Lead, Follow or get out of the Way: Reflecting on IASCE

1. Lead, Follow or get out of the Way: Reflecting on IASCE Dr Niall McElwee, President, IASCE Dr Niall C. McElwee, October, 2003

2. A Changing Climate • All of our work, development and planning in education and training is taking place in a period of unheralded change (and confusion!) in the Irish social care landscape with competing interests and agendas … the needs of the Colleges versus/and employers Dr Niall C. McElwee, October, 2003

3. The Joint Committee (2003) • There is a demand for four main student pathways to become a Social Care Professional.   • ·        School leaver • ·        Other qualifications seeking credit for prior learning • ·        Experienced workers with no formal qualification • ·        Persons entering the profession as mature students with flexible training methods to accommodate same Dr Niall C. McElwee, October, 2003

4. The Joint Committee (2003) • · Standards of knowledge • ·Standards of skill and practice competence • ·  Standards of ethics and values and self-development • Standards of integration of knowledge, skill and ethics to achieve professional status Dr Niall C. McElwee, October, 2003

5. A Rugby World Cup Analogy • It’s the 79th minute of play. We are down by one try. We have 14 men/women with our captain in the sinbin. The opposition has out-manouvered us. Do we give in? Whom do we turn to? Who will step up? The forwards? The backs? Will we kick for goal, or kick to lineout and hope for a pushover? The options… the time… Dr Niall C. McElwee, October, 2003

6. Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way • The position and responsibility of the Colleges in the education and training of social care students…our strengths in research and consultancy • The position and responsibility of the Colleges in the politicisation of social care…being involved on national committees planning in a co-operative and partnership model Dr Niall C. McElwee, October, 2003

7. Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way • Should we lead, follow, do what we are told by “practice”, or simply get out of the way? – IMPACT Report… • Whom will support us in our decisions? …HETAC/IMPACT/TUI/RMA/IACW… Dr Niall C. McElwee, October, 2003

8. The Joint Committee (2003) • It is recommended that initially the minimum standard for accreditation as a Social Care Professional be equivalent to HETAC/DIT Diploma level. All training for extant non professionally qualified staff should benchmarked against this standard so that there is a consistent standard across all the professional membership. Dr Niall C. McElwee, October, 2003

9. Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way • We could look at the role of IASCE in advocacy, promoting the field and the social care profession through various means. We could raise the profile of the Colleges and social care work in a more general context. We should continue to explore opportunities for networking and relationship building with other national organizations and sectors. Dr Niall C. McElwee, October, 2003

10. Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way • IASCE could identify strengths and weaknesses of the various education and training models (KSS, DACUM,UMBRELLA etc), with a particular emphasis on the suitability and transferability of each model to the Irish social care experience. Dr Niall C. McElwee, October, 2003

11. Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way • IASCE could explore theories and concepts that are unique to social care and derive core competencies for those areas that have yet to be explored in Irish contexts, e.g. standards of practice for social care supervisors, managers and academics. Dr Niall C. McElwee, October, 2003

12. Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way • IASCE could more forcefully demonstrate to students that we, as Faculty, are prepared to examine ourselves and our capacity to change. • IASCE could create a positive and sustained environment to promote future voices and leaders for our field. Dr Niall C. McElwee, October, 2003

13. What has IASCE Achieved? • Provider partnership since 1998 with regular, scheduled, agenda-driven meetings. • Garda Clearance! • Hep B Shots • Representation on the 2001-2002 HETAC led national committee on social care Dr Niall C. McElwee, October, 2003

14. What has IASCE Achieved? • Publication of draft practicum guidelines for social care students • Representation on national airwaves and in quality broadsheets on a range of social care issues Dr Niall C. McElwee, October, 2003

15. What has IASCE Achieved? • Publication and maintenance of an excellent website with gateway facilities • Arrangement of 3 national conferences with representation (workshops/papers) from students, lecturers, practitioners, managers, government depts and policy persons. Dr Niall C. McElwee, October, 2003

16. What has IASCE Achieved? • Assimmilation within FESET • The generation of an emerging body of discourse that is our own! This, for me, should be one of the main preoccupations for IASCE Dr Niall C. McElwee, October, 2003

17. What has IASCE Achieved? • Work in progress on the first textbook for our students titled Social Care in Ireland: An Introductory Textbook with approx twenty chapters from our partners in all of the member sites (publication date of early 2004). Dr Niall C. McElwee, October, 2003

18. Future Concerns of IASCE • Statutory registration (Date and representation?) • Certification (IASCE involvement?) • Professionalisation of social care • Title designations (60+) • National standards (Are there any?) • Generic versus specialised education/training (1992 NCEA Report) Dr Niall C. McElwee, October, 2003

19. Future Concerns of IASCE • Student payment whilst on practica (Has IASCE a role in this?) • Supervisor payment whilst supervising our students (On the agenda since the early 1980’s) Dr Niall C. McElwee, October, 2003