Growth and development.pdf

After a staff turnover study, the Council has taken a proactive approach to recruitment andretention, including promoting a public image for social work and the Council, and enhancingthe quality of student placements. The Council supports two secondees through the OpenUniversity’s Diploma in Social Work, and is raising its training budget to ensure that SVQtraining is available for care staff.7. Modernising servicesFrom the 1991 census 2.4% of local population were from black and ethnic minoritycommunities, double the Scottish average. That percentage has subsequently increased.Jewish people account for some 7% of the population.Social work has contributed to the corporate preparation of a Race Equality Scheme. The Councilaims to provide services within East Renfrewshire accessible to the local black and ethnicminority communities, acknowledging that many Indian and Pakistani residents travel to Glasgowfor culturally sensitive services. The Council mainstreams its work on equality, and developscultural awareness among employees.The Council contracts with Jewish Care to provide a social work service to Jewish people whochoose to use it. The partnership, which provides comprehensive services including assessment,is based at a purpose-built centre in Giffnock, which provides a model for the joint developmentof culturally sensitive services.The Council has established a Customer First project, funded by the Modernising Governmentprogramme. The project is intended to enhance the electronic delivery of services. It is at anearly stage in identifying the uses social work services might make of the new systems.The CareFirst social work information system is being introduced in phases, and will be linkedto a joint assessment tool. A bid is being made for e-government funding for software whichwill bring together the health and social work IT systems.8. The FutureThe Council spends above the Scottish average on all community care services for older people,which suggests scope for shifting services for older people towards more community-basedsupport. This shift was endorsed in a best value review for older people undertaken jointly withArgyll & Clyde health agencies. To maintain momentum behind what has already been done todevelop community-based services, the Council could take opportunity to review future needsin the light of population projections and identify resource priorities for further improvement,for example, strengthening the capacity of the home care service.The quality and range of local services for older people and adults with a mental health problemvary within East Renfrewshire according to the partnership arrangements with health. This seemsthe right time to initiate with health partners a strategic review of future needs for mental healthservices and the resources required to achieve services of consistent quality.92