Social care chiefs back London campaign

Local government and social care organisations
are backing a Community Care campaign to improve the image
of social work in London and attract more people into the
profession.

Key
stakeholders including the Association of Directors of Social
Services, the Local Government Association and the Greater London
Assembly sent a letter to London and national newspapers this week,
urging them to back Community Care‘s Care in the Capital
week.

“We
commend Care in the Capital week as an opportunity to give a
balanced view about the work social workers do,” the letter
says.

Care
in the Capital week, which is due to be officially launched on 17
June, is intended to focus attention on the recruitment crisis
facing social care in the capital, and to provide an opportunity to
share ideas and promote social care as a career. The launch will be
attended by health minister Jacqui Smith.

The
letter says: “There is a crippling social work recruitment crisis
in London boroughs. What contributes to this crisis is a range of
factors including public misunderstanding of social care and social
work, bad press and media coverage and uncompetitive pay and
conditions. Together, these factors are dissuading people from
considering social work as a worthwhile and rewarding
career.

“Social workers can and do make a
positive difference to the lives of vulnerable people in the
community and without them so many people in London would be
adversely affected.”

The
week’s activities will include the publication of a major report on
the capital’s recruitment crisis, a job satisfaction survey, job
swaps between city workers and social workers, recruitment
workshops and media workshops for employers, and a symposium on the
way forward.

– For
daily updates on Care in the Capital week between 17 and 21 June,
go to www.community-care.co.uk