A strategic plan should be developed for addressing the health needs of travellers in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, according to the All Ireland Traveller Health Study published last week.
The study, commissioned by the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) in Northern Ireland, examined the health status and needs of Travellers living in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
Commenting on the research, deputy chief medical officer, Dr Liz Mitchell, said: “The publication of this report is a milestone. The challenge now for policy makers will be to examine the findings and the key points highlighted in the study. Along with our partners, in particular the Public Health Agency, we will identify actions to take forward the work needed to address the issues raised.”
The report describes how all aspects of mother and child services merit the highest priority, with more effort also needed on men’s health issues and on the community’s accommodation needs.
Dr Mitchell added: “The Traveller community has been recognised as a disadvantaged group and the findings of this study provide a framework to work upon to ensure that Travellers have good access to healthcare services to meet their needs.”
The DHSSPS will take forward a number of the recommendations in conjunction with health and social care bodies and other government departments.
Social workers are being asked to attend consultation events to consider the merits of the 10 Year Strategy for Social Work In Northern Ireland: 2010 – 2020. Set to be held in Belfast and Derry the events form part of a wider consultation process into the ambitious review of the social work profession.
Launched on 23 July the strategy is promising to ‘focus on supporting frontline staff and their managers to deliver a safe, effective, high quality social work service through challenging times’. NIASW is urging all members to take part in the consultation events and ensure policymakers recognise the pressures that social workers are under in their work.
There are two consultation events. The first takes place in Belfast on 27 September (14.00-16.30) at the headquarters of the Northern Ireland Social Care Council. The second is on 8 October (10.00-12.30) at the Multi-Disciplinary Education Centre, Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry.
The initial consultation process ends on 15 October.
**To book your place at one of the events before 20 September, email peggy.carlile@nisocialcarecouncil.org.uk
View the 10 Year Strategy documents and have your say by visiting http://www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/showconsultations?txtid=43394**
Social work and service users in the UK have benefited significantly from immigration, BASW has told the government in response to its plans to put a cap on the import of workers from outside of the European Union.
In evidence to a Home Affairs Select Committee inquiry into the government’s proposals to place a cap on economic migration, BASW stated that while it understands the case for a reduction in net migration, it believes there is a strong professional case for allowing a range of social workers from non EU countries to work in the UK.
‘The current employment of internationally educated social workers has raised the expectation of employers as to the appropriate education and skills levels needed from our UK educated social workers,’ says BASW’s submission, which drew on a number of real-life examples from BASW members who responded to a request for frontline views on the impact of overseas social workers in the UK.
One children’s services manager said that practitioners from New Zealand and Australia had far superior academic qualifications than domestically trained staff and were more committed to continuing professional development.
The manager continued by arguing that the necessity for overseas recruitment would persist until higher A-level results are expected of social work students – currently standards across the UK vary, with Northern Ireland viewed as requiring far higher academic attainment for accessing the social work degree than other parts of the country. The contributor added that guaranteeing a local authority placement during training was an equally vital imperative for raising standards in UK social work and negating the need to import overseas workers.
BASW’s submission to the Home Affairs Select Committee called on the Westminster government to treat social work as a ‘shortage occupation’. It goes on to highlight the diversity of UK society and to welcome the skills and knowledge bought to the UK by non-EU trained and skilled social workers – described as vitally important to social inclusion and social cohesion.
BASW also stressed that social work is an international profession and that it is critical that ‘social workers from the UK gain opportunities to practice and learn abroad just as it is for social workers from both within and without the EU to come here’.
It adds: ‘Thus while we support moves to ensure that the UK trains and supports enough social workers to run our own services, we expect to also promote on our own and through the newly developing College of Social Work, increasing opportunities for international study and work exchanges. This we believe is the healthy and appropriate professional response to meet the needs of service users and professional staff.’
BASW’s submission describes the poor experiences that some social workers from outside of the UK have had in local authorities. It urges the development of an International Code for Recruitment on International Social Workers, based on the Code for NHS staff, which would include a commitment not to recruit from developing countries and that no international social worker is employed by a recruitment agency on first entering the UK.
The Association also suggests that international social workers have a supported first year in employment, similar to that being developed for newly qualified social workers.
BASW concludes by urging the coalition government to build on work undertaken by the Social Work Reform Board, by creating a career structure that rewards experienced workers, raises the standard of those entering the profession and to ensure that local authorities give support to international social workers.
BASW is teaming up with ITV’s new flagship breakfast programme, Daybreak, which launched today, to undertake a major survey of social workers, timed to coincide with the publication of professor Eileen Munro’s initial report on reducing the bureaucracy in children’s services.
Social workers with any level of experience of the challenges facing child protection practitioners can go online now to respond to a quickfire, eight question survey, with the results set to be revealed on Daybreak – co-hosted by Adrian Chiles and Christine Beakley – in late September.
Visit www.basw.co.uk/daybreak to respond to the anonymous survey – it won’t take more than two minutes to complete. The deadline for responding is Monday 20 September.
Urging members to log-on and answer the questions, BASW chief executive Hilton Dawson told PSW: “This is an excellent opportunity for social workers to have their views heard by a significant TV audience.
“The more social workers who respond to the survey the better – take this excellent opportunity to tell the public the truth about the challenges you face in your daily life and about what you need to improve the protection we offer to children and young people.”
Visit www.basw.co.uk/daybreak to take part now
All Scottish political parties should put aside their differences and form a ‘grand coalition’ to improve outcomes for looked-after children, according to leading children’s charity Aberlour Child Care Trust.
The charity demanded that the Scottish Parliament takes a long-range and cross-party approach to improving outcomes for Scotland’s looked-after children and young people. It made the call after Audit Commission Scotland criticised the failure of the Scottish government and local authorities to approach the issue of residential care in a strategic way.
Aberlour’s head of policy, Alex Cole-Hamilton, said: “If the measure of a civilised society is how the state acts as parent to some of the most vulnerable children in our society, and how it provides them with the support and stability to make the most of their potential, then sadly we are failing that test.
“Outcomes for care leavers in this country are a national shame and despite successive strategies and reviews, we have seen no tangible improvement in employment prospects, engagement in education or reduced likelihood of criminal activity for those who leave the Scottish care system,” he added.
The Audit Commission Scotland report, published on 2 September, called for councils, the Scottish government, National Health Service boards and other bodies to manage residential child care services better to help children and young people achieve their full potential.
The report said that councils are working on becoming better ‘corporate parents’, with support from the Scottish Government. But it warned that there still needs to be a greater emphasis on the long-term outcomes and life chances of children in residential care. Many children’s care plans lack clear action points and long-term goals, it added.
Ruth Stark, BASW’s Scotland manager, said Aberlour was right to highlight the potential of good quality residential child care: “We need to learn from what works in other countries. Charles Arnaud, a key leader in the Foyer movement in France, pointed out in the 1980’s that young people in moving away from families of birth went through a yo-yo period between 18 and 26 – leaving for periods of time and then returning – before finally creating their own homes,” said Ms Stark.
“How much more difficult for children whose families are not there for them through this period. I recently reviewed a book about a community in Russia called Kitezh which takes children from the streets of Moscow and provides that support for rootless children and young people that takes them through university and onto their own homes – if they can achieve that aspiration in far worse economic conditions than we have in the UK then Aberlour’s call for a concerted cross-party initiative in Scotland should be supported by us all in supporting our young people who are most at risk of discrimination and harm.”
Mr Cole-Hamilton said that often young people failed to receive the support they need in their communities and so residential care workers struggle to engage with them. He warned that young people leaving care do not receive enough support from local authorities, leaving them vulnerable and more likely to become unemployed or in contact with the criminal justice system.
“It is time to take a unified approach to this issue and to concentrate minds on addressing one of the most significant social problems of our time. This will require some mature decision making on the part of our parliamentarians and an understanding that the kind of support our care leavers require and deserve will cost money. The return on that investment may be a long time coming, but come it will and to the benefit of everyone in our society,” he added.
Audit Scotland Report: http://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/docs/local/2010/nr_100902_children_residential.pdf
BASW has voiced concerns that the government is pressing ahead with its plans to transfer the regulation of social work in England to the Health Professions Council (HPC) without its involvement.
In a letter sent in early September, the care services minister Paul Burstow sets out the rationale for abolishing the General Social Care Council (GSCC) and moving its functions to the HPC and says he will set up a group to oversee the transfer.
But in a written response, copied to care councils across the UK, BASW chief executive Hilton Dawson said he had hoped BASW would be invited to join the group.
The group will be chaired by the chief executive of the Council of Healthcare Regulatory Excellence, Harry Clayton, who will advise the Department of Health and Department for Education on issues including how to retain the ‘distinctiveness of the social work profession’ within the HPC regime.
Mr Dawson said BASW has worked with chief executives of the GSCC on ‘numerous occasions to try to help them change an organisation which was oppressive as well as inefficient into something better’.
Mr Dawson also cautioned that the £76 annual fee that social workers will be expected to pay the HPC, an increase of more than 150%, may impact on the willingness of practitioners to also pay for membership of a future College of Social Work.
‘Social work is not a health profession. It will be completely unacceptable for the HPC to take on the regulation of something as universally significant as the social work profession without substantial changes to its operating procedures and culture,’ he warned.
‘This should be reflected in a change of name to the Social Work and Health Professions Council. There is no way that you will achieve your aim of maintaining the confidence of the profession without taking this small but significant step,’ he added.
He also commented on suggestions that social work students would no longer be registered once regulation is transferred to the HPC, describing this as inconsistent with the policies of care councils in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, and leaving the public in England less protected.
BASW has no confidence in the ability of a higher education sector, which has admitted to us that it has passed students who should have not been allowed to qualify as social workers, to regulate itself. We insist that the Social Work and Health Professions Council continues with the registration and regulation of social work students,” Mr Dawson wrote.
Hilton Dawson’s letter to minister
Produced by JIG Media on behalf of BASW Online
BASW has this week written to every local authority in England urging council leaders to spare frontline social work services from spending cuts.
In a letter sent to each local authority chief executive, Hilton Dawson BASW’s chief executive, said that social work services ‘are services which must receive priority for better support and development as reductions in public expenditure make things even more difficult for people facing the acute circumstances with which social workers deal’.
The move came after Mr Dawson gave evidence to Treasury officials charged with planning local government expenditure in preparation for the Comprehensive Spending Review in October.
Mr Dawson told local authorities the strong messages he had given to the Treasury: ‘The view I expressed was that child protection, support for looked after children and social work with families of children in need and with adults are already at such a parlous state to permit no cuts whatsoever.’
‘I went on to say that there are huge inefficiencies in social work and that central and local government should address these issues immediately by radically amending the inspection regime, by dismantling bureaucratic requirements and insisting that their social workers do social work instead of serving an information machine,’ he added.
However, Mr Dawson told Treasury officials that he remained skeptical about the ability and willingness of local government to give social work the priority it needs. The message to local authority leaders and Treasury officials was stark: ‘It is our clear view that if councils continue to undermine the ability of social workers to do their job, continue to raise thresholds, reduce placement resources and spread social workers ever more thinly that the most vulnerable people that you serve will suffer and in fact that some of them will die.’
‘BASW has acquainted the Treasury with some major proposals which we have been developing with other parts of the coalition Government for the future of social work and we will be continuing to give evidence ahead of the spending review. I would be delighted to be able to inform officials that my skepticism is misplaced and I and they have been misinformed about the priority which local authorities are prepared to give to social work in difficult times,’ Mr Dawson continued.
He urged chief executives to take action today and carry out a ‘health check’ of frontline social work practitioners – a document recently promoted by the Social Work Reform Board Health Check Framework.
He concluded by asking chief executives or council leaders to respond to a mini questionnaire asking them what actions they are taking to protect social work services from cuts, what action are they taking to reduce bureaucracy for social workers and what meetings have been held with social workers to ensure they have adequate support in their roles.
The results will be published on the BASW website when the chief executives have responded to BASW’s request for information.
BASW Scotland has raised concerns that proposed legislation that would allow people to request an assisted death lacks safeguards.
The End of Life Assistance (Scotland) Bill would enable people aged 16 and over, who are terminally ill or permanently disabled, to ask a doctor to help them end their life.
It was introduced in Scottish parliament in January by Margo MacDonald MSP, who has Parkinson’s disease.
As set out in the bill, someone would have to make two requests in writing to have help ending their life and after each one would need to be assessed by a psychiatrist.
Next month, BASW Scotland will tell the committee considering the bill at its first stage that there would need to be a more rigorous process.
Ruth Stark, professional officer BASW Scotland, said the law would need more “checks and balances” in order to bring it in line with other mental health or capacity legislation, which is much more robust.
“One would expect similar if not more rigorous assessment with a person seeking assistance ending their life,” she said. “These will be some of the issues we will be raising in our evidence,” she added.
In its written evidence to the committee, the Scottish Disability Forum said members were concerned that “no safeguard or procedures would ever be sufficient to eliminate the risks involved in assisting people to end their lives”.
One member said they were concerned that the bill would lead to “massive abuse” because some people might just need treatment for depression.
It adds that members are concerned about the time period to make the second request, which is between 15 and 30 days.
One person said: “You usually have 31 days to change your mind about returning a sofa and surely this is a more important decision. It also takes years to convince the NHS you need a sex change.”
Produced for BASW Online by JIG Media
BASW members can receive a 10% discount on an Introduction to Advocacy training day being hosted by Voice, the latest organisation to sign up to the Association’s 5 Star social work employer scheme.
The event is particularly targeted at social workers who work with childrena dn young people but have never received advocacy training, or those considering a change of direction in their social work careers and feel advocacy training would support their plans. Sign up before the end of August to secure the discount for the event which takes place in London on 10 September.
To work out if you might be able to benefit, do any of the following apply to you?
o I am a practitioner working with children and young people and frequently advocate for my young people but have never been formally trained in advocacy
o I currently work with young people and struggle to find the information I need about their rights under The Children Act – it’s a minefield
o I am interested in becoming an advocate or children’s rights professional, maybe even a career change
o I am new to the children’s workforce and want to gain confidence in my knowledge of children’s rights
If the answer is yes, then an Introduction to Advocacy on Friday 10 September could help. By the end of the course Voice hopes you will be able to describe the role of an advocate and the boundaries within this role, as well as be able to explain the definition of advocacy and gain an overview of models of advocacy.
The training initiative should also Demonstrate the values of underpinning the way advocates work. Describe the key rights young people have under The Children’s Act. Demonstrate and ability to assess young people’s rights and evaluate learning and reflect on your practice.
Special discount rate extended until the end of August for BASW members – simply quote ‘BASW member’ when booking. The discount applies to standard charges of £150 for public (local authority) employees or private sector workers, and a £125 rate for those employed by voluntary organisations.
The one day training event takes place between 09.30 and 16.30 at 320 City Road (nr Angel tube station), London, EC1V 2NZ
To sign up, complete the booking form [http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3522570/events/bookingform.doc] and email it to learning@voiceyp.org
The College Development Group, of which BASW is an active member, is holding a series of consultation events during September, as efforts continue to define the future purpose and functions of The College of Social Work, ahead of its interim launch in 2011.
The events, targeted at social workers, managers, service users and their carers, are being staged across England. These are supported by an ongoing online consultation, which social workers can still respond to.
Dates and locations for upcoming events are below:
o Durham - 1 September
o Leeds - 2 Sept
o Manchester - 6 September
o Doncaster - 7 September
o Birmingham - 15 September
o Wolverhampton - 20 September
o Leicester - 21 September
o London - Date to be confirmed (likely to be last week in September)
These events are free to attend. To book your place today, please click here [LINK - http://www.collegeofsocialwork.org/consultation.asp]
Another way to share your views with us is through the online consultation, which closes on 10 September 2010. Visit www.collegeofsocialwork.org/queschoicemay10.aspx.
If you have any queries about any of this, please call 020 7089 6840 or email collegeadmin@scie.org.uk