02/03/09
Social work post Baby P - it does not have to be like this, says Faculty expert
In his recent columns in
In 2008 Baby P, a 17-month-old boy, died after suffering months of abuse and neglect despite being seen 60 times by health workers, doctors, police officers and social workers. As the circumstances surrounding the case unfolded, media coverage was intense and often featured stories condemning individual social workers.
“The tabloids were out of order with their personalised vilification of workers who spend their professional lives protecting children,” says Jones, “but the stories which continue to emerge indicate that in some places vulnerable children are very unsafe and without much hope of protection.”
Dr Jones highlights a number of reasons for this such as governance structures, management processes and organisational cultures in some areas of the sector. He argues that this needs to be urgently addressed, but remains optimistic, adding, “it does not have to be like this. In many places it is not like this.”
In recommending improvements, Jones stresses the value of the social work degree, “because it gives a basic knowledge about issues such as disability, mental health and drug misuse - all of which are relevant to children's social care”. He also argues that social workers should have adequate time and not be distracted by too much bureaucracy.
Further recommendations include the use of performance indicators on numbers of social workers, vacancy and turnover rates; reward structures designed to retain experienced social workers; and increased support from senior managers for frontline practice.
View Dr Jones’ recent columns in Community Care in full:
Ray Jones is Professor of Social Work in the Faculty of Health and Social Care Sciences. He was named one of the top 10 most influential social workers in the UK by the Independent on Sunday in 2001.