August 2011 - The Social Work Blog

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Man who spat on social worker jailed

Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 A man who spat on a social worker in court has been jailed for 18 months, the Paisley Daily Express reports . The homeless man, who was determined to be locked-up, spat at a social worker and police...

Published 31 Aug 2011 12:36 PM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: social workers, Criminal justice, crime, homelessness
BBC is misleading, misconduct is hardly rising

Complaints of misconduct by social workers and social care workers in Northern Ireland have increased three fold in the last two years, the BBC reports this morning. The BBC says that there have been 95 complaints against social workers and social care...

Published 31 Aug 2011 10:24 AM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: conduct
Housing officer sacked for helping elderly woman

Normal 0 false false false EN-GB X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 The Sutton Guardian has an interesting story about a housing officer who was fired for helping an elderly woman with continence problems, despite her being a former nurse. The housing...

Published 30 Aug 2011 4:04 PM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: older people, adult protection
Social work hits Coronation Street

Normal 0 false false false EN-GB X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Have you seen this woman (the one on the left)? Well you will do on Thursday if you watch Coronation Street. She is the social worker who is coming to assess whether Kylie and David...

Published 30 Aug 2011 3:36 PM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: social workers, children and young people, television programme, social work, children in care
Shropshire social workers to vote on strike action over pay cuts

Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Social workers and social care workers at Shropshire council will begin to receive ballot papers from tomorrow on whether to call a strike over plans to cut pay by up to 5.4%. If the strike action...

Published 24 Aug 2011 12:24 PM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: Politics, social workers, pay, unions, strikes
Euro big wig slams Plymouth for stripping union of recognition

Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 European Public Service Union's general secretary Jan Willem Goudriaan (I don't know who he is either, but he sounds like a big cheese in these matters) has added his voice to those calling...

Published 24 Aug 2011 10:42 AM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: pay, unions
Better training for agency social workers

Jan Benn, manager in a children and families social work team, explains why employers and workforce development bodies should invest more in training agency staff. I qualified in social work in the early 90s and served my time as a jobbing social worker...

Published 23 Aug 2011 4:29 PM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: workforce
Bristol home care workers protest against privatisation

Normal 0 false false false EN-GB X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Home care workers in Bristol are to take to the streets on 3 September to protest about privatisation of their jobs . The council plans to move all its home care provision into...

Published 23 Aug 2011 3:51 PM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: social workers, pay, unions, strikes, home care
Only one in six Shropshire council staff sign pay cut deal

Normal 0 false false false EN-GB X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Only 1,000 of 6,500 workers at Shropshire council have signed up to a new pay deal which cuts pay by up to 5.4%, the Shropshire Star reports. Unfortunately a breakdown of how many...

Published 23 Aug 2011 3:40 PM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: Politics, social workers, pay, strikes
Youth workers in Cameron's 'ends' go on strike

Normal 0 false false false EN-GB X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 What a difference a week makes. Only last week David Cameron chose a youth centre in his leafy constituency of Banbury to set out his stance on looters a rioters and England's...

Published 23 Aug 2011 2:31 PM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: Politics, young people
Social worker awards deadline extended to 2 Sept

Frontline practitioners have been given one last chance to enter the 2011 Social Worker of the Year Awards , after organisers decided to extend the final deadline to Friday 2 September. Entries will be judged by a prestigious panel of judges who are giving...

Published 22 Aug 2011 11:53 AM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: workforce
Calls for peace talks over staff terms and conditions

Unison chief Dave Prentis (pictured) has called on Plymouth Council to re-recognise the union and resume negotiations over proposals to change staff terms and conditions. The authority stripped local Unison officials of their negotiating powers after...

Published 22 Aug 2011 10:49 AM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: workforce
We must support newly qualified social workers

We have been hearing anecdotal reports of newly qualified social workers in England struggling to find jobs for a while, but it was only when we delved deeper and obtained figures from the various regulators that it became clear just how messed up the...

Published 19 Aug 2011 12:07 PM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: workforce
Facebook campaign backs Plymouth social workers' union

Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 An interesting addendum to yesterday's news about Plymouth council stripping the local Unison branch of its official recognition has been brought to my attention today. Stripping the union of recognition...

Published 18 Aug 2011 3:24 PM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: local authorities, pay, unions
Will Lincolnshire social workers be the next to strike?

Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Social workers at North East Lincolnshire council seem to be the next group in a growing number of council staff set to go on strike. Yesterday, the local Unison branch put out a statement saying it...

Published 18 Aug 2011 3:01 PM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: social workers, workforce, local authorities, pay, funding, strikes
Are councils doing their maths right on pay and job cuts?

There seems to be a magic number floating around when it comes to justifying changes to council social workers terms and conditions - 400. Apparently wherever a council is changing people's pay or leave entitlements it will always save the council...

Published 18 Aug 2011 12:08 PM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: social workers, pay, strikes
'Social workers are not judgemental enough'

There is a rather interesting piece by Jonathan Parker, director of the Centre of Social Work & Social Policy at Bournemouth University, over at Huffington Post this morning. In it he says: "Social work has constructed an edifice of anti-oppressive...

Published 16 Aug 2011 11:14 AM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: Politics, young people, social work
Social work student recovers from coma to graduate

A social work student who was involved in two car crashes during her time at university, one of which left her in a coma for two weeks, has graduated from Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen. Lisa Watt suffered brain damage and spinal injuries in the first...

Published 15 Aug 2011 12:41 PM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: workforce
Care workers' salaries stagnate while managers' soar

Care workers' salaries have only ridden by 4% in the last four years, while managers' pay has risen by 12%. According to the latest figures from the Skills for Care national minimum data set the average salary paid to a care worker over the last...

Published 12 Aug 2011 3:19 PM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: pay, Care Homes
Unison brings anti-cuts protest to the Edinburgh Fringe

Unison's festival against the government's public sector cuts kicks of tomorrow. Highlights will include the launch of Dave Anderson's new topical satire show, performances from Carol Ann Duffy, Poet Laureate, a public speaking workshop with...

Published 12 Aug 2011 12:12 PM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: workforce
Aspiring social worker admits looting during riots

The Mirror has picked up on the story of Natasha Reid , who admitted at City of Westminster Magistrates' Court today that she stole a TV from Comet during the recent rioting/looting. Reid, you see, is a 24-year-old graduate who "hoped to become...

Published 11 Aug 2011 2:56 PM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: workforce
Joining up health and social care in Scotland

Good piece by David Torrance today about the growing support for joining up health and social care budgets and provision in Scotland , following recommendations to that effect in the Christie Commission's report on the Future Delivery of Public Services...

Published 10 Aug 2011 11:35 AM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: workforce
Scottish councils to work together on social care

Seven of the eight councils in Scotland who have agreed to pool their social care commissioning and training resources are also considering how they could work more closely together on social care provision, the BBC reports . The councils - West and East...

Published 9 Aug 2011 12:11 PM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: workforce
More strikes to hit pay cut council

Southampton council will bit hit by a second wave of strikes from social workers, angry at pay cuts of around 5%, tomorrow as talks remain deadlocked. Unions and the council have not made any progress since social workers staged a one day walk out last...

Published 9 Aug 2011 11:34 AM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: Politics, social workers, pay, funding, social work
Statement on College of Social Work crisis talks

Here is a statement issued by the College of Social Work and BASW following third-party mediation talks on 2 August: "Mediation is progressing well and both organisations are working towards and are fully committed to a single, strong and cohesive...

Published 8 Aug 2011 12:44 PM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: workforce
Podcast: Social workers on strike

Listen to our podcast on the strikes in Southampton, featuring social workers, union leaders, the Conservative council leader and lots of car horns, chanting and the annoyingly distinctive sound of vuvuzelas in the distance. Read More...

Published 5 Aug 2011 4:26 PM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: workforce
Applications re-open for Step Up to Social Work

Professionals can now apply for the second year of Step Up to Social Work , the Children's Workforce Development Council's scheme to attract high calibre graduates into social work. The programme offers the opportunity to earn as you learn and...

Published 5 Aug 2011 10:58 AM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: workforce
Southampton social worker strike in pictures

Yesterday, social workers in Southampton went on strike to protest against cuts of up to 5.5% to their pay. They are the first social workers to go on strike since the government introduced its spending cut plans last year. Council leader Royston Smith...

Published 4 Aug 2011 11:32 AM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: social workers, workforce, pay, social work
Southampton social worker strike: Latest update

Southampton Council leader Royston Smith has claimed social workers striking over salary cuts in Southampton are only doing it because they are on full pay from unions . Meanwhile, Community Care can also reveal the council is facing over 300 claims of...

Published 3 Aug 2011 5:28 PM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: workforce
Live blog: Social workers strike over cuts

Tomorrow, will see social workers take to the picket line for the first time since the government started making cuts to public spending. Southampton social workers are set to strike tomorrow over a 5% pay cut. Here we'll have a live feed of events...

Published 2 Aug 2011 1:50 PM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: child protection, pay, adult protection
Tips for social workers on using social media

Social workers should avoid "friending" service users and carers on Facebook because it leaves them open to allegations, the Scottish Social Services Council has said. Here are the regulator's top tips on using social media websites : Check...

Published 2 Aug 2011 11:54 AM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: workforce
Emily Watson: the only social work actress available?

Fresh from her role as a social worker in Oranges and Sunshine , Emily Watson is to play yet another social worker (well, social work student Janet Leach) in the upcoming TV drama about Fred West, Appropriate Adult . Have directors everywhere decided...

Published 1 Aug 2011 1:40 PM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: workforce

August 2011 - The Social Work Blog

Syndication

Recent Posts

Tags

Archives

Man who spat on social worker jailed

BBC is misleading, misconduct is hardly rising

Housing officer sacked for helping elderly woman

Social work hits Coronation Street

Shropshire social workers to vote on strike action over pay cuts

Euro big wig slams Plymouth for stripping union of recognition

Better training for agency social workers

Bristol home care workers protest against privatisation

Only one in six Shropshire council staff sign pay cut deal

Youth workers in Cameron's 'ends' go on strike

Social worker awards deadline extended to 2 Sept

Calls for peace talks over staff terms and conditions

We must support newly qualified social workers

Facebook campaign backs Plymouth social workers' union

Will Lincolnshire social workers be the next to strike?

Are councils doing their maths right on pay and job cuts?

'Social workers are not judgemental enough'

Social work student recovers from coma to graduate

Care workers' salaries stagnate while managers' soar

Unison brings anti-cuts protest to the Edinburgh Fringe

Aspiring social worker admits looting during riots

Joining up health and social care in Scotland

Scottish councils to work together on social care

More strikes to hit pay cut council

Statement on College of Social Work crisis talks

Podcast: Social workers on strike

Applications re-open for Step Up to Social Work

Southampton social worker strike in pictures

Southampton social worker strike: Latest update

Live blog: Social workers strike over cuts

Tips for social workers on using social media

Emily Watson: the only social work actress available?