Issue - meetings

That the main priorities for the Principal Social Worker identified for 2019-2020 be approved.

Councillor John Reynolds introduced the Principal Social Worker Annual Report 2018-2019. The report provided an update on progress made over the previous year and requested approval for the main priorities for the Principal Social Worker identified for 2019-2020. The work of the Principal Social Worker was praised and the progress made noted.

Louise Haughton, Principal Social Worker, presented the report and illustrated key areas of impact. City of Wolverhampton Council would be training 36 new social workers in 2020. This would be more than the number required in Wolverhampton so would help to assist with the lack of trained social workers regionally. The Council had ensured that newly qualified social workers were properly supported. This had helped to significantly reduce the amount of staff leaving the service, which in turn had seen a reduction in the need for agency staff. This had also had a positive impact on the relevant budgets and ensured a more stable workforce. Work in children’s services had seen a reduction in the number of children being taken into care, which had been recognised by Ofsted. In adult’s services the implementation of the Three Conversations initiative had seen a reduction in waiting lists to zero in participating sites. No service user would wait more than three weeks for contact and the average waiting time was two days. The workforce had reported that they felt happier and more fulfilled working under the new initiative and the feedback from users was also positive. The work of the Principal Social Worker was delivered within budget and savings and efficiencies could be seen across the services supported by the work.

Resolved:

That the main priorities for the Principal Social Worker identified for 2019-2020 be approved.