COVID 19 and support for BASW members

BASW is making changes to how we work and mobilising to support members through the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

This is a very hard time for many social workers and colleagues.

We have had over 1,000 responses (at 23rd March 2020) so far to our call out for concerns, queries and good practice during the COVID crisis. Please keep them coming – you can add observations whenever you want and the survey remains open throughout the crisis.

Your responses are directly informing our urgent work with governments, sector leaders, regulators and employers across the UK to clarify support and protection guidance for all social workers.  We know key issues are also prioritisation of work, ethical dilemmas and implications of new legal powers.

We will be issuing our own direct guidance as well as enabling you to access the best national advice from other key organisations.  

With face to face activities on hold, we are organising more online learning and support forums where you can gain useful information and support and help to ensure social work practice, values and ethics are upheld in a time of emergency. This starts on Friday and Monday with webinars for AMHP leads and frontline AMHPs. We will offer sessions across specialisms in coming days and weeks.

With immediate effect we will be increasing our outreach to members online through ebulletins, social media and by responding to your feedback directly.

BASW services 

BASW is also changing the way we are working in response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, to enable BASW staff and those working with us, to work at remote locations across the UK.  You will be able to continue to access BASW services as normal, it just means our office addresses may not physically be open for normal business hours for the time being.

Please note you can continue to access Advice and Representation and SWU services. We are making some modifications to increase to take account of the Covid-19 risks. Please read guidance on our website.

It might be that our phonelines are a little busy for the A&R and membership services.  Please do aim to contact us via online form in the first instance if possible so that our teams can get back to you.  

Stay safe and we will be in touch again soon with further updates.

Ruth Allen, BASW CEO

Gerry Nosowska, BASW Chair