UPDATE Time to ‘liberate’ social workers, College tells minister
vulnerable adults and ensure that adult protection systems work eff ectively. It calls for ‘signifi cant change’ in
Social workers should be ‘liberated from the care management straitjacket’ in order to take a more creative approach to supporting users and carers, The College of Social Work has said in a letter to social care minister Paul Burstow (pictured). In the letter, which will feed into the
government’s care and support White Paper due in the spring, The College emphasises that qualifi ed social workers are best placed to safeguard
training for best interest assessors (BIA) under the Mental Capacity Act. Describing existing training as ‘rudimentary,’ the letter urges the Department of Health to work with The College on new arrangements for training and retaining BIAs. ‘Self-confi dent social workers,
relishing the chance to be creative and to exercise professional judgement despite challenging circumstances, must be a key part of your workforce,’ the letter from College interim co-chair Maurice Bates and Transition Board member Jo Cleary tells the minister. The move follows The College
summit on the future of adult social work held in London on February 3. Letter to Paul Burstow
Legal framework to stress role of dads
Fathers will have a more prominent place in the legal framework for the care of children under major reforms to the family justice system. The Ministry of Justice, responding
to last year’s Family Justice Review (FJR), said that it wanted to emphasise the importance of children’s relationships with both of their parents following a separation. It promised a ‘legislative statement’
focused on establishing meaningful relationships wherever this was in the child’s best interests, stressing quality of parenting rather than spending equal time with both parents. But the government’s proposal opposes the FJR, which urged caution after learning that similar legislation
Professor May-Chahal
(pictured) said Ofsted’s decision, which will deny the top rating to any local authority which takes more than a year to place children for adoption, may lead councils to give less attention to other permanence options for looked after children. ‘We support adoptive
had fared badly in Australia. ‘In principle I welcome this
development as I believe that there should be a presumption that, all things being equal, a child’s welfare is promoted by having continued contact with both parents,’ said College spokesperson Gary Hickman. Read the government’s response to
the FJR See article on fathers, page 13
placements wherever these are best for a child and any unnecessary bureaucracy should be cleared out of the way,’ she said. ‘But it is important that social workers are able to make balanced judgements about the future of children in care without external pressure to choose one option above all others.’ Read College statement
THECOLLEGEOFSOCIALWORKMAGAZINE 7
POLICY
Inspections may put dogma fi rst, children second
Ofsted’s new inspection regime for adoption risks putting dogma before the interests of children, according to College of Social Work interim co-chair Corinne May-Chahal.