Who wants to move from adult's to children's social work?

The children's workforce got a great £73 million deal from the government last week - a pilot of newly qualified status - like the NTQ year teachers do, a framework for professional development, a review of the supply and quality of practice placements. By contrast, the government's action on adult workforce is slow, slow, slow. Is it ever going to happen? Are, yet again, children the votewinning policies, leaving older people and the rest of adult services behind politically, financially?

This has long been the situation. Children win hearts and pursestrings.No one would deny the need for investment in children but its such a shame that other services become the cinderellas.

I want to move into childrens services please. As a recently qualified social worker I anticipated that the job I would do would bear a modicum of similarity to the training I undertook. Not so. Since starting work in adult mental health services my job is now 80% administrative thanks to the demands of this current government who demand figure figures figures ! ! ! I am not a social worker, I am a social care administrator. I book in no more than two clients a day, if that sometimes and when I do see or speak with a client, or speak to someone about a client, I am required to record the actual contact details in duplicate, on two different admin systems, and then to record on another system the actual time and description of the contact, ie how long I spent with the client, where I saw them, purpose of contact etc etc. It can take longer to record all these details than the actual time you spent with the client. This is in addition to all the other paper-work, assessments, care plans, CPA's, housing applications, letters on behalf of clients etc etc. Oh, and dont forget client audits which can take a least a day or two. Then there's duty cover and heaven help you if you are an ASW. Or is it like that in childrens services too?

triskelion, This is sweet music to my ears, all this back up and on a different system. well I think my chances of finding a piece of paperwork needed for appeal is good if this stucture is indeed in place. That is if it was done like you had to do this .On another note no wonder so little time is spent on a client and relevent facts over looked.This is a shame . I have waited about 2 years and I am not going to give up.Before you ask I did ask under 40 days of freedom of information ACT

I hat to say this but even if you decide to move to childrens services you will find your job is the same. Dont expect to see children because most of your day is taken up with paperwork. Sorry

Lins, do you have any faith that any of the initiatives coming out of the DCSF and the Children's Workforce Development Council will reduce paperwork and bureaucracy in children's social work as that seems to be part of the intention at least.

 

• Filed under: DCSF, Children's Workforce Development Council, children's social work

Mithran, The surveys and data provided by the DCSF or the DFES were shambolic even a disgrace. We the families are going to be challenging this survey also questioned the recent hurried survey of what children said about opening the closed courts. We asked the DFES why so few and why so quick , and most important of all whay were are children not asked to take part in this ? AS a result funding will be given and the research done with the families that we say are disatisfied with the system. It was disrespectful to the familes we all have a voice ! Saved PDF

Yes I do have some faith but I suppose it will be time before any real changes take place. My biggest gripe unfortunately is the time lost which impacts on relationships with families and children. I usually do visits which runs into my own personal time because I want to spend time with the children as always looking at your watch doesnt give them much cionfidence. The other impact which concerns me is that are workers missing issues. Are stat visits being carried out? are reports informative or are they just skimming due to time constraints. I am sure that alot of workers will agree when I mention doing Lac documents on the day the yare due instead of the 7 days before. Its just paperwork paperwork paperwork.

Agreeing completely with Lins that the paperwork on C&F is just as bad as adults.  Replying to Mithran - I would like to think so but I'm not holding my breath just yet.  All the time we work in a target driven society where measurable outcomes rule I don't see things changing, despite the recognition that the 'computerised paperwork' is too time consuming and keeping social workers away from the very people they trained to work with in the first place.  I'm not sure if it's light at the end of the tunnel but the police were in the same position a few years ago and gradually attempts have been made to bring about change, although if social work follows that route then it will mean more client contact time for unqualified social workers rather than qualified workers.  Or am I a cynic still?