Adult Social Work Seminars

1
Adult Social Work Seminars

• April 4th 2011
• The purpose of the seminar
• The seminars developed as a response to members
  concerns about what is happening to adult social
  work
• The seminars aim to share experiences and use the
  experiences to influence policy and defend social
  work with adults

www.basw.co.uk
The British Association of Social Workers
2
Introductions

• Joe Godden (England Adult Policy Development)
• Introductions from attendees
• Name, job, student, where you work and
  expectations please speak up
• Attendance list please write e mail clearly
• Permission to share e mails and photos
  confidentiality

The British Association of Social Workers
www.basw.co.uk
3
Format for the seminar

• BASW who we are and update re issues
• Brief overview of the issues for adult social
  work
• Discussion of key issues in groups
• Feedback on the issues from the groups
• What BASW can do what do you want action on?

The British Association of Social Workers
www.basw.co.uk
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What is BASW?

• BASW is the largest professional association
  representing social work and social workers in
  the UK
• Help, support and advice
• BASW is independent and does not receive any
  Government funding
• Chance to be engaged in a national and
  international profession

www.basw.co.uk
The British Association of Social Workers
5
Support when the going gets tough

• BASWs Advice and Representation Service
• the only service of its kind offering support,
• advice and direct representation for members
• the only such service which is provided by
• professional social workers for professional
• social workers
• BASWs professional indemnity insurance covers
  individual members against the cost of defending
  legal action taken against them

Picture by CHANGE
The British Association of Social Workers
www.basw.co.uk
6
Developments in BASW/CoSW

• Campaigning for social work
• CPD system to interactively record CPD and link
  learning to outcomes
• BASW CPD service
• Parliamentary Officer appointed - Cat Smith
• Meetings with Health Professions Council
• Revision of sub committees
• An arm of BASW/CoSW becoming a recognised Trade
  Union
• The future of BASW May 26th

The British Association of Social Workers
www.basw.co.uk
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Interactive web site

• Join BASW
• Jobs
• News / information
• BASW policies
• myBASW
• Access to Journals
• Consultations

www.basw.co.uk
The British Association of Social Workers
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Health and Social Care Bill

• Been making strong representations and looks like
  have succeeded in Government amending the Bill to
  include
• Chief Social Worker
• and College with statutory powers.
• http//services.parliament.uk/bills/2010-11/healt
  handsocialcare/committees/houseofcommonspublicbill
  committeeonthehealthandsocialcarebill201011.html
• On going meetings with ministers and MPs re
• role and function of SW and protection of
  function

The British Association of Social Workers
www.basw.co.uk
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BASW and the College of Social Work

• BASW/CoSW was dealt very badly by the Interim
  Board
• BASW/CoSW believes that there is a once in a life
  time opportunity for social workers to own
  their profession and have a strong, and
  independent College as other professions do
• Add your voice to the campaign, stand up for
  social work and social work values

www.basw.co.uk
The British Association of Social Workers
10
Recent activity re The College

• A set of shared principles have been agreed for
  the college
• A college that is social worker led
• A college that is strong and effective
• A college that provides a strong, authoritative
  voice for the profession
• A college that Is independent
• A college that is accountable
• More meetings have been agreed over the coming
  month to discuss a process of convergence to
  build one college.
• An arm of BASW/CoSW becoming a recognised Trade
  Union
• CPD system to interactively record CPD and link
  learning to outcomes
• The system will enable members to use their
  electronic portfolio to meet demands of HPC,
  including HPC audit and link learning to Social
  Work Professional Standards
• BASW CPD accreditation service

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Update re College of Social Work 19.4.11

• An announcement is pending between BASW and the
  Interim Board which will be called a memorandum
  of understanding. This memorandum will say that a
  new College is being planned, which will combine
  the resources of the Interim Board (their
  resources are time limited) and BASW. In order to
  develop the College BASW and the Interim Board
  will work together, including an agreement not
  take any decisions that are without the agreement
  of the other. BASW members will vote at the AGM
  whether to accept the proposals, which will see
  BASW subsumed into the College of Social Work.
• The new College will invite Trade Unions (note
  plural) to participate, but no single Trade Union
  will have an exclusive deal.
• All BASW members are urged to attend the AGM on
  May 26th in Birmingham to vote on this crucial
  issue

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What is happening re SWRB

• The Social Work Reform Board promised a great
  deal. BASW/CoSW fully involved. Shift from must
  to advisory
• SWRB offers a great opportunity for social work,
  it is worth looking at the One Year On report
  http//www.education.gov.uk/swrb/
• Employer standards
• Capabilities Framework
• Supervision Framework
• Demand and Supply of Social Workers
• Assessed and Supported Year in Employment

www.basw.co.uk
The British Association of Social Workers
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What is happeningadult services?

• Comprehensive Spending Review / cuts
• Munro report
• Social Work Reform
• GSCC to HPC
• Long term funding of social care
• Performance management

• Vision Adult Social Care
• Personalisation - role of social work?
• The Big Society
• Health and Social Care Bill
• Mental Health Strategy
• Integration / disaggregation
• Law commission review of adult social care law

www.basw.co.uk
The British Association of Social Workers
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Key issues for you

• In groups identify the top
• three issues for you re adult services 5
  minutes (so dont analyse) appoint a
  spokesperson
• Select the top issue and further discussion in
  groups
• 30 mins.
• Feedback to the meeting

The British Association of Social Workers
www.basw.co.uk
15
Key issues you have raised

• Resources that social workers have at their
  disposal reductions in quantity with increased
  demand. This posing issues of social workers
  having continually lower expectations of service
  users regarding services this not easy.
• Personalisation agenda of concern, whilst social
  workers fully supportive of the principles of
  personalisation two things are fundamental
• Personal budgets are not for everyone, many
  service users, particularly at a time of crisis,
  do not want to take on the demands of managing a
  personal budget
• There need to be good support systems in place
  for service users who opt for personal budgets.
  These resources include
• Flexible commissioned services
• Support to manage personal budgets

www.basw.co.uk
The British Association of Social Workers
16
Key issues ctd.

• Concerns were expressed about the threat to the
  role of social workers in multi disciplinary
  teams and particularly the the importance of
  professional support to social workers by social
  workers. There was also concern about Community
  Treatment Orders and the vital role of social
  workers as independent practitioners to
  ensure independence in statutory work.
• It was acknowledged that adult services teams
  need a skill mix, but that it is essential to
  have qualified social workers to support these
  teams. Adult safeguarding, plus all the duties in
  relation to statutory safeguards for vulnerable
  adults is complex work and without the training
  and experience there will be many people put at
  risk.
• Concerns were also expressed about the importance
  of social work in commissioning and the review of
  services.
• There was discussion about the possibility of
  adult social work practices as a model for future
  social work. There was good debate about this
  area and although concerns were expressed there
  were also views expressed that this direction
  could improve services to service users. The
  early reports of the Social Work Practice Pilots
  in Looked After Childrens services were
  mentioned.

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Other issues

• The move from GSCC to HPC was discussed and the
  reasons for this the main one being that it
  will be a lot cheaper for social workers to
  register than if GSCC was to continue as public
  subsidies to the GSCC will cease. (If GSCC
  registration was to remain it would cost social
  workers 230 a year. The registration fee for HPC
  has not been finalised
• The HPC have experience of regulation of 15
  professions and have developed systems to support
  professionals, such as on line CPD recording
• The issue was raised as to why there needs to be
  a regulator as well as a college. This is the way
  that most professions work. The HPC will ensure
  minimum standards, the College will drive up
  professionalism, public image, ensure quality of
  training and qualifications etc.
• The challenge of social workers coming off degree
  courses and not finding work because of the
  recession was raised. It is hoped that the issue
  of supply and demand will be tackled more
  systematically by the SWRB / College

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Next steps

• It was agreed that there is a great opportunity
  for social work to develop and thrive with the
  SWRB and the College of Social Work on the
  horizon. It is also a time of great challenges
  and it was agreed that social workers need to
  stand together in order to provide good quality
  social work.
• A number of participants expressed interest in
  forming a network or BASW branch in the Bristol
  area Joe Godden said this would be more than
  welcomed and support would be given.
• Joe Godden said he would be more than happy to
  return to Bristol in six months or a year to
  continue the debate.

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Thank you

• Please do not hesitate to contact me
  j.godden_at_basw.co.uk
• 07917897515
• PS BASW are running a national student and NQSW
  conference on June 28th in London
  http//www.basw.co.uk/events/ 15 BASW members,
  20 non members.
• There are also lots of other events coming up in
  the next few months which are either free or
  minimum cost. If you want similar events in the
  Bristol area I am happy to discuss