Values for integrated working

This is a joint statement from the General Teaching Council for England (GTC), the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and the General Social Care Council (GSCC). The statement is designed to help those professionals working in Children’s services to work together more effectively in the interests of children and young people.

The joint statement was developed in response to discussions with teachers, practising nurses, midwives and social workers who were keen to work together and felt that this was most effective when there was a shared understanding of each others’ professional values, as well as ways of working.

At the end of 2007 the Children’s Workforce Network (CWN) endorsed the statement as a CWN resource for the whole of the children’s workforce. It was also mentioned in the Children’s Plan and further prominence given to it in the DCSF ‘Building Brighter Futures’ document.

The statement is a resource for anyone who works with children and young people and for those who train children’s practitioners across the UK.

The Statement

Key attributes

Children and young people value practitioners who enjoy working with them, who treat them with respect and who are good at communicating with them.

Children’s practitioners place the interests of children at the heart of their work. They share responsibility for a range of outcomes for children. They are committed to ensuring all children have the chance to be healthy, stay safe, enjoy and achieve, make a positive contribution, and experience economic wellbeing. They recognise children’s fundamental right to be safe, in order to reach other goals.

Practitioners concern themselves with the whole child (1), whatever their specialism. Although their own involvement with specific children may be short-term, children’s practitioners work to develop the potential and capacities of children for the longer term.

Children’s practitioners are committed to equality of opportunity for all children, and actively combat discrimination and its effects through their work. They respond positively and creatively to diversity among children and families, and colleagues.

Children’s practitioners pursue positive outcomes for children whose circumstances place them at risk of exclusion or under-achievement.

Practitioners recognise that respect, patience, honesty, reliability, resilience, trustworthiness and integrity are valued by children, families and colleagues. By demonstrating these qualities in their work they help to nurture them in others.

Work with children and young people, parents, carers and families (2)

Children’s practitioners recognise and uphold children’s rights (3). They involve children in decisions that affect them and take account of their views and preferences taking account of their capacities. They recognise that childhood and early adulthood are times of change, and that they need to respond to changes in children’s views, capabilities and circumstances.

Practitioners recognise the fundamental role played by parents in children’s well-being and development, and strive to work in partnership with them.

Practitioners are committed to engaging children and families fully in identifying goals, assessing options, making decisions and reviewing outcomes. They support children’s and families’ involvement in issues that matter to them, including through involvement in the development and evaluation of children’s services.

Children’s practitioners appreciate that their work will present dilemmas to be resolved, particularly between sharing information and maintaining confidentiality. They understand that their duty to safeguard children comes first, but otherwise respect the right of children and families to confidentiality, and are always clear about information they are obliged to share. (4)

Integrated work with a range of colleagues

Children’s practitioners value the contribution that a range of colleagues make to children’s lives, and they form effective relationships across the children’s workforce. Their integrated practice is based on a willingness to bring their own expertise to bear on the pursuit of shared goals for children, and a respect for the expertise of others.

Practitioners recognise that children and families, and colleagues, value transparency and reliability, and strive to make sure that processes, roles, goals and resources are clear.

Practitioners involved in integrated work recognise the need to be clear about lines of communication, management and accountability as these may be more complex than in their specialist setting.

They uphold the standards, and values of their own professions in their inter-professional work. They understand that sharing responsibility for children’s outcomes does not mean acting beyond their competence or responsibilities.

They are committed to taking action if safety or standards are compromised, whether that means alerting their own manager/employer or another appropriate authority.

Children’s practitioners understand that the knowledge, understanding and skills integrated work may differ from those in their own specialism. They are committed to reflecting on and improving their inter-professional practice, and to engaging with relevant research and other evidence.

Work with children is stimulating and rewarding. It can also be emotionally demanding, and children’s practitioners are sensitive to and supportive of each others’ well being.

Footnotes

1. This implies that practitioners take a view of children in the round, and do not focus exclusively on, for example, their offending or their disability or their learning needs. Practitioners understand that they may misinterpret, misdiagnose or intervene in a misguided way if they lack key information about a child’s context and history.
2. Practitioners need to be aware of and responsive to other significant relationships beyond the family that can have a positive effect on children’s outcomes.
3. Children’s rights are given international expression in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which children’s practitioners should know and uphold.
4. This is a statement of values and practitioners will need to have regard to detailed professional and inter-professional guidance in this complex area.