Covid19 Update For Social Work
Services Staff: 31 March 2020

Updates to Social Work Staff on COVID19 - we will be sending you regular updates to let you know what is happening across Social Work Services and to keep you updated on how COVid19 is impacting on the work that we do. These briefings are prepared for Social Work staff by the Social Work cell and are relevant to you – the e-mail will come from Dumfries and Galloway Council as a govdelivery e-mail. 

• All our staff within Social Work Services are providing critical lifeline services and it is our priority to keep you safe. Your tremendous response is both recognised and appreciated. We will continue to deliver essential front-line services throughout the pandemic – we will have a number of different working arrangements in place to minimise the number of people present in our offices at any one time.  We have prioritised professional social work activity and we will continually align our staff in line with this – this may result in you working differently that you would normally.
  
  
• We have identified initial areas where additional support and resources are required, and we are asking for volunteers to work with us. So far, we have around 40 additional people, from other areas of the Council, supporting our locality teams and working alongside the Access team to help with the Shielding calls in response to the letters sent out by the Scottish Government.
  
  
• We are keen to let the public know that as well as responding to the Coronavirus we are continuing to deliver front-line services. Our communications team are keen to hear about the work you are doing on the front-line – we have two volunteers so far who will be preparing messages to share with other staff (Shannon Buchan, Social Worker, Youth Justice Team and Sam Brown, Social Worker Children & Families). 
  If you are willing to share your experience of working on the front-line and help raise awareness of the services we provide, please email: CV19SocialWork@dumgal.gov.uk Another good news story that was shared with us was that WHSmith’s locally had gifted a large number of Easter Eggs for local children – if you have any other news or stories like this, please let us know about these too (by email to CV19SocialWork@dumgal.gov.uk)

• Pool Car availability – we have been working with the Fleet Team so that we have dedicated cars available.  Managers for each service have submitted car requirements and these are currently being allocated. In some instances, there may be a requirement to collect the cars from local depots and you will be advised where this is the case.  All cars will be equipped with wipes and gloves.
  
  
• We will continue to ensure, each day, that all vulnerable adults, children and families receiving statutory services are properly supported - assurance is given to the Chief Social Work Officer on this daily.
  
  
• The Social Work Out of Hours Team are working a similar rota system to daytime staff which means they will all work remotely from Monday to Thursday and have a minimum staff presence in Irish Street Friday night, Saturday and Sunday as well as public holidays.
  
  
• The Unpaid Work Scheme across Dumfries and Galloway has been suspended for the time being. The staff and vehicles used to deliver this service are now preparing to be redeployed to support other critical areas of work.
  
  
• Scottish Prison Service have announced the suspension of all prison visits. If you have a family member in prison and require support, please contact Families Outside on their free helpline 0800 254 0088.  The Helpline can also deal with queries from professionals who are in need of advice or guidance at this time as well as the following email:  support@familiesoutside.org.uk.   SPS has made a new family helpline available to provide support and advice to families of those in their care from Thursday 26 March. Families can call 0131 330 3888. This service will be available Monday - Friday,
  9am to 3pm.  As this is a new service, these hours will be kept under review and may be changed to reflect demand.  Please note they will not be able to answer enquiries about specific individuals but can provide advice and guidance about the measures which the SPS are taking in response to COVID-19
  
  
• Stranraer Court is currently closed to due CV19 and all business has temporarily moved to Dumfries Sheriff court. Dumfries Sheriff court will continue to deal with custody cases and justice social work staff are continuing to provide court reports via telephone contact.
  
  
• The Justice team have identified those who will return to Dumfries and Galloway from custody over the next six months. We have alerted our partners of those who may need additional services and support.
  
  
• We have reviewed our “front desk” (Access / MASH / OOHS) to ensure we can deal with referrals and contacts in the best way possible.

Food Banks

• Dumfriesshire food bank is operating 10-2 Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday. All referral agencies to phone in with referrals and we will complete the vouchers. Out with opening hours, requests for food parcels can be sent to dalgleish@apexscotland.org.uk and will be dealt with the next available working day.
  
  
• Wigtownshire food bank is operating 10-2 Monday-Friday. Same referral process as Dumfries, out with hours email ross@apexscotland.org.uk and they will be dealt with the next available working day. We are going to be starting to get food parcels delivered out as of Monday 30 March by the Community Re-use shop. Both food banks are short of long-life milk and pasta sauce if anyone can help.
  
  
• We are also working with our colleagues in the Community Cell who will organisethe delivery of the food parcels which social work staff have been delivering across the region and this will support the arrangements set out above.