[BCM] [SHINE] [E3] [PD] [CBF] [2] Community Social Work & School Social Work

The Community Social Work (CSW) and School Social Work (SSW) services delivered by SHINE Children and Youth Services play a vital role in supporting children, youths, and their families through early intervention, advocacy, and direct support services.

These programmes ensure vulnerable communities continue to receive essential psychosocial assistance, guidance, and intervention during challenging periods.

In times of crisis—such as pandemics, facility disruptions, staff shortages, or technological failures—SHINE must ensure these critical services remain functional or can resume rapidly.

This chapter outlines SHINE’s Business Continuity Recovery Procedures for CBF-02 Community Social Work & School Social Work.

The procedures detail the systematic steps to prepare for, resume, and fully recover the operations of the following Sub-CBFs:

• CBF-2.1: Community Engagement & Development
• CBF-2.2: Family Support & Coaching
• CBF-2.3: In-School Social Work & Student Support
• CBF-2.4: Preventive & Developmental Programmes
• CBF-2.5: Casework & Counselling Support
• CBF-2.6: Collaboration & Partnership Management
• CBF-2.7: Volunteer & Youth Engagement / Capacity Building
• CBF-2.8: Monitoring, Evaluation & Research-informed Practice

The following sections provide a structured and operational guide to safeguard service continuity and uphold SHINE’s mission to empower children and youth to maximise their potential.

WHAT: Description and Importance of the Critical Business Function

The Community Social Work & School Social Work function provides direct intervention, casework, counselling, skills development programmes, and community outreach to children, youths, and families. Disruption to this function can significantly affect the well-being, safety, and developmental progress of vulnerable clients. Maintaining continuity ensures:

• Consistent psychosocial support to at-risk children and youth
• Ongoing case management and crisis intervention
• Stability of school-based support programmes
• Continuity of family coaching, community engagement, and developmental initiatives
• Preservation of agency partnerships and referrals

Pre-Crisis Preparedness (Reduce Phase)

Objective: Minimise the impact of potential disruptions by ensuring that personnel, systems, programmes, and partnerships are fully prepared before a crisis occurs.

HOW: Implementation Steps

2.1 Staffing & Capability Readiness

• Cross-training staff:
  • Train social workers across multiple Sub-CBFs to ensure that critical services continue if key personnel are unavailable.
  • Include training on virtual engagement methods, case prioritisation, and emergency intervention protocols.

• Staff backup roster:
  • Maintain an updated list of primary and secondary staff for each Sub-CBF, with contact information and roles clearly defined.

• Remote work readiness:
  • Ensure all staff have secure laptops, mobile devices, and VPN access for remote case management and virtual sessions.
  • Provide access to video conferencing platforms, digital collaboration tools, and document-sharing systems.

• Wellbeing preparedness:
  • Conduct resilience and mental health workshops for staff to manage stress during crisis periods.
  • Prepare contingency plans for staff absenteeism due to illness or personal emergencies.

2.2 Client & Case Management Preparedness

• High-risk client identification:
  • Flag clients with immediate or ongoing needs, such as children at risk of neglect, families in crisis, or students with urgent school-related concerns.

• Data security and accessibility:
  • Ensure all client data is regularly backed up and accessible remotely via encrypted, secure platforms.
  • Implement a secondary offline record system (secure, password-protected local storage) for emergencies.

• Alternative communication channels:
  • Maintain multiple contact points (phone, email, caregiver contacts, school contacts) for each client.
  • Pre-plan for the use of text, email, or secure messaging if usual channels fail.

2.3 Programme Continuity Planning

• Virtual programme preparedness:
  • Pre-develop online materials, recorded workshops, or digital handouts for ongoing community and school programmes.
  • Test virtual platforms for reliability, accessibility, and ease of use by clients.

• Priority programming framework:
  • Categorise programmes into critical, medium, and non-critical for prioritisation during disruptions.
  • Ensure essential programmes like crisis counselling, casework, and high-risk student support remain operational.

• Flexible scheduling:
  • Prepare contingency schedules to quickly shift face-to-face activities to online platforms or partner locations.

2.4 Communication & Stakeholder Readiness

• Emergency contact lists:
  • Maintain updated lists of all stakeholders, including staff, volunteers, partner organisations, schools, donors, and key community contacts.

• Pre-approved communication templates:
  • Develop messages for internal staff updates, client notifications, and partner communications to reduce response time during a crisis.

• Information flow protocols:
  • Define clear lines of communication and responsibility for decision-making within the crisis management team (CMT).
  • Assign a communications officer responsible for sending updates and tracking responses.

2.5 Resource & Infrastructure Preparedness

• Physical resources:
  • Maintain emergency kits for outreach staff, including mobile devices, chargers, stationery, and first-aid kits.
  • Identify alternative office spaces, community centres, or school venues that can be used if primary facilities are inaccessible.

• Technology & systems readiness:
  • Regularly test and update case management systems, cloud storage, and communication platforms.
  • Ensure redundancy for critical IT services, including backup power, secure internet, and alternative servers.

• Financial preparedness:
  • Allocate emergency funds for critical activities such as rapid client outreach, temporary staffing, or technology procurement.

2.6 Partnership & Volunteer Preparedness

• Key partnership continuity:
  • Maintain agreements with schools, community organisations, and service providers to support critical operations during disruptions.
  • Identify alternative partners if primary partnerships are temporarily unavailable.

• Volunteer readiness:
  • Train volunteers in basic crisis response, remote engagement, and safety protocols.
  • Maintain an active volunteer roster with updated contact information and availability.

2.7 Monitoring & Evaluation Preparedness

• Data monitoring readiness:
  • Ensure that monitoring frameworks for client progress and programme impact can function during disruptions.

• Risk and threat monitoring:
  • Implement early-warning mechanisms to identify potential threats to operations (weather events, public health crises, IT failures).

• Documentation readiness:
  • Maintain templates for incident reports, client outreach logs, and programme continuity logs to track operational performance during crises.

Summary Statement for Pre-Crisis Preparedness (Reduce Phase)

Proactive readiness ensures that CBF-02 can respond immediately and effectively to any disruption, maintaining essential services, protecting client welfare, and supporting staff and partner coordination. By investing in preparation before a crisis, SHINE strengthens the resilience of its Community Social Work and School Social Work operations.

Within T+24 Hours (Response and Recovery Phase)

Objective: Rapidly restore critical services to a functional level within 24 hours of a disruption, minimising impact on clients, staff, and partner organisations.

HOW: Implementation Steps

3.1 Activate Crisis Management Team (CMT)

• Immediate activation:
  • BCM Coordinator or designated lead activates the CMT to oversee operations and resource allocation.
  • Ensure clear delegation of responsibilities: communications, client support, IT, staff deployment.

• Initial briefing:
  • Review disruption scope, affected Sub-CBFs, staff availability, and immediate resource needs.
  • Document the current status for tracking resumption efforts.

3.2 Situation Assessment

• Staff and facility check:
  • Verify which staff are available and their locations.
  • Confirm accessibility of offices, schools, and community venues.

• Service disruption analysis:
  • Identify which Sub-CBFs are impacted most severely.
  • Prioritise high-risk cases requiring immediate intervention.

• IT and communication systems:
  • Assess the operational status of digital case management, emails, phones, and conferencing platforms.

3.3 Prioritisation of Critical Tasks

• Critical Sub-CBFs to resume first:
  • CBF-2.5 Casework & Counselling Support: Ensure urgent counselling and crisis intervention services are operational.
  • CBF-2.3 In-School Social Work & Student Support: Resume engagement with high-risk students and school counsellor collaborations.
  • CBF-2.2 Family Support & Coaching: Maintain support for families with immediate needs.

• Non-critical or deferrable tasks:
  • Postpone preventive programmes, community development sessions, or research tasks if resources are limited.

3.4 Communication Activation

• Internal staff communication:
  • Notify all available staff of working arrangements, task assignments, and reporting protocols.
  • Ensure staff understand safety measures, operational priorities, and reporting channels.

• External stakeholder communication:
  • Inform schools, community partners, and caregivers about service disruptions, expected timelines, and alternative support channels.
  • Use pre-approved templates for speed and clarity.

• Client outreach:
  • Prioritise contact with high-risk clients via phone, email, or secure messaging.
  • Provide guidance on accessing emergency services or interim support if normal services are unavailable.

3.5 Temporary Work Arrangements

• Remote engagement:
  • Activate virtual counselling and coaching sessions using video calls, teleconferencing, or secure chat platforms.
  • For group sessions, consider pre-recorded videos or online webinars where feasible.

• Alternative physical locations:
  • Redirect critical sessions to partner facilities or community centres if primary venues are inaccessible.

• Staff redistribution:
  • Assign available staff to cover urgent Sub-CBF activities, ensuring workloads are balanced.

3.6 Casework & Client Management

• Immediate follow-up:
  • Review high-risk cases and assign staff for urgent interventions within the first 24 hours.
  • Document all actions and communications for future reference.

• Manual documentation if IT systems are down:
  • Use paper logs or offline spreadsheets to record client interactions, case updates, and service delivery.
  • Update digital records once systems are restored.

3.7 Programme & Partnership Continuity

• Critical programme resumption:
  • Deliver essential sessions such as crisis intervention workshops or immediate school-based support.
  • Adjust schedules to accommodate staffing limitations.

• Partner coordination:
  • Communicate with partner organisations to mobilise support and share resources.
  • Ensure aligned messaging and collaborative interventions.

3.8 Monitoring & Reporting

• Daily situation log:
  • Record which Sub-CBFs have resumed operations, which clients have been contacted, and any outstanding gaps.

• Incident escalation:
  • Report any unmanageable risks to the BCM Coordinator or Crisis Management Team for prioritised resolution.

• Feedback loop:
  • Encourage staff to report obstacles encountered during resumption to enable immediate adjustments.

3.9 Safety and Staff Wellbeing

• Immediate welfare check:
  • Ensure staff have access to rest breaks, safe working conditions, and support resources.

• Stress management:
  • Provide rapid access to peer support or counselling if staff are emotionally affected by the crisis.

Summary Statement for Within T+24 Hours (Respond, Resume and Recovery Phase)

Within the first 24 hours of disruption, the focus is on rapidly restoring critical social work services, maintaining client and staff safety, and stabilising core operations. By following these structured steps, SHINE ensures that essential support continues uninterrupted for high-risk clients and maintains trust with partner organisations, setting the foundation for full recovery.

After T+24 Hours (Restore and Return Phase)

Objective: Restore all services to full operational capacity, stabilise client support, and implement lessons learned to strengthen future resilience.

HOW: Implementation Steps

4.1 Restoration of Full Operations

• Sub-CBF service resumption:
  • CBF-2.1 Community Engagement & Development: Resume community programmes, outreach initiatives, and stakeholder engagement sessions.
  • CBF-2.2 Family Support & Coaching: Conduct scheduled family support sessions and follow-ups for previously disrupted cases.
  • CBF-2.3 In-School Social Work & Student Support: Reinstate school visits, classroom interventions, and individual student support.
  • CBF-2.4 Preventive & Developmental Programmes: Resume developmental workshops, life skills training, and preventive education sessions.
  • CBF-2.5 Casework & Counselling Support: Ensure all client casework, counselling appointments, and urgent interventions are completed.
  • CBF-2.6 Collaboration & Partnership Management: Re-establish partnerships and agreements affected by the disruption, confirming aligned operational plans.
  • CBF-2.7 Volunteer & Youth Engagement / Capacity Building: Restart volunteer activities, youth mentoring, and capacity-building programmes.
  • CBF-2.8 Monitoring, Evaluation & Research-informed Practice: Reinitiate data collection, programme evaluation, and reporting processes.

• Resource and infrastructure normalisation:
  • Restore access to all primary offices, community centres, and school venues.
  • Ensure IT systems, communication platforms, and databases are fully operational.
  • Verify that all emergency and temporary systems used during the first 24 hours are reconciled and integrated.

4.2 Casework and Client Follow-up

• Completion of disrupted casework:
  • Revisit cases handled manually or partially during the initial resumption phase to ensure completeness and accuracy.
  • Conduct follow-up calls or meetings with all affected clients to confirm support continuity.

• Risk reassessment:
  • Re-evaluate client vulnerability and adjust care plans as needed.
  • Identify clients who require additional support due to crisis-induced delays or stressors.

• Documentation and reporting:
  • Update all case records in the digital case management system.
  • Ensure any temporary or manual notes are securely incorporated into official files.

4.3 Programme and Partnership Recovery

• Programme realignment:
  • Reschedule postponed workshops, group sessions, and school-based interventions.
  • Evaluate participation gaps and implement catch-up sessions to maintain programme quality.

• Partner coordination:
  • Confirm all stakeholders are informed of full service restoration.
  • Conduct coordination meetings to review collaboration effectiveness during the disruption and plan adjustments if needed.

• Volunteer mobilisation:
  • Re-engage volunteers in ongoing programmes.
  • Provide debriefing and refresher training to address any disruptions or safety concerns.

4.4 Monitoring, Evaluation & Research-informed Practice

• Data reconciliation:
  • Ensure all operational data collected during the disruption is entered into monitoring and evaluation systems.
  • Validate data accuracy for reporting purposes.

• Impact assessment:
  • Conduct post-crisis analysis to determine service gaps, client impact, and operational bottlenecks.
  • Generate internal reports to guide programme improvements.

• Research-informed adjustments:
  • Integrate lessons learned into future interventions and operational protocols.

4.5 Staff Welfare and Debriefing

• Post-crisis staff support:
  • Provide counselling or peer-support sessions for staff affected by crisis-related stress.
  • Recognise staff contributions during the disruption to maintain morale.

• Debrief and feedback sessions:
  • Conduct a structured debriefing to review what went well and identify areas for improvement.
  • Document staff feedback for updating procedures, training, and resourcing plans.

4.6 Post-Incident Review and Continuous Improvement

• After-action review:
  • Convene the Crisis Management Team to assess response effectiveness across all Sub-CBFs.
  • Identify procedural gaps, resource constraints, and communication challenges.

• Procedure updates:
  • Revise the CBF-02 recovery plan based on lessons learned.
  • Update emergency contact lists, risk registers, and continuity protocols.

• Training and readiness enhancement:
  • Incorporate findings into future pre-crisis training, drills, and tabletop exercises.
  • Strengthen cross-training and resource redundancy based on identified weaknesses.

Summary Statement for After T+24 Hours (Restore and Return Phase)

After 24 hours, the focus shifts from resumption to full recovery, ensuring that all services, client care, partnerships, and operational systems are fully restored. By systematically completing recovery steps, SHINE ensures the long-term stability of Community Social Work and School Social Work services, protects client welfare, and strengthens organisational resilience against future disruptions.

Ensuring the continuity of CBF-02 Community Social Work & School Social Work is essential to maintaining SHINE’s commitment to supporting vulnerable children and youths, particularly during periods of crisis.

By following the structured recovery procedures—preparedness, rapid resumption, and full recovery—SHINE ensures that critical services remain accessible, clients continue to receive timely support, and operational stability is upheld.

This plan reinforces SHINE’s mission to deliver uninterrupted care and safeguard the well-being of the communities it serves.