CHILDREN ’ S SOCIAL CARE FEATURE
Figure two : Key moments in our journey
Keep statistics and analyse them It is not enough to collect data ; the data must be routinely analysed to draw from it the information needed to speak about occupational therapy and prove the value and effectiveness of our role to our wider organisations .
We consistently analyse our workforce capacity using quantitative and qualitative data collected to enhance our service provision . A key moment in 201,3 when our service was under review , enabled us to better understand the supply and demand of our service provision and our productivity . This understanding and the communication of the data was vital in our ability to influence the direction of the service .
This led to a revised team structure to include an occupational therapy team manager .
Initially , we started as a team of eight occupational therapists , with a senior occupational therapist supervising and day-to-day management placed with the locality social work manager .
A further review in 2013 , in line with the impending implementation of the Children and Families Act ( 2014 ) and Care Act ( 2014 ), saw our service being restructured to provide a county-wide occupational therapy team covering ages nought to 18 years and up to 25 years when young people remained in education .
From the initial set up in 2011 to now , individual and service development has not been stagnant . We have constantly strived to improve our knowledge and skills , the service we provide to children and families , and our voice within Essex children ’ s social care .
Figure one ( page 52 ) represents some of our most important achievements in service development over the last 10 years , while figure two ( above ) illustrates key moments in our journey .
Pushing boundaries and expectations These achievements would not have been possible without some pushing of boundaries and expectations along the way .
The fundamental features of occupational therapy in children ’ s social care have long been planning major adaptations and providing specialist equipment . These remain part of the core roles and key skills , however the scope of occupational therapy is broad , our skills varied , and the ways in which we can contribute to support the occupations of children and young people who are seen by social care are innovative .
Long have we felt like very small fish in a big pond , however that is starting to change . Over the course of 10 years of working and being embedded in children ’ s social care the value of our role is increasingly recognised . This has only happened by hard work , networking , showing the value of occupational therapy at all opportunities and striving to provide an excellent service .
Early on we realised that in order to influence change , we needed to better understand what the demand was for our service and capture a plethora of information . From this information we were able to sift through and extract the relevant data making clear links between service demand and capacity to enable service improvements .
Maintaining a focus on occupation and positive outcomes for children and families Throughout the years we have completed many projects in collaboration with our partner organisations , formulating practice guidelines , which we review with new knowledge , experience and evidence .
We learned early on to draw from other resources in relation to occupations for example toileting , sleep and communication , to ensure the most effective outcome for the child .
Well-reasoned decision making is central when providing any occupational therapy service . We have maintained the importance of this by striving to meet the needs of the children and young people we work with in the most effective way .
When clarity regarding a practice issue has been needed , we have completed a focused piece of work , which has included gathering information , independent investigation and collaborating with others .
These focused pieces of work lead to practice guidelines which support occupational therapists in their day to day decision making .
One example of this is completing a focused project investigating the provision of high sided cot beds , in consultation with partner organisations this led to the development of a practitioner guide and a clinical reasoning form to support decision making .
This aims to ensure comprehensive thought goes into the complex needs of the child and family and the implications of provision in the long term .
Throughout these projects it has been vital to ensure we incorporate the voice of the child and family , taking into consideration their lived experiences . With a responsibility to the families we work with also comes a responsibility to the general public of utilising public funds in the most cost-effective way .
Safeguarding vulnerable children and young people Within the 2011 position statement , RCOT believed , among other issues , that it was problematic that occupational therapists were not working under a framework of relevant legislation and policy .
We work closely with our social work teams , which has improved significantly our knowledge of safeguard concerns and the day-today working of children ’ s teams .
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