Earlier this year, Rebekah Pierre (Social worker and BASW PO) requested her care-files, and was shocked by what they contained. The below open letter is penned as a call to action, and to raise awareness about the importance of kind, caring and accurate case records, as part of National Care Leavers Week 2022.
Social care provision is under huge strain, poverty is removing hope and opportunity, and our workforce once again has to navigate the uncertainty of an unstable government with no vision on how to get us out of this crisis.
This is a budget focused on delivering tax cuts that will disproportionately benefit the wealthiest, while those on lower incomes, Universal Credit and disability benefits are left facing the brunt of inflation and long-term unaffordability in many aspects of life.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer has announced that there will be a ‘mini budget’ on 23rd September as pressure on the Government to tackle the cost-of-living crisis increases.
SWU General Secretary John McGowan and BASW Professional Officer Rebekah Pierre have been invited to speak at Westminster Education Forum seminars on 29 September 2022.
Our focus in this response, on behalf of our members, is on the implications for the social work profession, social workers, and on the potential impact on the children and families served by the profession.