England Committee

World Social Work Day: Social workers have a vital role to play in reducing inequality

The vital role that social workers play in reducing inequality was the clear message sounded at BASW’s event to mark World Social Work Day in Westminster.

20th March 2013

BASW – World Social Work day challenges us to find new ways of working together

Speaking at a celebration event in Westminster later today, BASW Interim Chief Executive Bridget Robb will tell an audience of MPs and social work professionals that money is not the answer to all of the current problems faced by local authority services and make a plea for both sides to work together.

18th March 2013

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

BLOG: Relief that decision reached on Dilnot must not gloss over flaws

BASW professional officer Joe Godden assesses the latest incarnation of the Dilnot report.

13th February 2013

BLOG: Children must not pay price of targets to reduce time on care proceedings

BASW professional officer Sue Kent examines the issues raised by a new report from the Child Protection All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), that highlights a family courts system under extreme pressure.

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: 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

BLOG – deregistration threat to social work role should not be ignored

Following reports that 8,425 from an estimated 88,000 social workers have not registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) in England, BASW professional officer Joe Godden is calling for action to prevent an erosion of social work identity.

10th January 2013

England report – December 2012

19th 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

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

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

BASW England's October – Mariella Frostrup, soap operas, the 'adoption tsar' and much more besides ...

BASW England's monthly round-up of activity, this month placing a particular focus on the team's extensive media work, featuring across the airwaves and print media on a host of high profile subjects.

15th October 2012