Reinvigorating Social Work Training

Dorset County Council is seeking quotations from suitably experienced and capable service providers for a Reinvigorating Social Work Training service.

For the provision of Specialist Training to support the Reinvigorating Social Work (RSW) Programme, which is a programme of learning, development and support aimed at empowering social workers. It promotes practice based on building relationships and improving outcomes for children and families.

Based on our successful pilot work our RSW learning and development approach to social worker and managers includes providing specialist training (delivered through external suppliers), agreeing specific “homework” tasks
and individual learning development plans arising out of specialist training, practising skills through direct work with children and families with additional coaching and mentoring support, action learning groups to share learning, reflect on progress and identify areas for further practice development (including the use of circle time) and Learning Logs and Portfolios of evidence to complete the learning and development cycle.

Currently we are recruiting to our RSW social work team who will work directly with cohorts of social workers going through the programme providing additional capacity and offering coaching support and our work with our partners will include joint training on relationship and restorative practice through delivery of practice deployment days to build trusting relationships, early help, outcome focussed ways of working and management of risk.

We are interested to hear ideas on how we might integrate an Asset Based Community Development approach to explore how social workers become more accountable with our partners to contribute to better outcomes across whole communities. This will include joint working with 7 Family Partnership Zones, Dorset’s new Corporate Plan (2017-18) and supporting Outcomes Framework which has 4 outcomes for local citizens (Safe, Healthy, Independent and Prosperous)

There will be a clear expectation that Providers will include content relating to the RSW operating model that defines what “good” outcome focussed practice looks like and the innovation we are testing as part of the DfE funded project. The RSW support team will work closely with the supplier to ensure we have a “golden thread” that runs throughout the whole learning and development programme.

The Provider shall deliver one or two lots: Lot 1 – Relationship based practice and Lot 2 – Restorative practice.
There would be an expectation that the successful suppliers would be willing to coproduce the final delivery programme with members of the RSW support team. This might involve taking part in teleconferences and meetings during the period of the RSW programme.

The contract would be due to commence from 1st August 2017 and will run for a period of 24 months until 31st July 2019.

The Contract Value is approximately £42,000 per annum and Total Contract Value equating to £84,000.

Please ensure you respond if you are interested via www.supplyingthewouthwest.org.uk by Midday on 16th June 2017.