The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE; pronounced 'sky') is a UK charity and improvement agency. SCIE shares knowledge about what works in practice across social care, social work and beyond, covering adults’, families’ and children's care and support services.
SCIE has a role identifying and disseminating the knowledge base for good practice in all aspects of social care in the United Kingdom. It produces guides in different formats, including specialist tool kits and more general learning materials, covering management and policy issues as well as day to day services.[1] This includes training, consultancy, webinars, research and product development to support improvement.[2] These products and services are co-produced with people who use services and carers, and through collaboration with care providers, commissioners, policymakers and researchers.[3]
History
SCIE was established in 2001.[4] It gained charitable status, which is one reason why it survived when other agencies were abolished or merged in the 2010 UK quango reforms.[5]
SCIE continues to maintain Social Care Online (originally launched in 2005) - the UK's biggest database of social care and social work information including wide-scale research, reports, government and policy documents, journal articles, and websites.[6]
The funding received from the government fell to £4.4million in 2013−14 (with £1m of this intended for specific projects), having previously been more than £20m in 2009−10 (of which £14m was allocated to specific projects).[5]
SCIE was commissioned by the Department of Health (now called the Department of Health and Social Care) to provide support over the Care Act 2014; looking at issues such as assessment and eligibility, safeguarding adults and advocacy.[7]
Current practice
The SCIE logo displayed at their current offices in Central London
SCIE continue to produce a number of free resources for social care and social work staff at all levels.
In recent years they have evolved from a largely government-funded body to a more commercial organisation, increasing their income from training and consultancy work and becoming less reliant on the Department of Health and Social Care for funding.[8]
Much of their current work focuses on transformation of care systems and implementing person-centred practice such as strengths-based approaches. They also have a large body of work on integration of health and social care, having provided national support as part of their work with the Better Care Fund.[9]
One of their core aims is to improve participation and Co-production (public services) with people who use services and carers to develop and deliver better social care and health provision. Much of their work encompasses this principle.[10]
