Overview
Therapeutic, reflective, relationship-based practice is the best way for social workers to bring effective and positive change to children and families we support.
However, a survey of BASW England’s members revealed that social workers are spending just 20% of their time in direct contact with families. Social workers are frustrated that they are spending the majority of their time on administrative tasks, instead of direct relationship-based work with children and families.
Through the 80:20 campaign, BASW England is working to put relationships in practice at the heart of what social workers do.
Evidence & Findings
BASW England surveyed members on the time they spent doing direct work versus administrative duties.
This work was conducted by BASW England, in partnership with the Children’s Commissioner’s Office, as part of our attempts to improve working conditions for social workers, and in turn improve outcomes for children.
Read the summary report below.
80:20 Campaign Conference
In April 2019, BASW England held its first conference for the campaign in partnership with the University of Sussex. Read the conference summary here.
Over 90 social workers representing 15 local authorities attended alongside academics and people with lived experience.
The conference explored campaign developments including research carried out, media coverage and new tools and models of best practice being developed.
Campaign Activity
Media Coverage
- BASW 80-20's Call for interest - Models of best practice in Children's Social Care
- BASW urges technology overhaul to free up time for children's social workers
- Fund play materials for social workers, campaigners urge
- The Language of Children's Services
- BASW member speaks to BBC Radio Merseyside about how the pandemic has affected social work
Resources
- Top Tips for remote working in children's social work
- BASW guide: Recording in Children’s Social Work
- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Guide: Therapeutic interventions after abuse and neglect
A quick guide for practitioners and managers supporting children, young people and families. - Talking and Listening to Children website
A range of specialist books, articles, websites and tools that can be used to facilitate communication with children. - Mutual Expectations - A Charter for parents and local authority children’s services
A Charter by the Family Rights Group. This Charter aims to promote effective, mutually respectful partnership working between practitioners and families when children are subject to statutory intervention. - Stepping Up, Stepping Down Report
This report presents the empirical research carried out with families as part of the Your Family, Your Voice Alliance, a national initiative that seeks to change approaches to highly vulnerable families and to develop humane evidence-informed policies and practices. - Stability Index 2018
The Children’s Commissioner’s 2018 Stability Index. - Care Crisis Review
- A survey by Community Care shows 60% of social workers have their ability to do their jobs disrupted by their case management systems every week
Events
- Our Children and Families Practice, Policy and Education Group has hosted the Communicating and Engaging with Children Webinar giving examples of good models of practice in action.
- BASWTalk – Ep 13 Family Court Proceedings
- BASWTalk – Ep 11 Case recordings: a child’s story with Lisa Pascoe (Ofsted)
- 80-20 Campaign webinar series - Relationship-based practice: working with children and families:
- BASW England 80-20 Campaign: Pre-Birth Social Work Webinar
- Time for Social Work through Family Safeguarding // BASW England 80-20 Campaign Lunch & Learn Webinar recording
NEW Top Tips Resources to Support Time for Social Work!
This series of Top Tips resources have been created with BASW members, people with lived experience and key stakeholders from across the sector. Individually and collectively, these resources set out what needs to happen or to change to create the right conditions to develop, support and embed relationship-based practice and enable time for social work.
Download the resources here.
Get Involved
We are now open to expressions of interest from providers of social work including local authorities, organisations and individuals who are happy to share models of best practice that increases the direct time social workers spend with children and families.
We would also like to hear from individuals and organisations who want to improve the service they deliver to those on the receiving end of services. Please email BASW England for more information.