The Social Work Blog

Are we asking too much of The College of Social Work?

The Social Work Blog — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:43:35 GMT

Yesterday's launch of The College of Social Work was high on enthusiasm and morale-boosting comments - for the profession and the college - and low on doubts and scepticism (as I blogged earlier, there was just one mention of BASW ). That's perhaps...(read more)

BASW elephant in the room at College of Social Work launch

The Social Work Blog — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:25:01 GMT

Yesterday was the official launch event for The College of Social Work, held in the rather grand surroundings of the Institute of Directors offices on Pall Mall ( here's the room if you're interested), where pinstripes and low taxes, not cardigans...(read more)

Are you thinking of joining the College of Social Work?

The Social Work Blog — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 16:33:12 GMT

The College of Social Work was launched last week and there are probably lots of social workers out there pondering whether to join it. If you are one of those social workers and need a bit of help, Mithran Samuel has written an analysis of some of the...(read more)

Helpline won't be enough to protect social care whistle-blowers

The Social Work Blog — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 15:07:34 GMT

As the government launches a national social care whistle-blowing helpline, Roger Kline argues that it needs to do much more to ensure social care staff can safely raise concerns about problems at work. The repeated scandals in health and social care...(read more)

Unions: No decision made on local gov pensions

The Social Work Blog — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 11:35:11 GMT

Unions have denied rumours that a decision has already been made over the amount social workers and other council staff will have to pay into their pensions in the future. Rather, Unison, GMB, Unite and the Local Government Association have reached a...(read more)

Family Mosaic's care staff back formal strike ballot

The Social Work Blog — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 10:32:10 GMT

The dispute between care staff and senior management at Family Mosaic looks set to continue after Unison's members at the housing association voted in favour of a formal ballot for strike action. Unison said the "drastic proposals" to cut...(read more)

E-newsletter Christmas schedule: last email on 16 December

The Social Work Blog — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 11:49:00 GMT

For all those of you who receive our daily or weekly e-newsletters , here is our Christmas schedule: The last email of 2011 will go out on Friday, 16 December. The first email of 2012 will go out on Wednesday, 4 January. So, don't panic if you don't...(read more)

Return of the 'child snatchers'

The Social Work Blog — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 20:43:06 GMT

I was appalled to read this headline in the Sunday Express at the weekend : "Social workers 'sex up abuse claims to snatch children for adoption'." Have we gone back in time? Have tabloid newspapers learned nothing? In 2009, Community...(read more)

SWSCmedia live Twitter debates change gear and go weekly

The Social Work Blog — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 12:01:36 GMT

by Claudia Megele, a social worker and service director of A Sense Of Self, which offers support groups, psychotherapy and counselling services in London. SWSCmedia's Twitter debate on "Early Intervention: Concept, Context, Realities and Prospects"...(read more)

Hutton: Public sector pensions 'heading for the rocks'

The Social Work Blog — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:46:57 GMT

Last week's downgraded growth forecasts from the Office of Budget Responsibility makes the case for public sector pensions reform more urgent , according to Lord Hutton - which may feel like a slap in the face to the hundreds of thousands of public...(read more)

Jeremy Clarkson's anti-strike rant on The One Show angers public sector unions

The Social Work Blog — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 11:49:46 GMT

Unison has called on the BBC to sack Jeremy Clarkson following his comments about striking public sector workers on The One Show yesterday. For those who missed it: Read More......(read more)

Pension strikes: Dealing with 'betrayal at dawn'

The Social Work Blog — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 09:26:20 GMT

Simon Cardy, a Unison steward and children's social worker in a local authority in the west midlands, shares his experiences from yesterday's strike over public sector pension reforms. "At 7am yesterday morning two trade union members turned...(read more)

Unison: The public service 'pension pinch' #N30

The Social Work Blog — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 11:46:56 GMT

Scroll down to find out how Unison predicts a 54-year-old social worker will be affected by the government's proposals to reform public sector pensions. Read More......(read more)

Social care and social work staff prepare to strike

The Social Work Blog — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 10:05:47 GMT

Social care professionals and social workers are among the hundreds of thousands of public sector workers preparing to strike tomorrow. Although the exact numbers of social care staff taking part in the national pensions strike is not yet known, some...(read more)

College of Social Work launch postponed

The Social Work Blog — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 10:16:15 GMT

The Guardian reports this morning that the launch of the College of Social Work has been postponed amid claims that the £5m public funding made available to start the organisation is being used to create a "closed shop" for the Unison. More...(read more)

Unison: Why social workers should strike on 30 Nov

The Social Work Blog — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 16:34:37 GMT

Unison's general secretary, Dave Prentis (pictured on the right), tells Community Care why the union is encouraging social care staff to take part in the national pensions strike on 30 November . "Social care staff, already buckling under the...(read more)

Social worker fees will be 'appropriate and realistic'

The Social Work Blog — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 14:51:51 GMT

Marc Seale, chief executive of the Health Professions Council (HPC), responds to our article, Social workers could pay twice to register next year . "The HPC is conscious that some social workers may have to pay both their General Social Care Council...(read more)

Supervision in social work and social care

The Social Work Blog — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 11:34:03 GMT

by Claudia Megele, a social worker and service director of A Sense Of Self, which offers support groups, psychotherapy and counselling services in London. Professionals and tweeteratis came together again last Tuesday for Social Work/SocialCare and Media...(read more)

SCIE adds Ealing social work chief to board

The Social Work Blog — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 11:22:14 GMT

The Social Care Institute for Excellence has added David Archibald, the executive director children and adults at Ealing Council, to its board. Archibald started out as a social worker in Glasgow and Birmingham and became the director of social services...(read more)

BASW seeks views on ethics code

The Social Work Blog — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 13:56:18 GMT

By Tristan Donovan (despite the photo of Ruth) Fancy a discussion about social work ethics? If so then you're in luck because the British Association of Social Workers wants views on the draft version of its revised Code of Ethics . The code dates...(read more)

Developing Leadership in Social Work and Social Care

The Social Work Blog — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 15:35:33 GMT

by Claudia Megele, a social worker and service director of A Sense Of Self, which offers support groups, psychotherapy and counselling services in London. Professionals and Twitteratis came together once again last Tuesday for Social Work/SocialCare and...(read more)

Social workers to be charged £700 a year to park at work

The Social Work Blog — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 11:25:07 GMT

We reported yesterday that Doncaster Council is offering employees a choice between a 4% pay cut and losing their job, according to Unison. And the cherry on the cake for council workers appears to be a plan to charge them £700 a year for parking, even...(read more)

Unite begins balloting members over pensions strike

The Social Work Blog — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 10:43:30 GMT

Unite yesterday began issuing ballot papers to 160,000 of its members on whether to take part in a possible series of national strikes over public sector pensions, starting on 30 November . General secretary, Len McCluskey, said: "This is a historic...(read more)

BASW tables early day motion re: College concerns

The Social Work Blog — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 11:46:39 GMT

And here it is, folks Read More......(read more)

Have you been abused or threatened at work?

The Social Work Blog — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 09:58:48 GMT

Community Care is producing its second special report on violence against social care staff . Last year we found that nine out of 10 social workers had been abused, assaulted or threatened with violence while on duty . We'd appreciate it if you would...(read more)

'Employers sometimes ignore the fresh knowledge newly qualified social workers can offer'

The Social Work Blog — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 16:30:40 GMT

Ruth Cartwright, England manager of the British Association of Social Workers, talks to Community Care about the support given to newly qualified social workers (NQSWs) in the workplace, compared with the "readiness to practise" of social work...(read more)

Spoiler alert: Eastenders social work storyline

The Social Work Blog — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 09:39:42 GMT

Eastenders character Roxy Mitchell talks to a social worker in one of next week's episodes after her daughter, Amy, ends up in hospital. Let us know what you think of the Beeb's depiction of social workers by commenting below. Find out more at...(read more)

Social workers: when was your last supervision?

The Social Work Blog — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 16:35:16 GMT

Social workers often say that they don't get regular enough supervision. But managers have been heard to claim that they offer plenty of supervision. Who is right? There's only one way to find out.... Fight! Fight! Fight!... On second thoughts...(read more)

Channel 4 show rewards 'inspirational people'

The Social Work Blog — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 14:22:58 GMT

Word has reached us that a new Channel 4 show is looking for "inspirational people who have dedicated a lot of time to helping others", who will then be rewarded with a "special treat" (the mind boggles). This could apply to carers...(read more)

BASW hits back at government response to concerns

The Social Work Blog — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 16:51:10 GMT

So it seems the British Association of Social Workers will have the last word before the weekend (mainly because my post- NCAS brain cannot write any more news or blogs after this). Anyway, BASW has hit back at the Department for Education's response...(read more)

Anti-College of Social Work protest disappoints

The Social Work Blog — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 16:30:52 GMT

by senior reporter Jeremy Dunning The anticipated protest by the British Association of Social Workers at the National Children and Adult Services conference turned into a bit of a damp squib. Chief executive Hilton Dawson managed to get his harangue...(read more)

National Children and Adult Services Conference in numbers

The Social Work Blog — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 14:08:34 GMT

114,864 people reached via 1,500 tweets using #ncasc. The top tweeters, according to a TweetReach report (see Scribd embed below), were @shirleyayres , who generated 168,802 i mpressions, and @CommunityCare , who generated 121,519 impressions. (In fact...(read more)

Unison's tug of war over 'great pensions robbery'

The Social Work Blog — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 13:38:56 GMT

Outside the House of Commons Unison yesterday staged a tug of war against "masked raiders", David Cameron, Nick Clegg and George Osborne, over what the union is calling the "great public sector pensions robbery". Read More......(read more)

Live social work Twitter debate a success

The Social Work Blog — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 13:16:39 GMT

by Claudia Megele, a social worker and service director of A Sense Of Self, which offers support groups, psychotherapy and counselling services in London. Social work/social care practitioners, students, academics, campaigners, journalists and organisations...(read more)

Chief social worker could be brought in earlier than planned

The Social Work Blog — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 10:33:00 GMT

The post of chief social worker in England could be created earlier than planned, it was suggested yesterday. Speaking at the National Children and Adult Services Conference (NCAS), the Department for Education's Jeanette Pugh said: "We have...(read more)

HPC's head of policy on the new standards for social workers

The Social Work Blog — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 17:20:57 GMT

Michael Guthrie, head of policy and standards at the Health Professions Council (HPC), explains why social workers in England should get involved with their work to develop new standards for the profession. "As you may be aware, next year the regulation...(read more)

BASW: College of Social Work debate is 'patronising'

The Social Work Blog — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 09:27:08 GMT

The College of Social Work is today launching a "big debate‟ as part of a major membership recruitment campaign ahead of its formal launch in January next year. The campaign will highlight a number of key words associated with social work in the...(read more)

DH to launch consultation on social work bursaries

The Social Work Blog — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 14:30:12 GMT

Rumour has it that the Department of Health is finally about to launch its consultation on changes to the bursaries given to social work students. The consultation was supposed to begin at the beginning of the year, but was pushed back while the coalition...(read more)

Lords (briefly) discuss social work regulation

The Social Work Blog — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 10:56:25 GMT

There didn't appear to be much mention of social work regulation in the House of Lords debate on the health and social care bill, which started on Tuesday and carried on yesterday. The exception was Baroness Pitkeathley, who chairs the Council for...(read more)

Social work academy opens for NQSWs and experienced staff

The Social Work Blog — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 10:49:44 GMT

Birmingham Council yesterday launched a social work academy for staff in its children's services, in partnership with Birmingham Uni. But, unlike the academies in Croydon and Hertfordshire, this one is for experienced staff as well as newly qualified...(read more)