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Article Article April 26th, 2022
Delivery • Health • Justice • Legitimacy

Stories of change in children's social care: Sharon Dixon, Independent Review Officer at Warrington Borough Council

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.@CPI_foundation, @FrontlineSW and a team of social workers have been supporting local authorities around the UK to make small changes in the sector. Read their stories.

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"There is a lot to gain from this process, and I like the approach taken by the team; it’s easy, clear and straightforward. I hope we see good outcomes that are sustainable, long lasting, and have a positive impact." @WarringtonBC

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.@CPI_foundation @FrontlineSW & a team of social workers are working with @TowerHamletsNow @wandbc @WarringtonBC to understand how system change in #childrenssocialcare can happen in their local context

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What do you think about the process of making small changes?

"There are many small changes that have a big impact and this is what we hope to experience from the Small Changes Project."

I think it's a great concept, it’s achievable and realistic. Sometimes when there is an expectation or requirement for changes they are too big, overwhelming and don’t take place quickly enough.  There are many small changes that have a big impact and this is what we hope to experience from the Small Changes Project.

I think there is a lot to gain from this process, and I like the approach taken by the team; it’s easy, clear and straightforward. I hope we see good outcomes that are sustainable, long lasting, and have a positive impact.

What small changes are you interested in that your local authority is focusing on?

Mosaic is the system that we use to record information on the children’s files. The Mosaic lead has come to the workshops and offered small changes in relation to updates that will make our jobs a lot easier.

What do you think that small changes could achieve, and why does that matter to you personally?

I think they could help make the jobs of practitioners easier, retain staff, and make processes simpler and less bureaucratic. I don’t want something small that hasn’t changed to be the last straw for staff to leave, or create negative impacts for a child.

What has your journey with Crescendo been like?

It’s been interesting. I’ve been to all the workshops, and sat with like-minded practitioners and managers and talked about the things that we’d all consider need to be changed. I like the idea of brainstorming and revisiting ideas, and how Crescendo’s approach is realistic and open. The workshops are succinct and well-planned. It would be good if Crescendo came back in a few months to review updates on the small changes we’re working on.

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Stories of change in children's social care

How can real system change be achieved in children’s social care, so that services prioritise relationships and empower practitioners? We are supporting local authorities to unlock social workers’ potential.

Read their stories

Written by:

Sharon Dixon Independent Review Officer, Warrington Borough Council
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