A profession to be proud of
Wales Business — By Emyr Owen on March 16, 2010 7:00 am
What does a social worker do? BASW is improving the reputation and recognition of the profession
MOST of the population of the Wales will have either have had contact with a social worker or will need their professional support at some time in the future. Social workers are a key element in delivering support and services to the most vulnerable within society. But despite the vital role we play, our profession is all too often misinterpreted or misunderstood.
So what does a Social worker do? If this question was asked to the majority of the population in Wales the answer would probably be a recollection of a negative story that has been recorded in the press. Goodness knows, there have been enough. The International Federation of Social Work definition has been adopted by the British Association of Social Workers (BASW) and puts things slightly differently. It sets our professional role in a clear context:
“The social work profession promotes social change, problem solving in human relationships and the empowerment and liberation of people to enhance well-being. Utilising theories of human behaviour and social systems, social work intervenes at the points where people interact with their environments. Principles of human rights and social justice are fundamental to social work.”
Professional social work is focused on problem solving and change. As such, social workers are change agents in society and in the lives of the individuals, families and communities they serve. Social work grew out of humanitarian and democratic ideals, and its values are based on respect for the equality, worth, and dignity of all people. BASW recognises these core principles and our manifesto for the forthcoming Parliamentary elections is based on six that grow from the basis of these principles:
These aren’t abstract notions, but neither are they confined to social workers. Many articles on WalesHome.org have dealt with these themes and, in a time when there will be increasing pressure on the funding of public services, they are more critical than ever.
Five of the principles are broad enough that others will naturally engage with them too. However, the first objective, support for the profession of social work, is one where BASW is taking a particular lead in Wales. In the last six months we have launched a successful Ambassadors and Patron scheme to offer greater insight into the work of modern social workers. BASW Cymru Ambassadors are well respected social workers in Wales and are active in demonstrate the excellence that is going on within the profession within the day to day work that they undertake. To compliment this, our Patrons who are both Assembly Members across all the political parties in the National Assembly and respected social work academics in Wales. These are people who have committed themselves to promoting the values of the social work profession to ensure that the citizens of Wales receive the highest possible service.
And to further promote excellence and understanding, BASW Cymru is working in partnership with social workers and launching the first ever Social Work Award scheme for Wales in May 2010. This will an opportunity to celebrate the work of social workers that often goes unrecognised and for the profession to demonstrate an increased ownership of the need to counter negative stories. Through positive action and a better understanding of what we do, we hope the profession will get better recognition and an enhanced reputation.
BASW Cymru is also piloting several Professional Social Work groups in both North and South Wales; these are professional forums where professionals have an opportunity to share good practice and also develop policies and procedures to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the work and services that are provided. It is also envisaged that representatives of service users and other professionals will play a key part in the development of these groups.
The biggest development for BASW across the UK, however, is the core belief that social workers should represent and supported their profession, and not by a Government-formed group. BASW has decided to consult its membership about the possibility of becoming the College of Social Work. Other professions took such a step years ago and it has delivered real positive benefits for them.
The BASW College will be both lead and accountable to all 105,000 Social Workers across the UK and will be a powerful influence on:
Social workers are attempting to undertake and engage with people, communities and systems at often the most complex and difficult situations.
This article does not attempt to defend bad practice, but rather to demonstrate that there is a significant role and work that is quietly undertaken by social workers that make a positive difference to the citizens of Wales. It is true that a reputation must be earned through professionalism and high quality services, and this is also what the social workers also want. But constant negative press coverage view can lead the majority of people within our communities to have an unbalanced view of the profession, which often ignores the millions of people who have been truly supported and helped by hard working Social Workers.
I am proud to call myself a social worker. But that pride isn’t enough. We need a greater understanding of the role and practice of the profession that supports so many people, families and communities in Wales.
Tags: inequality, leadership, public services, social care, social services, social work
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2 Comments
Good Article Emyr.
I have two professional community work qualifications but in the past have worked as a senior social worker with young offenders and as a manager of a children’s home.
As a mature student at the University of Wales Lampeter I complained about a situation that in my opinion was discrimination against the disadvantaged. I acted in accordance with society’s expectations of what somebody with my qualifications and experience would do in these circumstances. However, I learned the hard way that no act of public service goes unpunished and pursuing the matter has cost me what was left of my career, and now my home.
Clearly standards do not apply to all public services, anyone with a social work background going into a university is going to be shocked at the lack of compliance with procedures and standards of conduct. We need to treat university students who still have few rights as vulnerable beneficiaries or consumers. That means tackling the conduct of the people you have mentioned namely academics who in effect are above the law and any form of statutory accountability.
Regarding pressure on public services, the Auditor General for Wales has just warned of swinging cuts to public services but this does not tell the full story.
Under the Local Government Act 2000, the Welsh Audit Office could intervene on issues of value for money in all public spending for our services. However, the power to intervene and take over a Higher Education Institution, or HEI as Universities are known was removed by the Public Audit (WALES) Act 2004. The WAO has confirmed that unlike local councils the public has no right of complaint whatsoever.
The duty of ensuring value for our money is undertaken by an unaccountable Quango the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales known as HEFCW. It has a statutory duty under the Further and Higher Education Act 1992 to ensure standards in higher education.This task is undertaken by the Quality Assurance Agency known as the QAA, which unlike the schools and colleges regulators OFSTED and ESTYN it has no statutory duties or powers. They are simply contractors exempt from the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and accountability to the Public Services Ombudsman.
They are accountable to HEFCW and Higher Education Wales known as HEW, which is an association of Welsh Universities. The QAA is also a schedule 1 registered charity whose primary duty is to its vulnerable beneficiaries namely students. As the QAA cannot investigate any claim of misconduct against HEFCW we believe this an unacceptable conflict of interest that puts vulnerable students at risk.
Student complaints are barred from the courts unless they apply to consumer law. Under the Higher Education Act 2004 the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education known as the OIA replaced the Visitor to act as a judge on student complaints. However, there is growing discontent with the OIA, as it does not make any inquiry into issues of any complexity.
We need our own Welsh OIA that has the power to investigate as well as adjudicate on student complaints. We also need to support students through what is a traumatic complaints process which in some cases has intimidating threats of action being taken against students who are considered to be making malicious accusations which creates a sexual predictors paradise.
We have a right to know what went wrong at the University of Wales Lampeter and why nobody was held to account for this financial disaster that cost us many millions of pounds. We also have a right to know why HEFCW deliberately withheld a disturbing report by Haines Watts Corporate Finance on Lampeter, when merger talks were going on with Trinity University College.
If this happened in social services, schools or hospitals there would be an outcry. So why should they or we in effect pay for this fiasco when those responsible walk off with a fat pension, while staff lose their jobs, students are put at risk, and we the taxpaying serfs are banned from having any right of consultation or complaint.
Meanwhile, because of deregulation this fiasco carries on with government powerless to intervene.
In addition, as Chair of BASW Cymru my Chairmanship of BASW Cymru has brought the assocation alive with passion and enthusiasm for the profession. Through my initiatives and hard work, I have introduced to BASW Cymru, the Patrons and Ambassadors Scheme, The Social Work Awards, Excellence Centre in SW (in its infancy stage), the All Wales Roadshows, introduction of lead roles for committee members and joint conferences – yet to be realised. Emyr and his excellent diplomacy skills and ability to communciate with key officials from across all sectors and in my role as Chair, we are leading the way forward in changing the face of Social Work in Wales. So that said, thank you Emyr for supporting me in my role as Chair of BASW Cymru, let’s keep up the good work. Keith