University of Dundee

University of Dundee • CU Group – University of Dundee Service User and Carer group - influence and involvement across the qualifying programmes. • “The Caring Experience” • Programme Committee Chair • Evaluating and Contributing to Policy Development.

Service User Influence at Dundee

Practice Context • Multi-Cultural Family Base aims to enhance the lives of vulnerable and disadvantaged children, young people and their families directly and through the education and training of students in caring professions. • Multi-Cultural Family Base is committed to promoting human rights, valuing diversity, providing equal opportunities and working in a way which is flexible, respectful, caring and empowering. Multi-Cultural Family Base is committed to involving users and stakeholders in service planning and provision. (www.mcfb.org.uk)

‘The involvement of service users and carers should be integral throughout in that they have the opportunity both to access the qualifications as candidates and be influential within all stages of the design, development, evaluation and ongoing monitoring.’ (SiESWE, 2005a, p.43).

Aim of the Research To give a ‘voice’ to service users about what matters most to them in regards to practice learning. The aim of this consultation therefore was to gather the views of Service users regarding their experience of receiving services from student social workers.

Table One: Service Users consulted by gender and ethnicity.

‘Social workers know too much’; ‘They would spoil our fun’ and ‘They’re too bossy’. ‘They’re all nice’; ‘They’re kind to us’; ‘We get to choose things to do’ and ‘We get to have fun’. Hearing the voice of children

‘We have a choice about what to do’ • ‘We have more fun’ • ‘We can talk about things’ • ‘Playing games’ • ‘Doing this’ (arts & crafts). • ‘Having fun’ • ‘Going out’

‘At the girls group I can be myself. When I’m with my friends I have to be someone else and I’m different people with different friends. When I’m at the girls group I can just be myself.’ Miss A, 11 years.

Hearing the voice of adult service users • ‘Workers need to be friendly and approachable. They can be educated but they need to be able have a laugh & joke’. • ‘Workers need to be able to listen and to communicate with people’.

‘What about all the social care workers out there?’ Carer member, SSSC Service User & Carer Sub-group

Benefits of inclusion • Help students gain an understanding of issues that are important to people who are users of social work or social care services; • Help students understand that service users have their own knowledge to contribute and that they should be regarded as experts in their own situations; • Give people who are service users the opportunity to share first hand their knowledge and expertise and • Provide an opportunity for students, academic staff and service users to meet together on neutral ground on an equal footing. (Stevens and Tanner, 2006)

“We think the most important qualities for social service workers are anti-discriminatory values, respectful attitudes and very good personal communication skills. Users and carers should be involved in training workers to make sure people understand why this is important.” (Users and Carers Panel, 21st Century Review).

University of Dundee