by Steve Rogowski, a social worker (children and families) with a local authority in NW EnglandThe Social Work Taskforce is due to report later this year but I wonder if it will deal with one of the most fundamental issues. It will come up with (yet another) definition of social work, though whether this will cover why most people come into social work in the first place and thereafter often become so disillusioned is another matter.
Surely it is not outdated to suggest that people enter social work because they hope it will give them the opportunity to work with and help the poorest and most marginalised people in society. They see themselves as adhering to values that involve building relationships with clients/service users and trying to improve their lives, significantly this being possible and valuable.
Moral police
The vast majority did not want to be care managers, rationers of services or, in many instances, simply the moral police. They also did not want to be form/computer exemplar fillers working at the behest of managers.
Importantly, all such views are consistent with the International Federation of Social Workers definition of social work which refers to the importance of adhering to human rights and social justice. This in turn points to working genuinely alongside people on the difficulties they face.
Problems for practitioners
However, given the current neo-liberal society we have, adhering to the aforementioned values poses considerable problems for individual practitioners and even challenges the very existence of social work as a profession.
Partly this is because how the work is set, carried out and controlled now lies in the managerialism imported from the private sector. Financial rationalisations and 'getting more for less' predominate this process.
As we all know this involves often meaningless, bureaucratic targets so as to process cases as quickly as possible, with the absolute minimum, if any, of services being provided.
Less time with clients
It can also mean that the 'meeting the targets' culture results in less time being spent with clients/service users with their needs, therefore, not being adequately addressed. An obvious example of when this can happen, and the dire consequences that can result, is when there are child care concerns.
All this goes hand in hand with a society where people at the bottom of the pile are often castigated and demonised by politicians and the media, rather than being seen as deserving respect and understanding.
Sociology of vindictiveness
The idea that change is possible in their lives and behaviours, for many the essence of social work, is often completely overlooked. Jock Young helpfully relates such developments to the emergence of the 'sociology of vindictiveness' whereby what can be seen as the casualties of society are essentially blamed for their predicament.
But surely when considering people's behaviour and problems, this necessitates understanding their lives and the social and economic context in which they live. From this social explanations rather than 'victim-blaming' accounts of our world are needed; another key value which relates to the very existence of social work itself.
The values outlined here are under severe pressure given the current ideological, political and economic climate. One hopes the task force seriously addresses these issues, but even if they do, and especially with a Tory government on the horizon, my advice is to not hold too deep a breath if you are wanting to see any real change in day-to-day practice.
Moral police
The vast majority did not want to be care managers, rationers of services or, in many instances, simply the moral police. They also did not want to be form/computer exemplar fillers working at the behest of managers.
Importantly, all such views are consistent with the International Federation of Social Workers definition of social work which refers to the importance of adhering to human rights and social justice. This in turn points to working genuinely alongside people on the difficulties they face.
Problems for practitioners
However, given the current neo-liberal society we have, adhering to the aforementioned values poses considerable problems for individual practitioners and even challenges the very existence of social work as a profession.
Partly this is because how the work is set, carried out and controlled now lies in the managerialism imported from the private sector. Financial rationalisations and 'getting more for less' predominate this process.
As we all know this involves often meaningless, bureaucratic targets so as to process cases as quickly as possible, with the absolute minimum, if any, of services being provided.
Less time with clients
It can also mean that the 'meeting the targets' culture results in less time being spent with clients/service users with their needs, therefore, not being adequately addressed. An obvious example of when this can happen, and the dire consequences that can result, is when there are child care concerns.
All this goes hand in hand with a society where people at the bottom of the pile are often castigated and demonised by politicians and the media, rather than being seen as deserving respect and understanding.
Sociology of vindictiveness
The idea that change is possible in their lives and behaviours, for many the essence of social work, is often completely overlooked. Jock Young helpfully relates such developments to the emergence of the 'sociology of vindictiveness' whereby what can be seen as the casualties of society are essentially blamed for their predicament.
But surely when considering people's behaviour and problems, this necessitates understanding their lives and the social and economic context in which they live. From this social explanations rather than 'victim-blaming' accounts of our world are needed; another key value which relates to the very existence of social work itself.
The values outlined here are under severe pressure given the current ideological, political and economic climate. One hopes the task force seriously addresses these issues, but even if they do, and especially with a Tory government on the horizon, my advice is to not hold too deep a breath if you are wanting to see any real change in day-to-day practice.
Dear me. This government has, or is in the process of, systematically undermining the quality, status, influence of all professions including teachers, doctors and nurses, all of whom are far closer to the nation's heart than social workers. They have managed this mostly without the public noticing. Do you really think anyone is going to care about the social work profession?. Read the nursing blogs or the medical blogs. Social work in comparison is a small loss.
I funded myself through social work training in the 80s but even then I could see that wittering on about the 'social work profession' was pointless and that it's time was up. No one gives a damn, including most social workers - those with any brains have mostly left the job or will do as soon as they can.
According to the proponents of Individual Budgets in my authority, careplanning (sorry, support planning) is something that unpaid volunteers can do with 2 days training. Assessments are form filling exercises that can be done by promoted admin assistants. All decisions involving cost are pushed far up the management line,to the new multiple layers of well paid managers that we now have, who all rush around in circles having meetings which achieve very little. Carers services mean music therapy and gym sessions for the middle classes, whilst respite is cut. Older peoples services are the first for any cuts because there are so many of them - I could, as they say, go on. But hey ho, so far they are still paying my salary so not all is lost.