BASW England launch campaign for a ‘better supported workforce in a more equal society’

Social workers play an integral part in improving lives for many people by helping with social and interpersonal difficulties, promoting human rights and wellbeing. Social workers protect children and adults with support needs from harm. For them to support the most vulnerable we must build a society where they are supported too.

BASW England with support from the Social Workers Union is therefore calling on the UK Government to provide greater support for the social work workforce. It’s high time our profession is given the resources and respect it needs and deserves.

For social workers, our campaign focus will be:

• 60p car mileage that reflects the increased cost of travelling for work
• Remote working allowances back to levels seen during the start of the pandemic
• Increased and accessible bursaries for students, ensuring social work remains a viable prospect for all

We are  grateful to have the support of the Social Workers Union who accepted our application to the SWU Campaign Fund. As a result of this we will be working with the team at Campaign Collective to help us push forward our campaign for fairer and more accessible student bursaries.

The cost-of-living crisis continues to deepen, and many children, young people, families, and adults are experiencing the impact of extreme financial hardship. Many are having to make difficult decisions including whether to heat their homes this winter or to put food on the table – a choice no one should have to make.[1]

BASW UK has also launched an anti-poverty campaign urging the UK Government to deliver immediate actions that support people out of poverty. Increasingly, social workers are working exclusively with people whose problems are rooted in or exacerbated by worsening poverty and its consequences. Demands on social work services are therefore rising dramatically.

This is putting social workers under considerable pressure. Services are already stretched to breaking point on the back of the pandemic and twelve years of austerity.

Social work is at a vulnerable point. Social workers are exhausted, burning out and under-capacity. We cannot continue down this path.

That is why we continue to press government on the issues such as the need for a proper national recruitment strategy and for a review of pay, terms and conditions so the workforce are properly valued.

A recent survey conducted by the Professional Social Work magazine of BASW members also exposed how the cost-of-living crisis is impacting on social workers.

The effect on social workers:

43% fear they will struggle to pay their own bills
20% expect to use a food bank themselves soon
9% already have used a food bank recently

Our campaign will unite the voices and the power of our members who are already campaigning hard up and down the country and highlighting these crucial issues and injustices.

We encourage you to download our member briefing which sets out what we’re campaigning and explains how members and supporters can take action and deliver a better supported workforce in a more equal society.

[1] https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/publications/cutting-back-to-keep-warm/