Today’s Education in the Media blog looks at World Social Work Day 2018.
WORLD SOCIAL WORK DAY 2018
Yesterday, 20 March, was World Social Work Day. Social workers play an integral role in supporting many of the most vulnerable children and families in society. World Social Work Day is an opportunity to celebrate the work they do throughout the year.
The Secretary of State, Damian Hinds announced a series of measures to help raise the status of the profession.
These include:
- Appointing Lord Kamlesh Patel of Bradford as the chair of Social Work England, a new dedicated regulator for all child, family and adult social workers
- Appointing former Children's Minister Edward Timpson to chair an independent panel to share learning from the most serious safeguarding cases
- Announcing new standards for all qualified child and family social workers to follow that clearly define what social workers should know and be able to do. This follows a consultation and a series of roundtable discussions around the country
- Confirming grants worth £3.5 million for 21 sites taking part in phases one and two of the National Assessment and Accreditation System for children and family social workers. The scheme aims to establish career paths, helping to develop good managers and leaders of the future
- Setting up a board for the What Works Centre for Children’s Social Care, announced in December
- Encouraging local areas to apply for a role as ‘early adopters’ of the new, stronger safeguarding arrangements, which place equal responsibility for keeping children safe on councils, police and health workers
FE News covered the announcements and included comments from Chief Social Worker Isabelle Trowler who said she is “delighted” that Lord Patel and Edward Timpson will be helping build a “stronger, more intelligent system”. A wide range of other outlets also reported on World Social Work Day more generally including the Guardian, which set out six reasons to celebrate it.
Education Secretary Damian Hinds said:
The job social workers do couldn’t be more important and yet they are often the unsung heroes of our society.
World Social Work Day is about recognising the real difference they make to children and families who find themselves in some of the most difficult circumstances, providing life-changing care and support.
This Government wants to carry on raising the status of the social work profession which is why we are helping them improve their skills and develop their careers in the interests of the children who need them.
Read the full press notice about World Social Work Day 2018 here.