Newsflash: Social worker does a fantastic job!!

Well … that got your attention, didn’t it?!

The news on social workers tends to be about inquiries, investigations, multi-agency failure where social work appears in front, inspections where practice may be poor, incidents of signs missed, and people not getting the support and help they need. You know all those headlines…

Our newsflash is about just one day in the calendar where we stop to report the opposite. On World Social Work Day, 17 March 2015, SASW joins many other professional organisations across the globe to focus on what our profession does well. We host the Social Work Awards, and we need your help to get some really strong headlines; so please, don’t say you will think about it or put it on a ‘to do’ list: Act today!

We need you to tell us about a social worker, a residential care worker, a student social worker, a practice teacher and a social work lecturer of the year. We want your nominations now! Closing date: 28 November 2014. Please click here to download a form.

There are so many instances which go unreported, of people who receive support and assistance so they can make the changes they need to, children and vulnerable adults protected from risk and harm, and sometimes from themselves when they are not able to do so. There are instances of social workers who put their heads up and alter systems that are not working, who come up with new ideas to increase welfare and ensure wellbeing, who are not afraid to speak out about people’s rights and livelihoods being threatened.

On 18 March 2015 SASW are celebrating social work and the social workers who stand out. Over the years we are often told: “Oh, but it is a team effort …” “I couldn’t do what I do without my colleagues …” “I don’t really like being singled out for praise … I was just doing my job!” But if we don’t make our own headlines, who will?

We hear about the so-called marginalisation of social work, of workers being downbeat, over worked, worried about being swamped within integrated services, struggling with transitions, over-whelmed by the impact of so-called welfare reform. Yet at the annual SASW social work awards there are also so many examples of brave practice, of excellent workers who make us proud to represent the profession, and of teams who are inspired and rejuvenated because someone is making them proud of what they do.

Most importantly, we hear from the people who use our services. They tell us year after year how they would not have believed in themselves, could not have coped and may not have been protected – or made the leap they had to – without the social worker who was there for them.

So please make a headline today! For further information please contact c.stark@basw.co.uk or call 0131 221 9445