General election manifesto launched - SASW
BASW’s Manifesto for Social Work outlines 40 ambitious, but necessary, policy actions for MPs across the UK to take forward after the election; delivering for the social work profession, for people who use social work services, and for our wider society.
The manifesto - entitled ‘It’s Time to Get It Right’ – makes clear that politicians from all parties must hit the ground running in the next parliament if we are to improve social work and social care, working conditions, and people's lives.
Whilst this is a UK-wide election, the manifesto acknowledges that many social work issues are devolved. It is therefore divided into four parts to clearly identify and explain what areas affect the whole of the UK, or specific nations only. Each nation also has their own version.
It covers a wide range of issues, from tackling poverty and protecting human rights, to scrapping harmful anti-immigration laws, reforming mental health legislation and better funding children’s social care.
It also includes strong calls for the next UK Government to better support, resource and value the social work profession, by introducing a review into caseloads, reforming student bursary support, increasing mileage allowance payments and working with BASW to establish a social work workforce strategy that prioritises recruitment and retention.
BASW will be urging all political parties over the coming months to adopt its policies as their own and, crucially, will be holding them to account in the next parliament to ensure they get delivered.
Commenting on its publication, BASW UK Chair Julia Ross said:
“The next General Election will be an election for change. Whatever the result, the UK Parliament will be invigorated with a fresh mandate and way of thinking.
“BASW is determined to use this opportunity, and our influence, to drive much-needed change and improvements in areas that are important to our members, the social work profession and people with lived experience of social work and social care services.
“This manifesto will be the lynchpin for our campaigning. It presents key actions that the next UK Government, of whatever persuasion, can take to improve social work and social care, working conditions, and the lives of the most disadvantaged in Britain today.
“It is time to get it right. Social workers, and the people they support, cannot wait any longer.”
