The ‘unassuming’ social worker who helped shaped the profession
A celebration of the life of Keith Bilton – one of the founding members of BASW – is to take place next week.
Keith made a significant contribution to social work and its professional associations over almost seven decades.
Qualifying as a child care officer in 1963 and working as a child and family social worker in Somerset, he quickly became active in the Association of Child Care Officers (ACCO). Aged just 25, he was appointed their general secretary under the leadership of Kenneth Brill, who later became BASW’s first general secretary.
A mainstay of the ACCO management team, Keith helped articulate the policies, plans and practices needed for the Seebohm reorganisation into today’s social services departments. He was also closely involved in negotiations which resulted in the formation of BASW in 1970, creating the first unified voice for social work.
Keith served as the newly formed association’s assistant general secretary alongside Joan Baraclough from the Institute of Medical Social Workers' Professional Practice Committee.
He was also a founding member of the Social Work History Network (SWHN), formed in 2000, working with Joan and David N Jones to establish and sustain the impact and influence of the group. SWHN grew out of a frustration that the evolution of social work and the rationale for new policies was frequently dominated by political narratives from the government of the day, and frequently ignored and even belittled the perspectives of the profession.
SWHN has grown to more than 300 members with an international reach, and holds several webinars a year. Keith served as both treasurer and chair of the network, publishing several papers in SWHN’s bulletin.
Along with his close and valued colleague Terry Bamford, he also co-edited Social Work: Past, Present and Future (2020), marking 50 years since the 1970 Social Services Act and the formation of BASW.
Despite his influence, Keith never sought the limelight but was always on hand to provide thoughtful reflection, sound advice and professional insights to his peers and colleagues.
Born on 28 April, 1938, he lived in Bexley before moving to Harrogate aged six where he attended local state schools. When called up for National Service he was selected for the Joint Services School for Linguists where he learned Russian.
He went on to graduate from Cambridge with a degree in French and Russian, and enrolled on a 17-month Home Office-sponsored Joint Child Care Officer and Probation course led by Olive Stevenson at the University of Oxford’s Department of Social Studies.
Some life-long friendships were formed. June Thoburn, a friend from the course, said: “There were 14 of us on the programme and some of us, including Keith, stayed in touch. He took part in an online meeting with us the day before he died.”
In 1973 Keith was appointed as assistant controller in the London Borough of Harrow working with controller Adrianne Jones, taking up the Seebohm Report challenge of providing social work-led, integrated community services. When Adrianne moved on in 1977, he was promoted to controller, remaining in that post until his retirement.
Adrianne said: “We both disliked those titles. They reflected management speak at the time but not our approach to the jobs.
“We remained in touch throughout our subsequent careers and after retirement. He was more influential in positive ways and at all levels than he ever realised. He was the best colleague I could have wished for. I remain in awe of his talents and integrity.”
Throughout his time in local government, Keith remained an active BASW member, supporting policy development and campaigning on child care issues. After his retirement, he continued to play key roles in developing BASW’s stance on a range of legislative and policy developments.
One of Keith’s most notable contributions was the response he drafted on behalf of BASW to the Utting Report People Like Us (1997), which demonstrated his exemplary understanding of social work with children and insights into the challenges of social work practice.
One friend commented that Keith was “quiet and unassuming, but always energetically interested in people and ideas. A gift to the world of social work, and to his family and friends”.
In a long and active life, it is true to say Keith helped shape modern social work and sustain its core values.
He died on 27 November at home from Primary Progressive Aphasia, a rare form of dementia. His family were with him.
The celebration of Keith’s life will take place on 12 June between 2pm and 6pm at Burgh House, Hampstead, London, NW3 1LT. If you would like to attend, please contact Kate Bilton: k.bilton@yahoo.co.uk
Written by David N Jones, with thanks to June Thoburn and Keith’s friends and family for additional information