February 2010 Archives

Can we change school lunch boxes without changing society?

By Simeon Brody, community editor, on February 26, 2010 11:25 AM | No Comments
Helen-Bonnick.jpgby Helen Bonnick, a supervisor of school-home support workers and a social worker

Monday: A cheese and ham sandwich.

Tuesday: The weekend's leftovers will need heating up to make them remotely edible. Luckily I am working near home so I can race in for lunch and out again.

Wednesday: No-one went to the shops yet so I make do with peanut butter sandwiches.

Thursday: Still not been shopping. Two pork pies on the way home from the supermarket.

Friday: The last thing I feel like is another sandwich but can't think of anything else.

Well, all this says to me is that I am singularly unqualified to cast the first stone!
Continue reading Can we change school lunch boxes without changing society?.

Safeguarding checks for volunteers are far from Orwellian

By Simeon Brody, community editor, on February 22, 2010 11:08 AM | No Comments
Jennifer-Harvey-1[1].gifby Jennifer Harvey, who works with people with autism

Am I the only person who thinks that checks on people volunteering to help with children are a good idea? Ed Balls was lampooned by the press about the proposals for an Independent Safeguarding Authority to register such volunteers, and his climb down on proposals which some estimates say would have affected 11 million have been widely pronounced "a victory for common sense".
Continue reading Safeguarding checks for volunteers are far from Orwellian.

We must resist the social work practice model

By Simeon Brody, community editor, on February 12, 2010 2:17 PM | 1 Comment
Steve-Rogowski.jpgby Steve Rogowski, a social worker (children and families) with a local authority in NW England

Much has been made of social work practices for looked after children and various pilots have been set up. They entail small groups of social workers working with such children and young people commissioned by, but independent of, local authorities
Continue reading We must resist the social work practice model.

Why was Shauna ignored?

By Gary Brigden, Webmaster on February 11, 2010 10:17 AM | No Comments

Ruth-Cartwright.jpgwrites Ruth Cartwright

The lack of police assistance for social worker Shauna Bailey, who was stalked and threatened, sadly chimes with the public mood.

It is relatively rare that social workers are subject to such a sustained campaign of stalking and harassment as Shauna Bailey suffered in London between 1996 and 2002.

Continue reading Why was Shauna ignored?.

Driving service users turns social work relationship on its head

By Simeon Brody, community editor, on February 9, 2010 11:57 AM | 1 Comment
silhouette-female.jpgby an anonymous social worker

There is an expectation that in certain parts of the UK to be able to practise as a social worker it is essential that you can legally drive and own a road worthy car.  
Continue reading Driving service users turns social work relationship on its head.

We're a 'challenge' of social workers and we demand respect

By Simeon Brody, community editor, on February 8, 2010 11:03 AM | 1 Comment
Claire-Barcham.jpgby Claire Barcham, national coordinator of the Approved Mental Health Professionals Leads Network

A "challenge of social workers" - I can't claim to be the originator of this term - if only! No, the person to receive the plaudits must be Paul Donahue, acting corporate director for Telford & Wrekin Council. He came by it, he said after moving from health management to social services and noticing that if he ever asked someone to do something, the first thing social workers would say was 'why?'. He wasn't complaining, he was expressing regret that social workers seemed to have lost this ability in recent years, and hoping that such confidence would return.
Continue reading We're a 'challenge' of social workers and we demand respect.

Violence: A survival guide for social workers

By Simeon Brody, community editor, on February 5, 2010 12:17 PM | 1 Comment
helga.jpg
by Helga Pile, national officer for social care, Unison

The shocking case of Shauna Bailey, a social worker who was forced into hiding after a client stalked her for six years, highlights the dangers of the job.
Continue reading Violence: A survival guide for social workers .

Lack of protection for Shauna Bailey sends woeful message to social workers

By Simeon Brody, community editor, on February 2, 2010 2:32 PM | No Comments
Nigel-Leaney.jpgby Nigel Leaney, manager of a mental health residential service

While morale is low within the social care workforce there remains the reasonable expectancy that we will receive adequate protection, through our employers and the police force, against the small minority of service users who would do us harm.

Continue reading Lack of protection for Shauna Bailey sends woeful message to social workers.
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