SWU’s outgoing boss urges Burnham not to sideline social work
John McGowan knows better than most the issues facing social work.
As general secretary of the Social Workers Union he’s been at the forefront in highlighting them.
Now, perhaps ironically as he steps down after a decade in the role, the UK has arguably its most pro-social work prime minister for generations.
Last week Andy Burnham delivered a landmark speech spelling out his commitment to invest in social care.
But there-in lies the rub…
“I think he gets the social care battle, but social work must not get lost in that narrative," says John.
“More funding for social care doesn’t necessarily mean more funding for social work.
“If I had one message for the Prime Minister, it would be this: invest in social work because it is an investment in the future of our society.
“Every day, social workers make a profound difference to the lives of children, adults and families.
“They protect the most vulnerable, support people through crisis, promote mental wellbeing and help individuals rebuild their lives. Yet for too long, the profession has been expected to do more with less.
“Social workers cannot continue to deliver the high-quality, relationship-based support that people deserve while carrying excessive workloads, coping with chronic staff shortages and working within underfunded services.”
Social work’s unique contribution
This confusion of social work with social care is a familiar frustration to a profession which often feels its unique contribution is misunderstood.
“I’ve come across it a lot in parliament when I’ve met MPs” says John. “A lot of them think by reforming social care they are reforming social work. But we have our own defined identity.”
Social work itself must take some of the blame for the confusion, concedes John.
“If I were to walk down the high street and stop ten individuals and say, ‘Can you tell me what social workers do?’ I reckon they would struggle to form a clear, concise reply.
“We’ve never been good at promoting ourselves and explaining that this is who we are and the impact we make.
“The probation service has all these adverts on television at the moment about career opportunities. I don’t think I can remember ever seeing anything to do with social work on that scale.”
John believes things should, and can, change. He is optimistic about the recent creation of a cross-party social work group at Westminster hosted by SWU and BASW.
The group’s chair, Ian Byrne, Labour MP for Liverpool West Derby, is a close political ally of Andy Burnham – perhaps additional cause optimism.
“To have a group of parliamentarians championing your cause, raising questions, explaining the pressures in social work, that’s worth its weight in gold,” says John.
‘Greatest honour of my life’
SWU was created by BASW in 2011 to ensure members had trade union representation at employment hearings and disciplinary meetings.
When John took over as general secretary in 2016 it had 9,000 members. Today it has more than 13,000 members. It is also now affiliated to the General Federation of Trade Unions of which John is co-vice president.
John says his time as general secretary of SWU has been “the greatest honour of my life”, adding: “I took on the role at a time when social workers were facing unprecedented pressures. Austerity, rising demand for services, workforce shortages and increasing public scrutiny created enormous challenges for the profession.
“Yet, despite these difficulties, I am proud that SWU grew in membership, confidence and influence, becoming a stronger and more respected voice for social workers across the United Kingdom.”
Over the years, he has seen the pressure on social workers grow, with increased caseloads due to staff shortages and rising demand.
This has shaped much of SWU’s campaigning work.
John adds: “Another major development has been the increasing complexity of the needs of the people social workers support.
“Practitioners are now working with individuals and families experiencing multiple and interconnected challenges, including poor mental health, poverty, domestic abuse, substance misuse and the lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
The rise of technology has been another development shaping SWU’s work, says John.
“Technology has transformed the way social work is practised. Digital recording systems, virtual meetings and new technologies have improved flexibility and accessibility, but they have also created new challenges.
“SWU has consistently raised concerns about excessive bureaucracy, data protection and ensuring that technology enhances rather than replaces meaningful, relationship-based practice.
“More recently, we have also highlighted the need for the ethical and regulated use of artificial intelligence to ensure it supports, rather than undermines, professional judgement and human relationships.”
Social justice and activism
Under John’s leadership, social justice has been a key focus of SWU. He is passionate about activism and the need for social workers to advocate for a fairer society.
“We see it all around us – the homeless person you bypass and think ‘How has this happened?’ What’s happened to the support? Where are the youth clubs that might have championed a lot of people who were struggling when young?
“So much provision has gone and the consequence of that is we’re seeing a lot of social problems that could be eradicated with earlier intervention if social workers had the budget to do that work.
“That’s a consequence of lack of investment. It is a social injustice.”
He cites BASW and SWU’s Boot Out Austerity campaign as a good example of activism in action.
And he believes the promotion of activism should be included on social work courses.
“I meet a lot of students and the thirst for activism is growing, but it’s not part of social work training. The ethos of social work is to promote change but you can only promote change in individuals and society by looking at structural problems.
“These structural inequalities can limit people's opportunities, wellbeing, and ability to participate fully in society.
“Social workers have an important role in promoting human rights, challenging discrimination, and advocating for fair access to support and resources.
“Achieving social justice requires continued investment in public services, tackling the root causes of inequality, and ensuring that policies are shaped by the needs and voices of the communities they affect.”
Regrets, I have a few
Despite SWU’s campaigning efforts, John has some disappointment with the progress made.
“Social workers continue to face unacceptably high caseloads, workforce shortages and increasing workplace pressures,” he says.
“These challenges remain significant and require sustained commitment from government, employers and the profession itself.
“I would like to see the introduction of consistent UK national standards for safe caseloads, improved recruitment and retention of experienced practitioners, and a much stronger role for frontline social workers in shaping policy and practice.”
Such ambitions, he says, will only be realised through continued collaboration between trade unions, employers, governments and professional bodies.
He says he regrets not being able to strengthen the partnership between SWU and BASW as much as he would’ve liked.
“To be honest, I am disappointed by where the relationship between SWU and BASW stands today. In my view, we are not as closely integrated or collaborative as we were in the past.
"I have always believed that the unique strength of our model lies in combining a strong professional association with a dedicated specialist trade union, each complementing the other while remaining true to their distinct roles.
“I remain convinced that a closer, more integrated relationship between BASW and SWU would strengthen both organisations and, most importantly, provide social workers with the strongest possible professional and industrial voice.”
Trade unionism and social work
A graduate in psychology, John has always had an interest in people. Trade unionism, he says, is all about supporting and caring about people.
“It is about collective strength, fairness and ensuring that workers have a genuine voice in the decisions that shape their professional lives. Throughout my career, I have believed that when people stand together, they are far stronger than when they stand alone.
“Trade unions exist to protect employment rights, secure safe and healthy working conditions, campaign for fair pay and manageable workloads, and ensure that every worker is treated with dignity and respect.”
In social work this has wider implications, stresses John.
“Supporting and protecting the workforce is not simply about improving the lives of social workers – it is about improving outcomes for the people, families and communities they serve.
“When social workers are valued, well supported and able to practise safely, they are better equipped to deliver compassionate, ethical and person-centred services.”
What next?
John plans to continue working as a social work academic with the Open University where he is a practice tutor and will soon celebrate a quarter of a century’s service.
He is currently working on a follow-up book to How to Survive in Social Work which he co-authored with Dr Neil Thompson.
He would also welcome an opportunity to return to frontline social work in some capacity to “reconnect with the direct practice that first inspired me to join the profession”.
Away from social work, he recently discovered an unexpected hobby – bowling.
“Turns out I’m really good at it, so I joined the local team and won a couple of competitions. They reckon I’ve been playing for years.”
Beyond the bowling green, he plans to devote more time to his other great passion of music through his band, Old’s Cool.
“Music has always been a huge part of my life, and I have been playing the drums since I was a child. Our band's third album is currently in production, and I am looking forward to spending more time making music and playing more gigs.”
Whatever he does he will no doubt also continue banging the drum for social work...
Read SWU's tribute to John.