Ladyman ‘using care system as a threat’

Social work leaders have lambasted community care minister Stephen
Ladyman for suggesting that the children of antisocial council
tenants should be taken into care.

Ian Johnston, director of the British Association of Social
Workers, said he was disappointed by the minister’s comments, made
to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister select committee.

He said: “Responsible government ministers should not be seeing the
care system as some sort of threat for tackling antisocial
behaviour.”

He compared the proposal to provisions in the Asylum and
Immigration Act 2004 under which the children of failed asylum
seekers can be taken into care.

General Social Care Council chief executive Lynne Berry said
Ladyman’s proposals ran contrary to social workers’ codes of
practice to protect the rights and promote the interests of service
users and carers.

Ladyman told the committee: “I certainly think that making people
aware of the consequences of their actionsÉis a vital part
[of] dealing with not just ill-health in our communities but also
anti-social behaviour. I entirely concur that it might be necessary
to step in and take children into care in order to deal with the
situation.”