Verp project with newly qualified social workers

VERP Project With Newly Qualified Social Workers

October 25th, 2012

Robin Sen (University of Sheffield)

[email protected]

1

Introduction

• Introduce VIG and VERP

• Focus on the process of what we did

• Consider evaluation methodology and data for this project

• Reflect on learning from the project

2

Acknowledgments

• Higher Education Authority

• Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council

• Hilary Kennedy Avig

Social Work

Health

Education

Charity

University postgraduate

AVIGuk Projects in UK March 2012

80 AVIGuk supervisors

750 trained practitioners

At least 500 in training

www.videointeractionguidance.net

5. Child‘s Response(second turn)

6. Parent‘s Reception

4. Child‘s Reception

1. Child‘s Initiative 2. Parent‘s Reception

3. Parent‘s ResponseNew initiative

Eg child points

at ball

and looks back

at parent

Vigorous nod

And returns

look from

ball to parent

Pulls parent

towards ball

And points

again looking

Back at parent

Returns look to

child, smiles

and then looks

towards ball

saying ‘ball’

Parent gets ball down

for child

and gives it saying

‘there you are’ .

With friendly look

and tone

.

Saying ‘Yes, you

can see the ball up

high. I think you

want it’.

In approving

tone, looking from

ball to child

Interaction can continue

Context

The core principle for attuned interaction

VIG and VERP

VIG

• Parent-child interaction

• Roots in Netherlands (in social work!)

• Brought to UK in late 1980s/90s

• Strong evidence based in Netherlands

• Emerging evidence base

VERP

• Developed in the UK from VIG

• Focus on inter-professional communication and interaction with service users

• Tool for reflection on practice

BEING ATTENTIVE

ENCOURAGING INITIATIVES

RECEIVING INITIATIVES

ATTUNED INTERACTION

GUIDING

DEEPENINGDISCUSSION

Pare

nt le

d

1. TOWARDS

INTERSUBJECTIVITYPre-requisite for

building attuned interactions

2.INTERSUBJECTIVITY

The core of attuned

interactions

3. MEDIATED LEARNING

Developing the attuned relationship

Building blocks for parent as care-giver

Possible impact of each block for child as care-seeker

Feels love, recognized and important

Knows their parents are interested in what they are

doing and their wishes

Experiencing being received, parent commenting on

what they are doing and their wishes

Enjoys interacting with their parent

Enjoys being helped and learning from their parents

Is helped to manage difficult situations or learn new things

The Project

‘Control Group’ NQSWs 11

‘Intervention Group’ NQSWs 6

Consultant SWs (4)

8

SW Lecturers 2

The format of training• Day One (Full Day)

Introduction to VIG and techniques for filming and reviewing

• Day Two (Half-day)Reviewing films and making plans for change

• Day Three (Half-day)Review/ supervision session with strengths and working points. Introduction to difficult conversations with families

• Day Four (Half-day)Review/ supervision session. Deepening discussion on difficult conversations

• Day Five (Full day)Presentation of edited films by participants.

9

Some key principles

• Strengths based approach to work

• Coaching/Guiding not Teaching approach

• Parallel processes for ‘guider’ and ‘guidee’

• ‘Difficult’ conversations or ‘just’ conversations

10

11

Turn Taking and Deepening DiscussionDeveloping Attuned Interactions:

Waiting attentively from your turn

Giving a second (and further) turn on same topic

Giving and taking short turns

Interrupting long turns in the yes cycle

Deepening the discussion by

Supporting goal-setting

Sharing viewpoints, collaborative discussion, problem-solving

Naming difference of opinion; contradictions/conflicts

Investigating the intentions behind words

Reaching new shared understandings

Managing conflict12

Evaluation

13

Outcomes of social work education

4. Benefit to Users and Carers

3a. Changes in Behaviour

3b. Changes in Organisational Practice

2a. Changing Attitudes and Perceptions

2b. Acquisition Knowledge and Skills

1. Learner’s Reactions

Carpenter’s (2005)

levels of outcomes

Evaluation Data

Control Group NQSWs 9

Intervention Group NQSWs

5

Consultant Social

Workers 4

15

Evaluation DesignAll NQSWs

• Time 1 (1) [start of training] and Time 2 (2) [end of training] self-evaluation questionnaire

• Vignette scenario at start (T1) and end (T2) of training

• Open questions about their training

Intervention Group Only

• Feedback on VIG training

16

• Carpenter's Levels 1, 2a and 2b

– Learner’s Responses (Feedback Sheets on Training)

– Changes in Attitudes and Perceptions (Self-evaluation questionnaire)

– Acquisition of knowledge and skills (Vignettes)

17

1. Learners’ Responses to VIG

Very helpful in developing communication skills and

strengths based approaches. VIG clearly

has great potential for use in many roles.

Change of thought around [my]

positives/strengths

Has built [my]

confidence

Despite our initial doubts, it has been beneficial and a real

privilege to have had the opportunity

to take part.

Negatives:-Time

-Technology not always

working

Changes in attitude/acquisition of knowledge and skills

• Please see handouts at back of slides

• Consultants – Increase in average confidence levels by 15 points or more on all areas from T0 to T1.

• Control group – increases in confidence in 12/15 areas, one of 15 points or more. Decrease in 3 areas, not related to communication skills.

• Intervention group – increases in confidence in 14/15 areas. and two areas where increases of 15 points or more.

• Two areas of difference between CG and IG can be linked to course syllabus of VERP training.

19

Acquisition of knowledge and skills

• Positive differences in both groups between t0 and t1 other than for– CG in Areas 4. 8. and 9– IG no areas but Area 9. no change

• Strong evidence of gains in areas 1. and 6. for both groups, with slightly better gains for IG

• Significant positive difference in Area 4• Significant negative difference in Area 7

Conclusions and reflections

• Positive learners’ reactions to VERP after tricky start

• Increased self-confidence in skills with some greater increases for IG

• Increased knowledge evidenced most areas for both groups with similar gains. – Greater gains for IG in some areas related to VERP

– But also greater gain for CG in one area (Area 7) and gains for CG in 1 or 2 areas that are hard to explain in terms of VERP alone

Conclusions and reflections

• Process– Teething problems

• Time• Concerns about video recording

• Methods – Randomly allocating SWs to VERP unexpected

problems– Were the vignettes the best method to pick up

changes through VERP?

• VERP Learning– Very useful but from the micro to change of self