May 2010 • Professional Social Work

general election 17

BASW’s Manifesto for Social Work

The six core principles:1. Support for the profession of social work.2. The fair and equitable distribution of resources 3. Fair access to public services4. Recognition of the rights and duties of individuals, families, groups and

communities5. Equal treatment and protection under the law6. Social development and environmental management in the interests of

present and future human welfare.

Five points and a practical offerA Social Work Act of ParliamentNew legislation and amendments to statutory guidance to ensure aCollege of Social Work has a fundamental role in setting standards for entryto the profession, standards required of employers, the career structure ofsocial workers, qualifications and continuing professional development.

Protection of Social Work ServicesInclusion of social work amongst those services – education, health andpolice – deemed as priorities for protection from cuts. Support for BASW’sstatement on the role of social workers in Adult and Children’s services.

Fair Access to services and dignity in old ageA funding system for the care of older people which recognises that allforms of care should have the same status as the NHS and are fundedeither through National Insurance or general taxation

Equal treatment and protection under the law 1. Amendment of the law on hospital discharges to allow social workers to

delay discharges for one week if the discharge arrangements are unsafe.2. Amendments to legislation to give children equal protection from

assault – as we afford to adults – and remove such concepts as‘reasonable punishment’ and ‘justifiable assault’.

Social work is a fundamental tool of international developmentA commitment to ensuring that social work and the principles of ourprofession inform all aspects of international development work, buildinglinks between the Department for International Development and theInternational Federation of Social Workers and ensuring that excellentsocial work practice supports communities afflicted by famine, poverty, war,natural disaster and climate change.

‘MPs into social work’ scheme A practical offer to MPs to learn about social work and pick up some skillsfor constituency work through secondment to a social work programme.

The eight party submissions that you will read in this section are largely centred on responses to BASW’s Manifesto for SocialWork, outlined below. Please note that devolution means that responsibility for social work and wider policies often doesnot reside with the MPs elected at the 6 May General Election, and this clearly affects the nature of the comments submitted.

The parties invited to respond to the Manifesto for Social Work across the three following pages are those represented in the House of Commonsup until the General Election on 6 May 2010. Unfortunately, although all of these parties were invited to provide a response, the Ulster UnionistParty decided not to respond, citing the fact that health and social services are matters devolved to Northern Ireland.

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Professional Social Work • Month 2009

18Professional Social Work • May 2010

general election manifesto responses

The Labour Party response

We don’t think Professional Social Workreaders need to be told how important

your job is to the community – but you doneed to be told how much we appreciate it.Politicians aren’t famed for saying thank-you,but we do want to share, on behalf of thewhole country, our most sincere appreciationfor the work you do to bring hope to thosewith the greatest of needs. And it is becausewe value your work so highly, that Labour iscommitted to giving you the support youneed.

In December 2009, Ed Balls and AndyBurnham announced the government’sacceptance of the recommendations from thefinal Social Work Taskforce report.

The package they announced included:• A new and independent College for Social

Work, led and owned by the profession • Reforms to initial training, so all students

receive good quality education and practiceplacements

• A new ‘licensing’ system which willintroduce an assessed probationary year inemployment for new social work graduates,during which they will receive extra support

• A revamped framework for continuingprofessional development, underpinned bya practice-based masters qualification

• A career structure so experiencedpractitioners can progress in front line roles

• A new standard for employers that includeshigh quality supervision, time for continuingprofessional development and manageablework loads

• Pay reform – unions will work with localgovernment employers to ensure socialworkers receive the appropriate pay fortheir work and progression.

Earlier in 2009 the Taskforce proposedreforms to the Integrated Children’s Systemwhich the government accepted and whichare now being implemented by localauthorities. These should significantly reducethe bureaucracy children’s social workersexperience on the front line.

In March, Ed Balls announced more than£200 million to support social work improve-ment in adult and children’s services in 2010 -11, alongside a new Local Social WorkImprovement Fund of £23 million to help re-

duce pressure on children’s social workersand a grant of £15 million to improve local ITsystems. At a time when we are asking socialworkers to do more, it is only fair that wesupport them more too.

We know that you went in to theprofession to make a difference, and thatmany of you were inspired by the values ofcompassion and solidarity which areembodied in the NHS. Labour believes thatthe time has come to mirror our NationalHealth Service with a National Care Service,and we will need the support of socialworkers to implement this revolution in thecare given to older and disabled people. Wehave set out details in our recent white paper.

You are already inspiring the nextgeneration of social workers, and we aredelighted that a recent recruitment campaignhas already led to more than 50,000 peopleexpressing their interest in entering theprofession.

This is hugely encouraging and pointstowards the bright future for social workwhich Labour is determined to work with youto bring about.

The Plaid Cymru response

Plaid Cymru is pleased to have the opportunityto comment on this Manifesto for Social Work.

Social workers play a vital role in communities inWales, and it is important that the sector continuesto be supported and sustained.

Plaid Cymru welcomes in principle BASW'spledge to campaign for new laws to ensure that aCollege of Social Work sets fundamental standardsfor entry into the profession, for career structures and professionaldevelopment. Plaid Cymru hopes that this will be mirrored in Wales, whereeducation and social care are devolved to the National Assembly.

Plaid Cymru supports the MPs into Social Work scheme, designed togive parliamentarians a clear, practical insight into the work – and the world- of social workers, and the day-to-day structure of their work. As a party,we would hope that this pledge is extended to Assembly Members, too.Plaid Cymru would like to reiterate BASW's pledge that social work is a toolof international development. Plaid Cymru also believes that it is vitallyimportant that the retention of social workers is prioritised, that morepeople are encouraged to enter the social work profession, and that

frontline services for the vulnerable and those in needare sustained to provide support for social workers inour communities.

Plaid Cymru advocates the establishment of anational pay structure for social workers, andsupports BASW’s Patrons and Ambassador scheme,launched last year at the Senedd by Plaid Cymru AMand BASW Patron Bethan Jenkins, in order to raise the

profile of social workers in Wales, and to assist in encouraging positiveimages of social workers in the media.

Plaid Cymru would like to see a full review of CAFCASS in Wales toensure that all citizens who access its services are fairly represented, andtreated equally. On family law, we would like to see BASW look into theconcept of supporting shared parenting, and for BASW to support theUnited Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in any policydevelopment or legislation here in Wales. Plaid Cymru regards the six coreprinciples laid out by BASW as central to achieving its aims, supportingsocial workers and bringing wider public recognition of the role that thesector delivers to society in Wales and across the rest of the UK.

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19manifesto responsesMay 2010 • Professional Social Work

general election

As you will know the SNPdoesn’t vote on legislation that

does not either apply to or impacton Scotland –so reforms whichrelate solely to England would notbe a matter for SNP MPs. However,we are aware ofconcerns, forexample, aroundthe proposal tocreate a College ofSocial Work andthat this may beviewed as a UK-wide proposal. Ifthat were to bethe case, SNP MPs would certainlybe involved and would take astrong interest in ensuring that theviews of the social work professionand social work services inScotland were taken fully intoaccount.

Scotland’s system of social work

training and professionaldevelopment is seen as one of thebest and we would be incrediblyconcerned should any pan-UKmeasures propose anything thatwould lower standards in Scotland,

or fail to fullyrepresent andacknowledgethe separatelegal andpoliticalsystem inScotland, orto ensure thatthe Scottish

profession at all levels was fullyrepresented. Similarly any issuesaround recognition ofqualifications between Englandand Scotland and around theexchange of information whereappropriate would be of concernto SNP MPs.

The Conservative Party response

The Conservatives are deeply concerned aboutthe growing pressures on social workers and

the poor perception of the profession. That is whywe set up a Commission on the Future of SocialWorkers, chaired by shadow children’s ministerTim Loughton, which published the well-receivedNo More Blame Game report in 2007 and astudy in 2009 in response to the Laming inquiry.

In recent years, social workers haveincreasingly become strangled by a tidal wave ofbureaucracy and regulation to the extent thatmany frontline professionals now spend 80% oftheir time on form-filling and deskwork. We needto cut through this and give social workers theopportunity to spend more time where they areneeded and where they want to be: workingdirectly with vulnerable families and children.

This is why in February – at an event to markthe tenth anniversary of Victoria Climbié's death –we published our policy document, Child

Protection: Back to the Frontline, in which weannounced that Professor Eileen Munro of theLondon School of Economics had agreed toreview social work bureaucracy under aConservative government.

In No More Blame Game we supported thecreation of a high profile National College ofSocial Workers to give the profession a clearer,more coherent voice. Social workers need to beseen as part of the solution – not caricatured inthe media as part of the problem – and anindependent college would be one means ofpromoting this goal. This is of particular urgencynow: the incidents surrounding Baby Peter’stragic death have done untold damage to boththe confidence of the profession and its standingin the eyes of the public.

Because we believe there needs to be a greaterunderstanding of the way in which social workfunctions, we are interested in BASW’s proposal

to develop an ‘MPs into social work’ scheme.Similar opportunities already exist for MPsworking with business, the police or armedservices – so why not social work?

We think there needs to be much betterpublicity for the great work that the professiondoes day-in, day-out. That is why we haveproposed the creation of a chief social worker –on the same basis as a chief medical officer andmodelled on the New Zealand experience – whocould act as the public face of social work, liaisewith government and promote the excellentwork being done on the ground.

It will be incumbent upon the next governmentto restore public confidence in the profession byensuring that social workers are given theappropriate training and freedom necessary toproduce the world-class service our vulnerablechildren and families need. Not doing so is a falseeconomy.

The Scottish Nationalist Party response

The Sinn Feinresponse

We accept that publicfinances are not

infinite, that is why SinnFéin have championed theuse of equality impactassessments as the basis forbudgetary and resourcedecision making.

We have consistently saidthere should be no cuts tofrontline services. Socialworkers are at the frontline,

often doing a very difficult job in often very difficult anddelicate circumstances.

Sinn Féin fully recognises the role that social workersplay in our communities in supporting vulnerable peoplein their everyday lives.

Social workers need to be supported in carrying outtheir role and we should ensure that up-to-date systems,practices and legislation are in place to enable them todo this.

Our party will work with the Northern IrelandAssociation of Social Workers (part of BASW) tochampion the rights of social workers and to meet theneeds as identified in this manifesto.

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The SDLP recognises the significantchallenges that face those engaged

in social work. We have strong linkswith the profession of social work andare keenly aware of the day-to-daystruggles caused by red tape andheavy caseloads.

The SDLP aims to ensure that socialworkers are protected from the impactof the current financial crisis and that

they are given the support they need to continue to provide theirservices at a very high standard.

Hard-working social workers need help with ever increasingworkloads, they need support in their decision making, andresources need to be allocated to help social services carry out theirvitally important work.

The distribution of resources must be carried out with anacknowledgement of the service provided by social workers andrecognition of the valuable contribution that social workers make toall aspects of our society. It is also important to recognise that whensocial work considerations are ignored, major social problems candevelop. This applies on local, national, and international levels. Thevalue of social work cannot be ignored any longer.

Social workersare a vital part of

our health serviceand, like all ourpublic services, couldcome underincreasing pressureduring the nextparliament. Whilst

responsibility for most of the decisions within healthcare have beendevolved to the Northern Ireland Assembly, the overall finances forNorthern Ireland are still decided at Westminster.

The DUP is dedicated to ensuring that we achieve the best possible dealfor Northern Ireland at Westminster which can protect and enhance ourpublic services, and not cut them when they are needed most.

The DUP is committed to the provision of free personal care for ourolder population and we recognise that the current funding of care isextremely complex and poorly understood by the public. It must besimplified and made more equitable. We also believe there should be atargeted focus of spending on the first four years of life so that problems inlater years might be prevented.

As constituency MPs we all see the vital role which is played in societyby our social workers and we can all benefit from greater informationabout the needs and demands of the sector.

Professional Social Work • May 2010

general election20May 2010 • Professional Social Work

The Liberal Democrat Party responseI n responding

to BASW’sManifesto forSocial Work,we’re reallypleased to havethe chance topraise theefforts and –

often overlooked – successes of social workersup and down Britain. They are on the front linein dealing with some of Britain’s most intractableproblems and many of its most vulnerablepeople and they deserve all of our gratitude forthe work they do.

Social workers also deserve more recognitionfor their professionalism and dedication. It’sgood to see the BASW making more of thispoint and it’s one with which the LiberalDemocrats agree. We know that the role of a

social worker is too often not properlyunderstood and the pressures that they face arenot always appreciated. That’s why we believegovernment should take a lead in increasing thestatus and standing of social work.

BASW raises a crucial question about personalcare for older people. We believe that the wholequestion of long-term care has been bedevilledby partisan politics for too long. We badly needa consensus on this issue so that we can find asolution which will last – so we would establish acommission, with cross-party support, to stopcare for older people being used as a politicalfootball in future.

Child protection is one of the most difficult –and, of course, important – areas for socialworkers. The problems surrounding cases ofchild abuse are well-known; responding toallegations of abuse and providing children withthe help and support they need involve complex

and difficult decisions. Politicians must make surethe law isn’t making that task even more difficult– so Liberal Democrats have supported givingchildren the same protection from assault asadults for several years.

Finally, I agree that we could do much more tomake use of the talents of social workers and toensure that their experience informs our widerpolicy. We’d certainly be keen to look at whatcould be done with respect to linking socialwork and international development. Also, an‘MPs into social work’ scheme sounds like aninteresting one, along the lines of similarschemes for other professions.

Social workers do a fantastic job for vulnerablepeople throughout the country and do notalways receive the credit they deserve. LiberalDemocrats will do all they can to help them dotheir jobs as well as possible – and make sure thepublic know about it.

The DemocraticUnionist Party response

The Social Democratic Labour Party response

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