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Last week, Sefton Council launched one of its flagship initiatives to improve Children’s Services for children, young people and families.

The Social Work Academy is a new, innovative approach to supported learning and talent development; the aim is for Sefton to ‘grow its own talent’ and produce confident, high quality practitioners.

Through the Academy, the Council will be able to provide the right support for Newly Qualified Social Workers and give them the right environment to grow into exceptional practitioners with a deep understanding of the barriers and problems families face in Sefton. They will have protected caseloads and a high level of managerial support to allow their practice to flourish.

A rolling programme of recruitment aims to see our Academy always filled with fresh new talent from all stages of the social work career, we welcome applications from recent graduates, social workers who may have taken a career break or ex social workers who wish to regain their registration in a supported environment   

As our new recruits go through their Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE), they will be managed by experienced team managers who will develop their practice through reflective supervision and modelling of practice. Practice Assessors will ensure the Newly Qualified Social Workers meet the required standards. They will also receive clinical support around emotional resilience that will help prevent the recognised social work phenomenon of burn-out, sickness and early retirement by enabling them to manage the stress and pressure of the profession.

The first 3 months will focus on building a solid base of learning including theories of practice, relationship building and learning key process and systems. The next 9 months will focus on building the confidence of our ASYE’s to handle increasingly complex situations and finding the best outcomes for children, young people and families. They will get the chance to slowly specialise in a team they feel best suits their passions and hopefully go on to join our permanent workforce.

Martin Birch, Sefton Council’s Director of Children’s Services said:

“Providing the right support, protection and consistency that delivers better experiences and outcomes for Sefton’s children, young people and their families starts with our own workforce.

“We are determined to make sure that Social Workers at all levels in our Children’s Social Care teams are being equipped to do their jobs to the highest standards from the moment they join us.

“I was delighted to welcome 23 new recruits last week who are at the beginning of an exciting journey- this is just the start and we’re so pleased you have chosen Sefton as the place to make a difference!”

 

Cllr Mhairi Doyle MBE, Cabinet Member for Children’s Social Care, said:

“Creating an Academy where our social work teams can learn and grow in confidence is a key part of our Improvement Journey.

“We face unprecedented demand for our services but we remain absolutely committed to tackling the issues raised by our recent Ofsted rating. The Social Work Academy is a crucial part of tackling these two key issues and will give us a resilient, confident, high quality  workforce for the future.”

You can apply to our Social Work Academy at https://seftonmakeadifference.jgp.co.uk/

The ‘Living Well’ bus is calling at Asda Bootle on Tuesday 25 October to give eligible residents the opportunity to get their autumn booster. People can also catch up with any other COVID-19 vaccines they may need and free health checks (if time and capacity allows).  

Local residents can catch the chance to get their autumn COVID booster jab and any other COVID-19 vaccines they may need. And if time and capacity allows, free health checks will also be on offer to those aged 18 and over.

The bus will be at both locations from 10:30am to 4pm and Sefton residents can come along throughout the day with no appointments needed.

COVID-19 vaccines will be available for anyone aged five and older who has not yet been vaccinated, or who has missed their second jab or first booster dose.

The team will also be offering the seasonal (autumn) booster to those who are currently eligible.

You can find more details about this on the NHS website, here.

Free health checks will also be available for residents aged 18 and over, which include a pulse check and blood pressure check, cholesterol and blood glucose check and a BMI check, which will help to spot early signs of conditions like stroke, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and kidney disease.

Residents who are unable to visit the Living Well bus this time can also access free blood pressure checks at the Strand By Me shop in Bootle Strand shopping centre until March 2023.

After a three-month consultation earlier this year and with the positive responses received, Sefton Council is extending its successful Selective and Additional (HMO) Licensing schemes for private rented homes until February 2028.

Hazards removed

Sefton Council introduced Licensing in March 2018 and has used the scheme to improve the management of privately rented properties, including the removal of over 3,000 serious health and safety hazards from licensed properties. These have included fire safety, electrical hazards, damp & mould and excess cold.

Resolved

Cllr Trish Hardy Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities and Housing said: “Having these Licensing schemes in place has helped the Council to step in and deal with thousands of hazards being faced by private rented tenants across Sefton.

“The vast majority of cases are resolved informally by us working with the landlord, but we do not hesitate to use formal enforcement powers when necessary.

“Sefton Council’s approach is very much at odds with recent reports implying councils across the country are ‘failing’ private renters by failing to use enforcement powers and I am pleased we are continuing the Licensing schemes for a further five years from 2023.”

You can find out more and the Public Notices for the schemes here.