NIASW launches new group to support ten year strategy for social work

NIASW is establishing a dedicated group to support the Association’s contribution to the Northern Ireland Government’s ten-year strategy for social work. 

Improving and Safeguarding Social wellbeing: A Strategy for Social Work in Northern Ireland 2012-2022 was launched in April 2012. NIASW wants to hear from members who would like to be a part of shaping the work of this strategy to ensure the voice and views of social workers are properly reflected in its output between now and 2022.

The strategy identifies ten priorities to develop social work, categorised under three inter-dependent themes;
• Strengthening the capacity of the workforce
• Improving social work services
• Building leadership and trust in the profession.

NIASW has endorsed the aims of the strategy, which Professional Officer Anne McAllister has described as “a unique and exciting opportunity to strengthen the social work profession within Northern Ireland”.

She said: “We have been proactively involved in supporting the implementation of the strategy by contributing to the work of a number of the groups responsible for taking forward the recommendations contained within the ten key priorities.

“By setting up our own NIASW Social Work Strategy Reference Group we want to ensure that the voice and views of our members are heard as fully as possible as it develops and is implemented between now and 2022.

“We would like this group to represent the diversity of social work across different programmes of care, geographical locations, sectors and grades.”

Much of the work reference group’s work will happen virtually and by email, supplemented by some face-to-face meetings  over the next 12 to 18 months. Participation in the group will be CPD accredited.

If you are interested in becoming part of our reference group or you would like more information about it please contact Anne McAllister by emailing a.mcallister@basw.co.uk or by calling 07815 132429.