Leading from the Middle

This learning hub is for adult social care middle leaders. We know that councils can have different tiers of management. This can mean that middle leadership job titles differ. You might be a head of service, head of function, a service manager or a team leader. Or you might be a deputy or assistant head of service or team manager. It is likely you will be classed as a middle leader if your job role includes one or more of the following elements:

• leading or supervising people
• holding a budget
• accountability to a senior leader in your organisation
• responsibility for a portfolio.

Partners in Care and Health worked with regional ADASS representatives, middle leaders in councils, LGA Leadership and the Institute of Public Care to identify eight key learning themes for the modern middle leader. These themes, together with the Nolan Principles and relevant professional standards, provide a framework for lifelong learning for middle leaders.

The eight selected themes broadly focus on learning that supports integration and innovation. They have also been selected because they can support you in your work to promote equity in experience and outcomes for people who draw on care and support. Some of the learning themes will support you to develop the types of soft skills required to influence a system and enable you to inclusively support diverse teams of people.

You can decide which learning theme(s) you want to focus on; you will know the ones that will best strengthen your professional development

For each theme, we have identified a range of credible national learning resources that you can access to support your learning journey. They include reports to read, podcasts to listen to and toolkits to complete as well as learning and development courses to engage with online or attend. These learning resources are not meant as an exhaustive list: other resources are available. They have been selected based on a combination of currency, relevance to target audience, credibility, cost, availability, and sustainability.

Along with local or regional learning opportunities, as well as other vital development activities such as shadowing, networking and mentoring, these resources can build learning into a middle leader’s working week to strengthen the learning habit. Please use them at your own pace, and in a way that suits your learning needs and style.

For each theme we provide an introduction and a description of each learning resource that includes:

• a summary of the resource or learning outcomes
• the learning provider
• the learning method
• duration
• cost
• a link to access the learning resource.

These learning resources support middle leaders in their understanding of integration with the NHS and other partners for better outcomes. All the learning resources are free to access and include research reports, podcasts, learning frameworks, toolkits, case studies and guides that require varying time commitments for completion.

Partnerships, collaboration and integration

Here you will find learning resources that support middle leaders to demonstrate what strategic leadership looks like in different contexts. It is delivered by industry leaders with evidence-based leadership development expertise. The content is contemporary, relevant and personalised to the unique needs of aspiring directors.

Strategic leadership

Learning resources that support middle leaders in strategic thinking that involves looking beyond the now and considering the long-term implications of decisions and actions. Most of the learning resources are free to access. They include training courses, learning frameworks, and guides that require varying time commitments for completion.

Systems leadership

These learning resources support middle leaders in their understanding of leading in a political landscape. They distinguish political, professional and managerial leadership in public services. Some of the learning resources incur costs but others are free to access. They include training courses and learning frameworks that require varying time commitments for completion.

Working in a political environment

Here you will find learning resources that support middle leaders in their understanding of leadership practices that help address population health inequalities. They focus on the key components for success. Most of the learning resources are free to access. They include reports, training courses, case studies, toolkits and guides that require varying time commitments for completion. 

Population health inequalities

Learning resources that support middle leaders in articulating the rationale for change, leading change and leading service re-design. Most of the learning resources are free to access. They include training courses, toolkits, learning frameworks, guides and self-assessment that require varying time commitments for completion.

Transformation and finance

These learning resources support middle leaders to develop quality care services based on good practice and guidance. Most of the learning resources are free to access but some incur costs. They include toolkits, learning frameworks, guides and case studies that require varying time commitments for completion

Leading quality in care

These learning resources support middle leaders to enable everyone in the team to have a voice and feel valued. Most of the learning resources are free to access but some incur costs. They include reports, training courses, toolkits, learning frameworks, guides, podcasts and case studies that require varying time commitments for completion.

Leading teams inclusively

Buckinghamshire Council colleagues share how the council supports its middle leaders and describe the strengths and challenges of providing a range of appropriate and user-friendly learning resources.

How Buckinghamshire Council supports its middle leaders in adult social care