Workforce development activities to support the relevant competencies (to be defined by, for instance, local need, or national and professional guidelines) should include different service provider staff in contact with parents and families, and individuals in contact with children and young people. They should be delivered on an ongoing basis, and will contribute to the intended outcomes by enabling them to optimise early identification of parents and families in need, and to provide appropriate, timely advice, guidance and referral where necessary.

Rationale

Ongoing development (e.g. with training, continued professional development and induction processes, or by making this a part of routine assessments) of the relevant competencies of service provider staff will contribute to improved knowledge and understanding of their own and others’ contribution to supporting parents and families, and increased numbers of service provider staff that are skilled and motivated to support parents and families. It must also be recognised that this activity is dependent on local decisions around use of resources and priorities for training based on local need. It is also dependent upon the capacity of services and staff to deliver in this field (e.g. staffing levels and workforce planning, allocation of workloads).

There are examples available from the evidence that illustrate the importance of workforce competencies, which would be gained and enhanced through action to support workforce development and appropriate strategic and management support of that workforce:

• Evidence suggests that one key factor in positively engaging parents in parenting programmes is the provision of non- judgemental support from professionals throughout the process of gaining new knowledge, skills and understanding and implementing parenting skills. [1]

• There is evidence of an association between early childhood education/children’s centres and positive outcomes of at-risk or disadvantaged children (see also model 2 ‘Early childhood education/children’s centres’).[2] Evidence suggests that the quality of the preschool is important. Characteristics that lead to positive child outcomes include the following:

  • Staff who have warm interactive relationships with children

  • A trained teacher as a manager

  • A good proportion of trained teachers on the staff

  • Staff who regard educational and social development as complementary and equally important.

• Early Years Public Health Guidance 40 published by NICE, (2012) recommends that services should be run by well- trained, qualified staff, (including graduates and teachers) and focus on social, emotional and educational development, delivered within well maintained and pleasant environments, (Recommendation 4). [3]

See also Box 9 – Professional roles and practices.

References:

1. Scott E, Woodman K. Evidence summary: Public health interventions to support parents of older children and adolescents. NHS Health Scotland, 2014. Available from: http://www.healthscotland.com/documents/23153.aspx

2. Scott E, Woodman K. Guidance about Effective Interventions to Support Parents, Their Infants and Children in the Early Years. A paper to the Scottish Government Early Years Taskforce, 2012. Available from (external link): www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/0041/00413580.pdf

3. Early Years Public Health Guidance 40 published by NICE (2012) in Scott E, Woodman K. Guidance about Effective Interventions to Support Parents, Their Infants and Children in the Early Years. A paper to the Scottish Government Early Years Taskforce, 2012. Available from (external link): www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/0041/00413580.pdf

Actions:

• Develop strong strategic leadership and collaborative working to support parents and families and implement GIRFEC.
• Actions to ensure and support appropriate sharing of information

Activities to develop strong strategic leadership and collaborative working for supporting parents and families should include all relevant service providers and will contribute to improved links, pathways and processes for supporting individuals and families. This will, in turn, contribute to more consistent approaches, holistic, integrated and timely support for parents and families with any support needs or additional issues.

Rationale

Developing strong strategic leadership and collaborative working will contribute to improved and more integrated systems across service providers, and subsequently contribute to increased commitment and understanding across a range of partners and service providers in the system that supports parents and families. It will also contribute to increased commitment and motivation to support parents and families, ensure strategic commitment to lead staff in this area and motivate them to provide support. Limited highly processed evidence is currently available to support this rationale.

Although there is no highly processed evidence presented that partnerships in public health lead to improved health outcomes, in order to achieve an integrated, holistic approach to the support of parents and families, collaborative working between service providers will be an essential component. Box 10 outlines two key Scottish policy drivers that will help to strengthen this action.

Box 10: Scottish policy note

The Scottish Government has developed two key areas that will provide strategic leadership at a national and local level to support the actions and outcomes specified in model 3.

‘Getting it right for every child’ (GIRFEC) [1]
GIRFEC is the national cross-cutting programme which has been developed to outline an approach to working with children and families in Scotland. Based on individual need, the wellbeing of the child is placed at the centre of the approach, which establishes the principle of giving all children and young people the best possible start in life as a priority for all services.

The Children and Young People (Scotland) Act [2]
Elements of the GIRFEC approach will also now be enshrined in the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act that aims to put children and young people at the heart of planning and delivery of services and ensuring their rights are respected across the public sector.

See section 2 (Context) and Appendix 1 ( Policy,Information and Cuidance) in the full outcomes framework for further detail.

References:

1. Scottish Government. A guide to getting it right for every child. Edinburgh: Scottish Government; 2012.

2. Children and Young People Act (Scotland). Edinburgh: Scottish Parliament, 2014. Available from (external link): http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2014/8/contents/enacted