Readers’ letters, 3 March 2011

The case study featuring a 67-year-old woman with learning disabilities facing the termination of her long-term day care service, summarises the fact that...

By Simeon Brody on February 28, 2011 in Residential care

Registration is not needed in Europe

Children and Families Across Borders (CFAB) chief executive Andy Elvin says “if a social worker from overseas tried to practise in the UK without registration, it would be deemed unlawful. The same applies in other countries” (“1,000 social workers doing illegal overseas assessments”, 17 February). This is not entirely correct when applied to social workers within the European Economic Area (EEA).

Under a European directive, it is legal for a social worker who is registered with the General Social Care Council to provide temporary and occasional services in another EEA state.

In those EEA countries where social work is not a regulated profession, there is no need to register with an authority there. However, in EEA countries where it is regulated the social worker from England must give written advance notice of their intent to provide services.

It is likely that the assessments described by CFAB would fall into the category of temporary and occasional services.

Penny Thompson, chief executive, GSCC

An insult to Sybil

The story featuring a 67-year-old woman with learning disabilities facing the termination of her long-term day care service, illustrates the outcomes of personalisation can be bleak (“Her reassessment led to depression” 17 February, www.communitycare.co.uk/116269).

Suggesting that “Sybil needs more support to manage this transition so she can re-explore her desired outcomes,” is insulting. What Sybil really wants is to go back to her day centre. And who are we to be so judgemental and condescending as to state that day centres are “insipid and expensive ghettos”? One issue facing social work is assuming we know what is best for people, even if they want to make choices that we, as professionals, may consider outdated, marginalising or, heaven forbid, a bit dull.

Lucy Brooks, Cheltenham

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