UNISON Scotland’s Social Work Issues Group is conducting a survey of social work members in children and families teams, to support bargaining & campaigning activity around The Promise – the report of the Independent Care Review for looked after children. The survey is promoted in the latest issue of Scotland in UNISON.
If you work in children and families social work and want to help keep The Promise, please take UNISON Scotland’s survey by clicking here
Kate Ramsden, Branch co-chair and member of the Social Work Issues Group said: “The Promise makes many commitments to children and their families which cannot be met without major investment in Children and Families social work.
“UNISON has long recognised that our social work members are key to the proper implementation of the Promise. The way that care is delivered for our children depends on a workforce that has not only the knowledge and skills, but also the time and the professional support to deliver practice based on developing relationships with children and young people.
“We know that cuts to council services over the past decade have left many social work services woefully under resourced to meet the laudable aims of the Promise, with overworked staff and a lack of resources to meet the needs of children and their families.
“We want to find out what our members need to ensure that they can practice in a way that delivers for our looked after children. This is not about tweaking procedures and processes. If the Promise is really to deliver in the way that care experienced children and adults have asked for, this is about taking a long hard look at what 10 years of austerity has done to our social work services and to repair that damage so that our members can provide the kind of service they all want to provide with the time and resources that they need.”
The e-briefing HERE explains what is involved. A further bargaining briefing is being prepared.
If you have any queries, please get in touch with Kate at k.ramsden2@unison.co.uk or Susan Galloway in the Bargaining & Campaigns team: s.galloway@unison.co.uk