Northern Ireland Association of Social Workers stands in solidarity with colleagues in the South

Following the cruel and cowardly attempt on the life of a social worker in Portlaoise, the Northern Ireland Association of Social Workers (NIASW) has voiced its commitment to stand in solidarity with social work colleagues in the Republic of Ireland.

Colin Reid, NIASW Chair explained: “Social workers across the island of Ireland work day-in day-out to support, safeguard and empower some of the most vulnerable people in society. It is a job our members love because they see the positive change they make in the lives of others.

“The hateful act carried out against our colleague could not stand in starker contrast to the constructive work she was undertaking. NIASW condemns the perpetrators in the strongest terms.”  

NIASW is currently working in partnership with academics at Queen’s University Belfast on a large scale research project to document the experiences of social workers during the Troubles.

Mr Reid concluded by saying; “Throughout the Troubles many social workers across the North worked in an environment rife with intimidation. Only recently our colleagues in the Probation Board for Northern Ireland received threats from dissident republicans. It is of the greatest importance that the tragic violence of this period is not repeated anywhere, in any form.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors

  • The Northern Ireland Association of Social Workers (NIASW) is part of the British Association Social Work (BASW), which is the largest professional body for social workers across the UK. The Association has 21,000 members employed in frontline, management, academic and research positions in all care settings.

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