Quiet as a mouse the Department of Communities and Local Government announced a review of all statutory duties on local authorities today.That sounds like a dull exercise in tidying-up the statute book that I bet you'd rather not be involved with, right?
But if you work as a social worker you might lose your job if you're not involved.
A quick look through all those duties bestowed upon Adult Social Care reveals that they are all pretty essential if people are to obtain services. They are also virtually all duties discharged, in part at least, by social workers. Yet, the government is clearly intent on whittling this list down.
For some areas there may well be anachronistic duties which can be consigned to the scrap heap, but it's difficult to imagine that being the case with any such social care fundamentals as the right to a carers assessment or the duty on councils to prepare community care plans.
If even one of these were removed it could seriously erode the role of the social worker. Councils are stretched enough at the moment and I think it unlikely they would continue with any work they currently do if they were told it is no longer a legal requirement.
At this stage the future of the list is out to consultation. Now is the time to make your voice heard.
Image by e3 on Flickr
This consultation is deeply worrying. The fact that the government is even asking whether the duty of care is vital is concerning. The consultation also lists various sections of the Children Act 1989, which is a crucial tool for safeguarding children. Surely, anyone with any common sense knows how important these legal duties are?