BASW Cymru Adroddiad – Medi 2013/BASW Wales Report - September 2013

Wrth i ni edrych ymlaen at yr heriau a ddaw i Gymru yn yr hydref, gallwn ddisgwyl wybodaeth fanylach am Fesur Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol a Llesiant (Cymru), ymgynghoriad ar y papur gwyn ar reoleiddio a rhai cyfleoedd arloesol CPD i weithwyr cymdeithasol

BASW Cymru yn y newyddion: Yn ystod y ddeufis diwethaf cafwyd cyfnod o geisiadau am gyfweliadau gyda’r cyfryngau. Y gyntaf oedd mewn ymateb i adolygiad BASW ar y cyd gyda NSPCC ar hyfforddiant a gwybodaeth i weithwyr cymdeithasol mewn perthynas â bygythiadau ar-lein i blant a phobl ifanc. Mae hwn yn broblem enfawr yma yng Nghymru, gyda gweithwyr cymdeithasol yn teimlo’n fregus wrth ymdrin â bygythiadau ar-lein o bob math.

Cafodd Robin ei gyfweld yn fyw ar BBC Radio Wales, lle cafodd y cyfle i drafod y mathau o broblemau a wynebir gan weithwyr cymdeithasol ac i hysbysebu’r hyfforddiant arloesol a roddir gan EyePat mewn cydweithrediad a BASW Cymru - ‘Sut i ddiogelu eich hun a defnyddwyr y gwasanaethau ar-lein’. Hyfforddiant wyneb yn wyneb yw hwn sy’n ymdrin ag amrediad eang o bynciau a chaiff ei lansio yn gychwynnol yn Llanelli ar 17 Medi ac yn Llandudno ar 10 Hydref. Er bod modelau hyfforddi eraill ar gael yn y DU sy’n ceisio ymdrin â’r maes hwn, dyma’r cyntaf y gwyddom amdano sy’n galluogi gweithwyr cymdeithasol i ddod at ei gilydd yn y modd yma i rannu eu profiadau ac i drafod datrysiadau.  

Roedd yr ail gais mewn perthynas ag achos trist Daniel Pelka.  Yn wastad, gellir dysgu gwersi o drasiedïau o’r fath ond y ffaith drist yw bod yna o hyd lleiafrif bychan o bobl yn ein cymdeithas sydd a’r bwriad i niweidio plant, pobl ifanc ag oedolion bregus. Diolch i Janet Foulds, sy’n aelod o BASW am roi cyfweliad i BBC Wales. Gallodd defnyddio'r holl brofiad sydd ganddi fel gweithiwr cymdeithasol a’i gwybodaeth helaeth am ddiogelu plant. 

Y cais mwyaf diweddar oedd cyfweliad i ddarganfod ffeithiau - eto gyda’r BBC - am y rhwystrau sy’n atal gweithwyr cymdeithasol rhag gwneud ei gwaith yn well yng Nghymru. Mae’n galonogol i wybod bod y cyfryngau, erbyn hyn, yn cyflwyno hanesion o safbwynt y gweithiwr cymdeithasol. Yn ystod y drafodaeth gychwynnol cafodd llawer o faterion ei hystyried, yn cynnwys diwylliannau rheoli, biwrocratiaeth, amodau gwasanaeth a’r ffaith bod y targedau ar allgynhyrchion ac nid ar ganlyniadau.

Coleg Gofal Cymdeithasol a Gwaith Cymdeithasol yng Nghymru: Mae trafodaethau yn parhau am y datganiad a wnaed gan Ddirprwy Gweinidog dros Wasanaethau Cymdeithasol, Gwenda Thomas AC, yn cynnig sefydlu Coleg Gofal Cymdeithasol a Gwasanaeth Cymdeithasol yng Nghymru. Mae’n amlwg y buasai mwy o waith ddarparu ymlaen llaw cyn y cyflwyniad wedi osgoi’r pryderon a godwyd, gan BASW Cymru ac eraill, am y potensial o greu copi carbon o Goleg Gwaith Cymdeithasol yn Lloegr.  

Y bwriad yw i’r Coleg cael ei oruchwylio gan Gyngor Gofal Cymru (CGC) diwygiedig. Mae agweddau o wneud newidiadau i waith CGC yn ganmoladwy ac fe’u cefnogir gan BASW Cymru ond mae angen tynnu rhai llinellau ffin clir iawn.  

1. Ar hyn o bryd, CGC yw’r rheolydd dros weithwyr cymdeithasol (a grwpiau eraill) yng Nghymru. Ni all CGC, fel rheolydd annibynnol, fod yn llais i’r proffesiwn - gan BASW a BASW Cymru mae’r swyddogaeth honno, fel yr unig gymdeithas broffesiynol dros waith cymdeithasol.
2. Mae CGC yn gorff sy’n cael ei gyllido gan arian cyhoeddus (cwango) o Lywodraeth Cymru. Mae’n annhebygol byddai CGC yn beirniadu cynlluniau Llywodraeth Cymru nad ydynt yn ymdrin ag anghenion gweithwyr cymdeithasol, gan fyddai hyn yn achos o frathu’r llaw sy’n ei fwydo. Mae BASW Cymru yn hollol annibynnol.
3. Mae’n debyg bydd gan y coleg yr hawl statudol i gael ymgynghoriad ar bob mater sy’n ymwneud a gwaith cymdeithasol. Unwaith eto, byddai rhoi rôl fel hon i CGC yn creu gwrthdrawiad enfawr o fuddiannau ac ni fyddai o fudd i anghenion gwaith cymdeithasol na gweithwyr cymdeithasol yng Nghymru.
4. Yn olaf, wrth gefnogi ei chyfraniad cadarnhaol i waith cymdeithasol - er enghraifft, dyfodiad fframwaith CPEL - mae angen i holl swyddogaethau presennol CGC cael ei archwilio’n fanwl, nid yn unig i edrych ar fannau newydd o waith ond hefyd i weld os gall mudiadau eraill wneud agweddau o’i gorchwyl yn fwy effeithiol.

Bydd yr ymgynghoriad ar y papur gwyn ar reoleiddio ag archwilio yn rhoi’r cyfle i greu hyd yn oed gwell gwasanaethau i bobl Cymru.

Ac yn olaf: Peidiwch ag anghofio cyfarfod Rhwydwaith Sector Annibynnol Gogledd Cymru ar 11 Medi yn Wrecsam. Dylech gysylltu â Gaye Sheridan, Swyddog Datblygu BASW Cymru os oes gennych eitemau ar gyfer yr agenda, gan ddefnyddio’r manylion cyswllt ar y dudalen gyferbyn.

Looking forward to the challenges that autumn brings in Wales, we can expect further insight into the Social Services and Well Being (Wales) Bill, a consultation on a white paper on regulation and inspection and some innovative CPD opportunities for social workers.

BASW Cymru in the news: During the last couple of months there has been a flurry of requests for media interviews. The first was in response to BASW’s joint survey with NSPCC on social workers training and knowledge in relation to online threats to children and young people. This is a huge problem here in Wales, with social workers feeling vulnerable in dealing with online threats of all kinds.

Robin was interviewed live on BBC Radio Wales, where he was able to discuss the types of problems faced by social workers and to advertise the innovative training that is being provided by EyePat in conjunction with BASW Cymru – ‘How to keep yourself and service users safe online’. This is face-to-face training that covers a wide range of topics and is to be initially launched in Llanelli on 17 September and Llandudno n 10 October. Although there are other models of training in the UK that attempt to cover this area, this is the first that we are aware of that enables social workers to come together in this way to share experiences and discuss solutions.

The second request related to the very sad case of Daniel Pelka. There are always lessons to learnt from such tragedies but the sad fact is that there are always a very small minority of people in our society who will set out to harm children, young people and vulnerable adults. Thanks to BASW member Janet Foulds for giving an interview to BBC Wales. She was able to draw on her vast experience as a social worker and her wealth of knowledge in child protection.

The most recent request was a fact finding interview – again by the BBC – about the barriers that prevent social workers doing their job better in Wales. It is reassuring to hear that the media are looking to provide stories from a social worker’s perspective. Many areas were covered in the initial discussion, including management cultures, bureaucracy, conditions of service, and the fact targets are on outputs not outcomes.

College of Social Care and Social Work in Wales: Discussions are continuing about the statement made by the Deputy Minister for Social Services, Gwenda Thomas AM, proposing the establishment of a College of Social Care and Social Work in Wales. It is clear that more advanced preparation ahead of the speech would have avoided prompting concerns, from BASW Cymru and others, about the potential for a carbon copy of the College of Social Work in England.

It is proposed that the College would be overseen by a revised Care Council for Wales (CCW). Aspects of making changes to CCW’s work are laudable and are supported by BASW Cymru but there are some very clear lines of demarcation that need to be drawn.

1. CCW is currently the regulator for social workers (and other groups) in Wales. As an independent regulator, CCW cannot be the voice of the profession – that role belongs to BASW and BASW Cymru, as the only professional association for social work.
2. CCW is a publicly-funded body (quango) which receives its finances from the Welsh Government. It is unlikely that CCW would criticise Welsh Government plans that fail to address the needs of social workers, as it would be a case of biting the hand that feeds it. BASW Cymru is fully independent.
3. A college is likely to have a statutory right to be consulted on all matters relating to social work. Again, to give this role to CCW would create a huge conflict of interest and would ill-serve the needs of social work and social workers in Wales.
4. Finally, while we support its positive contributions to social work – for example, the advent of the CPEL framework – all current functions of CCW need close scrutiny, not only to look at new areas of work but also to see if other organisations can do aspects of its brief more effectively.

The consultation around the white paper on regulation and inspection will provide the opportunity to create even better services for the people of Wales.

And finally: Don’t forget the North Wales Independents Network meeting on 11 September in Wrexham. Anyone with agenda items to add should please contact Gaye Sheridan, BASW Cymru Development Worker (g.sheridan@basw.co.uk).