Homes not Hospitals

At the 2019 BASW UK Conference and AGM a Motion was passed that BASW endorsed the association to focus on human rights practice, and to work with partners in this area.

This workstream was established by BASW England in response to the violation of the human rights of Autistic people and people with learning disabilities exposed further by the Panorama exposure of the Whorlton Hall scandal.

Roundtable meetings have taken place with key partners from across the sector including people with lived experience, families and carers. The purpose of this work is to look at ways to work in partnership with people with lived experience, service providers/Local Authorities/NHS with view to influence policy and practice reform, with a Human Rights focus. 

Homes not Hospitals supports and promotes national campaigning activity of the same name and that undertaken by Right2Home.

Several sub-groups were established to take the work forward focussing on the following areas:

  • The role of the social worker and legal literacy
  • Best Practice Commissioning with citizens and communities
  • Resources to support young people, adults and families
  • Practitioner perspectives

Resources, webinars and policy statements are currently being developed by each sub-group and strategic partners will be invited to sign up to the statements including Chief Social Workers/CQC/NHS England and ADASS.

Further work in relation to campaigning to lobby MP’s will be taken forward by the group with the support of BASW’s Parliamentary Officer.