Career information, advice and
guidance delivered by Skills
Development Scotland
in North Lanarkshire
2 April 2015
A report by HM Inspectors
Full report
The external review process
HM Inspectors undertake an independent review of the quality of provision of Career
information, advice and guidance delivered by Skills Development Scotland (SDS) on
behalf of the Scottish Government under a service level agreement between the
Scottish Government and Education Scotland. External review teams include HM
Inspectors and associate assessors.
During external reviews, members of the review teams observe group activities and hold
discussions with customers, staff and stakeholders. They consider information on the
quality of career information, advice and guidance. They meet with recipients of the
service and obtain feedback from groups, partners and staff who work for SDS.
The purpose of this report is to convey the main outcomes arising from the external
review, to acknowledge service’s strengths and to provide a clear agenda for future
action to improve and enhance quality.
This external review results in judgements of grades that express the external review
team’s overall evaluation of Outcome and Impact, Service Delivery and Leadership and
quality culture and a judgement on capacity to improve based on the evidence from all
key areas, in particular Outcomes, Impact and Leadership.
The report also uses the following terms to describe
numbers and proportions:
almost all
most
majority
less than half
few
over 90%
75-90%
50-74%
15-49%
up to 15%
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Contents
1.
Page
Introduction
1
The external review
1
2.
Policy context
2
3.
The service and its context
3
4.
Background information
4
5.
Outcomes of external review
Judgement of grades
6
Section A:
Section B:
Section C:
Section D:
6.
Grades
Areas of positive practice
Areas for development
Main points for action
6
6
7
8
Outcome and Impact
How well are customers progressing and achieving relevant
high quality outcomes?
How well does the service meet the needs of stakeholders?
9
7.
Service Delivery
How good is delivery of key services?
How good is management of key services?
12
12
15
8.
Leadership and quality culture
How good is strategic leadership?
16
16
9.
Capacity to improve based on evidence from Outcomes and
impact, Service delivery and Strategic leadership
18
10.
What happens next?
19
11.
Further information
19
12.
How can you contact us?
20
9
10
Appendices
21
Glossary of terms
21
1. Introduction
The external review
The external review by Education Scotland took place between 2 February 2015 and
6 February 2015. The review focused on career information, advice and guidance
(CIAG) services delivered by Skills Development Scotland (SDS) in North Lanarkshire.
We examined activities that impact on the quality of customer experience. We
evaluated these against the three key principles of Outcomes and Impact, Service
Delivery and Leadership and Quality Culture using the 19 reference quality indicators
outlined in External quality arrangements for the review of Career Information Advice
and Guidance services delivered by Skills Development Scotland, published in
March 2014.
The external review team talked with customers, staff at all levels in the organisation,
external agencies and other users of the service.
1
2. Policy Context
The role of Skills Development Scotland
SDS all-age career information, advice and guidance services aim to support young
people and adults to make a positive transition into continued education, training or the
world of work upon leaving school. SDS achieves this by supporting customers in their
development of career management skills (CMS) which lay the foundations for success
in their future careers.
The services provided by SDS in schools are driven by the ambitions of Curriculum for
Excellence. Accordingly there are significant interdependencies between the roles and
responsibilities of schools and wider partners, the design and delivery of school
curriculum and the services provided by SDS. Planning for successful service delivery
through School Partnership Agreements requires effective collaboration between SDS
and its partners.
In March 2011, the Scottish Government published a framework for the redesign and
improvement of CIAG services. As the largest provider of CIAG services in Scotland,
SDS has a lead role in implementing this change. This change has been implemented
through an integrated service involving face to face meetings, communication through
contact centre and an online CMS environment, My World of Work (MyWoW).
Currently, this service is delivered on-site in Scotland’s 364 secondary schools.
Services include a blend of one-to-one career coaching support, facilitated group
sessions, drop in sessions, and supported access to MyWoW. The level of intensity of
support is determined by an assessment of pupil needs made in discussion with
schools. The greatest proportion of career coach support is provided to those young
people deemed at ‘medium or maximum risk’ of not securing and sustaining a place in
education, training or work.
Underpinning service delivery is the commitment of SDS to work with partners in
schools, local authorities and Education Scotland to build capacity to deliver the
ambitions of Curriculum for Excellence - Building the Curriculum 4, in particular
development of CMS. This partnership approach supports schools to deliver this
component of Curriculum for Excellence, whilst creating a learning context for young
people that is compatible with and builds upon the service delivery commitments of
SDS. As a result, much of the work of SDS requires effective collaboration with a range
of partners at national and local levels.
SDS has a key role to play in the delivery of the Scottish Government’s Opportunities for
All initiative, under which all 16-19 year olds will receive an offer of a place in learning or
training. SDS work in this area has been reinforced with the passage of legislation
allowing SDS and key partners, including Local Authorities, schools and Further
Education Institutions to share data on all the young people they work with. The Post
16 Education (Scotland) Act 2013 and the statutory guidance mandate SDS and key
partners to share data in order to support young people in their post school transitions.
2
3.
The service area and its context
In carrying out the external review of services delivered in North Lanarkshire, Education
Scotland took the following area context fully into account.
Career information, advice and guidance services are delivered by SDS in North
Lanarkshire from five service delivery points, including a base in Airdrie and the
premises of partners across the Local Authority. These include a college campus, a
credit union and a community centre. North Lanarkshire is divided into four cluster
areas: Motherwell/Wishaw/Shotts; Airdrie and Coatbridge; Bellshill; and Cumbernauld.
SDS has allocated staff to each of these four areas. A total of 52 staff, mostly full-time,
deliver CIAG services to customers and partners in North Lanarkshire.
North Lanarkshire is currently ranked within the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation
(SIMD) as the second most deprived local authority in Scotland. In 2012, 100 of the
976 most deprived (worst 15 %) data zones in Scotland were in North Lanarkshire.
North Lanarkshire’s share of the most deprived data zones has increased consistently
and significantly from 2006. In June 2014, the local authority of North Lanarkshire was
ranked 48 out of the 50 most populous metropolitan areas in the UK in terms of difficulty
finding a job. This prevalence of economic and social disadvantage is reflected in
comparatively low levels of educational attainment within the North Lanarkshire
population, and young people in school perform below the national average.
North Lanarkshire’s economy was based on its extensive coal and iron deposits. It
continued to be a major steel producing area until the closure of the Ravenscraig
Steelworks in 1992. North Lanarkshire also had a substantial manufacturing base.
However, in the last 30 years, it has seen a significant shift from an industrial to a
service-based economy. Prior to 2008, North Lanarkshire was one of the best
performing economies in Scotland, with the rate of business growth and the number of
people considered economically active outperforming the national average. However,
the area was badly affected by the most recent economic recession and between
January 2008 and July 2012, the unemployment claimant count increased by 151%,
significantly higher than the Scottish average increase of 106%. This represents 12.8%
male unemployment against the Scottish figure of 8.6%, and a female unemployment
rate of 9.1% against a Scottish figure of 7.5%.
SDS has jointly negotiated School Partnership Agreements (SPA) with each of the 23
secondary schools and three of the special schools in the area. SPAs outline the
specific services planned for delivery within that school based upon pupil need and most
effective form of delivery. Following recent staff feedback on how best to support pupils
in the senior phase, SDS has assigned a Transition Team to every mainstream school
in North Lanarkshire. Each Transition Team consists of a minimum of one School
Career Coach, a Post-school Career Coach, a Work Coach and a Personal Adviser. All
unemployed young people aged 16-19 are allocated a named Careers Coach, Work
Coach or Personal Adviser to support them into a positive destination.
3
4.
Background information
Terminologies used in this report.
The term ‘service area’ is used to describe the geographical area referred to in this
report. SDS uses a variety of approaches to deliver CIAG services. This is often
referred to as a blended service. SDS promotes a Universal Offer to support all
secondary school pupils. In addition, a Targeted Service Offer is aimed at pupils who
are at risk of not entering or sustaining a positive destination. SDS offers access to a
range of services for post-school customers. The different offers are shown below:
SDS School Universal Offer consists of:
o Access to My World of Work (MyWoW) web service
o Group-work sessions on:
 Introduction to MyWoW
 Introduction to career management skills (CMS)
 Introduction to labour market information (LMI)
o Drop-in clinics for career management and employability
o Opportunity for any pupil to request a face to face session
SDS School Targeted Service Offer consists of:
o
Structured programme of one-to-one career coaching
o Handover to dedicated work coach
SDS Post-school 16-19 Service Offer consists of:
o
o
o
o
o
Access to MyWoW web service
Structured programme of one-to-one career coaching
Dedicated work coach service for targeted young people
Telephone access to SDS contact centre
Open access to public centres (47 locations throughout Scotland)
SDS All age Service Offer (adults) consists of:
o
o
o
o
Access to MyWoW web service
Telephone access to SDS contact centre
Partnership action for continuing employment (PACE)
Integrated employment and skills (IES) – joint work activities with Job
Centre Plus
o Open access to public centres (47 locations throughout Scotland)
Further information on Skills Development Scotland’s services to individuals and
employers can be found at www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk. My World of Work
web service can be accessed at www.myworldofwork.co.uk
Staff roles
In North Lanarkshire, SDS uses a number of titles to describe the roles of the staff.
These include Career Coach, Work Coach and Personal Advisor. Throughout this
report, the term careers staff is used to refer to all staff involved in delivering CIAG
4
services. The Local Management Team (LMT) refers to the Area Manager and Team
Leaders.
One-to-one career coaching sessions
A major strand of SDS CIAG work is the delivery of one-to-one career coaching
sessions. However, the current arrangements for external review do not include
observation of one-to-one career coaching sessions and therefore this area of work is
not evaluated within this report.
5
5.
Outcomes of External Review
Judgement of Grades
Section A:
Grades
The review team awarded grades for each of the six key themes based on the following
criteria:
excellent:
very good:
good:
satisfactory:
weak:
unsatisfactory:
Outstanding and sector leading
Major strengths
Important strengths with some areas for improvement
Strengths just outweigh weaknesses
Important weaknesses
Major weaknesses
Key theme
Grade
Customer progression and achievement of
relevant high quality outcomes
very good
Meeting the needs of stakeholders
very good
Delivery of key services
very good
Management of service delivery
Strategic leadership
very good
Capacity for improvement
very good
Section B:





good
Areas of positive practice
An increasing number of young people entered initial positive destinations in North
Lanarkshire. The annual School Leaver Destination Return (SLDR) has shown a
year-on-year improvement over the last three years.
Careers staff are highly visible to pupils and staff in local schools and deliver a
comprehensive and appropriate range of services.
All careers staff in the North Lanarkshire service area are highly motivated and
enthusiastic and fully committed to their role in supporting customers.
SDS careers staff work well with local partners to coordinate and influence
activities across a range of services.
Stakeholder satisfaction with CIAG services is high and all partners value their
positive relationships with SDS staff.
6







All SDS careers staff build positive relationships with customers that enhance the
coaching approach they employ to develop customers’ CMS.
SDS careers staff recognise the value of parents and carers in supporting young
people to achieve their career goals and play a positive role in successfully
engaging them.
SDS careers staff foster innovative practices that result in positive outcomes for
the most vulnerable groups of customers such as looked after and accommodated
children and care leavers.
The recently-introduced Transitions Teams have enabled effective support to be
given in local schools to pupils who are most at risk of not progressing or
sustaining a positive destination on leaving school.
SDS careers staff use SPAs effectively with school staff to plan and coordinate
local service delivery.
The local team and area manager make effective use of the team leader role in
successful delivery to customers and in developing and maintaining relationships
with partners.
The area manager supports and encourages staff to bring forward ideas and
develop these in ways that improve the effectiveness of the services. As a result,
staff are highly motivated to deliver high quality services.
Section C:







Areas for development
Improvements in sustaining initial positive destinations for young people have not
increased at the same rate as national improvements and the results remain below
the national average.
Awareness of CMS and embedding this within the curriculum is not yet consistent
across all schools in the service area.
The Opportunities for All Group does not yet take sufficient account in its planning
of the full range of data available from the SDS data hub, including subsequent
destinations of young people and trends.
There is an insufficient range of national materials available for working with
customers with additional support needs.
Awareness of the Transition Team resources and their potential benefits to
customers is inconsistent in secondary schools within the local authority.
The analysis and use of data to inform planning is not yet sufficiently developed,
limiting effective planning opportunities. The local authority does not routinely
share data with partners or local schools.
Profiling of targets across the year is not always aligned to reflect local delivery
needs, particularly with regards to school activity.
7
Section D:
Main points for action

The local authority should routinely share data with partners and/or local
schools.

The Opportunities for All group should make more effective use of data.

SDS should continue to work with schools to promote and embed career
management skills.

SDS should continue to promote awareness of the wider Transition Team
resource available to schools.
8
6.
Outcomes and Impact
How well are customers progressing and achieving relevant, high quality
outcomes?
How effective is the area team at achieving and maintaining high levels of service
delivery?
The area careers staff team makes effective use of both national and locally-set targets
in planning service delivery. The team monitors progress regularly and benchmarks
performance against national and local authority performance and against previous
years. In 2013-14, the SLDR showed that 91.3% of young people entered positive
destinations on leaving school. This is slightly below the national performance rate of
92.3%, with most secondary schools in the area achieving positive destinations which
are below the national average in 2013-14.
In 2013-14, the service area met or exceeded all of its delivery targets and is on course
to achieve similar performance levels in 2014-15. SDS careers staff make very good
use of SPAs to identify, agree and monitor actions for annual service delivery. In
2012-13 most actions were achieved within the agreed timescales.
The overall unemployment rate including youth unemployment, while remaining higher
than the national average, has improved over the last three years. The annual SLDR
has shown a year-on-year improvement of more than five percentage points over the
last three years with increasing numbers of young people entering initial positive
destinations in North Lanarkshire. However, the improvements have not increased at
the same rate as national improvements and the results remain below the national
average. The number of young people sustaining a positive destination at follow-up in
2012-13 was 1.9% below the national average.
How well does the area team adhere to statutory principles and guidance?
North Lanarkshire careers staff take full account of legislation and relevant Scottish
Government directives which have a bearing on CIAG services. They use SDS national
guidance appropriately to plan service delivery and deploy resources.
All staff demonstrate a strong commitment to tackling inequality and responding
positively to the needs of customers and partners. All staff undertake appropriate
safeguarding checks and relevant training in respect of key legislative requirements
such as child protection and aspects of equality and diversity. The service area Equality
Champion provides careers staff with regular updates regarding relevant legislation. In
addition, a few staff have been allocated supplementary roles and responsibilities in
supporting customers with specific needs, such as looked after and accommodated
children and care leavers. Staff draw productively on these roles to keep up-to-date
with current developments. Careers staff work collaboratively with a range of partners
within the service area to identify and respond to the needs of customer groups with
additional barriers to employment. They share a commitment to improve the life
chances of all customers.
9
How well does the service meet the needs of stakeholders?
How well do customers make progress and achieve individual outcomes?
The area team delivers an appropriate range and level of services to meet local need
based on North Lanarkshire and SDS national priorities. SDS careers centres provide a
welcoming atmosphere and are conveniently situated for customers. For example, one
centre benefits from co-location within a campus of New College Lanarkshire. Wheel
chair users and customers with restricted mobility can access facilities with ease.
Careers staff ensure that adult customers and school pupils know where centres are
located, are aware of the CIAG services available to them and have the information they
require to access these.
Through development and ongoing review of the SPA, SDS staff work with school staff
to monitor progress towards achievement of targets and evaluate service delivery.
Careers staff are highly flexible and respond positively to requests from schools for
additional support and tailored services outwith the SPA. The LMT plans well for the
deployment of staff according to identified needs. In schools, career coach time is
allocated to individual schools based on customer requirements. Careers staff are
highly visible to pupils and staff in local schools and deliver a comprehensive and
appropriate range of services to pupils, including groupwork, one-to-one coaching, and
drop-in sessions.
Careers staff make effective use of the CMS framework to support transition planning.
Pupils develop their CMS well, and almost all pupils in the senior phase are prepared
appropriately for further learning or employment prior to leaving school. In most
schools, SDS careers staff collaborate well with school staff to embed CMS at all stages
of the curriculum and are actively involved in the delivery of CMS to all year groups.
However, awareness of CMS and embedding this within the curriculum is not yet
consistent across all schools in the service area.
Adult customers develop their CMS through ongoing engagement with SDS staff. They
benefit from the effective referral mechanisms that SDS staff have established with the
local Department of Work and Pensions (DWP). Adult customers develop confidence
and motivation, and value highly the support they receive from careers staff. Feedback
gathered by SDS from school pupils, centre users, and stakeholders show that most
customers are satisfied with the range and quality of services provided. The LMT
makes good use of feedback to inform improvements to service delivery.
How motivated, supported and enabled are staff?
All careers staff are highly aware of the SDS service’s aims and objectives and are
highly motivated and enthusiastic about supporting customers. The LMT supports
careers staff well and empowers them to plan, deliver and modify services to meet the
needs of individuals and groups. Almost all staff make effective use of their autonomy
to tailor approaches and materials in response to changing customer needs and
circumstances.
All careers staff hold appropriate professional qualifications and engage in regular
continuous professional development (CPD) opportunities to update their skills and
knowledge. A few staff are undertaking additional professional qualifications in
10
specialist areas, as well as degree and post graduate-level study. This enhances the
services provided to customers at all stages.
Staff operate in a climate of mutual respect and support each other well to provide a
consistent service to customers. Effective communication and team-working within the
service delivery team and with partners results in good information sharing, strong
planning of service delivery and effective responses to referrals. All staff engage well in
regular opportunities including team time to reflect on their practice, share approaches
and learn from each other. They share and adapt resources and approaches to meet
the needs of customers.
How well do services meet the needs of relevant communities and other local and
national stakeholders?
In North Lanarkshire, SDS careers staff work well with partners to meet the needs of
local communities. They coordinate and influence activities across a range of services
to support customers at various stages of accessing the job market. The LMT takes
significant account of the lifelong learning indicators in North Lanarkshire council’s
single outcome agreement (SOA) in planning and coordinating services. SDS staff work
well in partnership with the local authority, community services and voluntary agencies,
in the Lifelong Learning Working Group and Opportunities for All Group to plan and
deliver positive initial destinations for all school leavers.
SDS staff have built strong links with North Lanarkshire council’s social work services in
order to address the requirements of young people facing significant barriers to
employment. This includes working with local authority residential homes to support
looked-after and accommodated young people to make choices about their future
learning and employment. In partnership with the Social Work Youth Justice team, SDS
staff have established a Careers Surgery for young offenders. Careers staff work in
partnership with the community-based Routes to Work (RtW) service to secure the best
possible outcomes for post-school customers who are furthest from the labour market.
Those facing redundancy are supported well through effective partnership working to
implement Partnership action for continuing employment (PACE), to access further
learning and job opportunities. Careers staff work very effectively with schools staff to
ensure targeted support for customers across the service area. SDS staff actively
promote CIAG services and are instrumental in planning transitions for young people.
Stakeholder satisfaction with CIAG services is high and all partners value their positive
relationships with SDS staff. Partners acknowledge the level of support they receive
from careers staff and the value this adds to their respective organisational aims.
The SDS national data hub team and LMT regularly undertake local and national
workshops. However, the Opportunities for All Group does not yet take sufficient
account of the full range of data available from the SDS data hub, including subsequent
destinations of young people and trends, to inform future planning.
11
7.
Service Delivery
How good is delivery of key services?
How well do services meet the needs of all customers?
All SDS staff use their knowledge of the area effectively to ensure services focus on
appropriate priorities. Where appropriate, staff meet and work with customers in
locations which put them at ease or are locally convenient, such as Job Centre Plus or
learning hubs. Careers staff deliver some front-line services to adult customers in
partnership with DWP staff. Consequently, SDS staff have developed and implemented
a wide range of service activities to meet the diverse needs of their customers
effectively.
Career Coaches and school staff work well collaboratively to support young people to
develop their CMS effectively and sustain positive outcomes. Almost all S2 to S6
school pupils know how to access MyWoW constructively and all senior pupils use the
CMS resources on MyWoW to research opportunities according to their individual
interests and requirements. School partners use the risk matrix process well to ensure
individual pupils receive appropriate and targeted support. In particular, school staff
and community-based staff work well with careers staff to ensure appropriate responses
to pupils’ changing circumstances. Partners value the collaborative and productive
nature of this process.
Careers staff in schools promote drop-in facilities and themed sessions effectively to all
pupils. Where themed sessions are offered, staff plan them for critical points in the year
to enhance pupils’ awareness of support available. These sessions assist pupils to
make suitably informed choices about their school subjects and pathways to further
learning, training and employment.
How effective are relationships with customers?
Staff in SDS centres are accessible and welcoming to customers and all centre users
rate staff as helpful. All SDS careers staff build positive relationships with customers
that enhance the coaching approach they employ to develop customers’ CMS. They
are customer-focussed, committed and show determination in establishing and
maintaining contact with customers in a wide range of settings.
SDS careers staff recognise the value of parents and carers in supporting young people
achieve their career goals. They play a positive role in successfully engaging parents
and carers and securing their support and influence. Careers staff in schools and
community settings have a high profile and they are regarded favourably by customers,
staff and delivery partners. In particular, customers and delivery partners value the
continuity of SDS contacts which contributes to the development and quality of
relationships.
How accessible, flexible and inclusive are services?
All careers staff take good account of customers’ circumstances and tailor service
delivery sensitively to meet individual needs. School staff and Career Coaches routinely
review the risk matrix and use it well to plan interventions for individual pupils. Career
12
Coaches and Work Coaches regularly adjust pace, place and timing of interventions to
remove any barriers to accessing services. They foster innovative practices which
result in positive outcomes for the most vulnerable groups of customers such as looked
after and accommodated children and care leavers. The Career Coach working in the
local college actively supports vulnerable young learners on non-advanced programmes
in college.
SDS Transition Teams collaborate well with the schools’ Home School Partnership
Officers to engage with the most hard to reach pupils. Transition Teams work creatively
to support young people to make positive and sustained transitions. Their effective
case management creates a seamless service for customers including those with
complex needs. SDS careers staff provide a supportive customised service to assist
young people with additional support needs. They provide individualised coaching and
group activities and work constructively with school staff to identify appropriate
employment opportunities. They work well with school staff to engage parents in
widening the pupils’ horizons. As a result, almost all these young people make a
successful sustained transition. However, there is an insufficient range of national
materials available for working with customers with additional support needs.
Careers staff work well with partners to promote and embed MyWoW to support
customers to develop their CMS. For instance, Employability providers encourage its
use as a resource, and New College Lanarkshire is working with SDS to integrate the
Partnerzone element of MyWoW in SQA employability modules. This is leading to
customers accessing MyWoW across a range of settings including schools, colleges,
training providers and DWP.
How well are services delivered?
SDS CIAG services are aligned well to national strategy and take good account of local
priorities. Careers staff apply their professional knowledge and good understanding of
the local labour market effectively to inform and influence partners in planning services,
supporting customers and raising pupil aspirations. School partners value the
contribution made by the SDS team to deliver sessions on LMI to school staff during
in-service training and to parents. These activities are helping schools staff and parents
to increase and update their knowledge of the job market to support pupils in making
career choices.
Staff delivering group sessions to adult and school customers are highly skilled in
amending and adapting approaches to engage customers. They use relevant and
accessible resources and frequently check the understanding and progress of all
customers.
Career Coaches use an appropriate range of activities to engage pupils. They
demonstrate creativity in tailoring nationally-devised lesson content to enhance their
engagement and meet the needs of individuals. Recently appointed MyWoW
Ambassadors in S5 and S6 in secondary schools are successfully raising awareness of
MyWoW to peers, parents, partners and primary schools. The Ambassadors have also
promoted MyWoW to employers through a local Rotary Group. Through these
activities, MyWoW Ambassadors are also developing their own skills and confidence
whilst making a significant contribution to the wider community. However, in some
13
schools, pupils are often disadvantaged in accessing CIAG web-based services due to
unreliable access to information and communications technology (ICT).
Almost all pupils in the senior phase have increased confidence and independence in
developing and applying their CMS. They have a high level of awareness of the skills
they have developed and apply these skills outwith school.
Recently-introduced Transition Teams have enabled more effective support to be given
to customers in schools. However the awareness of school staff of the wider Transition
Team resource available and its potential benefit to customers is inconsistent. The work
of Transition Teams is at an early stage of implementation and although indications are
positive, it is too early to evidence impact on SLDR.
How well do staff reflect on service delivery to improve services?
The North Lanarkshire area team has effective formal arrangements in place for quality
enhancement and improvement. Consistent and ongoing self-assessment by the team
results in the production of a continuous improvement action plan. This plan is used
well by the LMT and staff to monitor progress and the impact of actions taken. Staff
draw productively on customer surveys to improve the delivery of services. Formal and
informal approaches are well supported by a positive staff ethos and widespread
commitment to continuous improvement for the benefit of customers.
All staff constantly reflect on their practice and work together well. Managers and
careers staff use the observation framework as an effective tool to support reflection
and inform professional development. Staff develop areas of individual specialism
which contributes to their own CPD and enhances the overall capacity of the team in
meeting the particular needs of individual customers or groups.
The team’s solution-focussed approach and drive to improve services is demonstrated
well in their development of the Certificate of Work Readiness and their innovative work
with children’s residential establishments. The impact of this approach is seen in
improved customer outcomes, particularly for the more vulnerable customer groups.
How well do stakeholders and customers participate in the development and
planning of services?
SDS careers staff maintain purposeful and productive partnership arrangements with a
range of stakeholders, including North Lanarkshire local authority departments, DWP,
New College Lanarkshire and local schools. Partners in the Opportunities for All group
view SDS staff positively and commend their willingness to contribute to local projects
and initiatives. Partners report good relationships with careers staff who they perceive
as being accommodating and responsive. Staff communicate their plans and service
objectives well to partners.
SPAs are used effectively by school staff and careers staff to plan and coordinate local
service delivery in secondary and special schools. SPAs provide a strong framework for
service delivery whilst allowing sufficient flexibility to respond to the specific needs of
individual schools. As a direct result of feedback from Depute Head Teachers, the
planning cycle for SPAs has been amended to better suit their requirements and make
the SPA more meaningful in supporting their pupils. The Team Leaders and the Career
14
Coaches play particularly prominent and beneficial roles in the communication and
development of services.
How good is management of key services?
How well does the organisation work with partners to improve outcomes for
customers?
Partnership working is strong in North Lanarkshire and all partners share a vision for the
delivery of career and employment services. They collaborate effectively to improve
outcomes for customers, in particular, initial destinations for school leavers. However,
the Community Planning Partnership (CPP) Lifelong Learning working group does not
focus sufficiently on young people sustaining positive destinations.
Careers staff build the capacity of school partners through close partnership working
with Depute Head Teachers and guidance staff, and through promotion and use of
MyWoW. This is leading to an increasing awareness of CMS, its relationship to the
wider school curriculum, and how it can be captured within Skills for learning, life and
work and incorporated into the aims of Curriculum for Excellence. However, the
integration of CMS within the wider curriculum is inconsistent across secondary schools
within the local authority area.
Careers staff work collaboratively with partners including DWP, RtW and the
Community Learning and Development Adult Literacy team to support adult customers.
They jointly deliver programmes that support the development of employability skills.
SDS staff respond well to national priorities and work well with other agencies to meet
customer needs. For example, SDS and an appropriate range of agencies support
PACE well in North Lanarkshire through effective partnership working.
Innovative partnership approaches applied by SDS staff are helping to meet the needs
of customers most at risk of unemployment. Careers staff and social work staff have
jointly developed a Careers Surgery which is addressing effectively the employability
needs of young offenders.
How effective is the organisation’s knowledge and information management in
supporting service delivery?
Staff meet statutory requirements appropriately and use national guidance well to plan
activities. They use SDS standard operating procedures (SOP) to plan and deliver
CIAG services. SDS staff make good use of national and local management
information to reflect on the impact of CIAG service delivery and inform future
approaches.
SDS staff ensure that appropriate arrangements are in place for sharing information on
individual customers and between partners. All local secondary schools are now
capturing data on individual pupil leaver destinations and are ensuring this is available
centrally via the data hub. The quality and accuracy of management information has
improved across the local authority as a result. However, the analysis and use of data
to inform planning is not yet sufficiently developed. The local authority does not
routinely share data with partners or local schools. This has resulted in a lack of
awareness of what information is available, thereby limiting effective planning.
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8.
Leadership and quality culture
How good is strategic leadership?
How appropriate and influential are the organisation’s visions, values and aims?
Careers staff understand the aims and values of SDS well and are contributing
positively to refreshing the corporate values. The senior management team is fully
aware of Scottish Government policy directives such as the refreshed Skills Strategy;
Curriculum for Excellence; and Developing the Young Workforce – Scotland’s Youth
Employment Strategy, and reflect these appropriately in setting strategic aims.
The area team identifies the needs of North Lanarkshire well through engagement with
partners, statistical evidence, and the council’s SOA, as well as Skills Investment Plans
and the Regional Skills Assessment. Staff use this information effectively to inform the
planning process at all levels. The area team has a clear planning process, through the
development of a Centre Plan which takes good account of the SDS national three-year
corporate strategy. Staff at all levels are appropriately informed and engaged in this
process.
SDS promotes positive attitudes to social and cultural diversity and carries out relevant
impact assessments of policies and procedures. The team has a designated Equality
Champion with the remit to promote positive attitudes within service delivery. The LMT
promotes sustainability well in SDS offices through posters, recycling activities and in
working practices, reinforced by the team’s designated Green Champion.
How effective is leadership for partnership working and service delivery?
The LMT has a clear vision of the organisation’s role and priorities in delivering local
services. The LMT has aligned the service offer to reflect these priorities and to ensure
the service offers sufficient flexibility to meet local needs. North Lanarkshire Council
values the services provided by SDS careers staff. The open and constructive
relationships between the two organisations have contributed to effective and
well-planned services. The LMT recognises the importance of partnership working and
building effective relationships and is committed to developing these to benefit
customers. The local SDS team is represented well on strategic and operational groups
such as the CPP board and its sub-groups.
The team has effective strategies in place to improve service delivery. Within schools,
the Team Leader works with staff and Career Coaches to evaluate service delivery and
impact formally. The team leader role is pivotal in successful delivery to customers and
in developing and maintaining relationships with partners. The local team and area
manager make effective use of this role to organise and enthuse staff. The Team
Leaders and area manager support and encourage staff to bring forward ideas and
develop these in ways that improve the effectiveness of the services, making
appropriate use of the local partnership fund to support initiatives. As a result, staff are
highly motivated to deliver high quality services. However, profiling of targets across the
year is not always aligned to reflect local delivery needs, particularly with regards to
school activity.
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The Opportunities for All group works effectively at operational level to improve initial
positive destinations for school leavers in North Lanarkshire. Service delivery staff use
their knowledge of the area and its characteristics to encourage the Opportunities for All
group to improve the destinations of learners at risk of not sustaining initial positive
outcomes. However, insufficient strategic dialogue within the Opportunities for All group
has led to a lack of focus on planning for sustained destinations.
How well do leaders develop and lead people?
The LMT responds well to the culture of leadership that is promoted by SDS and has
adopted a strengths-based approach to develop and support staff. This ensures staff
interests and strengths are appropriately utilised and staff are motivated in their work.
Team Leaders are confident that they will be supported by the area manager and head
of region and replicate this openness within their own staff teams. Staff are motivated
by their work and are committed to effective service delivery and future planning. The
LMT has been involved in piloting an effective leadership programme which provides
opportunities to gain recognised qualifications which will enhance their career
development and skills.
How effective is leadership for innovation and change?
The team is receptive to new approaches and participates in national pilots such as the
MyWoW Ambassador programme in two North Lanarkshire schools. A local initiative
subsequently led to the creation and implementation of the National Certificate of Work
Readiness. SDS supports the development of relevant vocational pathways through
introduction and use of LMI with local schools. This is raising awareness among school
staff, parents and teachers of appropriate subject and career choice.
The LMT has tackled creatively the ICT connectivity problems staff have experienced in
schools. The team is showing leadership by taking ownership of the problem and
seeking a coordinated resolution. As a consequence, LMT has identified considerable
saving in staff time which will benefit the customer and provide a valuable solution in
similar situations.
How well do leaders secure improvement of quality and impact of services?
The management team makes good use of self-evaluation processes to inform quality
improvement. Staff use a range of methods such as the observation framework,
feedback from customers; co-design of materials with teachers; and meetings and
workshops with partners to gather evidence for self-evaluation and suggestions for
improvement. The use of stakeholder feedback at individual, team and local authority
level has resulted in a wide range of improvements to services, including the
development of Partnerzone in MyWoW and the improved timescale for negotiating
SPAs.
The LMT uses the SDS staff survey to identify issues and areas for improvement.
These are captured in their local improvement plan and implemented appropriately.
Team Leaders regularly seek feedback from staff and use this approach to reflect on
their own effectiveness. One positive outcome from this process is the area adopting a
duty team leader to be available to support staff at all times.
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9.
Capacity to improve based on evidence from Outcomes and
impact, Service delivery and Strategic leadership
All careers staff in the North Lanarkshire service area understand the aims and values
of SDS well and are highly motivated and fully committed to their role in supporting and
meeting the diverse needs of their customers. As a result, an increasing number of
young people have entered initial positive destinations. Staff make constructive use of
SDS and partner facilities and resources to support customers and partners. They build
positive relationships with customers and work well with their local partners to
coordinate and influence activities across a range of services. They are highly visible
within local schools and communities, delivering an appropriate range of services to
pupils, young people and adult customers. Stakeholder satisfaction with CIAG services
is high and all partners value their positive relationships with SDS staff.
Team working is strong and effective and the LMT makes good use of the team leader
role and the recently-introduced Transition Teams in successful delivery of services.
The area manager supports and encourages staff to bring forward ideas and develop
these in ways that improve the effectiveness of the services. As a result, staff foster
innovative practices that result in positive outcomes for customers, particularly those
who are most risk of not achieving a positive outcome. The LMT and staff continually
review the impact of services and make constructive use of self-evaluation processes to
constantly inform quality improvement.
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10. What happens next?
Following publication of this report, SDS is expected to produce an action plan to
address the main points for action and/or areas for development in the report and other
quality assurance and enhancement activities.
Dr Janet Davidson
HM Inspector
11. Further information
The review and judgements relate to the service area as a whole. For further
information about Education Scotland, the external review methodologies, or other
information about reviews, see www.educationscotland.gov.uk
For further information about Skills Development Scotland, see
http://www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/
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12. How can you contact us?
This report has been produced as a web-only publication and is available on our
website at
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/inspectionandreview/reports/othersectors/careerss
ervices/index.asp.
If you would like to receive this report in a different format, for example, in a translation
please contact the administration team on 01506 600381.
If you want to give us feedback or make a complaint about our work, please contact us
by telephone on 0141 282 5000, or email: complaints@educationscotland.gsi.gov.uk or
write to us addressing your letter to The Complaints Manager, Denholm House,
Almondvale Business Park, Livingston, EH54 6GA.
Text phone users can contact us on 01506 600236. This is a service for deaf users.
Please do not use this number for voice calls as the line will not connect you to a
member of staff.
Crown Copyright 2015
Education Scotland
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Appendix 1
Glossary of terms
CIAG
CMS
CPD
CPP
DHT
DWP
ICT
IES
LMI
LMT
MyWoW
PACE
RtW
SDS
SLDR
SIMD
SOA
SOP
SPA
Career Information, Advice and Guidance
Career Management Skills
Continuous Professional Development
Community Planning Partnership
Depute Head Teacher
Department of Work and Pensions
Information and Communications Technology
Integrated Employment and Skills
Labour Market Information
Local Management Team
My World of Work
Partnership action for continuing employment
Routes to Work
Skills Development Scotland
School Leaver Destination Return
Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation
Single Outcome Agreement
Standard Operating Procedure
School Partnership Agreement
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