Children and Families Reference Group (England)
The Children and Families Reference Group was set up in February 2011 by the BASW England Committee in order to assist in the carrying forward of the England Development Plan, specifically by providing a focus for children and families.
BASW: Treat children in care as individuals, not criminals
As a new report from MPs claims the youth justice system is currently failing children in care and care leavers, BASW has reiterated the need to treat looked after children as individuals. The report by the Commons' Justice Committee said vulnerable children were being drawn into the criminal justice system in a way that those from family homes were not. Committee chairman, Lib Dem MP Sir Alan Beith, commented that the committee had even heard one example where police had been called to a children's home to investigate a broken cup.
14th March 2013
BASW: Social workers need knowledge of the law and community to tackle human slavery
BASW has endorsed a major report that lifts the lid on the lack of multi-agency understanding about how to tackle human slavery and called on social workers to “play their part” to stop this abuse.
12th March 2013
International Women’s Day – Deeds not words needed on domestic violence say BASW
BASW has responded to comments made by home secretary Theresa May that the Government “can only do so much” and that people must speak out against violence against women and girls, with a reminder that cuts to services are leaving many unprotected.
8th March 2013
BLOG: DPP to be congratulated for recognition that justice system is failing sexual abuse victims
Following the failings identified by the Jimmy Savile case and the exploitation of young girls by gangs, the director of public prosecutions Keir Starmer QC has called for a new approach to tackle child sexual exploitation prosecutions, so that claims are taken seriously and cases are not dropped at an early stage. Mr Starmer has been quoted as saying police and Crown lawyers need to change the way they deal with cases of alleged sex abuse to avoid “another Savile moment.” BASW professional officer Sue Kent, who will be attending a roundtable meeting with the DPP to discuss proposed reforms, explains.
7th March 2013
BASW: Ministers must understand that the situation for many social workers is deteriorating not improving
BASW has responded to education secretary Michael Gove’s assertion that the current social work reform agenda will enable social workers to spend the time they need with at risk children by calling for more far reaching reforms of practice, training and funding.
6th March 2013
Butler-Sloss praised for hearing BASW’s concerns on adoption reform
The British Association of Social Workers (BASW) has issued strong support for today's comments by Baroness Butler-Sloss, Chair of the House of Lords Select Committee on Adoption Legislation, who has taken on board the message from social work that the Government's focus on driving up the number of adoptions should not ignore the need for better post-adoption support, more accurate data on adoption breakdown and the reality that adoption is not suitable for all children.
6th March 2013
BASW – We need a sensible debate on welfare reform, not underhand attacks on benefit claimants
In a Huffington Post blog, BASW’s press officer assesses how the media is being used to promote the government’s proposals on welfare reform by demonising benefit claimants such as mum of 11 Heather Frost. Ms Frost hit the headlines after claims that she has demanded a £400,000 ‘eco mansion’ be built by Tewkesbury council.
21st February 2013
Sue Kent - Tracing birth families on Facebook can have a devastating impact
Writing for the Guardian Social Care Network, BASW professional officer Sue Kent examines how Facebook is increasingly being used for unplanned communication between adoptive and birth families.
13th February 2013
BASW: Stable, specialised and skilled workforce needed to prevent children going missing from care
As the Chief Inspector of Ofsted publishes a new report that highlights the lack of reliable data on the number of children who go missing from care and the need for urgent action to establish a single register to track them, BASW endorses the report and calls for the creation of a stable, specialised and skilled workforce to support children in care.
8th February 2013
BASW: Professionals must get over their unease about sexualised behaviour in children
As a study from HM inspectorate of Probation of 24 male sex offenders, (10 of whom were minors) indicates that early signs of future sexual offending were missed in the majority of cases, BASW highlights a culture of ‘unease’ amongst professionals about the sexualised behaviour of some young children, that must be addressed by adequate provision of training and services.
7th February 2013
BASW: Empowered social workers must be at heart of children & families reforms
As children’s minister Edward Timpson today introduces the Children and Families bill to parliament, BASW issues a reminder to government that social workers need more help to keep families together, and that an obsessive focus on adoption is not the cure to all of society’s ills.
5th February 2013
Lords back BASW against Gove's adoption plans
House of Lords backs BASW stance against Government claims that "politically correct" social workers are preventing ethnic children from getting adopted by white candidates. An inquiry by peers also concludes attempts by ministers to reduce the significance of ethnicity and culture in adoption are misguided.
21st December 2012
BLOG: Troubled families? Or troubled stats?
Writing in the Huffington Post, BASW's press officer debunks the stats being used to promote the Troubled Families initiative.
19th December 2012
BASW: Protect children from ‘currency of sex’
Responding to the publication of the findings of a nationwide Inquiry by the Office of the Children’s Commissioner, BASW has called on society to stop tolerating the promotion of sexualised images of children for commercial profit.
20th November 2012
Gove right not to blame individuals or care system but removing more children from home is no panacea
Commenting on a speech on child protection given by Education Secretary Michael Gove MP at the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) that advocated an expansion in the care system, with more children taken into care more quickly, BASW has called for careful assessment of the long-term needs of children, backed by better resources to do this vital work.
16th November 2012
Rise in children coming into care amid cutbacks puts increased pressure on social workers, Lords told
Lords inquiry warned social workers are straining under increased workload as more children come into care in a climate of service cuts.
7th November 2012
Eastenders responds to Professional Social Work Magazine (PSW)
In light of the controversy surrounding the EastEnders’ storyline, PSW put some questions to the show’s executive producer, Lorraine Newman. Here are her answers.
16th October 2012
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