Cost benefit analysis

Supporting dementia workers

Building capacity within the voluntary and private sectors to support Newly Qualified Social
A case study-based
Workers (NQSWs) inmanager’s guide to good practice in learning and development for social
Adult Services
care workers supporting people with dementia
January 2013
Spring 2012

we support
we help create
employers to
a trained and
implement the
qualified workforce
ASYE
Cost benefit analysis

Acknowledgement
The development work of this project was commissioned by Skills
for Care and took place between March 2011 and September 2012.
The work was carried out by an independent organisation the Practice
Learning Consortium.

Cost benefit analysis: Building capacity within the voluntary and private sectors to support Newly Qualified Social Workers
(NQSWs) in Adult Services
Published by Skills for Care and the Practice Learning Consortium
Skills for Care, West Gate, 6 Grace St, Leeds LS1 2RP www.skillsforcare.org.uk
Practice Learning Consortium, Northchurch Business Centre, 84 Queen Street, Sheffield, S1 2DW
www.practicelearningconsortium.co.uk
© Skills for Care & the Practice Learning Consortium 2013
Ref no. SW030
Copies of this work may be made for non-commercial distribution to aid social care workforce development. Any other copying
requires the permission of Skills for Care or the Practice Learning Consortium.
Skills for Care is the employer-led strategic body for workforce development in social care for adults in England. It is part of the sector
skills council, Skills for Care and Development.
Bibliographic reference data for Harvard-style author/date referencing system:
Short reference: Skills for Care & the Practice Learning Consortium [or SfC/PLC] 2013
Long reference: Skills for Care & the Practice Learning Consortium, Cost benefit analysis: Building capacity within the voluntary
and private sectors to support Newly Qualified Social Workers (NQSWs) in Adult Services, (Leeds, 2012)
www.skillsforcare.org.uk www.practicelearningconsortium.co.uk
Cost benefit analysis

Introduction

“We work in more challenging circumstances

but taking part in the NQSW programme has
uplifted and re-motivated our whole team”
(Manager)

At various points in the NQSW Voluntary Sector
Link project, information was obtained from key
stakeholders about the perceived costs and
benefits of implementing the NQSW framework.
Much of this information was of a qualitative
nature although it did provide some informed
insights into the impact on the NQSW’s
professional development, the development
of reflective practice through supervision and
organisational gains such as raising the profile
of training and development.
Cost-benefit analysis of training has always
been a contentious issue as it is often difficult
to accurately quantify both the costs and the
impact of training. In regard to the NQSW
programme this was especially true as the value
of the training to the individual and employer
may only become clear in the longer term.
Also, how would it be possible to quantify, for
an example, an individual’s reflective skills?
Another valid critique of cost benefit analysis is
to take ‘cost’ out of the equation and to view
all expenditure on training and development as
an investment and not a ‘cost’. In other words,
it is important to see training as adding to the
‘wealth’ of an organisation by increasing the
value of its human capital.
This certainly reflects the thinking behind the
NQSW framework which aimed to:
 develop more reflective practitioners
 increase social worker’s self-confidence and
job satisfaction
 improve the retention of social workers
 strengthen reflective supervision
Notwithstanding the limits of a cost-benefit
analysis, it is possible to present an overall
business case for NQSW/ASYE through a
balanced scorecard approach which helps
evaluate the costs and benefits to stakeholders
with a specific focus on the business case from
an organisational point-of-view.
This report demonstrates the overall benefits of
the NQSW/ASYE framework in terms of:
 Financial Impact
 Improving service provision
 Learning and Development
 Outcomes for people who use services
Cost benefit analysis

1. Balanced Scorecard
Using a balanced scorecard approach to support a cost-benefit analysis of training
programmes provides for an evaluation of the impact of training on the financial status of the
organisation, improving internal processes, improved levels of service and promoting learning
and development:

In relation to the PLC’s Voluntary Sector NQSW
Link Project, responses from stakeholders
generated sufficient information to form some
clear impressions of the impact of implementing
the framework:
1.1 Financial
Several managers reported on the importance
of being able to meet the increasing demands
of competitive tendering in order to secure
the continuing financial viability of their
organisations. Improving the skills profile of their
workforce was seen as key element in this. One
manager of an organisation that has a target
driven contract observed that any training that
supports an employee ‘getting up to speed’
was a significant gain for the agency:
 “If we miss our targets, our funding
suffers” (Manager)
In terms of direct costs, the external funding
available to support an NQSW met the costs
of supervision and was used in some cases to
support related training. In other organisations,
the funding was used to meet any cover costs
arising out of managing the NQSW’s workload
or providing them with study time.
 “It certainly hasn’t had any negative impact
at all - (the NQSW) has found it to be a
very positive experience and we’ve been
able to use the funding to always provide
cover for her study time and her attendance
at workshops”. (Manager)
Cost benefit analysis
Several managers were confident that providing
a supported introduction to employment
linked to further opportunities for continuing
professional development would improve
retention rates which reduces the costs of
recruiting or training new employees and is
therefore a financial benefit to the organisation:
 “helps set out a clear career development
plan and they can see a longer term role in
the organisation” (Manager)
All of the managers stated that it was hard to
calculate the wider resource implications of
implementing the NQSW framework but none
reported any major issues.
 “There’s certainly been no negative impact
on the two NQSWs workloads – they’ve
been managing it all very well. It’s been an
opportunity for them to carry on learning and
have one-to-one support” (Manager)
 “the main impact for the NQSW herself has
been in terms of developing her
confidence....she is already beginning
to pick up some of the Self-Directed
Support assessments and is very good at
that” (Manager)
1.2 Service provision
Managers reported on the increased
confidence levels of newly qualified social
workers which enabled them to work
independently and safely, adding to the
overall efficiency of the service. This was
also a recurrent theme in the feedback from
NQSWs with frequent references to increased
confidence in their skills and knowledge:
 “Across my NQSW year I feel I have grown
more in confidence as a practitioner...I
have grown surer of my identity as a social
worker” (NQSW)
 ‘I am now lead worker in a refuge and my
confidence has grown in my ability to meet
service user’s needs and to complete risk
assessments with service users’ (NQSW)
In some cases, NQSWs have introduced new
areas of work into their organisations adding to
the quality and range of services provided:
 “....has developed a new programme for
survivors of domestic abuse” (Manager)
 “....has spent several months facilitating the
Freedom Programme” (Supervisor)
 “....set up a new ‘No Panic’ self-help
group for service users” (Manager)
It is clear that in providing a supported
and structured first year in employment,
organisations have gained not only from
improved individual performance and practice
but from wider innovations in service delivery
and improved outcomes for people who use
services:
 “in the past, learning was done on the job
but many new workers just got by, now they
can consolidate their learning and practice in
a more focused manner” (Manager)
 “The NQSW programme has enhanced,
defined and developed our own induction
and training program further. This benefits
all new employees. Specific and more
detailed observation of practice
documentation has been implemented.
There also appears to be a better
understanding and awareness by all staff
of the benefits of good reflective practice.”
(Manager)
1.3 Learning & development
Managers reported that participating in the
NQSW framework raised the profile of training
and development within their organisations.
One manager highlighted that it helped
promote the idea of individual employees
taking more responsibility for their training and
development:
Cost benefit analysis

 “we have worked hard to encourage on the delivery of improved outcomes for
individuals to take responsibility for their people who use services. In this context,
own development, the NQSW framework NQSWs provided evidence of an ability to work
has reinforced this.” (Manager) with people who use services with complex
and challenging needs and to undertake
Participation in the NQSW programme also assessments, develop care and support plans;
contributed to a wider perspective on learning to take an active role in safeguarding work and
as being about more than ‘training’ and to liaise with other agencies where appropriate
involving other factors such as communication or necessary.
and support between employees, mentoring
Through the portfolio completion and
and mutual problem-solving:
verification process, NQSWs were also able to
demonstrate how relationships were formed,
 “....the team are aware and supportive
how professional judgements were reached
and there is always someone in the team
and how their practice was adapted to a variety
for support” (NQSW)
of settings and tasks. At the centre of this are
the people who use services:
 “NQSW has had an impact on our service
as a whole – it’s encouraged a lot of
 “....worked with the individual at all times and
discussion about issues – brought some
made them feel central to the assessment
conflicts out into the open – in a positive
process” (Supervisor)
way – differences between the overall
service perspective and a social work
 “She promoted the individual’s right to
perspective.” (Manager)
make autonomous decisions, but helped
them to evaluate their decision and consider
Reflective supervision has also encouraged
other options” (Supervisor)
NQSWs to think about their future training and
development:
 “....has developed an extensive knowledge
of resources and networks relating to
 “We have also identified future training needs
support for people who use services”
and as a result of this....will be
(Manager)
undertaking Coordinated Action Against
Domestic Abuse (CADDA) training”
 “....I am doing well, I have a new job....all
(Supervisor)
three children now live with me at home....I
never thought this day would come....your
 “Through supervision, I have highlighted
help and support was life changing”
areas I would like to train in. I am already
(People who use services)
a social work student supervisor and
practice educator, including carrying out
 “....is really encouraging and has been there
group practice teaching sessions. I hope to
to point me in the right direction and praise
further develop with this and complete
my strengths and achievements”
stages one and two in practice education”
(People who use services)
(NQSW)
 “....connected me with specialist services
1.4 People who use services and carers for alcoholism and helped me so much....I
am now applying to be a volunteer with
As discussed above, the NQSW programme
those who have suffered abuse”
impacts on different levels of an organisation
(People who use services)
but the overall purpose has to be focused
Cost benefit analysis

2. Wider Benefits
In this final section of the report, the wider benefits of the PLC’s partnership approach is
illustrated through a report from a member of the local authorities’ South Yorkshire ASYE
co-ordinators group.

2.1 A View from the Statutory Sector We have also found that voluntary sector
agencies can bring a different perspective to
Statutory sector agencies in South Yorkshire
social work education and we have benefitted
have always had close links with the voluntary
from examples of good practice in relation to
sector in terms of the development and delivery
the NQSW programme developed by the PLC’s
social work education. The PLC was an active
partner employers.
member of the South Yorkshire Practice
Learning Alliance (SYPLA) which co-ordinated
In relation to capacity-building, the PLC’s
the provision of student placements throughout
supervisor training course has added to the
the region. This ensured a consistent approach
pool of experienced and reflective supervisors
to practice learning across the statutory and
who can also provide supervision in a statutory
third sectors especially in relation to quality
setting. We recognise that some social workers
assurance.
may begin their career in the voluntary sector
but subsequently gain work with a local
At the outset of the PLC’s voluntary sector
authority, knowing that they have had an
NQSW project, statutory agencies were invited
equivalent professional development experience
to participate in some of the initial workshops
may mean they adapt to any new role more
especially in terms of recording and evidencing
quickly. Similarly, some social workers may
the outcome statements, the role of the
move from the statutory to the voluntary sector
supervisor and workload management issues.
where they are able to continue their training
It was also agreed that the statutory sector
and development in line with the PCF.
would play a role in verifying NQSW portfolios
submitted by social workers based in voluntary
sector organisations. This was intended to
ensure a consistency of approach to the
moderation and verification of standards of
practice.

From a statutory sector point-of-view, it is

important that we work with and mutually
support voluntary sector agencies. It is part
of our role in workforce development and
contributes to the availability of qualified and
experienced social workers in the area. All
agencies, statutory or otherwise, gain from
increasing the knowledge and skills base of
local social workers.
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