Social Work Action Network response to Grenfell Tower and Unison petition against National Accreditation and Assessment System

Social Work Action Network (Swan) brings together social work academics, students, practitioners and service users to campaign for social work that advances society rather than the twin dysfunctionalities of 'managerialism' and privatisation.(1)

The following is presented here with permission as a Guest blog post, having been received by the Kwug Blog editor as a Swan London mailing list member.

Social Work Action Network response to Grenfell Tower and Unison petition against NAAS

Dear SWAN London supporters,

Grenfell Tower

SWAN has issued the following statement on the Grenfell Tower tragedy:
http://socialworkfuture.org/articles-resources/uk-articles/567-swan-statement-on-the-grenfell-disaster-social-work-must-critique-policy-not-simply-deliver-it

Here is another insightful blog on the same topic posted on the BASW site:
https://www.basw.co.uk/blog/blog_read.php?pid=33

National Assessment and Accreditation Systems (NAAS)

You may be familiar with Unison's recent national survey about the proposed National Assessment and Accreditation System (NAAS) for Childrens' Social Workers. SWAN support Unison's position that the government should scrap plans to roll out its new assessment and accreditation scheme for social workers because it will take up valuable time that could be spent helping families in need.

Unison has just launched an on-line national petition to call on the new Minister for Children to drop the NAAS.

Here is the link to the petition, which non- Unison members can also sign:

https://action.unison.org.uk/ page/10353/petition/1?en_chan= tw  

In solidarity

SWAN London

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Social Work Action Network (SWAN) London

Visit the national SWAN website at http://socialworkfuture.org/

Sign up for the Critical and Radical Social Work journal at http://www.policypress.co.uk/journals_crsw.asp

Note

 http://socialworkfuture.org/who-we-are

Seen this morning at Community Care magazine website:

‘Social work is about human rights, not assessing the life out of people’

Calderdale's principal social worker for adult services Rob Mitchell talks decision making, difficult cases and what motivates him to do the job

by Rachel Carter on July 6, 2016 in Adults

Continue reading at:
http://www.communitycare.co.uk/2016/07/06/social-work-human-rights-assessing-life-people/

Maybe we could say the same about what welfare reform should be?

See also 
http://kilburnunemployed.blogspot.co.uk/2016/07/un-publishes-damning-report-on-uk-benefit-sanctions.html

and
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/sickness-benefit-clawback-firm-tells-1096774#B8KtBocjDkoSrRF0.97

Casework experience, aspiring helping professionals, and a simple KUWG leafleting session

Elizabeth Niles concludes her Z2K blog piece Case study: a year long ESA saga(1) with these words:

Before I started my placement at Z2K I had no experience of writing tribunal submissions but in the time that I have spent at the charity the caseworkers have been very supportive in showing me the ropes and I am now able to represent clients and help them challenge their benefit entitlement.I would encourage anyone who is interested in law, social welfare or helping to fight injustice to apply to be a volunteer at Z2K.

In KUWG's collective experience, a preliminary to casework can be just standing outside a jobcentre and/or disability benefits assessments centre, say, with leaflets and placards as 'ice breakers' and listening to people as they unburden themselves. It can be very good to talk to someone whose leaflets suggest  that you are not the first person who has ever been abused by government officials. And it can be very heartening to learn that it's not necessary to go out and dispose of yourself as a huge 'saving for the public purse'. ;-) It's great to be listened to by another human being who is not out to rubbish you as the Government would have DWP employees do to service users,(2) or as professional workers burnout despair leads service users to feel they have been treated.

For further details of volunteering opportunities with Z2K go to http://z2k.org/volunteering-at-z2k/(3)

For how to get involved with KUWG, come to one of our weekly Thursday afternoon, 3:15pm to 5:20pm business meetings at Kingsgate Community Centre, 107 Kingsgate Road, NW6 2JH. Location map.(4) How to get there.(5) At present, we are planning to have a caseworkers workshop on how to deal with burnout. That is likely to take place in July 2016.

Link

1. http://z2k.org/2016/06/case-study-a-year-long-esa-saga/
2. http://www.pcs.org.uk/en/news_and_events/pcs_comment/pcs_comment_archive.cfm/id/0BCC603C-DEE6-4F77-A7338C216969AA58
3. http://z2k.org/volunteering-at-z2k/
4. http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=525177&y=184362&z=0&sv=NW6+2JH&st=2&pc=NW6+2JH&mapp=map.srf&searchp=ids.srf

AMHP not condoning cuts — Approved Mental Health Professional no longer prepared to 'follow orders'

Above title by Swheatie of the KUWG

From Community Care magazine online

‘Why I’m retiring from social work to fight the cuts damaging our service’

After 42 years in social work, Terry Skyrme is stepping down to channel his energies into campaigning. Here, he explains why.

September 22, 2014 in Adults, Mental Health, Your Say

Picture: Design Pics Inc/Rex

Share on facebookShare on twitterShare on emailShare on google_plusone_shareShare on linkedinMore Sharing Services

by Terry Skyrme, social worker and Approved Mental Health Professional

I have been a qualified social worker since 1972, right at the birth of the generic social services department. In a few weeks time I will complete my last shift. I’ve felt driven to retirement. This post aims to explain why.

For the last five years I’ve worked as a social worker for a mental health crisis team and as an Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) in Norfolk.

When I joined, the team had five social workers. We managed to carve out the space to do proper social work. We worked at times of crisis with patients and their families to help resolve social and family problems. We carried out our duties as AMHPs and had a degree of pride in our work. We truly felt we were making a difference, protecting patients’ rights, advocating for their entitlement to services and using our knowledge of local resources.
I realise now we were lucky. When our mental health trust became a foundation trust in 2009 things changed. The trust claimed this as a great achievement. In retrospect, it heralded the beginning of serious cutbacks....

Continue reading on Community Care website.... 

Related items on this blog

What would David Cameron's Civil Society Minister say?

Have your say at Social Work Action Network London's  Crisis in Mental Health Services public meeting, Saturday 8 November

Mental Health search on this blog

Change of pamphlet launch event date and other matters

 From Social Work Action Network London

 

1. Pamphlet launch date change. 'In Defence of Social Work: Why Michael Gove is wrong'' pamphlet launch with Peter Beresford OBE (Shaping Our Lives and Brunel University), will now be held at 18:30 on Tuesday 11th February at London South Bank University, a change from the originally advertised date which was a week before.

The pamphlet, which was put together as a sharp and swift response to Tory ConDem cabinet member and Education Secretary Michael Gove’s attack on social work, can be ordered by downloading the order form attached or at the following link:
http://www.socialworkfuture.org/articles-and-analysis/news/349-why-gove-is-wrong

RSVP so your name is on the door at the Keyworth Reception (no need if you have already responded).

The meeting will be held at London South Bank University (Elephant & Castle), while the room booked is now Keyworth Lecture Theatre A, it is in the Keyworth Building as before, on Keyworth Street, London SE1 6NG. Nearest tube is Elephant & Castle, exit from the Bakerloo Line exit (following signs to South Bank University). 

2. SWAN Conf 2014 and call for papers. Please book now for the 2014 SWAN Conference in Durham here. SWAN Conf 2014 call for papers and workshops is attached below. Please send proposals to swannortheast@gmail.com by 28th Feb!
3. UKIP attack on Barnet Alliance for Public Services (BAPS). Many of you will remember our colleagues in BAPS who spoke at last year's conference, defending services from mass privatisation. They have asked us to share with you after a UKIP threat to “crash” a meeting. After their members comments on women, disabled children and gay marriage, I think we know what a nasty, discriminatory organisation they are:

http://barnetalliance.org/2014/01/15/you-ask-the-questions-of-candidates-in-the-local-elections-public-meeting-threatened-by-ukip/

4. Women's Group Skills Swap in South East London. SWAN London member Keeley, has asked us to share with you details of a Women's Skills Swap event on Sunday 2nd February in Ladywell (nr Lewisham) - the first event is an introduction to Turkish!

Best wishes

Dan

SWAN London

Why Michael Gove is wrong — Social Work Action Network pamphlet launch with Peter Beresford, 4th Feb

From our friends in Social Work Action Network London

On Friday, 17 January 2014, 8:20, Swan London wrote:

Dear SWAN London list members

Pamphlet launch at 18:30 on 4th February at London South Bank University

SWAN is about to launch the pamphlet, 'In Defence of Social Work: Why Michael Gove is wrong'. This publication was put together as a sharp and swift response to Tory ConDem cabinet member and Education Secretary Michael Gove’s attack on social work. On the 12 November 2013, Gove repeated some familiar right-wing themes in his ‘considerations’ on social work. In particular Gove attacked social work education and practitioners who hold a strong social justice analysis and motivation at the centre of their work. 

Peter Beresford OBE, who contributed the chapter 'Frontline and social work education' will be speaking and holding a short discussion session as part of the launch. Peter is Professor of Social Policy at Brunel University, a long term mental health service user and Chair of Shaping Our Lives, the disabled people’s and service users’ organisation and network. Twitter: @beresfordpeter

Copies of the pamphlet will of course be available to buy at the launch event. The cover price of the pamphlet is £3, but we will be selling it at the discounted rate of £2. We can offer further discount to bulk purchases from trade union branches and universities. 

The meeting will be from 18:30-20:30 on Tuesday 4th February. This will be held at London South Bank University (Elephant & Castle), Lecture Theatre A, in the Keyworth Building Keyworth Street, London SE1 6NG. Nearest tube is Elephant & Castle, exit from the Bakerloo Line exit (following signs to South Bank University). 

The pamphlet can be ordered by going to 
http://www.socialworkfuture.org/articles-and-analysis/news/349-why-gove-is-wrong

This will be a great event to bring along colleagues and friends who are not familiar with SWAN and our work. 

NB: RSVP BY EMAIL TO THIS ADDRESS. This helps us plan numbers for the event. 

See you in February

Dan

SWAN London

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Social Work Action Network (SWAN) London

Visit the SWAN London blog for latest information here.
Visit the national SWAN website here.

Sign up for the Critical and Radical Social Work journal for free here.

Announcement from Social Work Action Network (SWAN) London

Social Work Action Network brings together social work practitioners, service users, academics and students toward improving services rather than surrendering social work as hostage to cuts and privatisation. SWAN London Convenor Dan Morton writes:

Anti-Racist Social Work, Tuesday 29 October, 6:30-8:30pm

Dear SWAN London list members

This is to inform you of the date of the next SWAN London meeting - Tuesday 29th October 6:30-8:30pm. This will take place at London South Bank University - room TBC.

The discussion for the first part of the meeting is themed, as usual. On this occasion 'Anti-racist social work' is the topic at hand. We hope to have a speaker to lead the discussion on this and talk about what anti-racist social work is and how it is relevant to practice in 2013. 

Please join us.

Best wishes

Dan

SWAN London

p.s. Please do not forget to attend the Palestine-UK Social Work Network - https://www.facebook.com/palukswnetwork -second annual conference on 12th November 2013.

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Social Work Action Network (SWAN) London

Visit the SWAN London blog for latest information here.
Visit the national SWAN website here.

Sign up for the Critical and Radical Social Work journal for free here.

If you would like to be removed from the Social Work Action Network (SWAN) London mailing list, please reply to this e-mail with your full name and e-mail address stating 'Unsubscribe' in the subject line.