MPs' doors are open to hearing about social work

Social workers are being urged to reach out to their local MPs who “might not know anything about social work” and “demystify” them about the profession.

The call comes from senior Labour backbench MP Cat Smith, who stressed those doing so would be “pushing at an open door” in wake of the General Election.

Speaking at BASW England’s annual conference, Smith, current MP for Lancaster and Wyre, and a former parliamentary officer for the association, said: “It is about making sure you engage with the democratic process. We’re all guilty of it, where you recognise there’s a problem, you wish that politicians would understand something, but unless you actually reach out and tell them… Because ultimately your local MP is a Jack of all trades, you have to be. 

“You have a basic knowledge in pretty much everything but only an in-depth knowledge in very specific areas, perhaps to do with previous work or something you have a keen interest in or a strong constituency link.

“That’s where you need to be able to broaden their knowledge because they might not know anything about social work. So please, please, engage with your local MP, because that is your conduit into the whole of Westminster.”

Smith said now was a particularly good time, with newly elected MPs “beginning to find their feet” after the first 100 days of the new government and General Election.

“There’s been a lot of change so it is an opportunity to write to a newly elected MP, to talk about social work and what you do and why it’s important and demystify it.

“Reach out and offer to meet your MP and talk about what social work is and what social workers can do and what social workers need, because I think you’d be pushing at an open door.”

Smith said getting MPs to understand social work was part of improving the general public’s perception of the profession which too often is skewed by negative media reports.

“The challenge is when you have success stories you need to protect the people you work with and are not always able to shout about it. 

“Often the only time people ever read about social workers is when something’s gone horribly wrong.

“So you end up with the public not really having an understanding of what social workers are, what social workers do and all the success that happens can’t be talked about.”

Asked about government support for student social workers who don’t get paid while on placements working in social work teams, Smith said: “I don’t think they should be working for free, that’s called slavery. I think all work should be paid.”

Asked for her hopes for social work over the next decade, Smith added: “I would like to see is social workers to have a status whereby they're better respected and better understood, and retention is better because the rewards for it are worth it. 

“Social work is a tough job, and it always will be. It's never going to be easy, but what we can do is make social workers feel valued.”