Working Together Report, Craigmillar Childrens Project
On 31 May 2000 the City of Edinburgh Council Social Work
Committee closed Craigmillar Childrens Project.
Following a UNISON submission by John Stevenson and Rona
Leese (below), the chair, Cllr Kingsley
Thomas acknowledged that the closure was a budgetary decision
and was no reflection on the professionalism of the staff
involved.
Submission
UNISON comes to this meeting today disappointed at the loss
of a service but realistic enough to recognise the Council
does not appear committed to the Craigmillar Childrens Project,
that it has been run down is all but closed.
We therefore have to move on from what we believe has been
a constructive and measured campaign to maintain this service
- to trying to make sure that our members who provide this
service do not carry the can for the closure.
UNISON is particularly disappointed that the strength of
parental support for the project was not reflected in the
report, especially since there was such an emphasis on negative,
and as the report often accepts, ill-informed comments by
some professionals.
The report is less than generous to the staff who are criticised
throughout with very little evidence, with little differentiation
between myth, opinion and fact and no recognition at all for
the responsible way they have approached this matter from
the beginning.
They never opposed a review of Working Together - they perhaps
naively thought that it would be a constructive exercise.
They never opposed changes to provision in the area - they
accepted there may be better ways of doing things and were
happy to explore a merger even before closure was meantioned.
They never allowed their opposition to closure to affect
the delivery of service. They continued to do the job while
putting their case clearly and with dignity. They did not
descend to the political slanging matches that can so easily
happen in situations like this.
The closure option was a financial, budgetary decision as
the Director's report outlines. It was not a decision based
on performance, value, or the contribution of the service
to the community. It was not based on the review before you
- closure was announced before that was completed.
UNISON believes that the review is flawed. We do not go as
far as to say that it was designed to justify the budgetary
decision to close - but we do object to the fact that the
"Working Together" report is without question a
report on the Craigmillar Childrens Project with no in depth
look at any other provision or agency or indeed the role everyone
plays in 'Working Together'.
* We do object to the complete lack of evaluation of the
effectiveness of the project's work with their clients - no
credible analysis whatsoever of whether or not it was succeeding
in individual cases in doing what it was meant to do - keep
children at home and in their local school.
* We do object to an apparent overkill on negatives regarding
the project. We do object to what feels to our members like
closing it and putting the boot in too.
We have produced a briefing with the main problems we have
with the report and we believe that exposes major flaws that
will not be lost on the committee.
We would make one brief comment on the director's report.
In 3.9 it refers to the fact that other agencies are involved
with most of the children who will have the project withdrawn
from them. We assume this is to show they will still have
supports and that is true. But there are very few children
in their position who do not have other agencies involved,
often dealing with very particular aspects. Because the project
is unique, none of these other agencies will substitute for
the particular service and the particular successes being
provided by the project.
As I have said, the initial closure decision and the run
down of the project since are budgetary decisions. Those are
decisions the council is entitled to take - we might not like
them - and of course UNISON is entitled to challenge them.
UNISON has now come to the position that the budgetary decision
is the only one that can be justified, that is cutting it
to make savings. We don't like that but at least it is a straightforward
reason. What cannot be justified is to take the decision on
the basis of this flawed report - that would reflect more
on others than on the staff or the project.
In conclusion our members have dealt with this issue responsibly
and professionally and we believe they deserve your recognition
for that.
Our members have always accepted that there could be and
were better ways of doing things, they were committed to 'joined
up' working and they were open to genuine review and constructive
change. They deserve your recognition for that.
They have provided a service in good faith and put considerable
efforts into it and they deserve recognition for that.
They do not deserve to leave that work behind with the unfair
cloud that this flawed report casts.
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13 March 2000
CLOSURE OF CRAIGMILLAR CHILDRENS PROJECT
UNISON seeks the support of the Social Work Committee to
delay and review the closure of the Craigmillar Childrens
Project. We attach a brief outline of the project and the
main issues. UNISON's submission is based on:
1. There are two ongoing reviews of provision in the area,
both of which involve the project's role. One is about
to report on 'Working Together' in Craigmillar. The other
in which the Community Education Strategy Group has commissioned
a consultant, is considering the possibility of merger of
the project with another in the area. Closure at this stage
will undermine these reviews and the strategy for services
to children and families. It would also pre-empt and in reality
nullify the detailed work carried out to date.
2. Lack of consultation, implications for other staff/services.
There has been no consultation with staff, service users or
the community. There are implications not just for staff in
the project, but also for practice team staff in the area
who could face increased pressures and workload without this
resource. See attached letter from Children & Families
Practice Team Manager. It appears there has been no dialogue
with the other funding partner (Education) given their contribution
has not been removed from budget.
3. Closure at this stage would undermine the council's
concept of 'Joined-Up Working" and the Scottish
Executive's aim of promoting "Social Inclusion".
The strength of provision in the area is the contribution
of all of the existing resources and how they integrate. The
reviews are attempting to address this. The project is not
resistant to change and welcomes proper and evidenced examination
of its role.
4. The 'alternative provision' mentioned in budget
documents has not been identified. The current project
is cost effective. If it only prevents two children having
to go to residential school (each placement costs approx £60,000),
it would more than recoup the cost of continued Social Work
Department funding.
Craigmillar Childrens Project
Key Information for Councillors
ESTABLISHED: 1988. The first project in Edinburgh to work
with primary school age children within schools.
FUNDING: Initially Urban Aid. Since 1993 joint funded by
Education and Social Work Departments.
SOCIAL WORK CONTRIBUTION - £137,000
STAFFING: Social Work: Project manager, three project workers
(social workers), full time clerical. Education: Four project
workers (teachers).
NEW FUNDING : In 1999, £50,000 to support children
to remain in their own families, local schools and communities.
The funding was for two years with money saved from the closure
of St Joseph's school.
PROJECT AIMS : To help children achieve their full potential
by supporting them at home and school. To support children
at risk of exclusion or family breakdown.
WHO DOES THE PROJECT WORK WITH?: Children from 4 - 14 years
of age who attend schools in the Greater Craigmillar area.
The CCP is actively assessing or working with 54 children.
HOW DOES THE PROJECT SUPPORT CHILDREN AND FAMILIES? The team
works in partnership with parents and uses a variety of methods
such as individual support for a child in school and home;
parenting groups; groupwork with children with low self-esteem
or who have suffered loss or abuse; family support such as
advice on behaviour management; class support.
POINTS TO BE CONSIDERED:
1. A large number of children and families receive support
form the CCP.
2. The Council states that services will be maintained by
the current budget but this provision is not identified.
3. Families are upset and angry at the news.
4. There has been no consultation with service users.
5. The Council is promoting a "Working Together Strategy"
in deprived areas of Edinburgh. A report to councillors in
November 1998 noted that "the developmental work of projects
such as the Craigmillar Childrens Project has had a strong
influence on the strategy".
6. The same report also noted that "the further a pupil
is removed from their home school the less likely it is they
will go back to that school on a permanent basis"
7. The average cost of a pupil attending a residential school
is in the region of £60,000. If the project only helps
prevent two children from being excluded and accommodated,
the project would more than cover the cuts being implemented.
8. The Working Together Strategy in Craigmillar is being
reviewed. This will look at the best ways of delivering services
to vulnerable children and how agencies should best work together
to achieve this. This review should be allowed to conclude.
9. The project welcomed the review and is keen to positively
develop good practice and different ways of delivering the
best service to children and families.
10. The Scottish Executive has a vision of new community
schools to raise educational attainment and promote social
inclusion. This vision has been integral to the aims of the
Craigmillar Childrens project.
11. Craigmillar's Community Education Strategy Group has
commissioned a consultant (from New Community Schools funding)
to look at the services to children and families in the area
and a possible merger of the CCP and another local project,
'Instep'. This report still needs to be discussed and
acted upon.
12. The vision of a New Community School should not and,
in our view could not go ahead without the Social Work Department
offering a full commitment. The Council is committed to integration
of services to meet the needs of children and their families
and this integration requires Social Work involvement.
13. Craigmillar Primary School closed in December 1999. A
great number of children have been unsettled by this closure
and need extra supports rather than news of another closure.
14. The work of the project is highly valued by the local
Social Work Children & Families team. There are implications
for staff working in the project, but also for the workload
and pressures on staff in the Children & Families team.
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8 March 2000
Edinburgh Budget: UNISON calls for partnership
Cautious welcome for the council's 2000/2001 budget
is marred by closure of Craigmillar Childrens Project.
Below is the text of the submission City of Edinburgh
Vice Chair John Stevenson made to the Council at 10am on Thursday
9 March 2000.
Social Work steward Lyn Williams will also condemn the
closure of Craigmillar Childrens Project which was announced
for closure yesterday without consultation with users, the
public or staff.
"Lord Provost, normally UNISON comes before the council
on budget day looking for partnership, but forced into conflict
when we have to defend our members jobs and - just as importantly
- the services they provide for the people of Edinburgh. And
in that we do recognise the difficult choices that face you
each year.
In previous years, we have had to fight for our members very
livelihoods, against redundancies or against your employees'
jobs being sold to the highest bidder.
You know, when astronaut Buzz Aldrin was asked how he felt
just before blast-off, he said "How would you feel sitting
on1000 lowest tenders?". That is how it has felt to us
over the last few years.
But this year, we congratulate the Labour Administration
on the growth it has been able to achieve and on avoiding,
as far as we can see, the threat of redundancies in the council.
Whether or not you will give a 'no-redundancy' guarantee,
so long as there are no redundancies, we can do business.
But redundancies are still a risk in the voluntary sector.
Some projects are likely to close and many others will not
be able to manage with no provision for inflation in their
grants. The large organisations may be able to absorb cuts
in grants in the way the council has had to with its allocation,
but smalller projects will see staff conditions cut and jobs
lost. Many of our members have now gone several years without
receiving the agreed pay settlements.
But at risk of some members here thinking I may be heading
for senility, there is a great deal to welcome in this budget.
Social Work in particular could not go on the way it was,
and perhaps it took the tragedy of the Edinburgh Inquiry to
highlight just what is needed in the way of resources to provide
essential services.
Things will not be better tomorrow, staff are still working
under intolerable stress with the buck too often stopping
at their level, for problems that are created at a political
or managerial level. But we do welcome the improvements.
Well, that would have been the end of it and we could have
been very positive, had it not been for developments yesterday
at Craigmillar Youth Project and my colleague Lyn Williams
will outline the effects of that. Cuts and closures are still
very much with us.
You wouldn't of course expect me to paint too glossy a picture.
Huge, and mainly Tory budget cuts of 20's and 30's of millions
of pounds since the new council was formed have been a bit
like being hit over the head with a hammer. The headache gets
a wee bit better when it stops. You could be forgiven for
getting a bit light headed, but unfortunately, the nagging
headache is still there.
If extra resources are going into Social Work and Education,
where do the cuts to make up the £8.5million come from?
UNISON is deeply concerned at the pressures faced by the council's
central support functions - many of those serve councillors
directly, others keep the rest of the council infrastructure
together. They have faced cuts, reorganisations and the label
of surplus bureaucrats.
In reality the problem is that there is not enough administrative
support, with higher paid staff in this technological age
writing envelope upon envelope by hand, photocopying and so
on instead of the jobs they are being paid to do - sometimes
called 'efficiency savings', these are false economies.
And last, but certainly not least, UNISON is concerned about
the position of manual workers in the council. They have borne
the brunt of outsourcing, trusts and privatisation. They,
often on the lowest wages and poorest conditions, have found
even these conditions under threat and agreements broken due
to Compulsory Tendering in the past, and in the present, voluntary
tendering and, in our view, a misapplication of Best Value.
We are asking the Council to make a new commitment to its
manual workers, to Grounds Maintenance, to the Leisure Trust,
to cleaners and catering staff, to school ancillaries, to
crossing patrol guides, to home helps and many others whose
jobs are no less important to the running of the council and
its services than anyone else's.
In conclusion, UNISON genuinely welcomes attempts to protect
and build on Edinburgh's services and to make them more efficient
and accountable. We welcome the fact that we are not in conflict
on as many issues this year and our offer to build a real
and lasting partnership between the council and its workers
remains on the table as strongly as it did three years ago.
Perhaps now is the time for the council to take a lead from
some developments in the NHS, pick up our partnership document
and enter serious talks about it. Perhaps that way, we can
avoid some of the crises that my colleague will outline to
you today.
Susan Deacon MSP, speaking to a UNISON meeting the other
week identified herself with our Serving Scotland Campaign
themes of:
services that are responsive to the needs and wishes of the
Scottish people - giving people a say in their services.
services that are the best that can be delivered - choosing
quality services
services that are provided by a public services team, a workforce
trained and qualified, treated fairly and equally, with the
resources to deliver
If we and the council could go forward on those principles
it would best serve the aims we know the Labour Administration
aspires to, it would best serve our members' hopes and most
of all it would best serve the interests of the people of
Edinburgh."
ENDS
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