OPINION UPDATE College builds on mentor scheme success
The College of Social Work is keen to hear from potential new recruits to its successful mentoring scheme. We have already trained 46
mentors, but demand is such that we need more applications. If you would like to fi nd out more about what being a mentor involves, or would like to apply, please visit The College website here. We are particularly interested in hearing from members with
expertise across all areas of mental health. Mentors will receive Institute of Leadership and Management accreditation and are able to count their volunteering with The College towards their CPD requirements. Mentors have been off ering advice and support on a variety of topics, ranging from unemployment, to training and development. Examples are: ● Returning to the profession after a period of absence;
● Employment support with application forms, CVs, and job interview techniques;
● Moving from one area into another, eg children’s services to adults’ services;
● Development training to become an approved mental health professional.
White Paper to set out professional role Speculation was growing, as Social Work Matters went to press, that the long-delayed care and support White Paper would be published later this month or in early June. The Department of Health
At the formal launch of The
paper, intended to be a blueprint for the future care of older people, is expected to set out how social workers should be involved.
College earlier this year, care services minister Paul Burstow promised that social work would be ‘at the heart’ of the White Paper. Following a series of consultation events, The College wrote to him in February setting out roles which it believes should be carried out by qualifi ed staff .
Feedback needed from Athens visitors
Are you a user of The College’s Athens service which gives access to professional journals and e-books? If so, we would like to hear about your experiences of the service. Journals can be accessed covering most aspects of social work, including Disability and Society, Journal
of Children’s Services, Mental Health Review Journal and the Journal of Social work Practice. E-books are an ever growing resource and well over 40 of them can now be accessed via the service. Email your views to our member services development offi cer Daisy Bogg at daisy.bogg@tcsw.org.uk
THECOLLEGEOFSOCIALWORKMAGAZINE 9
INTERVIEW
POLICY
PRACTICE
WORKFORCE Social work
jobs ride storm New statistics show numbers of social work posts in adult social services departments appear to be holding up, despite the twin pressures of local authority cuts and the introduction of personalised services. According to the fi gures published by the NHS Information Centre, there were 16,300 social worker jobs in adult departments in England in September 2011, a number which was ‘virtually unchanged’ since September 2010. Owen Davies, The College’s
policy and public aff airs adviser, said the fi gures were encouraging. ‘It is a hopeful sign that many social services directors are realising the importance of social work and resisting the temptation to put less skilled staff in key roles.’ Figures published by NHS Information Centre