Committee calls on government to abandon social work reforms

A new report conducted by the House of Commons Education Select Committee has identified several weaknesses in the government’s proposals for social work reforms and has called for the changes to be scrapped.

The report recommends that the government should abandon its plans to to set up a new social work regulator and instead place a strong, new professional body to unify the sector. The committee warned that the the Department of Education (DfE) and the Department of Heath (DoH) were pulling the social work sector in different directions.

Currently there are two chief social worker positions, with one focusing on supporting children and families, reporting to the DfE and the other for adults, reporting to DoH.
However, the committee has advised that the government should appoint one chief social worker in order to encourage joined-up thinking at a national level.

Commenting on the report’s findings, Neil Carmichael, the chair of the Education Committee, said: “Social workers have a crucial role in improving outcomes for children, young people and families.

“At a time when social work is under immense pressure, with social workers facing increasing workloads and local authorities wrestling with tighter funding, it is crucial the
Government now makes greater efforts to work closely with the social work profession.

“The government shouldn’t be wasting money on a new social work regulator. The government should instead help to establish a new professional body for social work,
which is trusted to take the lead on bringing about the improvements needed.”