A south London council is justifying the investment made in social workers by showing how they add value. Dr Adi Cooper, Sutton’s director of adults’ services, tells Natalie Valios about the three areas of practice on which she has focused her efforts
A
t a time when some local authorities are cutting adult social work posts – sometimes blaming personalisation – the London Borough of Sutton is developing a business case to evidence
why social workers are an indispensable part of the workforce. Dr Adi Cooper, strategic director for adult
social services and housing, says: ‘Other areas are getting rid of social workers because it’s cheaper to employ unqualifi ed staff , but
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the business case for SOCIAL WORK
Adi Cooper: Social workers must demonstrate their importance
they are more expensive because they have professional training and a skills set that you don’t have in other professions or with unqualifi ed staff .
‘But it is not enough to say we need adult
social workers because that is a good thing: there needs to be evidence that, having invested in highly paid and well-trained staff , they deliver something that adds value and warrants the investment that we make.’ This is what Adi is setting out to prove. She