Social workers puzzled by BASW breakaway college plans

By Kirsty McGregor on March 16, 2010 in Education and training, Workforce

The British Association of Social Workers needs to be clearer as to why it should set up a college of social work, practitioners have said.

BASW’s council voted last month to ballot its 12,500 members on whether the association should set up a UK-wide college separate to the college being developed under the social work reform programme for England.

But a string of responses on the CareSpace online forum show confusion about BASW’s proposal.

“What would the BASW-led college do that is different to what BASW itself does now?” asked one CareSpace user.

“Is the college going to be separate from BASW – ie totally different entities?” added another. “When looking at the aims of the college and the aims of other professional colleges, they seem to accord very neatly with those currently held by BASW.”

To clarify its position, BASW has published the ballot paper it sent out to members and other documents outlining its case for the college.

If a majority voted yes, the ballot paper says, the BASW-led college would have a “powerful influence” on standards of entry to the profession, accreditation of continuing professional development, career structure and employer standards.

It would be open to all social workers and BASW would invite social worker membership organisations to become associated members of the college.

If a majority voted no, BASW would go back to supporting the national college being developed under the reform programme.

But Ken Terry, who resigned from BASW’s council over the proposals earlier this month, said the paper contained too little information.

“It does not allow for the fact that some members may oppose any college, while other members may be in favour of both colleges,” he said.

BASW declined to comment on Terry’s criticisms.

What we know about the proposals:

BASW’s college of social work across the UK

Open to: social workers throughout the UK, including non-BASW members
Who will develop it: BASW
Proposed functions: raising standards of entry to the profession, accreditation of continuing professional development, supporting a clearer career structure, driving up employer standards, improving public perceptions of social work
Funding model: BASW has pledged to invest its own resources in the college. In the long term, it would be funded by member subscriptions and fees from associated membership organisations
Cost for members: membership rates would be equivalent to those for BASW, currently between £152 and £213 a year for full time qualified social workers depending on their level of experience
Website: http://www.basw.co.uk/college

The Social Work Task Force’s national college of social work

Open to: social workers in England, with the option to consider extending its reach to other UK nations in the future
Who will develop it: a development group supported by the Social Care Institute for Excellence is guiding the first phase of consultation and development
Who will lead it: an interim chair will be appointed in May or June
Proposed functions: driving the reform programme in England by raising standards of entry to the profession, supporting the development of a national career structure and improving public perceptions of social work
Funding: the government will provide the start-up funding, thought to be £5m. It would then be funded by member subscriptions
Website: http://www.collegeofsocialwork.org

What we don’t know:

BASW’s college of social work across the UK

Which organisations, other than Nagalro, will support BASW’s proposals?
BASW will develop the college, but who will lead it? Will non-BASW members be able to stand as the chair or chief executive?
What will happen to BASW if its attempt to set up a college is unsuccessful? Will it be able to rejoin efforts to develop the official college at a later stage?

The Social Work Task Force’s national college of social work

How much will it cost to join?
The college is reliant on government funding for the first two years, but what will happen to this funding if the Conservatives win the general election?
Will it be truly independent of government once it’s off the ground?

In general