BBC WANTS TO TALK TO CARE WORKERS ABOUT MONEY!BBC Television is making a major new documentary series about our attitudes to money.How do you feel about money?Do you do think you are paid enough?What motivates you making money or helping people?No matter how you feel about your finances, we want to hear from you.At this stage, we’d like to have an informal chat with you over the phone about your spending habits and relationship with money.To find out more about this exciting new series please get in touch in confidenceemail: tara.okelly@bbc.co.uktel: 020 7557 2358
Dear BBC,
I imagine you are only interested in paid, professional social workers etc. but would ask you not to forget the unpaid carers, many of whom are heavily experience qualified and make a massive contribution for no financial return. We have a 27 year old son with complex care needs - learning, physical and medical disabilities - my wife was a fully qualified nurse (ex-ward sister at Westminster Hospital and later specialist drugs advisor to GPs), I was senior housing researcher with what was then largest Housing Association in country. We have 27 years specialist knowledge of my sons conditions, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, gastrostomy feeding, oxygen therapy, medical equipment etc. etc. and my wife did recieve carers allowance until her 60th birthday when she became ineligible. We are accepted as 'expert carers' by some of the professionals and have even given presentations on specific topics to professionals, but we are unpaid and largely unacknowledged. We continue to feel that our opinions are often not valued simply because no one pays us to do what we do - not being paid for something does not mean you can't do it or know nothing about it.
Sorry to sound negative but I'd hazard a guess that carers provide more hours care than social workers.
Bernard
"Sorry to sound negative but I'd hazard a guess that carers provide more hours care than social workers"
Thats not a negative comment, thats reality. As a social worker I spend more time at my computer than I do with service users as opposed to carers who usually provide 35hours+ per week (and in some cases 24/7) support. This really is the kind of issue the BBC should be looking at, not social work wages. Im not sure what they're hoping to get from that? It seems like a very dry subject to me, we get paid okay (above average anyway), id like to be paid more but I stick with the job I've got because im passionate about it. What more is there to say?
Pure curiosity - I wonder if, having posted this thread, the BBC are actually monitoring this - or was it just an announcement awaiting phone calls? Is there anybody there (from the BBC)?
I am a care worker. I do live-in paid care work and support work at a Centre for people with learning disabilties.
I obtained my NVQ3 and Assessor 1 but it makes no difference to my rate of pay.
I have strong views about the status of carers in the Health and Social Care industry.
Regards
Phoebe
I'm a support worker for people with physical and learning difficulties, i work for a company who specialises in supported living. One individual i work with get support 24/7 and we have a team of 6 to cover these hours. I got into the work as i was trying to gain some experience before applying for a social work master degree, which i am now starting in September. I enjoy the caring aspect to my role and the professional relationships built with individuals i work with but i was only saying yesterday that were it not for my partner i would have a very miserbale existance on the wage i take home. I work sleep-in shifts and very rarely work less than a 24 hour shift yet i'm earning just over £6 an hour for that and a fixed payment for a sleep-in, not by the hour. Like i said i love the work and do it for this and of course was aware of the crap wages before starting but having worked 63 hours last week and taking home less than a £1000 a month i am glad to be starting my course in September!!
sorry, bit of a vent there... it's been a tough week!!!
I think whoever came up with this idea for a progam obviously has no clear idea of the social care field and the actual reasons people work within this field. I support the idea that people sho work within this line of work do so because they are compasionate by nature and the main reason we do the work we do is because we want to make a difference in a vulnerable persons life.. It's true a good wage will lessen your worry about day to day living costs and bills and i think that cant be a bad thing seeing the job is an extremely over-demanding and stressfull.
I am a Support Worker and I support elderly and vulnerable adults, people with physical disabilities, mental health conditions and learning difficulties.. our team does not do 'hands on care' we carry out assessments and make referrals that will a difference to a persons life and ensure the live independently in their own homes amongst other duties. my contracted hours are 35 hours a week but i rarely work those hours -its more like 45+ hours and the extra hours is not paid -why do i do it? Because I have a duty of care and fundamentally we are working with people and its their lives that get affected.. having a sense that i have made a positive contribution is far more important than money matters in my eyes and im sure this is the case for many others...
Oz y