do the right thing - Effective Writing Workshops

Effective writing and recording training

Social workers tell us that they spend as much as 80% of their time writing and recording. If true, this means in essence that from Monday to Thursday they are sitting in front of a screen or handwriting notes: and on Friday are doing the face-to-face work that they probably came into the profession for. The sheer volume of this has meant that recording is now often not seen as part of the dynamics of care practice but more as an admin chore, not helped by the amount of duplication and repetition. Again, if this is the case (and it is very much our perception nationally) we believe that something is wrong. But we believe we can do something about it.

We believe that workers could spend less time recording if they were more confident in their writing ability, had clear expectations of the standards required and were more focused in their recording. We believe recording should be clear, concise, relevant and meaningful.

Plain English for Social Care - READ MORE...

Get Those Assessments Right - READ MORE...

Why is this subject important? Research shows that practitioners are extremely effective in collecting information for assessments. However, information alone, no matter how well it has been gathered or recorded, does not constitute an assessment. It is only when the information recorded has been subjected to analysis by the practitioner that it becomes an assessment.
How will this course help me? This course, using real social care examples, will take you through the practical steps of writing an effective assessment. It looks at planning, word choice, analysis and how to reach conclusions. But, most important, it looks to provide you with the confidence to write effective assessments.

What will I learn?
You will learn how to:

plan Effectively
write Analytically
write well
decide what is relevant
draw out conclusions
be clear and concise,
include the voice of the child and family.

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Record Business - Effective Recording - READ MORE...

Why is this subject important? Recording now routinely takes up more time than any other social work task. However, it seems to have almost taken over. Workers often fail to see recording as a dynamic, integral part of their everyday work – and partly because of the sheer size of the task see it more as a boring administrative chore. But by improving recording we will, in turn, improve social work practice: the two rely on each other.
How will this course help me? At the end of the course we want you to feel confident and supported in writing clear, accurate and relevant records. By recording more effectively it is our ultimate aim to reduce the time we spend at a desk and increase the time for face-to-face work.

What will I learn?
You will learn how to:

understand the need for a recording policy and practice guidelines
record with relevance, clarity, accuracy and focus
understand the pitfalls of recording and how to avoid them
be more analytical in thinking and recording
record inclusively
include the voice of the child, and,
see recording as essential for good social care practice and a way to improve social care practice.

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Analytical Recording - READ MORE...

Why is this subject important? Research, inspections and inquiries have all raised concerns that social work recording and reporting often lacks analysis. All too frequently, writing is mainly narrative and descriptive. There is a lot of information and a lot of facts. But we need to make sense of those facts and that information. What do they tell us? Why do they tell us that? What should we do as a consequence of that?
How will this course help me? You will understand how analytical writing requires you to assess the weight that should be given to information gathered. To do this we will show you how to draw on your knowledge from research, experience and practice combined with an understanding of the child's needs within their family or the context in which the child lives. This course aims to make you confident in understanding what is relevant and meaningful and then to show you how to write that down effectively.

What will I learn?
You will learn how to:

understand the process of analysis
be clear about what is fact, what is an “issue” and what is judgement
give weight to relevance of information
be more analytical in thinking and recording
understand the use of chronologies
work out what information might be telling you, and
make sense of the information to form a clear plan of action

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Effective Report Writing - READ MORE...

Why is this subject important? All too often social care reports are either structure-led or unfocused and repetitive. Either way, the message and impact are lost. If a report proves difficult to write, chances are it will be difficult to read.
How will this workshop help me? This workshop will take you through the practical steps of writing a sequential, powerful and rewarding report.

What will I learn?
This workshop will show you how to:

plan your report effectively
structure it a way that is logical, professional and easy to navigate
write with confidence
make your report easy to read and follow
produce reports that make a maximum impact for both the writer and the organisation
avoid getting stuck

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How to Write a Cracking Summary - READ MORE...

Why is this subject important? “Any one who wishes to become a good writer should endeavour, before he allows himself to be tempted by the more showy qualities, to be direct, simple, brief, vigorous, and lucid” HF Fowler and FG Fowler, The King’s English, 1906. This highly interactive, hands-on course explores what makes for a good summary – be it a stand-alone summary, a summary as part on ongoing casework or as part of a larger report. It will show you what information should make it into a summary – and what shouldn’t. Through developing your analytical thinking and confidence you will then learn how to express that information clearly and concisely for maximum impact.
How will this workshop help me? Participants work through various examples, and end the day writing a summary on a pre-sent report (or delegates may work on a summary from a report they are writing or one that they are familiar with).

What will I learn?
This workshop will show you how to:

understand the purpose of a summary
pick out the important issues
get to grips with the role of summaries in case work
write a summary in one page or less
choose the right words
consider the target audience

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Effective Writing for the Court - READ MORE...

Why is this subject important? Court reports are not primarily for fellow child care professionals but for magistrates, judges, advocates and their clients. A clear, concise, logically organised, immaculately presented and obviously well thought-out court report is not only a great asset but also inspires confidence in the writer. Cases that are soundly based and well presented often settle, saving everyone the stress, time and expense of a court contest.
How will this workshop help me? Statements to court can be unnecessarily lengthy and sometimes it is difficult to pick out the important points. In the past social work reports have been criticised for being unfocused, failing to distinguish between fact and opinion, reproducing large sections of case records with little structure or editing, or worst of all, failing to address the best interests of the child. This course will show you how to concise, relevant and easy-to-read reports.

What will I learn?
This workshop will show you how to:

collect information and communicate it effectively
draw considered conclusions
convey confidence and competence
convince the court, and
feel confident in writing clear, accurate and relevant reports that get the results you want.

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Effective Meetings - READ MORE...

Why is this subject important? It has been said that meetings are the biggest area of unacknowledged use of time, energy and resources in our working lives. Nothing wastes as much time or causes as much frustration as poor meeting management. Yet meetings are crucial to effective and inclusive decision-making. So we have to make them count. The people at the heart of good, well-organised and productive meetings are the Chair and the minute-taker – and their relationship is crucial. To perform well, Chairs and minute-takers need to be good listeners, knowledgeable, confident and diplomatic.
How will this workshop help me? This two-part course will look at the effective management and procedure of a meeting and show how to build-up an excellent relationship between Chair and minute-taker (the morning session); and will look at practical minute-taking skills (the afternoon session).

What will I learn?
You will learn to:

appreciate the importance of the relationship between Chair and minute-taker
ensure a clear purpose and make people’s roles clear
understand the importance of guidance on managing effective meetings
understand and improve your listening skills
capture the discussion
be able to summarise the relevant issues covered and the action points
provide timely, relevant and concise minutes, and
ask yourself: would someone who didn’t attend the meeting understand the main points of the discussion, the decisions reached and the required actions?

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