North Yorkshire County Councilis
implementing an electronic planning andcase management systemto cut the time
social workers spend on paperwork.
The Integrated Children's System is designed to improve
efficiency in the social services department and enable the council
to fulfil government requirements under the
Every Child Matters
programme.
The
Liquidlogic system allows social workers to enter details on
cases electronically, instead of writing everything out by hand, as
they have done in the past.
In addition, saving information on each child or family on a
single file makes it easier to review cases when they are
updated.
Fran Senior, project manager for the Integrated Children's
System, said it would reduce the amount of time spent on paperwork
and force social workers into good practice.
"As practitioners get used to the system, they might think it is
slower. But it forces them into good practice, and in the long term
it will save them an awful lot of time. Because of this it will
eventually improve outcomes for children," she said.
Senior said the system allowed details to be copied between
files so, for example, a case would not have to be written out
three times for three siblings.
Managers will also have access to real-time information about
the progress and performance of the department and individual
staff.
Senior said, "All local authorities have to provide reports on
their performance. At the moment, performance levels are calculated
after the event. Now managers can measure this in real time and see
exactly what is going on as it happens.
"It also means they can supervise staff more easily, see if they
are struggling with something or not making deadlines. It will
definitely improve quality."
The system should also improve communication across the county,
helping to ensure a consistent approach to good practice.
It also has the ability to be linked to other agencies and other
councils in the future, Senior said.