The Department for Education announced its Review of Children’s Social Care (the review) in January 2021.

BASW England will continue to update this page with the latest information and action by BASW in response to the review.

BASW England: our response to the review and latest updates

June 2021 - BASW England encourages members to complete survey on Case for Change report to help inform its overall response and influence the future work of the review.

June 2021 - The Case for Change - review of children's social care report.  More must be done to grasp and fully understand the value and the importance that social workers bring in supporting children, families and young people.

June 2021 - Independent Review of Children's Social Care - Oversimplification of the role of social workers and negative government narrative of social worker engagement with children and families.  Andy Gill, BASW England Chair and Maris Stratulis, BASW England National Director comment on the Sunday Times article

May 2021 - ** BASW England outlines 10 Priority Areas for the Review **

Maris Stratulis, BASW England national director speaking about the review on BBC News (June 2021)

April 2021 - Review of children’s social care - government response (updated 16 April 2021)  Vicky Ford MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families letter in response (dated 31 March 2021) to BASW England letter dated 19 February 2021. BASW England continues to monitor, explore progress and develop our responses to the review.  

BASW England raise further deep concerns on how the Review of Children’s Social Care will be conducted.  (26 March 2021)

BASW England writes to SoS for Education Gavin Williamson (19 February 2021)

A policy statement was developed after consideration by relevant BASW England member-led groups and the National Standing Committee.  (15 February 2021)

A Vision for Social Work: Children and Families is launched.  (12 February 2021)

BASW England shared an update on the principles that BASW holds about social work on responding to the Children’s Social Care Review 2021.  (8 February 2021)

Education Secretary launches review of children’s social care.  (15 January 2021)

 

Next steps

  • The BASW England Review Steering Group which includes members of the Children and Families Group, BASW branch representatives and National Standing Committee, will be the lead working group for collating views of members.
  • We will be consulting with BASW England membership and seeking their views about the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care via surveys, open events, and other accessible means based on the needs of members.
  • We will work in collaboration with experts by experience, advocacy groups, social work managers academics and researchers, members of allied professions to ensure the voice of children, families, carers and social workers are heard.
  • We will lobby MPs, other identified stakeholders and partners based on statements generated in partnership with members.

 

How do I get involved?

It is vitally important that our profession has an opportunity to engage with the review.

We are urging all members, particularly those working in children and families social work to contribute to the BASW England response and make submissions to the review  from your practice knowledge or research, as individuals or team members.

  • If you are in practice, ask your employer to disseminate information on the care review to all children and families social workers in your organisation.
  • Keep in touch with BASW England action and updates
  • If you are making a submission, where the nature of your role makes this possible, do this together with a parent(s), young people or carers you are working with
  • If you make a submission, it would be good if you would copy BASW in so that we can know what issues are being brought to the attention of the Review
  • Contact your local BASW branch where one exists to ask them about the review and local activism.

Contact the BASW England team for more information: gavin.moorghen@basw.co.uk or rebekah.pierre@basw.co.uk.

Useful links

A new website has been launched by the review to provide updates on progress, events and other ways to get involved.

Events

BASW England is hosting events for BASW members so that they can find out more about the review and share thier own views and professional experiences - 

Why is the government reviewing children’s social care services?

It states that the review will reshape the services for children and families who receive social work services, (the processes as well as the practice) and aims to improve the lives of England’s most vulnerable children, so they experience the benefits of a stable, loving home.

This review has the potential to impact on all aspects of children and families social work and the way in which social workers practice.

We are urging all social workers to familiarise themselves with the independent review of children’s social care, respond to consultations and activity attend regional and national BASW events related to it and others such as the All Party Parliamentary Group events.

There has been an increase in recent years in the number of looked after children and there are variations across the country in respect of child and family social work and social care practice. The review is aiming to address the needs of children who are felt not to have “stable loving homes”.

Timescales

We understand that the review will last between twelve and fifteen months. BASW is asking the government to reconsider this not-least because the short timeframe, compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, makes it extremely difficult for social workers and social work educators/researchers to find the necessary time to contribute considered and coherent analyses of the present situation and raises concerns as to how comprehensive the review will be.