The text of the letter is below. But you might also want to write your own letter to the chair of the award judges Bob Satchwell. We have drafted a form letter (down load it here) that you can use or amend, or you could write your own. Satchwell can be reached at: info@societyofeditors.org. Discuss your thoughts and talk about your letter on CareSpace, our discussion forum.
What we wrote:
Dear Mr Satchwell,
I'm writing to you in your capacity as a judge for this year's British Press Awards.
On behalf of Community Care, the magazine for social care professionals in the UK, I would like to make you aware of the damage that The Sun's Baby P campaign has done and urge you withdraw any support that you may have offered The Sun's entry to the campaign of the year category.
While the campaign made waves and struck a chord with The Sun's readers it was based on a misleading premise and amounted to what many social workers felt was a witch hunt against them.
Under the headline "Blood on their hands" The Sun appeared to lay the blame almost exclusively on the heads of social workers, with the petition calling for every social worker who had been involved in the case to be sacked and prevented from working with children again. Readers were encouraged to contact the newspaper if they knew any of the social workers involved.
In 27 consecutive editions of the Sun following the conclusion of the trial of Baby P's killers, the newspaper singled out Maria Ward, the social worker allocated to Baby P's case, over and above the other professionals involved. She was named 55 times, in 31 articles, editorials, opinion columns and readers' letters. Editorials labelled her "lazy" and "useless", while one story speculated on her mental health.
Child protection is now a multidisciplinary process, involving health professionals and police officers as well as social workers. But while social workers have been The Sun's prime target, other professionals involved have been scarcely mentioned.
We believe the campaign was misleading because contrary to the impression given by The Sun's "Justice for Baby P" petition, there is not an accountability vacuum in social work. When social workers make mistakes they are held to account by the General Social Care Council just as doctors are held to account by the General Medical Council.
But The Sun has seemingly found this difficult to grasp, incorrectly pointing out in a recent story that although the doctors involved had been suspended by the GMC the social workers had effectively got away scot-free. In fact the social workers have also been suspended.
This leads us to the conclusion that the campaign has had not had its intended impact. The disciplinary procedures for both the medics and the social workers is being handled by independent regulators who will make their own decisions based on the evidence presented - they have not yet made their decisions, and when they do the result will have nothing to do with The Sun.
The real impact of the Sun's campaign has been in undermining social workers' morale and is putting off new entrants to the profession - a development with worrying implications for future child protection.
Social workers do a difficult job in challenging circumstances and deserve better treatment in the media. This is why Community Care is launching Stand Up Now for Social Work, a campaign to improve the accuracy of media coverage of social work issues. More information can be found at www.communitycare.co.uk/standupnow.
We hope you will be willing to send a positive message from the media industry to the nation's social workers by voting against The Sun's Baby P campaign.
Regards
Bronagh Miskelly, editor, Community Care
On behalf of readers and the 4,500 people who have so far signed our petition in protest at The Sun's irresponsible coverage.
I just sent my own version!
Welsh social workers may wish to amend the form letter as it refers to the Social Care Council. I added in 'and the Care Council in Wales'
I have seen and heard both sides of this debate. As a professional with two caps, I feel that the media have a role to play. Without the media, how would we be able to get across our views of Government bodies? The Sun brought to our attention just what has occurred. I doubt if many of us would have been aware of just what did happen to baby P. I don't believe it's about trying to stop the Sun from gaining an award, but about real reporting. As professionals we have a duty of care not only to our clients/patients/service users, but to other professionals as well. If one of our professional members is not acting ethically then I believe that the media have every right to publish as long as they have the correct facts. I am not for or against, but believe in the true facts of the matter. Don't knock what can be helpful, but work together. As social workers, we try to create an environment that's workable. We sometimes have to place people in a home against their will, taking away their human rights, however, we do it in what we believe to be in the best interest of the patient, so why can't the Sun, in what they believe to be in the best interest to its readers, print an article about something as important as Baby P or similar stores. The community have a right to know that it's not only social workers who were involved but other professionals. We all have a duty of care, so where does the blame lie? I believe we all are to blame for not performing our job correctly. I have seen many newly qualified social workers being given Hugh case loads and expecting to cover this load. When someone attempts to put their thoughts in writing, others appear to attack their views instead of doing what we preach. Let’s work together and then hopefully gain respect from all sides of the profession. Blessings. Rev Jack
I agree on Jack’s principles. However, reporting on and naming the guilty is justly; the naming of a person who has not yet been judged legally is immoral. Innocent until proven guilty?
Oh dear Jack - is that the Australian informed response to the Sun newspaper!!!??? The Sun is a cheap (both morally and intellectually) tabloid which wouldn't recognise serious investigative and informed journalism if it fell over it. It is more famous for Page 3 semi-nude women than serious journalism - something that social work would not wish to ever be associated with.
OH Dear Dear Dear, Just because I have an Australian E-Mail, to educate you, I will help you along with what facts you have again got incorrect I was born in the UK, though I lived in Australia for 25 years I have spent the last 5 years here in the UK, so I am afraid you point is not waranted again.
I am registered with the GSCC as a qualified Social Worker
Please if you are going to have a go at my beliefs at least get the facts correct.
Rev Jack