UNISON, the UK’s largest union, today warned of risks in
separating the training, inspection and local organising regime of
social workers who work with children and those who work with
adults, as proposed in the Government’s Green Paper.
UNISON Senior National Officer for Social Workers, Owen Davies,
said:
“These proposals talk about joining up social services and
education but the consequence of more joined up services
involving social workers who work with children is to separate
them from social workers who work with adults. To split them into
two camps is storing up problems for the future.
“The real key to solving the crisis in children’s services is to get
local services working properly. Our members are understandably
cynical about national initiatives which draw funding away from
local services.
“Funds need to be spent to boost local services, to employ more
staff, to cut the excessive workloads, and to pay better salaries to
attract new people who are willing to work in a very difficult job.”
UNISON is also concerned that Ofsted has been chosen to inspect
new services.
UNISON will give careful consideration to other proposals in the
Green Paper.
ENDS