Following the Welsh government’s white paper, ‘Sustainable Social Services’, plans are being made for the creation of the new Social Services Bill for Wales in 2012.
This will be a key piece of legislation for social work and incorporates a number of issues raised in the BASW Cymru Social Work Manifesto that was launched at the Senedd in January 2011. BASW Cymru manager Robin Moulster has been invited to take part in a Stakeholder Group, a team of professionals which is expected to meet in December 2011 and January 2012 as part of delivering the draft legislation.
Robin is confident the legislation will support a reduction in the bureaucracy social workers in Wales currently face. He also expects the Bill to contain proposals for placing greater expectations on employers to support social work staff through adherence to the Code of Practice for Employers of Social Care Workers.
There is likely to be a very tight timescale for consultation and BASW Cymru is looking at ways in which it can work with social workers, key partners and stakeholders to ensure that the profession is able to give a strong and meaningful response.