BASW Scotland report - September 2013

Scotland Manager: We look forward to our new Scotland Manager, Trisha Hall, joining us on 23 September, from the Aberlour Child Care Trust where she has been Head of Evaluation and Research. You can read more about Trisha’s background and plans for the future in the next edition of PSW Scotland. As a former Chair of the PSW Board, Council member and stalwart member of the Scotland Committee, she is well placed to lead SASW in its next phase.

MHO Study Day & Wilma MacDonald Award: The annual study day supported by the Scottish Government, where we present the Wilma MacDonald Award to the SASW Mental Health Officer of the Year, will take place again in Perth on 1 October. Peter Clarke, who led the SASW contribution to the Millan Report stressing importance that MHOs are social workers through subsequent progress of the legislation in our newly restored Scottish Parliament, will be sharing some of the issues and techniques of influencing policy and legislative change. This will be timely as we enter the new Parliamentary session and the integration of health and social care, the potential re-design of criminal justice social work services and the Children and Young People’s Bill. There will also be critical information shared from the Mental Welfare Commission, the Mental Health Tribunals and Scottish Government.

Social work training: Social work training is under review. We are talking with the Scottish Social Services Council, universities, students, practice teachers and employers about what we know from members about the current fitness of the social work training, practice learning and fitness for practice. We know this is a key issue for members at all stages of their career so we are looking forward to hearing your views about helping to prepare new recruits to join this life-changing profession. You can get yourself heard through local meetings, emails and by phone.

Farewell to Jane: We were sad to say goodbye to Jane Lindsay, our Social Work Union and Advice and Representation Officer in Scotland for the last ten years. She has been a great asset to the Scotland team, not only in the individual service she has given to members but in her more general advice in our joint SASW/UNISON members guidance booklets and her columns in Rostrum and PSW. Her sense of humour and dedication to members will be a hard act to follow.

And on a personal note from Ruth Stark: After 14 years working for BASW in Scotland I am now looking forward to retirement. This is therefore potentially my last, or penultimate column, and I would like to thank all of you who have sent me kind messages about the MBE and to Council and members for awarding me Life Membership of the Association. I am not leaving the social work scene entirely, I will still continue in practice as a Safeguarder for children and young people in the Children’s Hearings and Court system and I will be devoting more time and energy to the post of Convenor of the IFSW Human Rights Commission. We have also submitted a bid from BASW UK to host the IFSW European Seminar 2015 in Edinburgh so watch this space.