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News - 3 September 2008

The DVD of the National Practitioners Conference is now available on the National Practitioner Conference page. If you would like a hard copy of the DVD a limited number are available on a first come, first served basis. Please contact Ben Coburn. Email: ben.coburn@scotland.gsi.gov.uk. Tel: 0131 244 7683.

Welcome to Social Work Scotland

Welcome to the Social Work Scotland website. This website was set up by the Scottish Government in 2006 to enable users to access a wide range of information about Changing Lives – the change programme for social work services in Scotland, based on the 21st century review of social work.

The Changing Lives team work with a wide range of individuals, organisations and groups with an interest in social work services. This includes service users and carers, local authorities, voluntary and private organisations, umbrella and partner organisations (including health, education and justice services), universities and colleges and other Scottish Government departments.

Transformation of social work services to better meet people's needs requires major cultural change, as well as visionary leadership at national and local levels. It will need concerted effort, collaborative working and for every one of us to play our part, and be willing to challenge and to be challenged to ensure delivery of the services needed for the 21st century.

The Way Ahead

The key aspiration of Changing Lives is to improve outcomes for individuals and communities. To do this we need to: build the capacity to deliver services; and develop a confident, competent, valued workforce. Click here to see how the ‘core products’ being worked on by the Change Programmes are intended to support this approach.

It remains the case that the Changing Lives agenda needs to be recognised and owned at local level, with service providers at all levels taking responsibility for making the aspirations of Changing Lives a reality.

» Scottish Government Links

The Changing Lives programme has links with a number of Scottish Government areas.

4 September 2008

ADSW hosting ‘personalisation’ seminar

ADSW is hosting a one day seminar on 25th September, 2008 on the theme of 'personalisation' - one of the two key priority areas in plans to progress the 'Changing Lives 'agenda.

The aim of the seminar is to facilitate learning, and also dialogue, between staff and organisations, working towards a common understanding of what 'personalisation' actually means and how more personalised services can be delivered across Scotland.

If you would like more information or to attend the seminar, please contact Sophie Mills at ADSW.
Email sophie.mills@adsw.org.uk. Tel 0131 474 9220.

» Conference Flyer

3 September 2008

Local Practitioner Forum Guidance

The Local Practitioner Forum Guidance is now available. This replaces the LPF Toolkit2.

The Children’s Panel are now recruiting

The Children’s Panel are now recruiting, for further information please click here.

21 August 2008

August 2008 eBulletin now available

The Changing Lives Team have produced an August 2008 eBulletin that reflects on the recent National Practitioners Conference, the progress of Local Practitioner Forums, recent Change Programme activity and the core products. Distributed to a wide number of stakeholders, it is now available here. If you would like to be added to the mailing list for the eBulletin and Changing Lives Newsletter, please contact Ben Coburn. Email: ben.coburn@scotland.gsi.gov.uk.

Changing Lives Newsletter Autumn/Winter 2008

Work will commence shortly on the Changing Lives Newsletter Autumn/Winter 2008. The Changing Lives Team are looking for your stories and accounts of how Changing Lives has affected you, your work or your community. Space within the newsletter is limited, so if you would like to discuss the contribution of an article, please contact Ben Coburn by 9 September. Email: ben.coburn@scotland.gsi.gov.uk. Tel : 0131 244 7683. If you would like to be added to the mailing list for the eBulletin and Changing Lives Newsletter, please contact Ben Coburn.

National Practitioner Forum Meeting Announced

ADSW have announced the date of the first National Practitioner Forum meeting – to take place at Crieff Hydro on 11 September 2008. The National Practitioner Forum meeting will bring together Chairs of each of the Local Practitioner Forums, ADSW President Alan Baird, ADSW officials and a representative from the Scottish Government. Invitations for the first meeting have been sent to current LPF Chairs and those on the LPF contacts list that are in the process of setting up a LPF or have indicated an interest in doing so. If you have any questions regarding the meeting, please contact Wendy Harrington. Email: wendy.harrington@adsw.org.uk.

22nd July 2008

A number of actions arose from the Local Practitioner Forum meeting in June. One of the requests was for a Core Products Timeline.

This timeline gives a brief description of the core products and their indicative launch dates. A contact list for Local Practitioner Forums has recently been published on this website and revised Local Practitioner Forum guidance and a Local Practitioner Forum ‘starter pack’ will shortly be available on the Local Practitioner Forum page.

News from previous months can be found in the archive.

» News Archive