Workforce

The Workforce Priority Workstream is led by Nigel Chapman (DCS Brent) and supported by the London Workforce Steering Group.

Background

Together we are committed to improving services for children and young people by improving the experience of our valued children’s workforce and enabling them to individually and collectively thrive.

Projects

Strategic Objectives

1. Drive sufficiency and supply

  • Increase supply of talent to the children’s service workforce in order to strengthen the capacitcy
  • Develop a modern, confident and forward-looking profession that is equipped with the skills and expertise to make a positive difference to people’s lives

2. Strengthen and model leadership at all times

  • Develop strong, culturally competent leadership at all levels that builds trust in the profession and ensures that everyone can take pride in their workforce
  • Develop first line management training opportunities to ensure that our future leaders have the skills and confidence to manage, develop and identify talent
  • Amplify the voice of leadership to galvanise and influence on practice and policy and improve public perception and confidence

3. Ambitious London offer and increased stability

  • Develop a bold London offer that engages diverse and local talent conntect to place
  • Respond to the changed expectations and needs of the workforce, increasing flexibility and opportunity for individuals to enable retention across the varied and multiple professions required to deliver children’s services

4. Empower and develop talent

  • Ensure that our workforce is listened to, feel safe and able to practice across the capital, with consistent levels of support and that inclusive behaviours are adopted
  • Ensure training opportunities are reflective of evidenced areas for development and are made available to all, underpinned by consistent practice standards
  • Ensure the career pathway is clear and visible, and that staff are motivated and supported to engage in their professional development
  • Prioritise the wellbeing and emotional resilience of the workforce

5. Tackling racism and disproportionality

  • Ensure that anti-racism is woven into the fabric of activities to ensure equality and fair treatment for all and that everyone has the opportunity to thrive and that the workforce is representative of the community it serves
  • Support local authorities to tackle racism, embed race equality in policies and be accountable for effective implementation to address deep rooted cultures of racism

6. Sustainability

  • Ensure this workforce strategy is owned and delivered in full collaboration with the workforce, to achieve long term change
  • Incorporate the voice of children and their families to support co-production and continuous service improvement

Latest Updates

For more information, you can read news and updates about our Workforce projects here.

Milestones

August 2023

FLiP Permanent Recruitment Children’s Social Worker Framework

YPO, London Councils & LIIA award specialist agency providers and launch first of it’s kind specialist framework for the permanent recruitment of children’s social workers

June 2023

Published the Big Listen Report

Ambitious research with over 1150 social workers participating to help improve the workforce environment.

May 2023

Leadership in Colour Summit 2023

Over 175 members of London’s Children’s Services coming together to shape the future of anti-racism commitments and actions.

April 2023

Specialist Children’s Social Work Permanent Recruitment Framework (FLiP) Tender Launched

ALDCS commit to building a bespoke Framework for London in Permanent (FLiP) CSW Recruitment

March 2023

Children’s Services Permanent Recruitment Workshop

Camden, Harrow, Newham and Wandsworth co-designed and led regional workshop with over 65 attendees.

February 2023

ALDCS Summit Workforce Workshop

Oct 2022

LA-led International Recruitment Workshop

LIIA hosted a regional London Borough led International Recruitment workshop

Sept 2022

Two Years of Leadership in Colour

Leadership in Colour celebrated two year anniversary

Jul 2022

London’s Workforce Steering Group Established

Jun 2022

London Pledge launched

ALDCS launched London Pledge with 32 London Boroughs joining sub-regional governance

Contact Details

LIIA Programme Manager and Workforce Lead: Rula Tripolitaki (LIIA)

rula.tripolitaki@londoncouncils.gov.uk

Programme Lead: Matt Raleigh (LIIA)

matthew.raleigh@londoncouncils.gov.uk

Governance

The workforce programme is led by ALDCS Workforce Policy Lead, Nigel Chapman (DCS Brent), under the direction of the London Workforce Steering Group. The programme reports directly to ALDCS and the LIIA Board, and there are several Task & Finish Groups and Reference Groups that oversee the delivery of key projects including the Leadership in Colour Reference Group, the London Social Work for Children Microsite and the Specialist Children’s Services Recruitment Framework.