BASW England Adult Thematic Group Blogs - BASW Manifesto

Social Work as a Key Part of Social Care

As the co-chair of the Adult Thematic Group, I have participated in discussions and reviewed key consultations on social care. A common frustration is the lack of reference to the social work profession, which I believe is essential for a compassionate and functional society. It is marginalising when social work is not seen as crucial in policies shaping the delivery of social care.

Social workers support individuals and communities, ensuring access to necessary resources for fulfilling lives. The profession is committed to promoting well-being and social justice.

In March 2023, I attended a BASW event on tackling poverty. Speaking to an MP supportive of social work, it was clear he was among the few in government with an understanding of the profession's role in social care and society.

What Does the Profession Do?

At the 2023 BASW Conference, keynote speaker Maura Dargen referred to social workers as leaders who unite professionals and communities. Social work addresses social, emotional, and economic issues, supporting individuals, families, and communities. There are no “social care fairies”; real support comes from social workers in various settings, including government departments.

Social work is underpinned by values and ethics: advocacy, human rights, and social justice. Social workers often provide hope when it is most needed. They are not just local authority functionaries but the backbone of the social care system.

Working with marginalised groups, social workers uphold respect, dignity, equality, and challenge inequity. Their key skills include communication, relationship-building, and promoting independence. These elements make social work invaluable to social care.

Perspective is Everything

It is crucial to differentiate between social work and social care despite their interconnectedness. I consulted Bryony Shannon, a strategic lead in practice development, who emphasised the importance of language. Social care is about “delivery of care,” while social work involves “tasks, transactions, and processes.” Bryony highlighted the need to see social work as focused on well-being, human rights, and supporting people to live flourishing lives. I wholeheartedly agree.

In conclusion, social work and social care are indispensable in fostering a just and supportive society. By addressing immediate needs and broader social issues as a partnership, they contribute to the well-being and empowerment of individuals and communities, underscoring the value of compassion and equity in our social fabric.

Governments and politicians need a greater understanding of social work and social workers as vital contributors to society's well-being and prosperity. One cannot consider the NHS without recognising social care, which is incomplete without social work.

For too long, social work has been in the shadows, but this must change. This manifesto priority from BASW England will continue to highlight social work as integral to social care.

Jackie Mahoney - Co-Chair of BASW England Adult Social Work Thematic Group

Review of Care and Support Statutory Guidance

When the Care and Support Statutory Guidance was published in October 2014, it created a legal and policy framework that was generally considered to have done a good job in providing the necessary detail for local authorities to both deliver and develop the principles set out in the Care Act. Over the last 10 years additional guidance has been developed both locally and nationally, Judicial Reviews and Ombudsman decisions have clarified the law and procedures, and in the recent debates on social care reform many social care organisations have endorsed the conclusion that the spirit of the Care Act is not being fulfilled. All these factors lend weight to BASW England’s call for a review of the statutory guidance.

The House of Lords Select Committee Adult Social Care Inquiry (December 2022) included a proposal that the statutory guidance to be revised because it “was not seen as sufficient to assist local authorities in generating the significant cultural changes that were required by the Act.” This was not included by the Government in its sporadic consideration of social care reform. 

Although there has been cross-party support for the ‘vision’ set out in the Government white paper People at the Heart of Care earlier this year the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee was critical that “plans for reform have once again gone awry” and its Labour chair, Meg Hillier, called for a “clear roadmap”. The recent LGA review of the implementation of the Care Act is even more critical, concluding that underfunding “has caused serious damage across the full architecture of social care and the Care Act”, and that there is “an inevitable degree of rationing in order to meet legal requirements to return a balanced budget each year, thus ratcheting up unmet and under-met need”.

In addition to resolving funding issues, we believe that addressing the damage to the architecture can be better sustained by revising the statutory guidance, and that this should be part of the roadmap for social care reform.

Over the years some of the learning from the application of the legislative framework has been developed into guidance such as the Government guidance on strengths-based social work, the resources produced by SCIE on safeguarding and BASW England’s ethical guidance on meeting needs. But there is much that can be learned that has not yet been codified, such as decisions in Judicial Reviews and Ombudsman cases, that could be incorporated into revised guidance. In addition, there is likely to be learning from the CQC assessment process that will point to issues that should be addressed.

Social work has developed considerably in the last 10 years. Ruth Allen (BASW CEO) articulated this in commenting on the Care Act as part of the LGA review: “We have had better ways of working but far fewer resources to fulfil the personalising intention of the Act over the years, particularly in early help and prevention”. In conclusion she urges that the statutory guidance “be refreshed to empower social workers to use their skills and make professional judgements that support and promote more comprehensively the principles of wellbeing, choice, and control”.

Pete Feldon - BASW England Adult Thematic group Member