Report from 'Have Your Say' debates at Community Care Live conference:

 Question 1: A Community Care survey has revealed that more than half of social workers working in children and families services believe they are not adequately trained to do the job properly.

What are the implications for children's services of this?

"I have been working for a local authority for 18 months. I had minimal training prior to this and I am still awaiting my induction course!! I hold a case load of approximately 18 cases. This is quite appalling and needs to be addressed."

"I work with someone who was guaranteed a place on a DIPSW course at university, which has now been oversubscribed by our social services department by 50 per cent. So it is no wonder that people are leaving the profession!" 

Question 2: Do social services departments have the necessary skills to place abused children with adoptive families?

"Just to say how informative the seminar on child abuse here at Islington was today.

There is clearly a huge gap between the awareness of people like Mary Walsh of SACCS of the dangers of placing attachment disordered abused youngsters in adoptive families, and that of most social services departments.

We would like to contact others who would be interested in trying to address why this awareness gap is so resistant to change, especially as it leads to such severe trauma for both the children and the potential adoptive families.

Please contact Adoption Problems at adoption-problems@mail.com"

Question 3: Should social services departments recruit social workers from overseas?

"I think the debate held on whether recruiting social workers from abroad was a useful debate to have. However, I feel that now is the time that we must be lobbying the government and raising awareness of the problems faced by people who choose to train as a social worker in England.

I qualified as a social worker two years ago and live and work in the South East (East London). I am unable to afford to buy even a one-bedroom flat in a tower block on my current wage, and there is little hope that this will change. Therefore I am forced to spend over half of my wage on renting accommodation. Eleven years ago whilst working in the City I was earning more than I earn now. This situation has to be redressed.

If the social work profession's profile was raised in England and more money put into the retention of staff then recruitment from overseas would not be necessary.

I am not against the recruitment of overseas staff, but I do not think this is in anyway redressing the problem for this country."

Anna Fleming (Social Worker - London Borough of Waltham Forest)

"I have just listened to the seminar given by Essex County Council on the recruitment project that they have recently undertaken in conjunction with ASA locums to recruit from South Africa. I was involved with the project from the start and actually went to South Africa with Essex County Council as part of the campaign. I can assure everyone that the every measure was undertaken to recruit fairly and within the equal opportunities framework. A mailshot was sent out to all registered South African social workers inviting them to apply to Essex County Council. Each applicant was required to complete a CV and a brief summary of why they wanted to work in the UK and what experience they had. We had 452 responses within the deadline. I did the initial shortlisting purely on the basis of who had fulfilled the application criteria. These 250+ CVs were handed to Essex to further shortlist and to invite people for interview. We interviewed 145 people over 2 weeks in South Africa and 65 appointments were made. The process has been long and involved and it will be June before all the social workers have arrived. Essex County Council and ASA have worked in partnership to make this as smooth as possible and to look at ways of recruiting, but also retaining these members of staff. From the perspective of Essex the campaign has made a positive difference to their long-term recruitment problems. I am more than happy to answer any questions anyone has or to address their concerns and I am contactable on 0800 018 7691."

Melanie Cash

Team Leader, Permanent Division

"Having attended this meeting I was horrified by the small minded response by certain individuals from Haringey social services. What was most shocking was that the comments made were being made by "social workers", so called caring and supportive individuals.

Quite clearly they had issues with regards to their own employment, but to begrudge a social service for recruiting from overseas, particularly South Africa I think was frankly quite sad. People have a preconceived view of South Africa and by the response from the individuals here today, it would suggest that they think only white South Africans have been recruited. This was by no means the case, and what was failed to be mentioned was not only were there white and black people recruited, but also Asian individuals.

Essentially the argument is not where we recruit from, but to ensure the British people have the proper social services available to them. That children and family teams for example have staff. If teams are under staffed then there is obvious strain on existing members, which then has a knock on effect of the care services that are able to be provided. If overseas recruitment can reduce this strain in anyway then surely those in the profession should be glad of the added support and commitment of overseas qualified professionals that want to work in the UK, and are able to do so regardless of colour, race or ethnic origin."

Claire Gordon

Recruitment Consultant - Permanent Division

Angela Shaw Associates

 

'Have Your Say' is to become a regular feature on the website linked to magazine news stories, feature articles or opinion pieces.