GSCC Consultation
1. Do you agree with the description of the generic features of social work?
The location of social work as an internationally recognised profession is welcome. In this respect social work contrasts with social care which is unrecognised elsewhere as Dame Denise Platt pointed out in her recent review of The Status of Social Care. It is important to capture the core values of social work and this is achieved in the description although at the loss of some sharpness. The second bullet might be clearer as ‘ social work recognises the unique worth of all individuals whatever their place in society. It does not discriminate on the basis of age gender race sexuality and ability. It is committed to protecting the human and civil rights of children and adults’.
The references to SCIE, Skills for Care and the Childrens Workforce Development Council seem more like a name check of our sponsors than central to a statement of knowledge skills and methods in 1.3 . Could this section be more robust in tracking the various bodies of knowledge which have influenced social work- psychiatry, psychology, sociology etc- and in particular the critical questioning spirit which social work brings to situations. 1.3 is also light on discussion of methods.
2. Are there major gaps in this description?
Social work methods of casework, group work and community work should be included.
3. Any other comments?
No
4. Do you agree with the description of social worker role and tasks?
This section is excellent. It is clearly written and captures the positive contribution of social work . 2.2 which spells out the situations where social work is the appropriate discipline to employ is particularly helpful in the addressing the current fashion for blurring role boundaries to invisibility. Multidisciplinary teams work best where there is mutual recognition that differing professional backgrounds bring different skills to the team.
The second bullet in 2.5 suggests that social workers should not have to work on tasks that others could undertake in direct work with people and families. This implies that there are alternative resources available to take on this work but this is rarely the case. The point may be adequately made by the first and third bullets.
5. Are there any major gaps in this description?
No
6. Are there any other comments?
No
7. Do you agree with what the paper says about social work and people using services?
The paper accurately captures the direction of travel towards more control and choice being exercised by users. In asserting accountability to users the paper does not make it clear whether that accountability is a moral imperative or whether it should be enforceable in some way.
The section on employment by service users at para 3.3 accurately describes the benefits to service users. It does not fully address the implications of this shift in terms of practice- the shift towards negotiated solutions, the exercise of influence rather than authority, and the return to therapeutic engagement. These skills have tended to atrophy in the highly targeted, eligibility-driven and cash-limited world of adult social care. Recapturing will present challenges which should not be glossed over.
Para 3.4 begins this debate and is welcome in its explicit recognition of the responsibilities of the State to provide adequate resources. Again one wonders if the wording here could have been more clear capturing that social work is driven by legislation and public policy, has a social control function which may sometimes involve compulsion, that it has a key role in the personalisation of care but should not be in the position of being the ‘acceptable face of service refusal’.
8. Are there major gaps in the description?
No
9. Any other comments?
No
10.. Do you agree with the description of the statutory framework for social work?
The description in 10.1 is excellent. What is striking is that social work’s role in exercising enforcement powers on behalf of the state is rarely challenged by other professional groups. The skills required to exercise the delicate balance of judgement required in these situation is clearly stated in the paper.
10.2 notes the changes in practice involved in the extension of individual budgets and direct payments and deals skilfully with issues of limited resources. 10.3 is important in spelling out the logical consequences of statutory registration in terms of decisions and budgets being delegated. The hierarchies particularly in some local authorities are ripe for stripping down but the countervailing pressure from regulation and inspection needs to be recognised.
11.Are there any major gaps?
No
12. Any other comments?
No
13. Do you agree with the description of the links between social work and other professions in social care ?
This section lacks the clarity and incisiveness of section 2.2. It would be helpful to use some of the statements there to clarify the role of social work in multidisciplinary teams. Partnership, team working and integration should not lead to the denial of the special professional skills and experience possessed by team members.
The section would benefit from a rewrite as it is far from clear what message is intended to be conveyed in response to the question heading up the section- should the boundaries between social work and related groups be more clearly defined.
14. Are there any major gaps?
Yes- the clarity of 2.2
15. Any other comments?
No
16.Do you agree with this description of how employment affects social work?
This section is welcome in setting out the responsibilities of employers. The career grade mechanisms set out in 6.2 are particularly appreciated. They are paralleled by the recent report of New Ways of Working in Mental Health where the section on social work is wholly consistent with the proposals set out here. The flexibility suggested in 6.3 is an imaginative and creative response to some of the difficulties currently experienced between practitioners and managers, and in particular to the remoteness of some of those teaching social work from the realities of daily practice.
17.Are there any major gaps?
No
18. Any other comments?
No
19. Do you agree with the description of supervision and support for good social work practice?
Yes- this is well described and is useful in settings unfamiliar with professional supervision.
20. Are there any gaps
No
21. Are there any other comments?
No
22. Do you think the document captures all the important points about social work role and tasks in the 21st century?
No. What is absent in a predominantly upbeat document is the degree to which the growth of managerialism and procedural manuals especially in local authority settings have militated against good professional practice and delegated authority to the front line. The sense of the checklist approach to social work which prevails has not been captured and that is important because of illustrating how far there is to go to achieve the bold vision of the best of social work.
23. Overall do you support the picture of social work roles and tasks set out in this document?
Yes
24. Any other comments?
No
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