Do social workers feel able to blow the whistle?

The case of Malcolm King, a councillor in Wrexham who was dismissed after voicing concerns about social worker caseloads has once again raised the issue of the difficulties facing whistleblowers within social care services.
It follows on the heels of the Jay Report into the Rotherham abuse case which found many frontline workers had tried to voice concerns about child sexual exploitation but managers had downplayed concerns. The report also  highlighted a “macho” and “bullying” culture within the council as a contributing factor.
As the NHS conducts its own independent review of whistleblowing, Community Care would like to investigate how many social workers and care workers have witnessed or had concerns about unethical, illegal, poor or dangerous behaviour or practise but felt unable to report it or have given up trying to report such concerns.
Take Community Care’s short survey and tell us. All answers are completely anonymous and totally confidential.