms, and to widen this approach to both different faiths and sectarianism.The Council has developed a strong citizen focus with its £2million Modernising GovernmentFund initiative, which includes consultation for, and access by, people with learning disabilities;placing the sign language interpreter service online; and establishing video-conferencingfacilities for translation and interpreting.An ambitious range of work under the umbrella of CareFirst has and will continue to provideelectronic support to staff for work with children, adults and offenders. The fruits of this workare becoming clear to frontline staff. Increasingly management information will be drawn fromelectronic records.Implementation of careFirst developments is continuing with the aim of improving data quality,enhancing existing client group information and developing reporting frameworks to improvethe measurement of activity and performance within the delivery of service. Significantinvestment in the Care First programme over the last 2 years has begun to yield signficantresults. 2,500 staff have access and a link has been developed between careFirst andSeemis,the education database to inform on attendance and attainment for looked afterchildren. The Service has also made substantial progress in the development andimplementation of Access Glasgow projects including Phase one of the Access Centre: acustomer access point using modern technology to speed up response to public enquiries andimprove operational efficiency.8. The FutureTo maintain the impetus that has been achieved towards joint resourcing and jointmanagement of community care services, the Council should now agree with the Health Boardthe joint resourcing pot for health and social care services to be implemented from 1 April2003.The Council and the Health Board should, through their joint strategic planning andcommissioning mechanisms develop services for young people with mental health problems.The single management arrangements, and aligned budgets which already exist in relation toservices for people with a learning disability should be extended to services to people withmental health problems.To consolidate the progress made so far in improving the education of looked after children,the Council should as a matter of urgency complete care plans for all those children. TheCouncil should formulate joint development and training opportunities for education and carestaff.142