Social workers

[Charlieboy28]

social work is regulated by statute and a governing body, it is a title protected by law, it requires a professional qualification and prolonged training, it has a code of practice, it has its own unique core values and ethics that SW's must uphold, you need to be registered with a governing body to practice and can be deregistered/ strucy off for malpractice. it is without dispute a profession

the governing body is perhaps the strictist that there is e.g, A Dr taking drugs is given a verbal reprimand, perhaps some form of suspension. very very rarely are they struck off, even when they kill someone. a SW would be struck off full stop for even smoking a spliff.

 

[greenstiles]

Perhaps it has a lot to do with the rules you guys have to put up with then, i must admit on the course there was regular disagrement or should i say confusion, hesitation on what you should do in certain situations, not on everything, but it was like they would all do something different from each other in the same situation....very confusing, i think that's where the wishy washy thing comes from, perhaps SW are constantly trying to reference the latest ' appropriate action plan' in their brain in their daily goings on.....any truth in that ? if so i can see how mistakes are made.

 

[Charlieboy28]

Perhaps it has a lot to do with the rules you guys have to put up with then, i must admit on the course there was regular disagrement or should i say confusion, hesitation on what you should do in certain situations, not on everything, but it was like they would all do something different from each other in the same situation....very confusing, i think that's where the wishy washy thing comes from, perhaps SW are constantly trying to reference the latest ' appropriate action plan' in their brain in their daily goings on.....any truth in that ? if so i can see how mistakes are made.

the laws relating to SW are constantly changing, government guidance and policy is constantly changing, agency process is constantly changing, many social services departments are undergoing a restructure, and will do again if Munro is listened to, the research and theory that informs practice is constantly changing , the computers systems we use are constantly changing . but then social work as they say is all about change in certain respects it is a positive thing in others its orrible.

there is a big difference between what we want to do and what we are able to do, both financially and legally .

social work is in perpetual turmoil, it is torn between care and control and covering your own ass

 

[ajm]

you need to be registered with a governing body to practice and can be deregistered/ strucy off for malpractice.

Well, I witnessed doctors, teachers, social workers and a police officer all getting off more or less scot-free with a mountain of malpractice that is hard to believe. OK, so the main culprit social worker came out in a bad light in the investigation that followed, but really there were many other people whose deliberate, often demonstrably malicious and clearly dishonest malpractices were just swept under the carpet.

Same thing happens in all these "professions"... people close ranks and back each other up, and nothing of any consequence is done; in joint investigations the police lay the majority of the blame on social workers and vice versa. If you think your medical records are confidential, think again - your doctor will happily share them and any anecdotes he deems fit with any so-called "professional" who happens to drop by. Nobody in higher authority will care in the least.

If you think your being part of a joint police/social work investigation is kept as private as possible, think again... you can expect to find details of it leaked to the press which you hadn't even heard yourself yet!

From an upbringing where I was taught to respect and trust these people, I have zero respect for GPs, sneaky double-faced interfering teachers, and social workers; and am sceptical of the police, as an organisation (I do have a fair amount of respect for some of the officers I've met and dealt with, their job is definitely not an easy one; obviously there are always going to be some bad eggs amongst them.)

 

[silverclaws]

After what you wrote there ajm, it is clear there is a marked difference between theory and practice, but whilst people continue to be rubbed up the wrong way by government policy in your face and private lives, long will it be before SW are seen as a force for good.

But I suppose what SW can do to the individual is very much like what the policy enforcers can do to the individual, they being party to laws that can be enacted on us when we are not and we would need a very good lawyer at our side all the time to keep us on the right side of the law because of what laws there are that govern everything we do on a day to day basis. Honestly talk about freedom, it seems we are born into captivity or at best freedom on licence.

But as being a single male, perhaps having no kids is a severe positive in this country as it seems to me although a couple can produce a child, that child is not theirs, it is the property of the government.

 

[greenstiles]

Charlieboy28 wrote:
''social work is in perpetual turmoil, it is torn between care and control and covering your own ass''


If that is what your saying then it is no suprise why we have such negative reports on here by people ' the service users' who are at the end result of this turmoil and covering your own ass.


I see now that my original sweeping statment (my normal way to start off a topic, to create debate) needs to be revised a little.

I still believe that after meeting many SW over the years that a lot of them do have unresolved issues that may affect their judgement, BUT it appears when things go wrong it is because the whole system is unstable according to the quote above.

So how can an unstable system deliver more good result and a tiny amount of bad.

From the real life accounts given on here it seems to be a lot more bad than there should be.

I praise any SW who has to work within such a system, but if a person is tring to help you but thier confused on policy, burning out and may have personal issues that affect their work too, no wonder we hear bad stories.

I can see why some just cover their ass as you put it and just concentrate on the paper work being correct.

As I said before on the course I heard most of them say '' if it's too hot they try not to get involved'' for fear of getting into trouble because the rules they are trying to work in are constantly on the change and may not protect them............it doesn't really help the service user at the end of the day.


My end feeling on this is I would not want to be a SW ever. And a constantly changing system does not help families as much as a stable system could.

I'm glad children are saved, but i'm leftwith the impression that a lot of cases are missed or poorly treated due to red tape and ass saving.

At the end of the day we are talking about peoples lives and how all this will affect them in the future, good and bad results.

 

[silverclaws]

Oh come on, that is where perhaps you have the first mistake, peoples live don't mean f, anything in this country and all we are is a source of labour and a means to keep the cash circulating and with that, everything is an industry and/or a power trip.

The only people that truly care are those that help others for nothing, yes, the volunteers, as to help others for nothing that is saying a lot of where one's true morals lie.

Those that get paid to care, well the clue is in the 'get paid', which could mean 'don't care' unless they get paid for caring and if it is caring one is after, why get involved with something like SW, ah, yes, I forgot, the power and the the career ladder.

Power, yes do as I say, not necessary as I do, I have the authoritae, even and perhaps as others have said, another field of work that attracts the wrong type.

 

[Charlieboy28]

Charlieboy28 wrote:
''social work is in perpetual turmoil, it is torn between care and control and covering your own ass''


If that is what your saying then it is no suprise why we have such negative reports on here by people ' the service users' who are at the end result of this turmoil and covering your own ass.


I see now that my original sweeping statment (my normal way to start off a topic, to create debate) needs to be revised a little.

I still believe that after meeting many SW over the years that a lot of them do have unresolved issues that may affect their judgement, BUT it appears when things go wrong it is because the whole system is unstable according to the quote above.

So how can an unstable system deliver more good result and a tiny amount of bad.

From the real life accounts given on here it seems to be a lot more bad than there should be.

I praise any SW who has to work within such a system, but if a person is tring to help you but thier confused on policy, burning out and may have personal issues that affect their work too, no wonder we hear bad stories.

I can see why some just cover their ass as you put it and just concentrate on the paper work being correct.

As I said before on the course I heard most of them say '' if it's too hot they try not to get involved'' for fear of getting into trouble because the rules they are trying to work in are constantly on the change and may not protect them............it doesn't really help the service user at the end of the day.


My end feeling on this is I would not want to be a SW ever. And a constantly changing system does not help families as much as a stable system could.

I'm glad children are saved, but i'm leftwith the impression that a lot of cases are missed or poorly treated due to red tape and ass saving.

At the end of the day we are talking about peoples lives and how all this will affect them in the future, good and bad results.

Greenstiles, no one welcomes social services intervention, at least in relation to safeguarding children, especially if as is usually the case they have not asked for it. The nature of the role is that you are in essence saying to someone your parenting at present is inadequate. The process is intrusive it delves into every area of peoples lives, finances, health matters, personal relationships, family history, criminal history, inspecting peoples private homes, looking in the cupboards and freezers, speaking to their family and friends, sharing concerns with education, health etc etc. Who on earth is going to say thank you and i really enjoyed that experience. Even when you bring about change when you get the services the family needs when you improve the life of the family and the children living there, your not gonna get thanks and neither is it ever expected. The process understandably leaves people with anger and resentment.
The best i can ever hope for is that my service users say is he was alright, he was open and honest , told me my rights , explained everything to me, kept me informed and did what he said he was going to do and treated me with dignity and respect at all times.

The system is messed up, its well known and commmon sense that prevention is better than cure but we only intervene when a family reaches serious crisis point. There is no protection for the worker, if it goes wrong you will be scapegoated, All will pass the buck and try to protect themsleves.

The system has become defensive , it about documenting everything you do, ticking boxes and adhering to timescales, not because this helps children but it gives you some defense , that for some becomes the job especially working for the local authority, but that is not what social work is or is about. How do you measure good social work? or do you accept that its outcomes just can not be measured

we are not confused by policy, theory, research etc, it is part of the job to keep up to date on all of these things.

its the grey areas where we do not get involved, certainly not when things get too hot. I have been threatened repeatedly, abused daily, i have colleagues who have had death threats from gang members, one dragged out of their car at an island and seriously assaulted in the middle of the road, two others held captive at knife point and it goes on and on

Social work in spite of the system it operates within, delivers good results because of the people that work within it, who are constantly battling their own LA who use the Law and guidance to justify doing the least possible, trying to spend the least amount of money.

the point i was making before is that the vast majority come to SW as they wish to help, that is the point of the job, to enable, to empower, to liberate, to help people achieve their potential.etc etc
What children's social work has become is now narrowly about control, necessary control, but still control, We did not come to the job to control people. that is perhaps why we are the best sort of people to have the power that we do.

Its the old fable about the wind and the sun, i would much rather get people to do what they need to do by being sunny. Some SWs will just be the wind and use the power their postition and local authority have


ahhh but anyway i ramble

 

[Charlieboy28]

Oh come on, that is where perhaps you have the first mistake, peoples live don't mean f, anything in this country and all we are is a source of labour and a means to keep the cash circulating and with that, everything is an industry and/or a power trip.

The only people that truly care are those that help others for nothing, yes, the volunteers, as to help others for nothing that is saying a lot of where one's true morals lie.

Those that get paid to care, well the clue is in the 'get paid', which could mean 'don't care' unless they get paid for caring and if it is caring one is after, why get involved with something like SW, ah, yes, I forgot, the power and the the career ladder.

Power, yes do as I say, not necessary as I do, I have the authoritae, even and perhaps as others have said, another field of work that attracts the wrong type.

Silverclaws you wanna stop smoking that catnip. I get paid shite in comparison to many careers, circumventing my TM and AM and a multitude of other similar stunts i have pulled has done me no favours career wise at all. I have lost count of the number of times a manager has said to me that i need to remember who pays my wages.

hmm so by your logic the best doctor is the one who has never read a book on the matter , never gone to college , but really likes healing people??

 

[silverclaws]

You mention children a lot and I have noticed it appear to be a fact that when someone want to bludgeon anyone down in anything, it is trot out the children angle every time, but seeing as you are here representing those despised by many, I have a question ;

In everything being for the children, whether it is in truth or not, don't adults matter ?