By David Williams
30 July 2009
A damning report from a Commons committee has called for radical reforms of the social work profession after finding that training regimes were inadequate.
The children, schools and families select committee study, published on July 30, said the regimes in specialist areas such as child protection were particularly weak. The report was released a day after the government’s Social Work Task Force recommended setting up a national college to support the profession.
Committee chair Barry Sheerman emphasised that ‘the vast majority’ of social workers were ‘excellent’, but argued they were not given enough training and education after qualifying.
‘Social workers need a high-quality national training body and high-profile national leadership, and they need to be better rewarded,’ he said.
The report pointed out that children’s lives were put in danger when social workers were poorly trained, inexperienced or not properly supported.
It called for a compulsory system to enable newly qualified social workers to develop into expert specialists.
Among the MPs’ recommendations was the creation of a social work development agency, similar to the body supporting the teaching profession.
But, the report warned, any potential for improving the profession would be jeopardised by the ‘huge pressures’ teams currently work under.
‘Only a substantial injection of resources will enable the changes in professional development we have outlined,’ it concluded.
The MPs were also concerned by many councils’ reliance on agencies for staff as such firms can exercise little quality control and are not monitored for training.
On July 29, the Social Work Task Force published an interim report on its inquiry into the profession. It called for a national college for social work, to act as an advocate for the profession.
30 July 2009
A damning report from a Commons committee has called for radical reforms of the social work profession after finding that training regimes were inadequate.
The children, schools and families select committee study, published on July 30, said the regimes in specialist areas such as child protection were particularly weak. The report was released a day after the government’s Social Work Task Force recommended setting up a national college to support the profession.
Committee chair Barry Sheerman emphasised that ‘the vast majority’ of social workers were ‘excellent’, but argued they were not given enough training and education after qualifying.
‘Social workers need a high-quality national training body and high-profile national leadership, and they need to be better rewarded,’ he said.
The report pointed out that children’s lives were put in danger when social workers were poorly trained, inexperienced or not properly supported.
It called for a compulsory system to enable newly qualified social workers to develop into expert specialists.
Among the MPs’ recommendations was the creation of a social work development agency, similar to the body supporting the teaching profession.
But, the report warned, any potential for improving the profession would be jeopardised by the ‘huge pressures’ teams currently work under.
‘Only a substantial injection of resources will enable the changes in professional development we have outlined,’ it concluded.
The MPs were also concerned by many councils’ reliance on agencies for staff as such firms can exercise little quality control and are not monitored for training.
On July 29, the Social Work Task Force published an interim report on its inquiry into the profession. It called for a national college for social work, to act as an advocate for the profession.
