Work Matters: Management Focus - Integrated working - How to join up

The CWDC is launching the Skills Development Framework (SDF), which is designed to assist employers across the sector to cultivate integrated working skills within their organisations.

Each level of the framework defines the skills needed to deliver competent practice for integrated working, and each level is aligned to the level descriptors in the Qualifications and Credit Framework.

At Level 3, for example, skills are outlined under three categories - effective communication and engagement with children, young people and families (covering listening and consultation skills); process-related skills (leading the Common Assessment Framework and the Team Around the Child); skills transferable to/from other workforces at Level 3 (providing excellent customer services and using resources effectively) and knowledge and understanding (effective communication and engagement with children, young people and families).

AIMS OF THE SDF

The CWDC believes that while professionals who work within one part of the young people's workforce can have excellent specialist skills (for example, as a play worker or a youth worker), when they work with professionals from other parts of the workforce they may find they have a different approach or speak a different 'language'. Their own skills may not equip them to understand all the risk factors of a range of poor outcomes and the need to bring in early specialist help to deal with problems.

The SDF aims to address this barrier to implementing integrated working. It is designed to be an effective tool for bringing together a mixed economy of skilled workers to improve processes, provide fairer services and deliver better outcomes for children.

By using this framework, it is hoped that employers and employees will gain a better understanding of the skills needed to ensure that they 'join up' in their day-to-day working practice.

The SDF groups skills against level descriptors so employers and employees can identify what they need to be able to do in terms of integrated working in order to progress within the workforce.

Currently, the framework promotes the development of a minimum Level 3 qualified and graduate-led workforce, but in order to promote diversity and be fully inclusive, CWDC expects that future versions may also cover Level 2.

The phase one version of the framework is now being reviewed until 10 December to test its usefulness to employers, employees, volunteers and workforce development managers. To download the framework and join the CWDC SDF online discussion, go to http://www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/young- peoples-workforce/common-platform-of-skills-and-competences/sdf

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