This week, the Department of Health and Social Care, in partnership with NHS England, launched the Change NHS campaign. This is the beginning of an ongoing conversation with the public as, together, our government and healthcare leaders seek the widest range of views possible to shape a new 10-Year Health Plan for England.
This year marked 50 years since the creation of local authority social services, a milestone we had hoped to celebrate with all social workers and those in training on World Social Work Day. We have written to the profession in these uncertain times to reaffirm our continuing support, guidance and – we hope – inspiration, during this pandemic and way beyond.
Jo Barnicoat works for a small charity, Oxfordshire Family Support Network (OXFSN), supporting families with learning disabilities. Like everyone else, she and her colleagues have had to develop a totally new way of working. However, this enforced change has actually enabled professionals and families to communicate much more efficiently and speedily.
Over the last few months, we have seen social workers and social work students coming together to support one another.
Not only that, they are also coming up with ways to develop and shape new ideas in social work and broaden the resources they use to enhance their practice thinking.
In this context, the Student Social Work Hub has exploded onto our social media and into the rich discussion about social work and the future of the profession.
Understanding what is important to adults with learning disabilities and/or autism helps practitioners and organisations make meaningful contributions to their lives and those around them. BASW's Liz Howard explains how new capabilities statement resources provide social workers with the means to capture the voices and experiences of people and families to shape our learning, development and growth as a profession.
It's Learning Disability Week. BASW (the British Association of Social Workers) and SCIE (the Social Care Institute for Excellence) have launched new resources to support the capabilities of social workers in their work with autistic adults and adults with learning disabilities. These resources are freely available on the BASW website and will support individuals and organisations to implement the capabilities statements and CPD pathways.
Diana Katoto is a student at the University of Birmingham, studying a BA Social Work. She has a passion for social justice and prides herself on promoting human rights. The tragic death of George Floyd in the United States has prompted her to write this heartfelt and challenging blog. Diana tasks our social work profession - and by extension all other UK based institutions and networks - to be louder in our condemnation and take active steps to combat racism wherever we find it.
Most people in treatment for drug and alcohol use are being helped in community settings, staying at home and working with their treatment providers, who are supporting their ongoing care through the coronavirus pandemic. Karen Biggs is the Chief Executive of Phoenix Futures, a specialist substance misuse treatment charity.
Whilst the advice for most of the treatment sector has been to find ways to support people without face to face contact, in residential care homes this has been more difficult to achieve. Karen explains how her organisation has continued to help people despite the challenges of lockdown.
Over the past few days, those of us in the Office of the Chief Social Worker for Adults and the Office of the Chief Social Worker for Children and Families have been shocked and horrified by the death of George Floyd. The subsequent outpouring of anger, despair and emotion that has followed has focused our minds once again on the presence of racism and intolerance in our societies.
For a uniquely personal take on matters of race, discrimination, unconscious bias and the many other issues thrown into sharp relief by recent events in the US, we are proud to present this excellent blog from Nadia Khan.
Nadia is a registered social worker, AMHP and Interim Service Manager for Mental Health with Bradford Council - her words are honest, powerful and inspiring.
50 years ago this week, the Local Authority Social Services Act received royal assent and with it the creation of a new approach to social services. The act was the culmination of over two years work by Fredric Seebohm and his committee and the publication of the pivotal Seebohm Report.
This report set out the recommendations and aspiration for the foundations of a modern, forward thinking, independent and responsive social services system. Joint Chief Social Worker Mark Harvey reflects on the distance travelled since then.