BASW urges members to vote yes in referendum to change social work for the better

As ballot papers for a referendum on launching a College of Social Work across the UK arrive on doorsteps, BASW is urging members to vote yes to its plan.

The Association is stepping up its campaign for establishing a College of Social Work by emphasising the need for wide-ranging social work-led reforms to set and raise standards or practice across the UK.

BASW leaders also highlighted the need for distinctive approaches in each UK country. Chief executive Hilton Dawson suggested that while no one UK country offers the support urgently needed by frontline workers, there are examples of positive developments in each nation that could be advanced and adopted elsewhere.

Encouraging BASW members to give their support to the BASW college plan in the ballot, Mr Dawson said: “Quite properly the final decision on this will be taken by our members in a referendum. We are acting now to take back our profession and to ensure that social workers ourselves are in charge of setting standards, improving our career structure, challenging employers about the way they treat social workers and ensuring that CPD is effective.”

The membership vote closes on 21 April and the result will go to a BASW Council meeting on 28 April. If the college gets the go-ahead, it could be formally unveiled at BASW’s 40th anniversary conference and AGM on 20 May.