Growth and development.pdf

Staff6. StaffingVacanciesWTE1999actualWTE1999per 1,000Managers & central staff 80 0.9 1 73 0.9 1Frontline staff 418 4.9 2 507 6.0 1Other 143 1.7 1 104 1.2 2Total 641 7.5 1 684 8.1 1Vacancies2000 % Vacancies2000SWs with adults 2 4.3 7.8 – – 10.9SWs with children 3 5.2 7.4 – – 10.7SWs with offenders 0 0 7.5 – – 7.2Generic workers 0 0 8.0 – – 12.7Total 4 3.8 7.7 – – 10.5*Inverclyde did not submit staffing vacancy figures for 2001.Quartile1999% Vacancies2000ScotlandWTE2000actualWTE2000per 1,000Vacancies2001* % Vacancies2001Quartile2000% Vacancies2001ScotlandOverall staffing rates are high in Inverclyde, having increased between 1999 and 2000. Whilethe number of frontline staff increased, the number of managers and other staff reduced. Vacancylevels were below average in 2000. The situation has deteriorated since then. The Council nowreports a vacancy level of 16% among qualified social workers and chronic problems withrecruitment, particularly within the child protection team.Among the most effective measures to improve recruitment and retention has been to supporta disproportionately large number of practice teaching placements from which a number ofappointments have been made directly and indirectly. Other actions have included shifting tospecialist posts; focusing the efforts of qualified social workers on statutory tasks, whilere-allocating other tasks to social work assistants; offering permanent contracts to workers onshort term contracts in non-specialist posts; and seconding unqualified staff to DipSW courses.7. Modernising servicesLittle specific preparation has been made for a Race Equality Scheme but a working group islooking at establishing a scheme for social work services. The social work department hasbeen involved in the local multi-agency racial incident monitoring group, which operates ahelpline for victims of racial harassment.A history of joint working has led to a Modernising Government funded project betweenInverclyde and Renfrewshire Councils and Inverclyde Primary Care NHS Trust. The project aimsto support mental health services by integrating information systems and enabling partnershipworking and information sharing.A new comprehensive social work information system has been procured and is to be operationalby the end of 2002. All social workers and social work locations are to be linked by an Intranetby the end of 2002. Internet access will be made available to all staff.158