Reflective leadership in a multi-professional context. 4000wds

The personal qualities of a leader (in early childhood) and the various styles of leadership

 3.1 Aims this week

The focus this week is on: ‘the personal qualities of a leader (in early childhood) and the different styles and theories of leadership’. This session will:

· Look at new directions in leadership and management

· Support students in beginning to see their personal qualities as examples of different approaches to leadership

· Introduce students to different typologies and styles of leadership

· Consider the qualities/competencies that make up a leader

· Encourage students to reflect and think critically about how their competencies match the centre’s ethos

 Your first key reading comes from an E book by Bass and Riggio (2006): 'Transformational Leadership' (click here to access and look at the preface and introduction).

Your second key reading comes from Ancona et al (2007) and can be accessed by clicking the link here .

3.2   New directions in leadership and management

In recent times we have seen the gradual development of a set of ideas about management and leadership that focus on the human side of the work. This has largely come about through a change in assumptions about work itself and those who do it.

 The beginnings of this shift of understanding can be found in a series of studies that were carried out in the 1950’s. Although they created a great deal of interest at the time, they appeared to have little effect on the practice of management and leadership. As in many other areas of human activity, it often takes a generation or two for radical theories and ideas to become generally accepted.

In ‘The Human Side of Enterprise’ Douglas McGregor (1960) found that the behaviour of workers in the factories he studied was largely dependent on the attitudes of their managers towards them and the way those attitudes translated into the leaders behaviour. He expressed this in two contrasting positions, which he defined as Theory X and Theory Y: Theory X managers believe the following:  

People dislike work and try to avoid it. They have to be bribed, coerced, controlled and even threatened with punishment to perform adequately.  Most workers lack ambition, prefer to be managed and wish to avoid responsibility. By nature people at work are resistant to change.

 Theory Y bosses believe the following:

 People do like work and value it as an important part of their lives. They do not have to be forced or threatened to perform adequately. If encouraged to pursue objectives to which they are committed, most people will work hard and not only accept responsibility but also actively seek it. Workers have a natural ability to change and adapt.

 What McGregor found was that in workplaces where managers held Theory X views, the staff did try and avoid work, shun responsibility and behave uncooperatively. They also had a low work rate and haggled about the rate for the job. Where managers held Theory Y views and translated them in their working relationships with their colleagues, staff tended to be more committed, innovative and enterprising and with a much higher work volume.

 In all areas of the workforce, people’s expectations of their managers and leaders are changing at an unprecedented rate. Workers are demanding work conditions that are nourishing to the human spirit.  

3.3 Reflective task 1

 What sort of manager/leader do you think you are? Identify someone who you think is an effective manager/leader either within your workplace or in some other walk of life. In your journal write down and reflect on the qualities or characteristics that contribute to their management/leadership ability?

 3.4   What are the personal qualities of an early childhood leader? Rodd (2006:p.51) suggests that, ‘Becoming a leader is much more than simply accepting a particular role or position. It is about personal values, beliefs and qualities’. Maxwell (1999:) writes that, Leaders are effective because of who they are on the inside in the qualities that make them up as people. Wonacott (2001) in Rodd (2006) discusses the concept of transformational leadership. Transformational leadership is more concerned with values, ethics, standards and achieving long-term goals. It is linked to what is described as female traits such as i.e. communication, collaboration, consensus, nurturing and inclusion.  The focus is on the relationship developed by the leader with team members.

  “Transformational leadership refers to a process whereby an individual engages with others and creates a connection that raises the level of motivation and morality of both leader and follower, for example a manager who attempts to change a company’s corporate values to reflect a more humane standard of fairness and justice.” (Northouse 2001)  3.5   Key reading

 The first reading this week is by Bernard Bass and Ronald Riggio (2006) on ‘Transformational Leadership’. You can access the text as an e-book online through the university library. To gain some context around the subject matter read the preface and the introduction. It may be a challenging read but try it.

When reading the text try to highlight key aspects of transformational leadership, also try to link these to your setting i.e. can you identify any areas of transformational in yours or your leaders style? How could this be developed? Reflect on the reading and make notes in your journal.

 3.6    What is a typology of an early childhood leader? In the late 1990”s Rodd (1997) undertook research in Britain and Australia with early childhood practitioners. From this research she developed what we now know as a typology of early childhood leaders. The typology includes three different aspects that were identified from survey and interview data. It involves the groupings of personal characteristics, which reflect understanding at different stages of professional development. See below.

Rodd’s (2006:54) typology of an early childhood leader  

 Leadership Competencies

· Visionary Leadership is concerned with rational leadership Builds resonance – moves people to shared dreams Has a positive impact on the climate in which one is leading Initiates appropriate change that is sustainable

· Self-awareness Emotional self-awareness – attuned with their inner signals – this suggests a stable base

· Accurate self-awareness – know their limitations and strengths – welcome constructive criticism and feedback

· Self-confidence – a sense of presence and self assurance that makes them stand out in a group

· Self-management

· Self-control – manage their disturbing emotions and impulses and even channel them in useful ways

· Transparency – an authentic openness to others about their feelings and beliefs and actions

· Adaptability – leaders are able to multi-task and juggle demands

· Achievement – leaders have high personal standards that are reflected in their professional life

· Initiative – are in charge of themselves and will cut through red tape, even bend the rules, when necessary to create possibilities for the future

· Optimism – leaders see others positively, expecting the best of them and their “half-full” outlook leads them to expect that change in the future will be for the better

· Social Awareness Empathy – leaders are able to attune to a wide range of emotional signals, letting them sense the felt but unspoken emotions in a person or group

· Organisational awareness – politically astute, able to detect crucial social networks and read key power relationships

· Service – leaders foster an emotional climate so that people directly in touch with the client base will keep things on the right track

· Inspiration – leaders inspire and articulate a share mission/vision

· Influence – leaders adept in influence are persuasive and engaging when they address a group

· Developing others – leaders are good at cultivating people’s abilities

 3.7   Reflective task 2

Consider and reflect on Rodd’s typology table and the bullet points above on leadership competencies. In your journal note down what you believe are your leadership qualities/competencies.  

3.8   Leadership Styles and Approaches  

Trait Approach:In the early 20th century the development of ‘great man’ theories which were concerned with innate qualities and characteristics. This approach implied that people were ‘born leaders’ or ‘natural leaders’.

Behavioural Theories: In the 1940s this perspective began to be replaced by behavioural theories such as Style Approach.

A style approach focuses on the behaviour rather than personal characteristics. Task behaviours focus on goal accomplishment and relationship behaviours focus on helping to motivate people. Blake and Mouton (1968) describe different kinds of behaviours for different purposes:

 Authority-compliance: Task orientated, directive, sees people as tools.

Country club management: puts people first and task second, is comforting and uncontroversial.

 Impoverished management: Is disengaged, apathetic and ineffective.

 Middle-of-the-Road management: Takes expedient action, compromises to avoid conflict.

 Team management: Strong emphasis on tasks and people.

 Paternalism/materialism: Benevolent dictator acts graciously but for the purpose of achieving a goal.

 Opportunism: Uses a combination of styles for their own purpose and advancement.

By the beginning of the Second World War an alternative perspective was developing and by the mid 20th century leadership started to be reframed as a relationship between people in social situations.

The basic idea was of how workers were treated by their leaders was a much more significant determinant of how well they operated at work than attention to the detailed operational elements of a task. This led to research into motivation and well being in the work place. Abraham Maslow’s ‘Hierarchy of Needs’ emerged from key developments in the 1950’s.

Click here   for the article which was originally accessed 12/09/12

For example in the 1970’s, Path – Goal Theory focused on how to motivate others to accomplish designated goals. It suggested that people would be motivated if the rewards are worthwhile. In this approach the leader defines the goals, clarifies the path, removes obstacles and provides support. This approach is also a ‘contingency theory’ (see below) as the leader also chooses a leadership style to fit the needs of the workers.

Contingency Theories: In Contingency Theory effective leadership is seen as contingent on matching a leaders style to the right setting and should not be expected to fit all situations. The idea that different situations require different kinds of leadership emerged in the 1960’s. In this Situational Approach a leader will use directing and supporting behaviours according to the needs of different workers.

Transformational Theories: More recently, leadership has been explored as a process as well as a function, those things that any worker can do to affect the quality of work done by colleagues. Transformational leadership is concerned with values, ethics, standards and long-term goals. It can be used to describe a wide range of leadership, from influencing an individual to whole organisations or even cultures.

Transformational leadership ideas incorporate ideas of charismatic leadership in which the leader:  

· Is a strong role model for the values and beliefs they want others to adopt

· Appears competent to followers

· Articulates ideological goals with moral overtones

· Has high expectations of followers

· Links the individual identity of followers to the collective identity of the organisation

Transformational theories also focus on team leadership, in which the group is helped to accomplish tasks and to function well also seeing the leader as a catalyst of change and strategic visionary.

3.9   Key Reading Two

Ancona et al (2007:p.92) points out that ‘No leader is perfect. The best ones don’t try to be – they concentrate on honing their strengths and find others who can make up their limitations’.http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=in+praise+of+the+incomplete+leader+deborah+ancona&sourceid=ie7&rls=com.microsoft:en-gb:IE-SearchBox&ie=&oe=&redir_esc=&ei=jaFQUKulE--S0QXwsYHABwAccessed 12/09/12

After reading the article consider the following questions:

 1.   Do you expect leaders to perfect? If yes why? If not why not?

2.   Is the leadership in your centre hierarchical or collaborative? What evidence do you have of this?

3.   Reflect on your leadership capabilities, what are the areas that you believe are weak and need to be developed further?

4.   What key points have you taken from this article and what has been your learning?

3.10   Summary of the session

This session began to explore new directions in leadership and management, also the personal qualities of an early childhood leader. We also considered different leadership styles and approaches.

Key readings were recommended to give a wider perspective of issues relating to leadership and management.  

3.11  Weekly task

 Try to be more aware of management and leadership in your centre and at home. In your journal record practical examples of leadership styles you encounter.  3.12   References

Ancona, D. Malone, T. W. Orlikowski, W. J. and Senge, P.M (2007) In Praise of the Incomplete Leader, http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=in+praise+of+the+incomplete+leader+deborah+ancona&sourceid=ie7&rls=com.microsoft:en-gb:IE-SearchBox&ie=&oe=&redir_esc=&ei=jaFQUKulE--S0QXwsYHABw 

Argyris, C. (1957) Personality and Organization. New York: Harper and Row

Bass, B, Riggio, R. (2006) Transformational Leadership (2nd Ed),  Mahwah, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates 

Blake, R and Mouton, J. (1968) The Managerial Grid: Key Orientations for Achieving Production through People. Houston Texas: Gulf Publishing

Herzberg, F. (1976) Managing Choice: To be Efficient and to be Human, Dow Jones: Irwin

Jaques, E. (1951) The Changing Culture of a Factory. London: Tavistock

 Maslow, A. (1970) Motivation and Personality. New York: Harper and Row

 McGregor, A. (1960) The Human Side of Enterprise. New York: McGraw-Hill

 Morgan, G. (1986) Images of Organization. London Sage

 Maxwell, J. C (1999) The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader: Becoming the person others will want to follow, Thomas Nelson, London.

 Mayo, E. (1949) The Social Problems of an Industrial Civilisation. London Routledge and Kegan Paul Northhouse, P. (2001) (2nd Ed.) Leadership: theory and practice. California: Sage

 Rodd, J. (2006) Leadership in Early Childhood, OpenUniversity Press Schein. E. H. (1985) Organizational Culture and Leadership. San  Francisco: Jossey- Bass

 Wonacott, M.E. (2001), Leadership development in career and technical education, ERIC Digest, No. 225, Columbus, Ohio.

Week 4: The Range Of Professions and Occupations Involved In Early Years Services

Top of Form

Bottom of Form

· The range of professions and occupations involved in the provision of early years services

 4.1 Aims this week

  The focus this week is to: ‘explore a range of professions and occupations involved in the provision of early years services’.This is outlined below:

· Examine the range of qualifications and professions involved in the early years

· Begin to consider the legal framework underpinning partnership working

· Begin to reflect on some of the benefits and challenges of partnership working

4.2   Leadership responsibilities and support

 Effective leadership is vital to the development of early years services, which include the involvement of a range of early years professionals. Leaders/managers are therefore expected to understand and recognize the contribution of other professionals in supporting children and families and support practitioners (where appropriate through supervision) to understand the limitations of their role and recognize when to refer children and families for specialist support.

The government’s vision, set out in the 2020 Children and Young People’s Workforce Strategy (DCSF, 2008a, P.6) suggests that everyone working with children and young people will be:

· Ambitious for every child and young person

· Excellent in their practice

· Committed to partnership and integrated working

· Respected and valued as professionals

 https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/CYP_Workforce-Strategy_Report-summary.pdfAccessed 12/09/12

 The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) practice guide requires professionals to work ‘collaboratively within the setting to share knowledge, question practice and test new ideas – with high aspirations for every child’ (DCSF, 2008c:p.9). Working collaboratively is at the heart of the government’s agenda for agencies to work together (Stacey 2009). Mercer and Littleton (2007) believe that where tasks or activities are complex and no one appears to have the complete answer is often when successful collaboration takes place.

 It is the responsibilities of all professionals and occupations to work together to improve the well-being of children and families. This includes their ‘physical and mental health and emotional well-being; protection from harm and neglect; education and recreation’ (Childcare Act, 2006, p.1). Individual professionals may have different responsibilities but they are ‘all in this together. Responsibilities with each other do not need to be close but they do need to be respectful and understood. (Stacey 2009:p.58)

 It is vital to collaborative working that professionals meet regularly together. All participants need to be aware and clear of ‘the common purpose and goal. Most importantly they need to understand the nature of their contributions and the limits of their decision-making authority’. (Delehant, 2007 cited in Stacey 2009:p.62).

 4.3   Different perspectives on professional traditions or heritages

 1.   Health perspective The very principles of health-visiting are founded upon an acceptance of the professional responsibility to seek to challenge and influence public policy, rather than submissively assisting people to live with its consequences, taking all the blame themselves for their unhealthy lifestyles. (Goodwin, 1998, pp379-83)

2.   Education perspective Education and probably early childhood education more than any other area, is political. It is about the distribution of power, the extension of influence and the ability to provide people with the means to conserve and transform society. (Pascal, 1992)

3.   Social work perspective The social work profession promotes social change, problem solving in human relationships and the empowerment and liberation of people to enhance well-being. Utilising theories of human behaviour and social systems, social work intervenes at the points where people interact with their environments. Principles of human rights and social justice are fundamental to social work. (BASW, 2001)

4.   Community development perspective Community development is about building active and sustainable communities based on social justice and mutual respect. It is about changing power structures to remove the barriers that prevent people from participating in the issues that affect their lives. (NPQICL 2011 Booklet 15: Community development, p.17.)

4.4   Reflective task 1

What is your professional heritage/discipline? Does it link with any of the perspectives above? If not, why not? If it does what would you add to the statement and why?

Do other professionals (for example: Speech Therapists, Health Visitors, Social Workers) visit your centre and if so what is the purpose of their visit?

 Use your learning journal to record and evaluate your experiences and reflections.

Below is a table of professionals and agencies that work with children and families and may have contact within early years settings. See if you can complete the question on the table.

 4.5   The Every Child Matters Agenda and key reading

 The Every Child Matters (ECM) document states that ‘we have to do more both to protect children and ensure each child fulfils their potential’. (Every Child Matters, 2003, p.3)

Please spend some time reading and familiarising yourself with the document highlighted through the link below.https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/standard/publicationDetail/Page1/CM5860  

Every Child Matters focuses on four key themes:

· To increase our focus on supporting families and carers

· To ensure necessary intervention to prevent children from falling through the net

· To address the underlying problems identified in the Victoria ClimbiéInquiry Report – which were weak accountability and poor integration between agencies

· To ensure that people working with children are valued, rewarded and trained (Every Child Matters, 2003, p.4)

Anning et al (2006:p.127) reminds us that the ‘delivery of services for children and families is better than it was and results in enhanced outcomes for them’.

 4.6    Reflective task 2 

Reflect on the early years perspectives below. Make a list of what each type of setting offers for staff. What qualifications are needed to work in each setting? What are the strengths and limitations of working in each setting?

Social Services Day Nurseries

Education – nursery schools / nursery classes/ children’s centres

Voluntary – playgroups

Community Nurseries

Private and independent

4.7   Key Reading   Blocks to development

 (Makins V, 1997, Not Just A Nursery, NCB, London)

 http://www.google.co.uk/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=Makins+V,+1997,+Not+Just+A+Nursery,+NCB,+London&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&redir_esc=&ei=BT1CUPSpBImb1AXChIHICA  (1/9/12)

· Different legislation

· Different professional values and priorities

· Different geographical and statutory boundaries

· Different training

· Different levels of status and authority

· Different management styles

· Different pay and conditions of service

· Mutual distrust between services

4.8   Recent changes and development of settings/centres

· 1997 – Early Excellence Centres

· 1999 – Sure Start Local Programmes (6 waves)

· 2001 – Neighbourhood Nursery Initiative

· 2003 – Children’s Centres

· 2005 – Extended Schools

4.9   The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is enshrined in legislation (Childcare Act 2006) and states that,

 ‘The child’s needs are at the centre of all that we do and children have a right to high quality responsive and flexible service. We all need to ensure that that is what they get’. The Early Years Foundation Stage document makes it clear that multi-agency working is a key part of the framework that is designed to deliver improved outcomes for all children in their learning and development.

A common thread running through all government documents is that services and agencies need to work together to make the delivery of services more effective.   

4.10   Key Messages for partnership or collaborative working (which has been enshrined in legislation, Children Act 2004)

· Multi-agency working is an integral part of early years work

· Discussions about strategies for moving forward should be open, transparent and inclusive. It is through the day to day interactions in settings that dilemmas are worked out.

· Professionals need to feel psychologically safe in organizations in order to take risks. We need to create safe spaces and forums for workers to share, discuss and debate issues that are important to them

· Organisations which support children’s care, learning and development must develop a culture of collaboration.

· Meaningful change comes through the development of self-awareness and the development of trusting relationships between colleagues, both within settings and between organisations and the communities they serve.

· Professional skills should always be drawn on but we should never loose sight of our own beliefs and values.

4.11    Reflective task 3  

As a leader of an early years setting, what do you consider are some of the benefits and challenges to collaborative or partnership working? Make a list, also use your learning journal to record and evaluate your experiences and reflections.

 4.12    Summary of the session 

In this session we began by highlight the responsibility leaders in developing early years services and involving a range of professionals. We looked at a range of professions, perspectives and qualifications necessary for working within the early years. We also began to explore some of the legal framework underpinning partnership working i.e. ECM, EYFS, Childcare Act 2006.   

4.13    Weekly task

Research the data held by your setting on the backgrounds of the children who attend. Compile a profile on the ethnicity, economic activity and marital status of families in the area around your setting. (Office For National Statistics website will have some information on this). How do these statistics compare with your setting?

 Discuss with your staff team how family well-being impacts on the children in your group/setting.

 Think about recent legislation. Put together a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses Opportunities and Threats) demonstrating how it might impact on the families you are working with.

 4.14   References Anning, A. Cottrell, D Frost, N. Green, J and Robinson, M (2006) Developing Multiprofessional Teamwork for Integrated Children’s. Maidenhead: Open University Press. British Association of Social Workers (BASW), 2001 International Association of Schools of Social Work and International Federation of Social Workers DCSF Childcare Act 2006. London HMSO. DCSF (2008a) 2020 Children and Young People’s Workforce Strategy. Nottingham: DCSFhttps://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/CYP_Workforce-Strategy_Report-summary.pdfAccessed 12/09/12 DCFS (2008c). Practice guidance for the early years foundation stage. Nottingham: DCSF

 Delehant, A (2007) Making meetings work: how to get started, get going, and get it done. London: Sage Publications.  

Every Child Mattershttp://www.google.co.uk/#hl=en&output=search&sclient=psy-ab&q=every+child+matters+outcomes&oq=Every+Child+Matters+&gs_l=hp.1.0.0l4.5722.5722.0.16849.1.1.0.0.0.0.108.108.0j1.1.0.les%3Bcesh..0.0...1.2.di6XIPhALFU&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&fp=756d3c283199c9c8&biw=1275&bih=641/   Accessed 18/09/12

Goodwin, S. (1998) Whither health visiting? Health Visitor 6 (12), pp379 - 83

Makins V, 1997, Not Just A Nursery, NCB, London

http://www.google.co.uk/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=Makins+V,+1997,+Not+Just+A+Nursery,+NCB,+London&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&redir_esc=&ei=BT1CUPSpBImb1AXChIHICA(1/9/12) Mercer, N, Littleton, K (2007) Dialogue and the development of children’s thinking: a socio-cultural approach. London: Routledge NPQICL booklet 12 (2011) Module 4: Developing integrated centre leadership. National College for Leadership of Schools and Children’s Services. NPQICL booklet 15 (2011) Community Development: A framework for thinking and action. National College for Leadership of Schools and Children’s Services. Pascal, C. (1992) Early Years, Vol 12, No 2 pp7-12 The Changing context of teacher education for the early years in Europe. Stacey, M. (2009) Teamwork and Collaboration in Early Years Settings: Learning Matters Exeter

Week 5: Multi Professional / Multi Disciplinary Working

Top of Form

5.1   Aims this week

 The focus this week is to consider ‘Multi-professional/multi-disciplinary working (MPW) within a context of leadership and management’. The session is outlined below:  

· To explore what MPW is

· Look at a range of terminology

· Highlight the links to legislation – The Children Act 1989 and the Children Act 2004

· Consider the legal framework underpinning partnership or MPW

· Begin to reflect on the benefits of partnership or MPW

Professional roles and responsibilities in partnership working

Leaders are expected to understand and recognise the contribution of the other professionals in supporting children and families and where appropriate to be involved with them in planning of children’s individual needs.

5.2 Reflective task

Take 5-10 minutes to consider what you perceive as MPW. What does it look like? What has been your experience of MPW? Note down your reflections, we will look at them again later on in the session.

5.3 Locating the context and recent history of integrated services for children and families

The provision of seamless services for young children and families is essential to the development of early years services. Integrated Children’s Centres have been central to the Government’s (Labour) commitment to end child poverty.  In order to make the best use of available resources, managers and leaders of centres are encouraged to build partnerships with other professionals and agencies that offer services to young children and families (NPQICL booklet 14).

The first of the integrated early years centres were formed through collaboration and co-location of existing local services provided by different statutory agencies, private providers and voluntary and community organisations. Partner agencies typically included local authority nursery schools, social services day-care centres and/or family centres, health centres, adult learning, Home Start, Pre-school Learning Alliance and/or the National Child-minding Association.

 The earliest of these pioneering early years centres was Hillfields in Coventry, which was set up in 1971 as the first ‘combined’ (Ferri et al, 1981). Not long after, the Thomas Coram Centre bought together nursery education, day-care and health. In 1975, the Dorothy Gardner Centre combined nursery education, day-care and family support. In 1983, the Pen Green Centre in Corby was established in order to provide comprehensive, community-responsive services. Its objective was to realise the vision of a one-stop shop, meeting the needs of young children and families on their doorsteps. The then Department for Education and Skills (DfES) Early Excellence Centre (EEC) programme was started in 1997 and brought much-needed resources to 29 integrated early years centres. In its final years, the DfES EEC programme funded over 100 centres in England.

 In 1999, the Treasury Funded the Trail Blazer Sure Start programmes, which were designed to provide universal and integrated services to all families with children under the age of four who were living in wards with high levels of deprivation in England. Sure Start was funded on the principal that each local programme would be unique because its provision would be responsive to the expresses needs of local parents.  While local Sure Start partnerships, Sure Start partnerships were often similar to Early Excellence Centres partnerships, Sure Start programmes tended to develop a strong outreach and community development focus in collaboration with health visitors and midwives, housing officers, welfare rights workers, community safety organizations and local residents groups. By 2004, there were 526 local Sure Start programmes.

The Government planned to fund each local Sure Start programme for 10 years, during which time services would be gradually mainstreamed by their partner organisations with government funding decreasing in the later years. In 2005, the decision was taken to direct all Sure Start funding to local authorities to create an extensive network of children’s centres with at least one in each of the most deprived wards in England.

 The Early Excellence Centre programme and Sure Start brought much-needed capital and revenue funding to early years and led to some exemplary inter-disciplinary and inter-agency collaboration at practitioner and community level. However, they were not universally embraced, by local authorities (HMI, 2004). The short timeframes and the experimental quality of these initiatives challenged traditional relationships within the community and, in many localities, threatened professional boundaries and institutional norms.

 The effectiveness of local programmes was contingent upon engaging and influencing the majority of those families eligible for services, however meaningful parental involvement in the design and delivery of services proved impossible to achieve quickly. In addition, the multi-disciplinary professional environment soon exposed marked differences in professionals’ view of parent participation. (NPQICL booklet 14 (2010:p.2),Sure Start Children’s Centre Practice Guidance (November 2006) DCSF Children’s Plan (2007) www.dcsf.gov.uk/publications)

Definitions and shared meanings

 Many terms are used interchangeably when referring to working collaboratively across professions or agencies.  

Below I have highlighted some vocabulary frequently used:

· Multi-agency / Inter-agency

· Multi-professional / Multi-disciplinary / Inter-professional / Inter-disciplinary

· Co-operation / Collaboration / Co-ordination

· Partnership

· Joined up thinking / Joined up working

· Integrated working

 Integration

To mix with and join a society or a group of people, often changing to suit their way of life, habits and customs; to combine two or more things in order to become more effective (Cambridge Dictionary) Integrated working

Where everyone (arrange of professionals) supporting children and families work together effectively to put the child at the centre, meet their needs and improve their lives  Integrated Service

 Key characteristics:

· Acts as a hub for services, usually on one site but not exclusively

· Partners share a common location, vision and principles

· The management structure supports integrated working

· It is usually delivered from a school or early years centre

· Service level agreements are usually present

· A dedicated manager/leader will often be present

· Services will usually include health, specialist advice and guidance, outreach and adult learning

· Collective training strategies will often be present

Using integrated working leaders and practitioners can:

· Identify needs earlier

· Deliver a coordinated package of support that is centred on the child or young person and help secure better outcomes for them.

They do this by combining practitioners’ professional expertise, knowledge and skills and involving the child or young person and family throughout their work. Integrated working is achieved through collaboration and co-ordination at all levels, across all services, in both single and multi-agency settings. It requires clear and on-going effective leadership and management

 Main benefits:

· The full range of issues can be addressed

· Knock on benefits exist for education standards

· Greater co-working and cross fertilization of ideas between agencies

· Opportunities for joint training

· Shared base enhances communication

· Members remain linked to their home agency

· Members have access to training and development in their host agency

5.4 Reflective task

Reflect on the main benefits of integrated services. In your journal see whether you can add any benefits to this list. Main challenges:

· Requires fresh thinking around the concept of school/early years centre

· Requires engagement through collaborative leadership

· Needs common sense of purpose

· Time and pay issues can need careful handling (NPQICL booklet 14 (2010:p.3), Developed from Coleman (2006:p.12)

5.5 Reflective task

Reflect on  the main challenges of integrated services. In your journal see whether you can add any challenges to this list.  

Joined-up Refers to overcoming existing professional and institutional barriers that impedes seamless or even adequate services to families and communities.  

Multi-disciplinary or inter-professional working

Refers to a team of individuals with different professional training backgrounds who share common objectives, but who make a different but complementary contribution to a service.

 Multi-agency or inter-agency Multi-agency working can be defined as: ‘a range of different services which have some overlapping or shared interests and objectives, brought together to work collaboratively towards some common purposes’ (Wigfall and Moss (2001:p.71).  Clark (1993:p.220) suggest that it is ‘bringing various professions together to understand a particular problem or experience … In this sense they afford different perspectives on issues at hand, just as one sees different facets of a crystal by turning it’.

 Multi-agency or inter-agency refers to individuals or teams from different agencies who:

· Co-operate  - service work together towards consistent goals and complementary services while maintaining their independence

· Collaborate – services plan and address issues of overlap, duplication and gaps in service provision towards common outcomes

· Co-ordinate – services work together in a planned manner towards shared and agreed goals (Frost, 2005:p.13)

Post World War 2

 The development of the Welfare State after the Second World War saw 5 main departments/agencies: 1. Social Security (Including benefits) 2. Health Services 3. Education 4. Housing 5. Social Services, which was primarily for: The physically disabled, elderly, mentally ill and deprived children.

All 5 agencies worked mainly in silos with their own values, visions, priorities, budgets and professional status leading to:

· Historical divisions

· Professional jealousies

· Barriers created by different priorities

· Lack of co-ordination

· Shortfall in what was available and what families were asking for

Why the push for multi-agency working co-operation and integration of services for children and their families?  

The answer lies in recent failures of communication between professionals and across agencies. This was most tragically exposed in the area of child protection in a number of deaths and abuse in children. (Laming, 2003:p.3).

 5.6 Reflective task and key reading 

Take some time to research and read (online) information on two of the following children and try to highlight what had gone wrong in partnership or MPW in these cases.  

1973 – Maria Colwell

 1984 –Jasmine Beckford

 1986 – Kimberley Carlisle

 2000 – Victoria Climbié

 2009 – Baby P    

Child Protection and safeguarding

As a result of a number of deaths and child abuse cases the government put in legislation to protect and safeguard children.

5.6 The Children Act 1989 – Key reading  

Click here  to access the Act.  ( http://www.google.co.uk/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=the+children+act+1989+summary&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&redir_esc=&ei=sTRCUJTdCsr80QWNhIHoBQ (1/9/12)) 

This Act highlights 8 main principles:  

1. The child is Paramount

1. Parental responsibility

1. Prevention

1. Protection

1. Partnership

1. Participation

1. Planning

1. Permanency

Multi-agency work became a statutory requirement for all agencies and all professionals who work within them. There was now a duty on the Local Authority to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in need. (Section 17) If agencies were approached for help or support they must respond positively as long as the requests is in keeping with their role. (Section 27)  

5.7 The Children Act 2004 and key reading

http://www.google.co.uk/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=the+children+act+2004+summary&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&redir_esc=&ei=6TdCUNPOO6nA0QX-7YDgDA (1/9/12)

The change in policy following the death of Victoria Climbié, the Government set out in the ‘Every Child Matters’ (ECM) Change for Children Programme and the Children Act 2004. The change programme focuses both on strengthening universal services to which every child is entitled to and developing more targeted services for those with additional needs. The ECM Outcomes require all children and young people to:

. Stay safe

. Be healthy

. Enjoy and achieve

. Make a positive contribution

. Economic well being

In addition to the Children Act 1989 and The Children Act 2004 requires:

. Agencies to actively make arrangements to promote co-operation between one another

. Have more multi-disciplinary teams with a lead professional

. The co-location of services in schools

. The development of the Common Assessment Framework to identify any additional needs

. The development of Children’s Trust in each area to integrate services under one plan.

   5.8 Summary of the session This session began by looking at the context, recent history, shared meanings and definitions of MPW. We also continued to explore some of the main benefits and challenges of MPW. We spend considerable time identifying and reading key legislation and initiatives vital to effective MPW, i.e. ECM, The Children Act 1989 and 2004.  

5.9 Weekly task

1. During this week reflect and identify how effective MFW is, within your centre/setting.

1. Complete a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis of MPW.

1. As leader of the centre, what steps would you need to take in order to move MPW on? Which professionals or occupations would this include?

1. Using your learning journal, reflect on your leadership experiences and responses.

 References 

Cambridge International Dictionary of English, Cambridge University Press , 1975

Coleman, A, 2006, Collaborative Leadership in Extended Schools, NCSL, Nottingham

DCSF Children Act 2004. London HMSO.

DCFS (2008c). Practice guidance for the early years foundation stage. Nottingham: DCSF  

DCSF, (2007), The Children’s Plan, Nottingham, DCSF DfES, (1999), Sure Start: Making a difference for children and families, Suffolk, DfES

 DfES, (2003), Every Child Matters, CM 5860, Norwich DfES, (2006), Sure Start Children’s Centres Practice Guidance, Nottingham, DfES  

Every Child Mattershttp://www.google.co.uk/#hl=en&output=search&sclient=psy-ab&q=every+child+matters+outcomes&oq=Every+Child+Matters+&gs_l=hp.1.0.0l4.5722.5722.0.16849.1.1.0.0.0.0.108.108.0j1.1.0.les%3Bcesh..0.0...1.2.di6XIPhALFU&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&fp=756d3c283199c9c8&biw=1275&bih=641/    Accessed 18/09/12 Ferri, E, Birchall, L, Gingell, V Gipps, C, (1981), Combined Nursery Centres, London, Macmillan

Frost , N, 2005, Professionalism, Partnership and joined-up thinking: a research review of frontline working with children and families, Totnes, Blacklers

 HMI, 2004, Children at the Centre: An evaluation of early excellence centres, HMI 2222, London, Ofsted  

Laming, Lord, 2003, The Victoria Climbie Inquiry, Report of an inquiry by Lord Laming, CM 5730, Norwich, HMSO NPQICL booklet 14 (2011) Multi-agency working National College for Leadership of Schools and Children’s Services.

 Wigfall, V. and Moss, P (2001) More than the sum of it’s parts? A study of multi-agency childcare network. London, National Children’s

Week 6: The framework for the assessment of Children In Need and the Common Assessment Framework (CAF) .

6.1 Aims this week

The focus this week is on: ‘The Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families and The Common Assessment Framework (CAF)’ This is outlined below:

•To introduce you to the framework for the assessment of children in need and their families

•To look at the role of different professionals in the assessment process (including the leader/manager of the centre) and how this will fit with the new government initiative, the common assessment framework

•To highlight the importance of sharing information between agencies, staff and parents through the CAF and consider the role of the leader in this process

•To develop an understanding of the framework as an ecological approach to assessment

•To develop an understanding of what we mean by a balanced assessment including factors which can impact on our analysis including assessment distortions

We begin the week by looking at the aims of the framework.

6.2 Background and National Context of the Framework

The government believe that we cannot improve the lives of vulnerable or disadvantaged children unless we are first able to identify their needs. And are therefore ‘committed to delivering better life chances…for disadvantaged and vulnerable children…through a range of cross-cutting, inter-departmental initiatives’. (Hutton 2000 p:vii)

Local authority Social Services departments working with other local authority departments and health, have a duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in their area who are deemed as being in need (Hutton, 2000).

Definition of a child being in need (Children Act 1989)

•They are unlikely to achieve or maintain or have the opportunity of achieving, or maintaining, a reasonable standard of health or development without the provision for them of services by a Local Authority

•Their health or development is likely to be significantly impaired or further impaired, without the provision of such services

•They are disabled (Sec.17/10 Children Act 1989)

The Assessment Framework reflects the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. And is informed by the requirements of the Children Act 1989. The framework places focus on the individual child their specific set of needs, the environment they live in and their parents’ capacity to care for them. It aims to ensure consistency in the collection and recording of data about children, thus facilitating evidence based analysis. Timescales for initial assessments are short and this can often make the collection of data difficult for children with complex needs. The framework is therefore a significant tool, assisting social workers, managers and leaders in the identification of need and the allocation of resources.

6.2 Key reading 1

In order to get an overview of the subject matter open the link below and select and read pages vii–xii of the first PDF document titled ‘Framework for Assessment of Children in Need and their Families’. Click here to read now. http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_4003256 Accessed 18/09/12

The document is a good reference, therefore keeping a book mark for easy access would be useful. Once you have read the pages see if you can answer the following questions:

1. What is the Framework?

2. Why was it developed?

3. What legislation has the Framework been linked to?

4. Which agency/department has the lead responsibility for assessment of children in need?

5. Why is early intervention crucial in supporting children and families.

If you are unable to complete all the questions do not worry. By the end of the session you should be able to answer any outstanding questions.

6.3 Collating and recording information

Until recently every local authority collected and recorded information in a different way. As a result of this in 2000 the Department of Health published a Framework for Assessment of Children and their Families (DoH 2000):

This framework is a way of ordering and recording information about children. It is represented as a triangle because it has three dimensions: the child’s developmental needs, the parents’ capacity to meet these needs and the environmental factors, which may also impact on their care. The aim of this framework is to ensure that all authorities collect the same information and record it in the same manner. The Common Assessment Framework (CAF) now follows the same framework.

The framework places the child in the middle. This is a reminder that they are the focus of the assessment process.

In order to complete the framework an understanding of developmental theorists such as Piaget (1926), Vygotsky (1978) and Bowlby (1979) are essential as they underpin our understanding of what children need to reach their developmental potential. Similarly an understanding of developmental norms (Sheridan 1997) is required if assessment is to be informed and age appropriate.

The framework takes an ecological approach (Jack 2001). It looks at the child’s developmental needs in the context of their wider environment. This allows for a more holistic approach, which acknowledges the complex interaction between, the child’s needs, the parental capacity to care and the wider environment.

6.4 The child’s developmental needs

The first side of the triangle is the child’s developmental needs. Children need the assistance of another person to carry out their many everyday activities. The amount of help they need depends primarily on their age and most children become more independent as they grow older. For disabled children this ability to achieve independence may be restricted. When gathering information about the child’s developmental needs we are looking not only at the help they need now but what the child needs to develop independence skills, as they get older.

This part of the framework asks us to look at seven aspects:

•Health - What does the child need to remain healthy?

•Education - This may be formal education but could also include attendance at the local school, children centre, nursery or playgroup. Children need to be adequately stimulated from an early age.

•Emotional development - What does the child need in order to reach their developmental potential? Key to this section is the concept of a secure attachment as detailed by Bowlby (1979) and more recently Howe (1999). Children need to be cared for by consistent people and in a consistent way if they are to feel secure and develop emotionally.

•Identity - We all need to develop a sense of identity. We get this from our family, our community and the formal groups we attend like school. It is important that those who care for children value them for who they are as individuals and help in developing their pride and identity.

•Family relationships - This looks at and identifies who the important people are in children’s lives. We need to be aware of not making assumptions. Children can have a variety of primary carers and live in a variety of family groups.

•Social presentation and self-care skills - Younger children need more help with choosing the right clothes to wear, washing, dressing and grooming. As children get older they become more independent. However they learn by example and only gain independence if they are encouraged to do so. Disabled children may need assistance for longer but not necessarily in all aspects of their lives.

6.5 Reflective task

The framework also considers Parenting Capacity and Family and Environmental Factors.

Can you identify a child in your setting who you may have concerns about?

Reflect on all three sides of the assessment triangle and list the areas (of the child’s development) where you have a concern.

Who would you discuss these concerns with and which other professional/agency may you contact for support or information and why?

6.6 Introduction to the Common Assessment Framework (CAF)

The CAF is a key component of the Every Child Matters: Change for Children programme (DfES, 2004a) and aims to identify any child or young person’s additional needs that are not being currently met. The CAF has three main elements: a pre assessment checklist; a process for undertaking the common assessment; and a standard proforma to document the assessment.

(The CAF) …will help embed a shared language; support better understanding amongst practitioners; reduce the number of different assessments; facilitate early interventions; and speed up service delivery’ (CWDC, 2007f).

National Context

The change in policy following the death of Victoria Climbiè is set out in the ‘Every Child Matters’ (ECM) Change for Children Programme and the Children Act 2004. The change programme focuses both on strengthening universal services to which every child is entitled to and developing more targeted services for those with additional needs. The aim is to assist children and young people to achieve the five ECM outcomes. This will be achieved by reducing levels of educational failure, ill health, substance abuse and neglect, crime and anti-social behavior among children and young people. It is therefore the expectation of the government that all local authorities and their partners (e.g. Health, Education, Childcare, Early Years, Social Care, Police and Youth Justice) develop and implement the Common Assessment Framework and the Lead professional role as part of Integrated Working by April 2008.

The Five ECM Outcomes are for children and young people to:

1. Stay Safe

2. Be healthy

3. Enjoy and achieve

4. Making a positive contribution

5. Economic well-being

Aims and principles of the CAF are to:

•A process supported by a standard national approach and form

•Improve joint working and communication

•Support the sharing of information

•Rationalise assessments

•Aid better referrals

•Holistic

•Focuses on needs and strengths

•Simple, practical and understood by a range of professionals and agencies

•Empowering and a joint process

The CAF is:

•A shared early assessment of the child’s needs

•Supports early intervention/prevention

•Child or young person centred

•Evidence based

•Common to all agencies and are completed by a variety of professionals e.g. health visitors, nursery staff, teachers etc.

•A process that leads to a coordinated interagency working and a reduction in multiple assessments and duplication of service

The CAF takes a holistic approach to assessment but does consider three main themes:

1. The child’s development: health; emotional and social development;

behavioural; development; family and social relationships; self-care and independence; and learning;

2. Parents and carers: basic care; emotional stability and guidance and boundaries;

3. Family and environmental: family history and functioning; wider family; housing and economic factors; and social and community factors. (Stacey 2009:p.135)

The Three Key Steps of The CAF Process

The Pre-assessment checklist

This form is intended to guide managers and practitioners to consider whether or not child is achieving 5 ECM outcomes and whether or not a full CAF is needed.

The (full) Common Assessment Form

This is a national standardized holistic assessment tool. It is designed for all agencies to use to identify, gather and record a range of information of children and families with additional needs.

Identifying Levels of Need (e.g. Levels 1 -3)

Any child protection, safeguarding concerns must be referred to Social Care immediately!

Vision and Core Functions of the Lead Professional

Vision: All children and young people identified with additional needs (after the completion of the CAF) who require support from more than one practitioner should experience a seamless and effective service in which one practitioner takes a lead role to ensure that services are coordinated, coherent and achieving intended outcomes.

Core Functions of the Lead Professional:

•Act as a single point of contact for the child and family

•Co-ordinate the delivery of agreed actions (from the CAF)

1.Reduce overlap and inconsistency in the services received (CWDC, 2008b)

Selecting a Lead Professional

The lead professional could be drawn from any of the people currently involved with the child or young person. The lead professional should be the practitioner who is most relevant to the child or young person’s action plan and who has the most appropriate skills.

Useful skills for Lead Professional Functions

•Strong communication skills; diplomacy; sensitivity

•Establish a successful and trusting relationship with child/family

•Empower child/family to make decisions and challenge when appropriate

•Understand implications of the child’s assessment, for example in relation to risks and protective factors

•Support and enable child/family to achieve their potential

•Work effectively with other professionals from a range of services

•Co-ordinate meetings and initiative discussions with relevant professionals

•Have knowledge of local and regional services for children and families

•Understand boundaries of own skills and knowledge

6.7 Reflective task and key reading 2

Read through the sample forms, pre-assessment and full assessment form (follow the link below) http://www.education.gov.uk/childrenandyoungpeople/strategy/integratedworking/caf/a0068970/the-pre-caf-and-full-caf-forms Accessed 7/09/12

In light of the information read is there a child in your setting who you feel is not meeting the ECM outcomes? What makes you believe that this may be a child who needs additional support?

As the leader of the setting/centre what would be your responsibility in this process? What steps would you take to support this child? Which agency or professional/s would you need to contact for support and information?

In your learning journal record your thought and responses.

6.8 Team Around The Child (TAC), key features

Once consent to complete the CAF has been gained and information has been shared and gathered, it is the Lead Professional’s role to advise the relevant services and professionals to come together in a TAC meeting to assess the child’s needs and decide with the child/family (where appropriate) the next course of action, which would include the services needed.

The TAC is a multi-disciplinary team of professionals established on a case-by-case basis.

The TAC provides the following:

•Integrated working through a pre- agreed action plan with the child’s needs at the centre

•Gives parents the opportunity to share progress and impact

•Stakeholders can review their support and evaluate outcomes

•A Lead Professional you are expected to do all the work – you are ‘Wrapping the team around the child’

Confidential Information

Confidential - Information that is sensitive, not already in the public domain, shared in confidence. Confidential information can be shared if authorised by the person who provides it or to whom it relates. It can be shared if justified in the public interest:

•Evidence that the child is suffering or at risk of suffering significant harm

•Reasonable cause to believe that the child may be suffering significant harm (where there is a child protection issue social care must be informed)

•To prevent significant harm

•To prevent serious harm

•To prevent crime

It is important that you use your professional judgement!

Consent

•Must be informed

•Should normally be explicit but can be implied (written is preferable but can be verbal)

•Must be willing and not from a non-response

•Can be withdrawn at any time

Professionals must:

•Use clear accessible language

•Explain there are times when confidentiality cannot be maintained

•Be aware of relevant legislation (e.g. Children Act 1989, 2004 and the Childcare Act 2006)

•Follow local policies and protocols

6.9 Summary of the session

This weeks session began by examining the background and national context to the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families Framework.

Key processes of the CAF were explored and the role of the Lead Professional in relation to the coordination of services, particularly the TAC, was highlighted. We looked at the importance of gaining consent and the responsibilities of professionals and practitioners in that process.

Reflective tasks have included exploring the role and responsibilities of the leaders within this process.

6.10 Weekly task

Take the opportunity this week to find out how many CAF’s have been completed for children in your setting (this year) and why. Explore the role and responsibility of the leader in the CAF process.

Using your learning journal, reflect on your experiences and responses.

References

Bowlby, J. (1969) Attachment and Loss Volume 1: Attachment. Harmondsworth: Penguin

Children’s Workforce Development Council (CWDC) (2007a) Integrated working http://www.google.co.uk/#hl=en&sugexp=les%3Bcesh&gs_nf=1&cp=50&gs_id=1&xhr=t&q=www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/integrated- working/storyonce&pf=p&output=search&sclient=psy-ab&oq=www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/integrated-working/storyonce&gs_l=&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&fp=f6dd2f783ee0307b&biw=1263&bih=641Accessed 8/09/12

Children’s Workforce Development Council (CWDC) (2008b) The lead professional fact sheet http://www.google.co.uk/#hl=en&sugexp=les%3Bcesh&gs_nf=1&cp=79&gs_id=3&xhr=t&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.education.gov.uk%2Fpublications%2FeOrderingDownload%2F0335-2006BKT-EN.pdf&pf=p&output=search&sclient=psy-ab&oq=https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/0335-2006BKT- EN.pdf&gs_l=&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&fp=f6dd2f783ee0307b&biw=1263&bih=641Accessed 8/09/12

Children Act 1989. London: HMSO

Department for Education and Skills (DfES) (2003) Every child matters (Green paper). London: HMSO

Howe, D. (1999) Attachment theory, Child Maltreatment and Family Support London: Palgrove

Hutton, J. (2000) Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families: Department of Health, Department for Education and Employment, Home Office

Jack, G. (2001) ‘Ecological perspectives in assessing children and their families’ In J. Howarth (2001) The Child’s World: Assessing Children in Need DH/NSPCC: JKP

Jack, G. and Gill, O. (2003) The Missing Side of the Triangle London: Barnardos

Piaget, J. (1926) The Language and Thoughts of the Child New York: Harcourt, Brace and World

Sheriden, M. (1997) From Birth to Five Years London: Routledge

Stacey, M. (2009) Teamwork and Collaboration in Early Years Settings: Learning Matters Ltd Exeter

Vygotsky, L.S. (1978) Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Mental Processes Cambridge MH: Harvard University Press

Week 7: The complexities of working with a range of professionals in order to support children and families .7.1 Aims this week

The focus this week is on: ‘The complexities of working with a range of professionals in order to support children and families’ . This is outlined below:

•To explore some of the challenges related to achieving multi-professional collaboration and multi-professional working (MPW)

•Explore organisational cultures and the impact on professionals/practitioners

Look at the purpose and role of the leader/manager in supporting children and families, which includes a responsibility to develop MPW

•Consider the difficulties and barriers in engaging families who do not access services

•Look at the challenges of managing complex relationships with other agencies (e.g. Health)

•Resolving challenges and finding solutions

7.2 Uncertain Leadership and Organisational culture

We begin the week by looking at a quote by Graham and Jarvis (2011) in Trodd and Chivers (2011:p.131) which states that:

‘Uncertainty is an aspect of current Early Years practice, with multi-disciplinary working, new services and changing relationships with children, families and colleagues. Rapid change, uncertainty about the future and new role expectations can lead to insecurity and lack of clarity about how to move forward’

Does the quote above sum up some of the difficulties that you or your setting are experiencing?

Organisations (which include settings/centres/agencies) are at the heart of our lives and communities. Particular features below are common to all of these organisations:

•They exist in social settings and consist of a complex network of roles, relationships and interactions (particularly multi-agency/professional working)

•They are purposeful. They exist to serve particular intentions, functions and purposes

•They are led and managed. The activities of the people who work within them have to be planned, coordinated and evaluated

•They are life centred, concerned with the experiences and daily life of young children and families

•They are concerned with the growth, development, care and welfare of children and families

•Success in their work is significantly more difficult to measure and analyse than the outcomes of more product-based organisation (e.g. the chain Marks & Spencers)

Organisations like families are human systems in which a whole range of personal, social, psychological and political dramas are played out. Difficulties and challenges are created because it is not easy to achieve agreement about the script: the roles that people play and how the various acts and scenes are to be acted. In bureaucratic organisations there tends to be pressure to adhere to the script but in other types of organisation there is often more room for improvisation.

Cultures refer to the ways in which the various participants in organisational life – the practitioners, children and families that they serve experience their day-to-day work and the extent to which they feel able to commit themselves to the tasks and activities for which they are responsible.

When we become part of an organisation, we find ourselves in two distinct types of environment. First, there is the physical environment: that which we experience with our senses. This includes the building, the fixtures and fittings, the furniture and all the material resources. It also includes the people who work there, what they say and what they do. This sensate environment can be observed and documented. It can be filmed and recorded, and it can be witnessed both by its regular participants as well as by casual and occasional visitors.

Secondly, there is the invisible but equally significant psychological environment: that which is experienced mentally and felt emotionally by those who work there. This environment is not available for observation, filming or recording. It consists of the internal constructs and meanings, which each participant creates and adapts from moment to moment in the course of daily life in that organisation. It is the second environment that we need to give more attention for it is here that many of the clues to conflict, human effectiveness, efficiency, enterprise and success are to be found.

A number of significant features of modern organisational culture can be noted:

•The richness of personal experience

•The messiness of events and incidents (MPW)

•An uncertainty about tomorrow

•Disorder despite efforts at organisational tidiness

•Fun and enjoyment

•Enthusiasm and excitement

•Anguish and despair

Given encouragement people can make the best of most situations. The challenge comes in taking the matter of work culture more seriously than we have done in the past. We need to recognise that quality and effectiveness depend very much on how people are feeling moment by moment during the working day and on the treatment of people who are expected to carry out the key work of the organisation

7.3 Reflective task

Think of work cultures you have experienced during your career.

What similarities and differences can you note?

What effects do different work cultures have on staff?

How can cultures be changed and developed?

Use your Journal to reflect and note your responses.

7.4 The purpose of leaders of settings (particularly children’s centres) in supporting children and families

What makes a setting/centre successful in meeting the needs of children and families is ‘the collaboration and cooperation of different professional groups’ (DCSF 2007:P.3)

It is the role of the leader to ensure that the setting/centre makes a difference to the children and families it serves. They need to ask themselves questions such as: How well services are managed, how well integrated and how effective are those services in helping to reduce the gap between the most disadvantaged children and their peers. Also are the children safer, healthier, more resilient and better able to enjoy new learning opportunities?

7.5 Key reading – reflective task

This weeks reading is a report / paper by Martin et al (2009) Narrowing the Gap in Outcomes – Leadership (Pages 7-18). Click here to read now.

The report / paper aims to identify whether or not leadership has an effective role in narrowing the gap in outcomes between vulnerable children and young people and other children. Although this report/paper is not specific to the early years, however it does discuss key themes that relate to leading and managing within an early years multi-professional context (particularly children’s centres).

In the context of supporting children and families read pages 7-14 and journal your reflections and responses.

Leaders can make a difference by:

•Establishing and sustaining an environment of challenge and support where children are safe, can flourish and learn

•Providing the vision, direction and leadership vital to the creation of integrated and comprehensive services for children, mothers, fathers and families

•Leading the work of the setting/centre to secure its success, its accountability and its continuous improvement. Central to success is the quality and level of collaboration with other services and the whole community

•Working with and through others to design and shape flexible, responsive services to meet the changing needs of children and families

•Ensuring that all staff understand children’s developmental needs within the context of the family and provide appropriate services/activities that respond to those needs

•Ensuring that the setting/centre collects and uses all available data to gain a better understanding of the nature and complexity of the local community

•Using knowledge and understanding to inform how services/ activities are organised and how to offer differentiated services/activities that are responsive to all groups including fathers, children or parents with disabilities or additional needs, and black and minority ethnic communities (DCSF 2007:p.5)

7.6 Reflective task

Consider your own setting/centre. What is the purpose and role of your leader/manager in supporting children and families? Is it clear? What gaps or limitations can you highlight? What areas would you like to see develop and why?

Use your Journal to record your responses.

7.7 How do families experience services?

Families are less interested in who delivers services than in getting the support they need when they need it.

The family of a child with special needs or a family in crisis needs prompt and well co-ordinated attention from a variety of professionals. In his report following research into supporting parents, David Quinton (2004:p.29) observed that:

‘The benefits of inter-agency working needs to be part of an effort to understand the whole of the parenting ecology, not just a desire to see agencies working better’.

Challenges and barriers in engaging and reaching families

Research has shown that parent’s welcome well-informed, confident, knowledgeable practitioners who want to listen to their views, take them seriously and treat them more as equals. (Draper and Wheeler in Pugh and Duffy 2010). However this is sometimes difficult to achieve, as partnership working does not always appear equal. For instance where practitioners see themselves as the experts on children’s learning they may be reluctant to value the parents view. Parents too may not share the same understanding about how children can learn through play and choose not to listen to advice in the way they can support their child at home.

Accessing services can be difficult for some families due to lack of finance, time, no crèche, pressures of work, or illness (depression) and these families can sometimes be labelled ‘hard to reach’. Pugh and Duffy 2010:p.185 argue that,

‘The reality is that many services are very hard for families to locate, understand and reach, and it is more appropriate to challenge services to reflect upon and adapt everyday practice in order to reach out and meet need’

Do you have parents who find it a challenge to access services and activities in your setting? If yes reflect on how the services could be adapted to meet their needs?

7.7 How practitioners and leaders see partnership working?

Gasper (2011:p.34) highlights the similarities between agencies that contribute to building effective partnerships. These include, ‘clear aims, good relationships and trust…with an overwhelming emphasis on good relationships that are open, honest and respectful’.

Leaders of settings/centres state that one of the most common barriers to partnership working is the ‘fear of change and resistance to change’. Opposition often arises from possessiveness and a rigid view of professional boundaries, which creates an overwhelmingly negative attitude (ibid:p.35).

7.8 Four types of response to multi-agency working

.(Colin Fletcher, adapted from Jon Owen, Brathay Hall in NPQICL booklet 14 2010:p.8)

Feeling Negative Feeling Positive

Prisoner

Uncommitted

Disconnected

Claims has no resources

Remains in comfort zone

Professionally insecure

Apathy

Passenger

Observer

Shares when required

Contributes reactively

Fence sitter

Jobs worth behaviour

Lip service

Passive

7.9 Reflective task – Leadership

Consider the four responses above. Where do you sit? Are you a protester, participant, prisoner or passenger when it comes to your attitude towards MPW?

Are there particular individuals or groups of people that you find difficult to work with? Why do you think that is?

Are there trusting relationships within, between and beyond your team? How do you know?

What forum with other agencies does your setting/centre have for encouraging constructive and critical debate?

What is happening when everything is working well between teams and agencies? What are the motivational factors that you can identify?

In which relationships do you feel overwhelmed? What is happening when you feel troubled?

In your learning journal record your thoughts and responses.

7.10 Leadership and management challenges in multi-agency working

Change can be exciting as well as challenging at the same time, particularly when it threatens our well nurtured comfort zones (Gasper 2011). Goleman (1999:p.98) points out that, ‘people who lack adaptability are ruled by fear, anxiety and a deep personal discomfort with change’.

Bertram et al (2002:p.40) refers to the need for a ‘culture change’ in agencies, but issues around differing pay rates, and conditions of service for different organisations for example in Health, Social Services and Education only perpetuates difficulties in partnership working.

Hudson (2002) in Anning et al (2010:p.71) highlights that there are three barriers to MPW:

1. Professional identity: how professionals understand themselves and their roles

2. Professional status: how professional hierarchies and different distribution of powers are generated

3. Professional discretion and accountability: how professionals exercise discretion on a day-to-day basis

In expecting that professionals work in multi-professional teams we are often requiring that they confront, articulate and lay to one side the distinctiveness of their long-established ‘tribal’ beliefs and behaviours. It may appear that we are asking them to equate the high status and prestige associated with some professions working within children’s services - for example being a doctor or a speech and language therapist – with what some may consider as being the lower status of others – for example being a nursery nurse or a health visitor.

Aspects of professional identity ‘who I am’, in a multi-professional team and what I bring from my history as a professional are key to effective MPW.

Challenges inherent in multi-agency working:

1. Lack of uniformity in pay and working conditions

2. Co-location/separated space

3. Finance and sustainability – non-financial resources can create challenges e.g. building, sharing offices, equipment and time

4. Access to information and confidentiality – Confidentiality and information sharing strategies between various agencies and the need for common systems and protocols.

5. The use of appropriate language – disability not handicapped

6. Maintaining quality through change

7. Continuous change and its impact on professionals and agencies

8. Keeping community development on the agenda

9. Shared vision (including perception of change)

10. Valuing partners’ contribution -‘It is dangerous to think that one culture [agency] is better than another’ (Sadek and Sadek, 1996:p.21)

11. Staff training across agencies – ‘Enabling and encouraging professionals to work together and adapt common processes to deliver frontline services, coordinated and built around the needs of children and young people’ (DoH 2010)

12. Developing trust

13. Getting governance right (Adapted from NPQICL booklet 14 2010: p.14 Eastern Region Learning Community, January 2006)

Percy-Smith (2005) argues that sustainable partnerships are never easy as there are numerous barriers to overcome.

Below is a case study showing features and challenges of MPW at strategic, operational and professional or cultural levels.

7.11 Reflective task

What challenges have you encountered with MPW? Next to each challenge highlight a possible solution? Use the table below:

7.12 Summary of the session

This weeks session began by looking at uncertain leadership and the impact of organisational culture on practitioners and the working environment. We also began to explore the role of leaders in supporting collaborative working in order to benefit children and families.

We briefly looked at the way families experience services and the challenges that are sometimes present in accessing services. We examined how practitioners and leaders see partnership working and discuss the complexities and challenges that can arise when working with a range of professionals and agencies and considered solutions to these. Throughout the session time was built in to reflect on your practice and areas for development.

7.13 Weekly task

Speak with colleagues in your setting about the challenges that they see with working with a range of Professionals in order to support children and families. Make a note of these and consider solutions to these challenges. Add these to the chart in section 7.11.

Key reading

A key reading for this week is taken from Education 3-13: International Journal of Primary, Elementary and Early Years Education

Naïve Change agent or Canny Political Collaborator? The change in leadership role from nursery school to Children’s Centre by Lesley Curtis and Diana Burton.

To access this article click here to link to the University library. Choose to look at the article through Swetswise. You will be asked to log in with your University User-name and Password. When you are on the journal website, you are looking for 2009 - Issue 3, Volume 37.

When reading this article try to highlight some of the challenges faced whilst leading and managing. Use your journal to reflect and record your responses.

References and additional reading

Anning, A. Cottrell, D. Frost, N. Green, J. and Robinson, M. (2010) Developing Multi-Professional Teamwork For Integrated Children’s Services Research, Policy and Practice Berkshire: Open University Press

Bertram, T. Pascal, C. Bokhari, S. Gasper, M. and Holterman, S. (2002) Early Excellence Centre Pilot Programme Second Evaluation Report 2000-2001, DfES Research Report No. 361. Norwich: HMSO, p.40 Typology of network EEC’s; p.77, p.108

Curtis, L. and Burton, D. (2009) Naïve Change agent or Canny Political Collaborator? The change in leadership role from nursery school to Children’s Centre: Education 3-13: International Journal of Primary, Elementary and Early Years Education http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03004270903133162

DCFS (2007) National Standards for Leaders of Sure Start Children’s Centres

Gasper, M. (2011) Multi-agency Working in the Early Years Challenges and Opportunities London: Sage Publications

Goleman, D. (1999) Working with Emotional Intelligence. London: Bloomsbury

NPQICL booklet 14 (2010) Multi-agency working National College for Leadership of Schools and Children’s Services.

Pugh, G. and Duffy, B. (2010) Contemporary Issues In The Early Years (5thEds)London: Sage Publications

Quinton, D. (2004) Supporting parents: Messages form Research London. Jessica Kingsley.

Percy-smith, J. (2005) What Works in Strategic Partnership Working for Children Barkingside: Barnardo’s.

Trodd, L. and Chivers, L. (2011) Inter Professional Working in Practice Learning and working together for children and families Berkshire: Open University Press.

Week 8: Assessment A: The development plan

Content

Week 8: Assessment A: The development plan .

8.1 Aim this week

The focus this week is on: ‘Assessment (A) The Development Plan’

. This is outlined below:

•To look at assessment details for the first assessment of this module (The Development Plan)

•Discuss the learning outcomes for assessment (A)

•Consider what a development plan is and what it is used for

•Explore S.M.A.R.T Objectives

•Look at the rationale for the Development plan

8.2 The first assessment (A) in detail: The Development Plan

The assessment for this module has two parts, however we will only be concentrating this week on assessment (A). Please take note of the details below outlining what you need to include for the first assessment.

•A Management Development Plan (DP), which demonstrates the student’s ability to assess and plan for growth and change in the workplace

•Along with the development plan you will need to include two A4 (included in the word count) sides outlining your rationale for the DP and the chosen priority area (this will be discussed in more detail later).

•Because there is another assignment (assessment B) for the module, assessment (A), the Development Plan, contributes 40% towards the final mark you will get for the entire module

•You will be given a mark out of 100 for both assessment (A) and assessment (B). Your final mark will be an average of the two marks

•The total number of words you can use for the Development Plan is between 2,000-2,500 words

•When counting words you must include everything in the actual text, including quotes and references. However, we do not include the reference/bibliography list at the end of each assignment

•We allow a margin of 10% either way

•If you use far too few words, it is unlikely that you will have included all the information that you need to pass

•If you are very much over words we stop marking your work at the point you are 10% over. This may have extreme consequences if you have included vital information at the end of your work

8.3 The Learning Outcomes

There are 5 learning outcomes that need to be addressed across the two assignments (A) The Development Plan and (B) The Reflective essay. However there are 2 learning outcomes that are particularly important for assessment (A). The Development Plan will be assessed on the extent to which it addresses the 2 assessment criteria that have been highlighted below:

•Learning outcome 2

Explain the role of leaders in promoting high quality provision in the early childhood learning community

•Learning outcome 3

Discuss a range of theories to support early years teams and relate these to their practice in an equal opportunities context

In addition to meeting the learning outcomes above the Development Plan should:

1. Be realistic, appropriate and achievable

2. Offer a coherent assessment of what needs to be done to achieve

the identified goals

3. Identify the likely impact on children’s learning, development and

well-being

8.4 Assignment Feedback

.You will get two pieces of feedback on your work. One is a formal written feedback sheet and the other is the comments written on your work. It is worth taking time to read both sources of feedback carefully.

Sadly many students do not take this opportunity and can find themselves making similar mistakes in other assignments i.e. referencing, not meeting the learning outcomes. Pay particular attention to the university marking guidelines.

You should be able to understand from the comments why you achieved the mark you did. If you are unclear contact your tutor.

8.5 The Development Plan (also known as an improvement plan)

Development Plans are generally an outline of what you would like to improve (priority area) and how you plan on going about it e.g. an action plan showing who will do what and when.

Development Plans are based on best practice and continuous improvement. They are seen as a step-by-step approach to planning. They are useful tools for assisting the team in improving a particular area and highlighting expectations.

To do this assignment you should review current practice in a work setting related to young children, their families and within a multi-professional context. Prioritise an area that would benefit from a development focus e.g. Introduction of staff supervision within the setting, encourage Multi-professional working, choose a curriculum area to develop or an aspect of provision that need improving.

The extent to which you will be able to implement the planned developments will of course depend upon your role but you should make the process as meaningful as possible. If you are not a manager/leader in the setting, talk to the manager/leader about what you are doing, as they may be able to support you.

Use the grid (see Menu Content to the left of the screen) to indicate aspects of development such as the purpose and aim of the initiative, the range of tasks that will be needed to complete the initiative or development, staff development needs and so on.

Development plan grid

On a large piece of paper, draw (on the computer) a grid with twelve columns. The headings of each column are as follows:

1. Priority area

This will be an area that you wish to develop or improve e.g. a major curriculum issue or provision such as the introduction of ECAT (Every Child A Talker), the 2 year old pilot, EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage) or the introduction of Multi-professional working. If you are not sure what constitutes a major area for development or improvement, please check with your tutor. Choosing the home corner to develop is not considered a major issue or area.

2. Objective

An objective is a short-term, measurable step within a designated period of time and moving towards a long-term goal (Do not use more than 4/5 objectives). This should identify what you are trying to achieve. So for example under the priority area of improving children’s Communication, Language and Literacy (CLL) skills, you may want to improve CLL:

•Throughout the setting by creating communication friendly spaces.

•Increase parental understanding of the ECAT programme and raise awareness of the importance of their involvement and the impact it can have on their children’s language development.

•Monitor practitioner/child communication.

3. Tasks

Tasks are like to do lists; things that need to be done and as part of an objective e.g. arranging a team meeting. For each of the objectives you have set there will be a wide range of tasks and these should be identified and listed as far as possible in the order in which you think they should be undertaken.

4. Involvement

Who will need to be involved (and in which of the identified tasks)? e.g. Deputy manager, Multi-agency team, Early Years Teacher, EYP, Parents.

5. Responsibility

Who is to be responsible for the overall development and oversee the task and ensure that it is completed.

6. Start date

When will the task start (estimate)

7. Completion date

8. Staff development

Staff development implications or support. Where possible solutions, for example actual courses, arrangements for visits, reading (policy or academic). These should all be identified.

9. Resources

Resources identify what is needed to get the task completed. The estimated budget figure should be given. As many actual costs as possible should be included. These may include the costs of materials, of covering staff to go on courses or visits or for release to develop materials or work with parents. This column should include time implications, for example staff meetings or meetings with parents, managers or governors.

10. Success criteria

This column should show how you intend to judge whether you have successfully achieved what you set out to achieve. It will not be enough to say for example that a policy is completed – a success criterion may be that the policy is understood by staff and implemented in their practice.

11. Monitoring

Monitoring involves keeping a close watch over a task. Who will actually do the monitoring? What will they actually do and when?

12. Evaluation

This column is for you to set out the ways in which the success criteria will be judged.

Included is an example of a students management development plan. This is meant as a guide only and should obviously be customised to meet your needs.

8.6 S.M.A.R.T Objectives

S.M.A.R.T Objectives are acronyms that are often related to key performance indicators, see the chart below for its meaning (Doran 1981):

S Specific Is the objective clear and well defined? Can everyone understand it?

M Measurable You should be able to tell when the objective has been completed

A Achievable Is the objective realistic? Can it be done?

R Relevant Does the objective matter to achieving the overall goal?

T Timely What will be the start and completion date?

When setting objectives for the DP these acronyms may help you decide whether or not the objectives will be useful in achieving your overall goal. So check your objectives using the above chart.

8.7 The rationale for the Development Plan

This should be written on no more than two A4 sheets of paper (and is included in the word count).

The rationale should include a context around your choice of priority area e.g. During a recent Ofsted inspection it was identified that staff knowledge and understanding of children’s early language development was limited. The Early Years Advisory teacher then recommended the governments Every Child A Talker programme as a way of raising staff knowledge and understanding to support children’s achievement in this area. Obviously this will be discussed in more detail and include elements of the learning outcomes.

There may be more than one reason for your choice of priority area but this must be made clear. Remember to be mindful of the two learning outcomes mentioned previously:

•Learning outcome 2

Explain the role of leaders in promoting high quality provision in the early childhood learning community

•Learning outcome 3

Discuss a range of theories to support early years teams and relate these to their practice in an equal opportunities context

. 8.8 The assessment deadline and the practicalities of handing in your assignment

•The deadline for handing in assessment (A) is the week of 14th January 2013.

•Assignments (the two A4 written sheets and not the DP itself) should be double-spaced and in a clear font such as Ariel. Use a font size no smaller than 12. There should be clear margins at the top, bottom and sides

•Each page should be numbered and should preferably have your University ID in a prominent position

•Include a title page for your assignment, with the module code and the assessment element (A for the Development Plan)

•At the end of each assignment, include a list of references of the sources you have used in the text

•Keep an electronic copy of your final assignment

•Put your work in a plastic envelope or a light binder. Please do not use ring binders that take a great deal of space. Similarly, do not put individual sheets of paper into individual plastic wallets as this is annoying for the marking tutor

•For each assessment (A or B) print off an assessment cover sheet from E vision. Firmly attach this to your assignment

•We would like to remind you that plagiarism is seen as academic misconduct. This is where the submission for assessment of material is originally produced by another person or persons, without indicating that the material is not original and that the work could be assumed to be the student’s own. If you are confused about what plagiarism is please read The Complete Guide to Referencing and Avoiding Plagiarism. This is an E book.

8.9 Reflective task

Take some time out to consider and reflect on the above information. Is there anything that you are unclear about? If there are make a note of these and discuss them with your tutor. Journal your reflections and responses.

8.10 Summary of session

During this session we have covered what a DP is and looks like (example attached). The learning outcomes and word count (2,000-2,500) pertinent to this assessment has been highlighted, which includes a two page A4 rationale for the DP. Reference to SMART Objectives was discussed in relation to keeping your objectives more focussed and meaningful. The practicalities of handing in your assignment and the deadline were also mentioned.

8.11 Weekly task

•Get a copy of your settings Development/Improvement Plan

•Find out as much as you can about how the DP was arrived at in your setting and why

•Speak with colleagues to get ideas and support for your chosen priority area

•Begin to identify and start to develop your ideas (where possible share these with your tutor) then begin to write your DP

References and additional reading

Doran, T. (1981) ‘There’s a SMART way to write Management’s goals and objectives’ Management Review, Volume 70, Issue 11 pp.35-36

Neville, C (2010) The Complete Guide to Referencing and Avoiding Plagiarism Maidenhead OUP (especially Ch 6) An E book

Week 9: Working with teams and groups

9.1 Aims this week

The focus this week is on: ‘Working with teams and groups’ This is outlined below:

•Consider Indicators of good practice in multi-professional working

•Highlight both the national and local context of team work in the early years

•Identify what teams and groups are and how they operate

•Explore what it means to be part of a team and explore Belbin’s (1981) theory of effective personality types within work teams

•Engage in continual evaluation and reflection of practice in students learning journal

We begin the week by considering the following quote in relation to team members working together:

Working in an early years setting whether it is large or small involves many interactions between adults… These may be formal or informal. But these interactions are regarded as the building blocks of the service and the outcome of the service’ (Rodd 1998 cited in Jones and Pound 2008:p.25).

9.2 Key reading 1

In order to gain a context of multi-professional working read and reflect on this article from the Scottish Council for Research in Education - Multidisciplinary Teamworking Indicators of Good Practice by Valerie Wilson and Anne Pirrie. Click here to read now.

What are the authors trying to tell us about multi-disciplinary team working? Journal your responses.

9.3 Background, National and Local Context

It is the intention of government to create an ‘integrated workforce, with multi-disciplinary teams (DfES,2004:P.17), and ‘partnerships’ across services (DfES, 2004:p.23), the government has therefore raised the profile of teamwork in Early Years.

In the context of rapid and accelerating change, it is no longer sensible to lead settings/centres, which rely on separation and individualism. Survival and effectiveness depend upon those working in settings/centres developing more efficient and effective ways of satisfying the numerous, varied and continual work demands that are created, particularly with regards to multi-professional working. Much of the stress experienced in settings/centres comes from the fact that team members seem to be competing with each other or agency rather than collaborating.

Ray Krok (1977) suggests that ‘None of us is as good as all of us’. This underlines the enormous potential – lying untapped and underused in most settings/centres – that can only be released by bringing individuals together in powerful work alliances, often temporary ones, to tackle the unending flow of tasks, projects and demands that arrive daily in most settings/centres. Increasing levels of stress suggest that traditional management structures are experiencing considerable difficulty in meeting new demands and changed circumstances. Collaboration has the capability to enable most organisations to increase both their efficiency and effectiveness particularly in meeting the needs of children and families.

In recent years, the combination of pressures from heightened expectations, rapid change and legislation has bought about some significant effects on settings and centres:

•Increase in the weight of individual workloads

•Increase in the complexity of workloads

•Too little time for too many changes

•Managing many significant changes simultaneously

•Lack of time for preparation, adjustment and training

•Changes changed again before being implemented

•Increase in confusion, ambiguity, turbulence

•Panic to cover the ground with insufficient attention to detail

•Further erosion of professional time into personal time at the expense of individual wellbeing, family life and work-life balance.

Reflective task

Think about the differences between working in a setting/centre based on competitiveness and one based on collaboration and cooperation.

Which is best for you?

How, in your experience do individuals tend to react to competitive cultures?

What tends to happen in collaborative cultures?

Use your journal to evaluate and reflect on practice, and where relevant make links to learning outcome 3

9.5 Being a team member and teamwork

What is a team? There are various definitions; Rodd (2006:p.149) has the view that a team is, ‘a group of people cooperating with each other to work towards achieving an agreed set of aims, objectives or goals while simultaneously considering the personal needs and interests of individuals’.

Whalley (2008:p.89) however considers that a team is ‘a number of persons associated in some joint action’. What is your view or definition of a team?

What are the differences then between a team and a group?

Whalley (2008:p.89) gives us her theory and puts forward the view that a group ‘is simply a collection of individuals who happen to be in the same place at the same time but not necessarily bound by any common purpose’. Do you agree with Whalley? If not how would you describe a group?

Duck (2001:p.95) believes that good teamwork it is essential and is about working together for the common good, being committed to the same goals and helping each other to achieve these. He highlights that ‘failure to create that kind of teamwork can be fatal to the entire change’.

Teams are made up of individuals, each with their own hopes and aspirations as well as their worries and concerns. Three particular issues facing us when we join a team:

•Inclusion: Will I feel involved and accepted?

.•Control: How much influence will I have?

•Affection: Will other team members like me?

The following list of questions will help to focus on these issues and to raise awareness of the challenges and difficulties that can arise when people who do not have a great deal of experience working in teams and are often required to work in multi-professional teams in more collaborative ways.

These issues are crucially important to the effectiveness and well being of individuals in groups yet they are rarely acknowledged as part of the necessary process development of a team. We all bring important needs into teamwork, as we do into other aspects of our work, and good teams develop a sensitive awareness of personal difficulties, worries and concerns. If team members are struggling to handle their feelings of being excluded, being controlled or being disliked, the whole team is likely to suffer and the quality of the teamwork will be inhibited.

9.6 Reflective task

Reflect on your involvement in groups and teams, both at work and in other aspects of your life.

Come up with some examples of when you were:

•Part of a group

•A member of a group

•Part of a team

•A member of a team

Use your journal and consider the questions above (p.3) to guide your reflection and responses.

9.7 Organisational forces and the challenges facing leader/managers

There are many challenges facing leaders and managers of early childhood settings/centres. However one of the great challenges is based on staff involvement and collaboration and the need to abandon the harmful effects of two deeply entrenched positions: competition and hierarchy.

Throughout our childhoods and schooling and later in the organisations, which employ us, we have been socialised into a competitive ethic. Being smarter than someone else, getting better grades, living in a better area and receiving a higher salary have become synonymous with success and achievement. Cooperation has not been on the agenda of qualities to develop in workplaces. It is therefore not surprising that so many of us find it difficult, often preferring to work on our own.

One of the harmful effects of too much competition at work is that it can create a sense that we can either win or lose. Since there tend to be more losers than winners, a loser mentality can set in creating despondency, feelings of inadequacy and the belief that it is not really worth making an effort. The motivational costs of a competitive work culture can be very high with a few striving very hard and the majority wishing they worked somewhere else.

As for hierarchies, they have been developed to emphasise vertical separation and steep career ladders. It is important to be aware of the effects that separating colleagues in such a way can have. Status and salary differentials have traditionally been the cause of a great deal of discontent and conflict and the tendency in recent years has been to produce flatter organisations with fewer status levels.

People at the top of hierarchies tend to see their roles as interesting, challenging, unpredictable, important and satisfying. They have the opportunity to bring to their work the whole range of experience and expertise. Whereas people low down or at the bottom of hierarchies tend to feel bored and frustrated because so little of their total repertoire of skills and experience is involved in their work. Oppressive hierarchies tend to diminish people, make them less than they usually are and certainly less than they could be. Such a crushing of human enterprise is bad for any organisation ensuring a poorer quality of provision and service than is possible.

.9.8 Reflective task

What is your experience of being low down in a hierarchy?

What effect did it have on you?

How do you think leaders and managers can reduce harmful effects that hierarchies can have on those with lower status and play?

Use your journals to reflect and record your responses.

9.9 Team members

Numerous research (e.g. Belbin, 1981) has been done on effective personality types within work teams. Belbin’s research focused on his practical work with teams of managers in training courses, where he identifies arrange of personality types within achieving teams. Belbin (1981) highlights the importance of a team having a variety of attributes. Teams that only have creative and highly intelligent members, for example did not necessarily get on with each other, nor get the task done. To read more, click here .

Below is a brief outline (adapted) of Belbin’s teams (Handy1999).

Handy (1999:p.161) highlights that ‘Too many of one type in a team means a lack of balance; too few roles and some tasks do not get done. In a small team, therefore, one person may have to perform more than one role. The full set is most important where rapid change is involved in the workforce’

9.10 Reflective task

Looking at Belbins theory of team attributes or personality types, which attributes do you bring to your team?

Can you identify team members with any of the attributes or personality type discussed above?

Do you believe that there is a balance of attributes within your team? If not which personality type do you feel is missing and why?

Use your journal to evaluate and reflect your responses.

9.11 Key reading 2

This weeks key reading is a scanned chapter taken from Leadership and management in the early years: from principles to practice, chapter 3. Written by Caroline Jones and Linda Pound. Click here to read now.

Read pages 25-38 and use your journal to reflect on and answer the following questions:

1. How do or can child-minders work as part of a team?

2. How can teamwork have a crucial impact on the quality of services or provision?

3. What are the responsibilities or role of the leader in supporting teams?

4. Why is it important that each team member contributes to an effective team culture?

5. Thinking of the forming, storming, norming, performing stages – What stage would you say that your team is at and why?

6. Looking at the section on characteristics of effective teams, highlight the comments that relate to your team.

7. What areas of those characteristics (p.35) do you believe need developing to make your team more effective?

8. Why is it of paramount importance that roles and responsibilities are clearly defined, established and understood?

9. Edington (2004) discusses three types of teams -rigorous and challenging teams, turbulent teams and cosy teams. What is your understanding of these teams?

10. Reflecting on the three types of teams described (on page 37), how would you describe your team and why?

9.12 Summary of week

We began the week by looking at Multi-disciplinary Team Working Indicators of Good Practice by Valerie Wilson and Anne Pirrie, in order to understand the context of this type of working. We then explored the National and local context of team work in the early years. We also examined what being a team member and teamwork involved and considered organisational forces and the challenges facing leaders/managers in relation to competition and hierarchies in teams. We then explored Belbin’s theory on personality types and attributes. We end the week reflecting and analysing a reading by Caroline Jones and Linda Pound on developing a team culture.

9.13 Weekly task

Imagine you have been selected to open a new Children’s Centre with a multi-disciplinary team. What would be among your top priorities as leader/manager?

What would you do to create a culture where everyone felt involved, committed and enthusiastic?

Use your journals to record your responses.

References

Department for Education and Skills (DfES) (2004) Every child matters: change for children. Nottingham: DfES.

Duck, J. D. (2001) The Change Monster: The Human Forces that Fuel or Foil Corporate Transformation and Change. New York: Crown Business

Handy, C. (1999) Understanding Organizations (4thedn) Penguin

Jones, C. and Pound, L (2008) Leadership and management in the early years: from principles to practice. Open University Press

Krok, R. (1977) Grinding it Out: The Making of McDonalds New York: Berkley

Rodd, J. (2006) Leadership in Early Childhood (3rdedn). Maidenhead: Open University Press

Whalley, M. E. (2008) Leading Practice in Early Years Settings Learning Matters Ltd, Exeter University Press

Wilson, V. and Pirrie, A. (2000) Multidisciplinary Teamworking Indicators of Good Practice: The Scottish Council for Research in Educationhttp://moderntimesworkplace.com/good_reading/GRWhole/Multi-Disciplinary.Teamwork.pdfaccessed 16/11/12

Stacey, M. (2009) Teamwork and Collaboration in Early Years Settings: Learning Matters Ltd Exeter University Press.

Week 10: Identifying Values, Principles and Visions

Key reading by Eden Charles New futures, at whose cost? Click here  to read now.

Take some time out to read and reflect on Eden Charles’s paper. It will challenge your thinking about values. Whilst reading use your journal to reflect and respond to any challenges.

Whalley (2008:p.36) believes that ‘One of the most important ways you will demonstrate leadership of equality practice is through your personal value stance… Acknowledging the extent to which our own personal belief and value systems influences what we bring to the Early Years environment is an important ‘first’ step’ en route to anti-discriminatory practice’.

Rodd (2006:p.26/27) highlights that a vision is ‘the leaders hopes and dreams’ that ‘provides direction for and sustains action in the team’.

Most of us spend a lot of our lives locked into our imaginations. Unlike our normal vision, which often needs corrective lenses to improve it, our imaginations stay powerfully active throughout our lives. Imagination is responsible for giving form and shape to our fears and anxieties as well as to our desires and longings.

Virtually all the great achievements of the human race began as seed ideas, which grew into mental pictures in the imagination before they manifested themselves in practical realities, so too in leadership and management.

But it is never enough to stay in the imagination or to be only a dreamer. The hard realities of leadership and management are that the visions and dreams have to be worked and struggled for. But without the powerful visions and dreams for our work, there would be little point to the striving. Effectiveness in our settings/centres and work is the practical realisation of what is first imagined in the mind.  

Kouzes and Posner (2012) points out the importance of articulating the vision to teams and highlight that,‘There’s nothing more demoralizing than a leader who can’t articulate why we’re doing what we’re doing’. Hesburgh (2012) believes that ‘The very essence of leadership is that you have to have a vision. It’s got to be a vision you articulate clearly and forcefully on every occasion’.

 The visionary leader

 The key task for leaders is to create and build a vision, which is shared by all those involved. Smith and Langston (1999:p.20) suggest that, ‘Leaders should be visionary yet realistic; sensitive but demanding, innovative yet practical’.

Vision needs to be seen as a calling, rather than simply a good idea. Sharing in a vision can uplift our aspirations and create sparks of excitement, compel experimentation and risk taking, and increase the courage to succeed. Shared vision can never be ‘official’; it needs to bubble up through the staff as well as filter down from the top. Vision is not to be seen as a solution to problems but rather a driving force for development and change. It is one of the key components of leadership work, relentless and never ending. It involves constant attention to three fundamental questions:

· What does the future we are seeking to create look like?

· Why are we pursuing this particular vision?

· How do we behave to be consistent with the vision we are committed to?

 Below is a table outlining principles of visionary leadership taken from Walden and Shaiba’s eight principles for the visionary leader cited in Whalley (2008:) which has been adapted.

10.8  Reflective task

To what extent are you a professional dreamer, building visions in your imagination of an ideal early years world?

Take time to review your professional visions; the clearer they become, the more powerful will be your determination to achieve them.

Use your journal to reflect and record your responses

10.9 Key reading

Judi Marshall – Re-visioning organizations by developing female values. Click here  to read now.

This paper by Judi Marshall will challenge your thinking. Marshall considers the potential contributions of female values to organisational life.

Use your journal to reflect and respond to any challenges to your thinking.

10.10 Creating a vision

Visioning helps to give professionals a sense of purpose and meaning to their work. If leaders are skilled they can influence professionals getting them excited about their view of the future while inviting them to help develop and form that picture or image.

 How can you create a shared vision?

The Children Act 2004 was one of the main catalysts for encouraging Multi-professional working. The vision is for services to work together to support children in achieving the Every Child Matters five outcomes, whilst helping staff to focus on their roles and responsibilities.  

1.     Practice creating a vision in an area of your work. Ask yourself  ‘what do I want to create?’

2.     Develop a vision about something that inspires you. Your enthusiasm will motivate you and others. Listen to what they find exciting and important

3.     Expect that not all people will share your passion. Be prepared to explain why people should care about your vision and what can be achieved through it. If people don’t get it, don’t just turn up the volume. Try to construct a shared vision

4.     Don’t worry if you don’t know how to accomplish the vision. If it is compelling and credible, other people will discover all sorts of ways to make it real – ways you never could have imagined on your own

5.     Use images, metaphors, and stories to convey complex situations that will enable others to act (Ancona et al, 2007:p.92)  

 10.11 From big ideas to practical actions

.In a world obsessed with precise targets, it can be easy to lose sight of the big idea from which we draw our purpose and motivation. Vision is concerned with creating a mental picture of what it is we want to achieve. Targets have little power if they are not part of a desired dream or vision of how we want things to be.  Once we have a clear mental picture of what we desire, we are more able to plan the steps from where we are now to where we want to be at some stage in the future.

The striving forward into the future involves three particular and distinct journeys:  

1.     The visionary journey Leaders spend a lot of their lives in a visionary landscape. The visionary story which guides and steers their practical work involves constant twists and turns as obstacles are encountered, and sometimes major diversions are necessary when the planned way ahead is blocked.

2.     The psychological journey This is the journey of desires, ambitions, hopes and fears. Good leaders know that moving from the known into the unknown can be very frightening. Journeys in life can be frightening as well as exciting. A key component of managing is taking a sensitive interest in – and showing an understanding concern for -  the fears and anxieties that arise when people are faced with significant change and are doing something they have not done before.

3.     The practical journey The visionary and psychological journeys are undertaken through the inner landscapes of imagination and emotion. At work we also have to operate in the outer world of everyday realities. Being effective is about doing actual things and having actual conversations. In the end leaders are judged by what they say and do, and whether or not it achieves the results intended. In practical terms it is through the many professional conversations each day that dreams and visions are built. As they listen to what their colleagues think and feel about their work and how they are experiencing it, leaders are able to reflect their understanding and contribute our own thoughts and ideas. Through such professional dialogue, connections are made, insights gained and actions planned.

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The issue of the leaders and mangers role in the defining of purposes and intentions is a vital one. We have inherited the tradition that one of the key functions of managers is to define and articulate the purposes and intentions for those lower down in the organisational hierarchy. This was based on the assumption that only leaders and managers had the wisdom and experience to understand the aspirations of the organisation and that those lower placed would not be sufficiently interested or concerned about the organisation.

10.12 Reflective task

What is your experience of being involved in the development of being involved in the development of big ideas and of contributing to the building of a shared vision?

What do you think it is like for those who are excluded from this important process? Use your journal to reflect, evaluate and record your responses.  

10.13 Summary of week

We began the session reflecting on our initial understanding of values, principles and visions. We them began to explore different theories around values, principles and visions. In the first reading you consider Eden Charles view on values and the second reading by Judi Marshall you considered the potential contributions of female values to organisational life. Both readings offered very different challenges. As we move through the session you look at different ways to create a vision and what that involves, from big ideas to practical actions in making it all happen.

10.14  Weekly task

.Consider some of the building blocks of your identity (Dickens, 2002) such as 1.Gender, 2. Ethnicity, 3.Class, 4.Religion and 5.Education.  

Reflect on the significance of these in shaping who you are and what you believe.

· Describe yourself in a sentence using the five attributes discussed above

· What is the role of the leader in ensuring that staffs are aware of these influences on them and their roles?

· How can leaders give staff the skills and confidence to challenge appropriately overt inequality/ discriminatory practice they witness?

References

Ancona, D. Malone, T. Orlikowski, W. and Senge, P (2007) In Praise of The Incomplete Leader: Harvard Business Review  

Charles, E. (1994) New futures, at whose cost?

http://api.ning.com/files/BRXqmhI9560WPBhEZxoAR4JquiU-0*X2Gb-R8219SjBjwgIO45Aczwq0JkNtZcD2bMF00-RiapJR4QwYlSF3T4OGjlNH3Ifb/cmnewfuturesatwhosecost.pdfAccessed 23/11/12 Dickins, M. (2002) All about …Anti-Discriminatory Practice. Nursery World, 3: 15-22 Hesbergh, T. (2012) About.com

http://humanresources.about.com/od/leadership/a/leader_vision.htm

Accessed 22/11/12

Kouzes, J. and Posner (2012) About.com

http://humanresources.about.com/od/leadership/a/leader_vision.htm

Accessed 22/11/12

Martin, V. and Henderson, H. (2001) Managing In Health And Social Care.

London: Routledge

Marshall, J. (1994)Re-visioning organizations by developing female values

http://www.randj.plus.com/Papers/1994%20Marshall%20Futures.pdfAccessed 23/11/12

Rodd, J. (2006) Leadership in Early Childhood (3rd edn). Maidenhead: Open University Press

Smith, A. and Langston, A (1999) Managing Staff in early years settings. London: Routledge

Stacey, M. (2009) Teamwork and Collaboration in Early Years Settings: Learning Matters Ltd Exeter University Press

The Oxford English Dictionary (2005) Oxford University Press

Whalley, M. E. (2008) Leading Practice in Early Years Settings Learning Matters Ltd

Take a moment to journal your initial thoughts on the following:

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