The Positive Outcomes Project (POP) works in partnership with children, young people and families. We take time to build relationships by listening to what children, young people and families say so that we can understand what help is needed.

Our work with children, young people and families promotes the vision and mission of Worcestershire Children First which is for Worcestershire to be a wonderful place for all children and young people to grow up, and to support children and young people to be happy, healthy, and safe. The project supports and supervises student social workers to develop their practice, as part of this, they create and deliver direct work for children in schools, and complete social work assessments for children in need and their families. The project also offers a service to children where a Life Story Book is required.

When we work with children and young people in school, we provide early help support. We meet with the school and discuss a plan of sessions with them and the child and their parents. We provide one to one or group work sessions where we focus on supporting children and young people to develop awareness and knowledge and skills to cope. The sessions take place in school weekly with a child or young person and usually for a period of 6 weeks. Parents or children can ask the school for support from the Positive Outcomes Project. 

This is some feedback we received from Children and young people we worked with

‘’I found it helpful that each session was based on something different, so support is given for an array of topics.’’

‘’I felt like she understood me and was able to support me when I needed it.’’

‘’She was very kind.’’

POP is an innovative project providing additional resources and capacity to a proportion of children and young people in Worcestershire. We seek to increase support in communities and build strong networks for children, young people, and their families to promote the vision and mission of Worcestershire Children First which is for Worcestershire to be a wonderful place for all children and young people to grow up and to support children and young people to be happy healthy and safe.

The Positive Outcomes Project (POP) works in partnership with children, young people, and families. We take time to build relationships by listening to what children, young people and families say so that we can understand what help is needed.

We work with children and young people in school (2 schools in Worcester) to provide early help support. We meet with the school and discuss a plan of sessions with them and the child and their parents. We provide one to one or group work sessions where we focus on supporting children and young people to develop awareness and knowledge and skills to cope. Examples of the direct work include themes such as improving self-esteem and self-confidence, emotional resilience, developing safe networks, problem solving, being safe online, domestic abuse, criminal exploitation violence involving gangs and gang activity. The sessions take place in school weekly with a child or young person and usually for a period of 6 weeks. Parents or children can ask the school for support from the Positive Outcomes Project. 

The Positive Outcomes project supports and supervises student social workers to develop their practice on placement within Worcestershire Children First and as part of this Student social workers deliver direct work for children in schools, and complete social work assessments for children in need and their families. 

The project also offers a service to children where a Life Story Book is required.

The project provides student social workers who attend local university social work degree courses with learning opportunities to develop practice skills and knowledge. Each student has a dedicated practice educator who works alongside them and provides regular weekly support and supervision. We also provide practice education and diverse learning opportunities for student social workers to learn and develop their statutory social work practice with children and families.

This is what some of our student social workers have said about their experience working within POP:

“The opportunities at POP are brilliant and really wide range, you get to gain different experiences in lots of areas that really prepare you for the social work field” 

“The Positive Outcomes Project (POP) has truly been an amazing placement! The placement has provided me with the opportunity to apply and develop my learning, knowledge, skills, and values within a statutory setting when working with children, young people, and their families”
 

During the student social worker’s placement, they will gain a wide range of skills, knowledge, and experience in working with children and young people both at an early preventative stage and at a statutory level of intervention and support. Each student has a dedicated practice educator who works alongside them and provides regular weekly support and supervision. We also provide practice education and diverse learning opportunities for student social workers to learn and develop their statutory social work practice with children and families.

The Student Social workers will work with children and young people in schools to provide early help support. We meet with the school and discuss a plan of sessions with them which the child and their parents contribute to. The student social workers provide one to one or group work sessions where they focus on supporting children and young people to develop awareness and knowledge and skills to cope. The sessions take place in schools weekly and usually for a period of 6 weeks. 

We also provide a service to children and families where we carry out social work assessments to determine what services to provide and action to take. In addition, we provide a Life Story Book service for children placed permanently away from their birth family. 

We hope from gaining this experience and learning during their qualifying years they will go on and be exceptional social workers who wish to return as qualified Social Workers and permanently join our social work workforce.