Social workers need "resources and manageable workloads" to support Care Review findings, says Scottish Association of Social Work

The Scottish Association of Social Work (SASW) welcomes the launch of the Independent Care Review findings which has given a platform for the voices of those with lived experience to be heard. It it essential the social work workforce is resourced and supported to help bring about necessary change. 

Alistair Brown, National Director of SASW said:

The “unmanageable workloads for social workers and high levels of stress” referred to in the report mirror the findings of our recent working conditions research. We know members work tirelessly – often without pay in their own evenings and weekends – to support vulnerable children and young people across Scotland. It is essential that resources are put in place to reverse the impact of a decade of austerity on the capacity of the social work workforce, to ensure they can do their job and to help realise the recommendations in the report. We are currently lobbying MSPs to raise awareness of the issues social workers across Scotland face.

The social work workforce plays an integral role in the care system. Practitioners consistently put the wellbeing of the child at the centre of their work and strive to support children and young people to remain with their birth families. When this is not possible, work is done to ensure relationships with birth families are sustained and the views of the child are always taken into consideration. As an Association, we have been proactive in promoting the importance of relationship-based social work practice, through events, training opportunities and workshops.

SASW are fully committed to working in partnership with others to ensure the welcome recommendations in the review become a reality." 

Ends 

For more information, please contact: Alistair Brown or Emily Galloway by phone on 0131 221 9445 or 07936 338 570, or email emily.galloway@basw.co.uk

Notes to editors:

- The Scottish Association of Social Work is the Scottish national office of the British Association of Social Workers, the UK's largest professional membership organisation for social workers https://www.basw.co.uk/what-we-do/around-uk/scotland

- More on the findings in the Working Conditions research can be found https://www.basw.co.uk/what-we-do/campaigns/professional-working-conditions

- More on the Independent Care Review can be found https://www.carereview.scot/independent-care-review-reports/