News

Directors of children's and adult services have criticised a review of social work as "wet" and "woolly".

 

A draft of the General Social Care Council review of social work roles and tasks was discussed yesterday at the National Children and Adult Services Conference in Bournemouth. The document will be finalised at the end of this month.

 

Directors said that the document did not clearly define what social work is. Former director of social services Bill McKitterick described it as "a bit wet," adding that it was old-fashioned. "It's a social work document that won't take us forward but will used by others to keep us down," he warned.

 

Another said the review should have focused more on the knowledge that is expected of social workers and the need for them to be able to analyse complex situations.

 

Chief inspector of the Commission for Social Care Inspection Paul Snell said they would have to look at the document again and "tighten" it if professionals were not happy with it.

 

The review includes sections such as what is social work? the characteristics of people who receive it, knowledge values and skills and key tasks of social work.

 

 

Further information

 

Essential information on social services workforce