Demos confused about social work role

So far so good, as there is the opportunity for social workers to escape from the restrictive role of primarily rationing assistance and to move to become what I earlier (Community Care, 25 January 2007) called ‘life allies’.

Achieving ambitions

Social workers as ‘life allies’ would be beside disabled and older people helping them to achieve their ambitions and aspirations, mobilising resources on their behalf, and when necessary and agreed being advocates. It also allows social workers to be counsellors, problem-solvers and advisors when someone is experiencing a major personal crisis or life change.

This is not how it is seen by the Demos researchers. They are confused about the professional role and competencies of social workers and the distinction between social work and social care.

Domestic tasks?

Firstly, they comment that personal budgets will allow a million social workers to reclaim their vocational role. The number of social workers in England for adults’ and children’s services is 80,000, and across the UK it is about 125,000.

Secondly, they argue that for social workers a major future requirement will include the ability to undertake domestic tasks such as cooking and cleaning.

And this is where it gets difficult. When those who have political and media access, such as Demos, create a picture of social workers which is skewed and uninformed they still carry influence and have an impact.

Reliable and trustworthy

They are right to emphasise, as has been stressed by research from the 1970s onwards, that what is valued by service users are social workers who show respect, listen well, and are skilled in communication and in building relationships. They could also have added being reliable, trustworthy and being active in doing what has been agreed.

But conflating the role of social workers as advisors and advocates, confidants and counsellors, brokers and resource builders, and of social care workers as hands-on personal and practical assistants, leads the Demos researchers to argue against the importance of professional qualifications and training. We are back to the Thatcher years’ argument that social workers could be replaced by ‘street-wise grannies’.

Order from chaos

But what about when there is a need for skilled and reflective, non-judgemental and confidential help in creating order out of chaotic and churning experiences. These may result from loss of physical or mental capacity, trauma, terminal or progressive illness, or where relationships are in disarray. And what about when action is needed to protect someone from abuse and exploitation.

There are many positive opportunities within the personalisation agenda. But there are also potential unintended consequences. The argument of the Demos researchers has highlighted one of those dangers.

Ray Jones is Professor of Social Work at Kingston University and St.Georges Medical School, and a former director of social services and chair of the British Association of Social Workers. He will be speaking at Community Care Live in the plenary discussion on ‘personalisation’.