Topic guide: Personal Adviser in-depth interviews, Tranche Two

Explanatory note

Tranche 2 in-depth interviews with Personal Advisers focused on practice, to inform

delivery of the service. Personal Advisers were asked about their work directly with clients; how they facilitated their move towards and into work; the personal, organisational and external resources required; and the opportunities and constraints Personal Advisers encountered. The topic guide is constructed to explore Personal Advisers’ approaches to working with clients in all stages from the point of contact through to entry to, and support in, paid work. Personal Advisers were asked to exemplify their practices with cases from their own experience.

TOPIC GUIDE

Personal Adviser background and role Previous experience

Appeal of the job

Any specialist roles or responsibilities within the team

4 _{The NDDP was extended in April 1999 to six areas where the programme was delivered by private and} voluntary sector organisations. This is sometimes referred to as Tranche 2.

Attracting clients

2.1 How do clients get to know about the Personal Adviser Service (letters, types of publicity, outreach work)?

2.2 What seems effective in encouraging clients to come forward? Receiving clients

3.1 How do clients get in touch with the Personal Adviser Service? 3.2 What happens when clients approach the Service?

- any checks on eligibility - are clients encouraged or screened out - how are ineligible cases or discouraged clients handled

- what information, if any, is given to the client - what information is gathered from client - views on the reception process

3.3 How are clients allocated to Personal Advisers - geographical area/specialist knowledge?

3.4 What do you usually know about the client before you meet them? - views on the amount and type of prior information

3.5 Arrangements for first interview - where are interviews held?

- advantages and disadvantages of different locations; for client and for Personal Adviser

Initial interviews

Check project terminology and procedures. Ask how many times might see a client prior to caseloading; typical length of interview; duration of initial interview stage.

4.1 Thinking about the clients you have seen, how would you describe their attitudes and expectations at the first interview?

- e.g. how did [selected example] seem?

4.2 What seemed to have been the barriers to this client moving towards work? - what were the barriers facing other clients you have seen?

4.3 Using the case you have chosen, can you tell me briefly how the first interview went?

- what do you aim to cover?

- what sorts of things do you typically discuss? Who raises them? [Check:

review of benefits received; better-off calculation.]

- what information might you give clients? [Check: information on what service offers; work prep; therapeutic/voluntary work; Incapacity Earnings provision; 52-week linking rule; in-work benefits/DPTC; worktrial/jobfinders’ grant/jobmatch; AtW; JIS; DDA]

- might you discuss these or provide information at a later stage? 4.4 How are follow-on interviews arranged?

- Probe issues of keeping clients involved - avoiding/facilitating drop-out 4.5 Are you ever unsure about whether a client can benefit from the New Deal?

- how do you proceed in such cases? [Check: opinion of GP/ consultant; referral to occupational psychologist; consult Personal Adviser team] 4.6 How do you decide when to invite the client to join your caseload?

Action/progress planning

5.1 Can you explain how the way forward for the client is identified and negotiated, drawing on a pre-selected case

- what was proposed and why, and by whom - client/Personal Adviser/other staff?

- what other ideas or options were considered?

- was anyone else consulted - by client or Personal Adviser? - how easy is it to reach agreement; what are the difficulties? - in this case, did you identify any obstacles to progress?

5.2 We are interested in who does what in drawing up a formal plan and recording progress

- how is the plan documented and progress recorded - who has ownership? - what is the purpose of a written plan?

- how useful is the plan - to the client/Personal Adviser? 5.3 Who does what, in implementing what is decided?

- what might the Personal Adviser typically do? - what might the client typically do?

- who else is involved?

- what difficulties have been met?

- Personal Adviser’s views on distribution of responsibilities Identifying needs, arranging and co-ordinating services

We are interested in how you work with clients to identify what help they might need to move towards work.

6.1 Thinking of pre-selected clients, can you explain

- how you help identify work-related goals; other sources of vocational guidance and assessment used or considered?

- other needs; financial, health, social, family, housing etc

- how well equipped to assist; sources of support used or considered; any problems met?

6.2 Can you give some illustrations, from your cases, of how the service can help people who are not ready to enter paid employment?

Check for:

- voluntary work

- educational and vocational training courses - basic skills, confidence building, etc

- work placements - work trials

- training in jobsearch and presentation skills - how easy is it to find and access opportunities?

- what is the role of your own organisation/organisations in the partnership as provider of services?

- how are external services paid for?

- any issues in co-ordinating support for the client?

6.3 Can you give some examples of clients getting help for job search, applying for vacancies, job brokerage, interviews?

- in what circumstances might a client get help in these ways?

- who provides help with what: Personal Adviser, team specialist, partner provider, other provider?

- how adequate/ appropriate are types of help provided?

- who is best equipped to provide help: Probe for access to LMS? - what obstacles are met in assisting clients move into paid work?

6.4 What contacts do Personal Advisers have with employers in the course of work placements or job brokering?

In-work support

We are interested in whether clients and their employers need support in the early days of a new job.

7.1 Is this something you have experienced or envisage?

- in what sorts of circumstance might clients need or ask for in-work support? - in what circumstances might employers want or need support; of what

kind?

- who might provide in-work support? - what would it involve?

7.2 How easy is it to provide in-work support?

- what are the potential difficulties for Personal Advisers? Overall reflection on the Personal Adviser Service

8.1 Thinking about the cases you have selected, what differences has the Personal Adviser Service made to the clients?

- what inputs from the Personal Adviser Service have been most useful for the clients? Check for one-to-one support, financial advice, specialist services, job-brokering etc?

- what inputs from other people or organisations have helped: other professionals, family, etc?

8.2 Did the clients want or need things which the Personal Adviser Service could not or did not offer?

- what were the obstacles?

8.3 Who benefits most from the Personal Adviser Service?

- are there people for whom the service is not appropriate? 8.4 What are the issues that you have found most difficult?

- what have you found the most satisfying aspects of your work as a Personal Adviser?