Identifying solutions to social care challenges - South West regional workshop

As part of our role as Strategic Reform Partner to the DfE the Council for Disabled Children have been delivering regional ‘Social care and the SEND reforms’ training to team managers, social workers and early help practitioners. Based on feedback from these sessions and from our wider social care networks it is clear that some of the trickier social care challenges require a multi-agency approach to identify potential solutions that are adaptable to different LA contexts.

As such CDC have worked with a group of social workers to develop a social care audit tool to support local areas to identify and evidence their strengths as well as areas for improvement.

The purpose of this action learning set workshop we are holding in Dorchester on 27th April is to bring together multi-agency local area teams across social care, education and health. By pooling a range of experience and expertise, each team will identify and develop practical solutions that can make a real impact.

Bookings will be taken per area for up to 5 people from each LA including representatives from social care, SEN, Health, EHC plan writers and a parent carer. One lead person from each local authority should coordinate bookings for an area team.

This solution-focused workshop will focus on up to three key social care challenges across the following themes:

• Role of social care in EHC assessment and planning
• Linking EHC process with social care assessments and planning
• Roles and responsibilities and workforce development

Each local area group will leave the session with a clear set of actions to move forward a particular challenge and CDC will support progress by sharing resources, identifying examples of national practice and facilitating the workshop.

Key audience:

• Up to 5 people from each LA including social care, SEN, Health, EHC plan writers and a parent carer.
• We recommend a mix of strategic and operational representation and if you anticipate focusing on a particular issue such as joint commissioning that you ensure a Commissioner is part of your team.
• Bookings should be made by one lead person in each local area.