Councils believe social workers are "too expensive" to
employ implementing the personalisation agenda, a British
Association of Social Workers official has warned.
Ruth Cartwright, professional officer for England, told
yesterday's World Social Work Day conference in London that BASW
members were telling her that social work posts were being frozen
in their authorities as they implemented personalisation.
In a question to care services minister
Phil Hope, who was addressing the conference, Cartwright said: "I'm
hearing from our members about senior staff in social work
departments not seeing the personalisation agenda as being
implemented by social workers as they are too expensive."
Minister: Social workers should not be seen as too
expensive
In response, Hope said: "I can't talk
about specific cases. But in general I don't think it's the case
that social workers should be regarded as too expensive because I
think you play a critical role in understanding the specific needs
of individuals and families but also bringing together other key
players."
Under the government's three-year
Putting People First programme, which began
last year, councils must roll out personal budgets, expand
direct payments, promote self-assessments by users and provide
universal advice and information to all users.
Care management overhaul
In a number of councils, this has involved the overhaul of
traditional care management functions and the transfer of
responsibility for assessment and support planning from qualified
social workers to non-qualified care staff, at least for less
complex cases.
Social workers have been left to support people with more
complex needs, handle safeguarding issues and monitor the quality
of support plans drawn up by non-qualified staff.
While this has not necessarily led to the cutting of social work
posts, a
Community Care survey last year
found that over half believed personalisation would result in a
reduction in the number of qualified social workers working in
adult services by 2011.
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