Recording Skills for Social Workers

This two day course is designed for Social Workers, senior practitioners and team managers. The course aims to equip learners with the skills, knowledge and confidence to record their work with service users clearly, accurately and in the appropriate formats and requirements of their agency.
The course is set within the context of the need to ensure that there is a more consistent standard of recording within all services. Organisations needs to develop recording to more actively respond to the Government’s drive on minimising the use of jargon and the greater use of plain English, making records and reports more accessible to service users.
Norman Mark recognises that offering a recording skills course to social workers could result in very negative responses from staff:

-Many would have spent some time examining the area before;
-Recording skills courses are often delivered in an extremely boring way:
-Skilled workers feel patronised;
-Less skilled worker feel criticised and ‘punished’;
-The training is perceived as a ‘time waster’

Being mindful of the above points Norman Mark would ensure that:

-Learners understand that the training is intended to ensure consistency in the interests of all concerned; not only service users, but the workers themselves;
-Learners understand that the organisation has a duty to ensure it is meeting its obligations;
-Social Work ethics require ongoing enhancement of skills, no matter what previous learning might have been achieved
-The course is delivered in a lively, interactive and enjoyable way

Learning objectives:

By the end of this course learners should understand:

• The purpose and function of recording
• Why recording needs to be executed in a professional and systematic way and what this means
• Who sets the standard; references to policies and the BASW Code of Practice
• How effective recording benefits the service user
• How effective recording benefits the worker and the service
• The potential consequences of poor recording
• How much to record-fitting purpose
• The importance of using simple English
        -how this benefits all
        -how this corresponds with social work values
        -how it responds to Government objectives
        -how it can aid in the process of ‘empowerment’ and ‘inclusion’
        -how it can counter passivity & ‘resistance’
• What is meant by ‘objective’ recording; dealing with our own:
        -Bias
        -Prejudice
        -Assumptions
        -Stereotyping etc
• How our ‘unconscious can ‘act out’ through recording:
        -Generalisations
        -Unnecessary emphasis
        -Exclusions
        -Additions etc
• The use of non-judgmental language
• How jargon and abbreviations can alienate people
• How recording needs to reflect the Diversity policy
• The appropriate use of:
        -Headings
        -Subheadings
        -Numbering
        -Introductions
        -Summaries
        -Conclusions
        -Appendixes etc
• Readability issues; the need to consider:
        -Style
        -Clarity
        -Spelling
        -Grammar
        -General presentation etc
• How to record assessment and processes
• Specific recording relating to the organisation’s policies, procedures and processes:
        -Risk
        -Safeguarding issues etc
• Available and appropriate formats, including accessible recording for people with specific communication requirements
• Confidentiality & Data Protection:
        -What to record
        -Who has access
        -Storage
        -Disclosure
        -The need to know etc.

Training methods:

• Individual written work
• OHP/PowerPoint
• Word shower
• Pairs work
• Group work
• Chalk & Talk
• Tutor Presentations
• Role Play
• Feedback
• Handouts
• Energisers

CP47/4.9