This is a partnership of three local authorities with Goldsmiths, University of London that aims to improve recruitment, retention and development of the social worker workforce. Concepts of distributed leadership, communities of practice, self-directed leadership and working across whole systems inform the thinking behind the programme. It is providing opportunities for practitioners and practice educators to take on the kinds of professional leadership roles and responsibilities discussed in this book. There are four work-streams, each of which involves academics, practitioners, practice educators and PDEs and managers:

academic excellence;

retention, career pathways and CPD;

practice excellence;

research and improvement.

One component of the programme is to develop the role of the teaching consultant. Teaching consultants are advanced-level practitioners with experience of practice education who are undertaking enhanced teaching and PDE roles within their organisations and the university. Practitioners, students and academics are coming together to promote evidence-informed practice, link Masters students who are undertaking research for their dissertation with priorities and opportunities identified by partner agencies and to develop ideas for collaborative research. Academics are working alongside staff from practice agencies to develop practice innovations such as reflective practice groups, reflective supervision and action learning sets, group work for young parents, service user feedback and involvement in practice development, as well as undertaking joint direct work with service users.