The organisation

Embedding digital practice: The role of the organisation

Successful blended practice starts at an organisational level and can effectively address structural inequalities using strategic approaches.
Contents
Introduction
1. Adopting
2. Preparing
3. Implementing
4. Embedding‍

Introduction

This section is currently under construction, and is being developed in 2022. In the meantime, here are some useful resources and questions to support thinking about digital strategy and workforce development.
Related resources
Role of the PractitionerRole of the Meeting Chair
Adopting
Culture
Do we have a ‘whole organisation’ approach to digital capability?
Are we challenging ourselves to think differently and understand the benefits and risks of digital practice?
Purpose
Is there organisational agreement about our vision for digital inclusion and practice?
How will we future-proof our digital capabilities by 'baking them into’ our future developments?
What else should we do now to improve our capacity to be responsive and adaptive to emergency situations?
Do we know what we learned from the pandemic and what we would do differently the next time?
Policy
What needs to be in place in our organisation to facilitate successful digital practice?
Does the organisation and the workforce have a clear understanding of what we want digital practice to achieve?
Statutory requirements
How will we incorporate statutory and local requirements into our digital offer?
What are the opportunities and limitations?
Developing digital capacityGoing digitalLessons from COVID-19Future of tech in CSC
Preparing
  • Accessibility
  • Which technology platforms are we supporting? Do we have strategy and guidance in place?
  • Is our organisation supporting digital  literacy development in workforce and  community?
Digital inclusion
  • Equalities, diversity and inclusion
  • Are we doing enough to address digital poverty (in the workforce and in the community)?
  • What are we doing to enable digital inclusion?
Digital inclusion
Adapting to digital engagementRisk assessing platforms
  • Technical specifications
  • How are we selecting which digital platforms are most suited to the age and stage of the young person, and the types of work being done?
  • How confident/competent is our workforce in using the digital platforms?
Adapting to digital engagementRisk assessing platforms
Keeping children safe onlineData protection
  • Privacy, confidentiality and safety
  • How are we assessing the safety of the digital platforms we are supporting?
  • What is our position on the sharing of digital devices belonging to the organisation?
  • Is our GDPR policy and practice robust enough?
  • Which practice guidance needs to be revised to reflect changes to digital practice?
  • Quality assurance
  • What is our organisational approach to quality assurance? Are we keeping this in mind as we develop our approach to digital practice?
  • How will we know if our digital practice is working well?
  • Change management
  • Do we have a communications strategy and plan in place?
  • Are roles and responsibilities clear and unambiguous?
  • Do we know where our organisation is on the spectrum of change? What is our starting point?
Implementing
Digital capabilities
How can we support the development of skills and capabilities social care workers need to use digital technology and interact effectively in professional digital practice?
Are we supporting people in communities to use digital technology and engage digitally with our services?
Are we supporting our multi-agency partners to contribute effectively to virtual/hybrid meetings?
BASW digital capabilities
Planning
Have we set expectations and guidance about how and when digital practice should be used?
Do we prioritise planning time for digital work?
How are we encouraging social care workers to use digital technology creatively?
Integrating
What else do we need to do to support the integration of digital approaches into professional practice?
How can we make digital decision-making meetings an option for everyone (when appropriate)?
Virtual best practice
Embedding
  • Professional practices
  • What does digital development mean for professional practice in our organisation?
  • Do we have a plan in place to review the impact of
    changes to digital practices with young people and families?
  • Do supervisors feel confident in measuring and
    supporting practice improvement using digital methods?
  • Are we continuing to focus on increasing collaborative and inclusive practices?
Wellbeing for social care workers
  • Worker wellbeing
  • Are we supporting our workforce to establish and maintain effective boundaries between their personal and professional lives and understand how working digitally makes this more complex?
  • Do we understand and support the longer term impacts of COVID-19 on workforce resilience, capability and capacity?
  • Are we using digital methods to offer more creative workforce support?
Wellbeing for social workers
Choosing Digital logo
This website was developed by Research in Practice in collaboration with young people, parents, social care workers and managers, from the London Region and the North-West Region and with the support of LIIA, ALDCS and NWADCS.
Our collaboration with Professor Harry Ferguson, Dr Laura Kelly (both University of Birmingham) and Professor Sarah Pink (Monash University) on their ESRC-funded Child protection and social distancing research over 2021-22 informed and contributed to this resource.
The Association of Directors of Children's Services logoLondon Improvement and Innovation Alliance logoNorth West ADCS logoResearch in Practice logo
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