News Articles

SASW says welfare reforms are stigmatising the most vulnerable

Vulnerable people are being “stigmatised” by welfare reforms supported by a public which does not understand their implications, social workers warned.

20th March 2013

Scotland’s children’s minister uses SASW event to attack welfare reforms

Scotland’s children’s minister Aileen Campbell used the Scottish Association of Social Work’s (SASW’s) annual awards event to call on Prime Minister David Cameron to rethink welfare reforms, which she said will unfairly impact upon the most vulnerable. Speaking at the SASW Awards in Edinburgh on World Social Work Day yesterday, she warned there was a lot of “heartache” ahead.

20th March 2013

SASW Awards honour superb social work practice

Tribute was paid to the “life changing” work of social workers at the Scottish Association of Social Work Awards yesterday.

20th March 2013

Highlands service user expresses concern over personalisation push to independence

Personalisation aims to give people greater autonomy over care services by giving them the choice to buy and manage their own budgets. However, Heather Corpe, who suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder and is a member of Hug - an advocacy group for users of mental health services across Scotland’s Highlands - warns it may not work for everyone.

20th March 2013

Welfare reform 'tsunami' calls for us to be good neighbours says Scottish social services head

A new form of Neighbourhood Watch is needed to look out for the most vulnerable as they are hit by a “tsunami” of welfare reform, one of Scotland’s leading social services directors warned.

20th March 2013

Stand up or be 'obliterated' Scottish social workers warned on World Social Work Day

Social workers could be “obliterated off the map in the UK” if the profession does not stick up for itself and show its worth.

20th 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

Book now for World Social Work Day at Murrayfield – Social Services Expo and Conference

Places at the Social Services Expo and Conference on 19th March at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh are going fast, so book your free entry now. Find out more about this unique event here and make sure you reserve your place as tickets are limited.

6th February 2013

BASW STATEMENT: Update on Chief Executive position

BASW Council has completed the independent investigation into allegations made about the conduct of suspended Chief Executive Hilton Dawson. Following a subsequent period of mediation, recommended by the independent investigating officer and supported by both parties, it has been agreed that Mr Dawson will not be returning to his position.

18th January 2013

Reviewing the international definition of social work

The current International Definition of Social Work is now under review. It has served us well as we have used it to influence politicians and policy makers about the actual role of social workers in helping people change their lives.

19th December 2012

Reviewing SASW's branch structure

19th December 2012

Pocket guides on problematic substance use launched by BASW

BASW’s Special Interest Group (SIG) on Alcohol and Other Drugs has produced five pocket guides to put basic information, hints, tips and reminders literally into the hands of frontline practitioners.

13th December 2012

BLOG: Lessons from Savile in resisting organised sexual exploitation

Blog by Ruth Stark, manager of the Scottish Association of Social Workers (SASW), on what have we learnt about organised sexual abuse, repeat offenders and the long term effects of the offending on the victims? She considers recent headlines about organised sexual exploitation in Rochdale and the high-profile allegations against Jimmy Savile to pursue the subject in some detail.

15th November 2012

BASW: IDS is punishing children for being born

BASW has hit out at Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith for proposed plans to cap child benefit at two children per family.

26th October 2012

Nigerian baby ruling sparks trafficking fears

Concern has been raised over a High Court decision granting custody of a Nigerian child to non-biological parents as a government report into human trafficking is published.

19th October 2012

BASW joins rally against austerity

BASW is set to show its support for the TUC's Future that Works march.

18th October 2012

East Glasgow social worker is the inaugural winner of mental health officer award

Renfrewshire social worker Liz Snodgrass has become the first winner of the Scottish Association of Social Work's Wilma Macdonald Mental Health Officer (MHO) of the Year Award for her work supporting “highly distressed and often risky people” in the community.

15th October 2012

BASW calls for social workers and judges to get same protection as celebrities

Following a successful campaign to take down a number of online hate sites ‘naming and shaming’ social workers and family court judges engaged in the protection of vulnerable children, the British Association of Social Workers (BASW) and its trade union arm the Social Workers Union (SWU) is asking for these professionals to receive the same concern from the police as recent high profile figures.

3rd October 2012

College walks out on talks with BASW

The British Association of Social Workers is extremely disappointed to report that The College of Social Work (TCSW) has decided that it is not possible to create a unified organisation for social workers in the UK.

28th September 2012

Member update – BASW Chief Executive and SWU General Secretary

Yesterday the Social Workers Union (SWU) Executive agreed that the duties of the General Secretary shall be carried out by the Acting Assistant General Secretary, David Allan, during the period of Hilton Dawson’s absence from the British Association of Social Workers (BASW).

25th September 2012