The new government has a duty to listen, to understand and to make positive change to people’s lives.
Government policy shapes lives and communities – some for better, some for worse. Over 100,000 social workers are working across the UK to support people, families and communities each and every day. Social workers uphold the rights of people who are most marginalised and lack access to power.
We have a new government, one with a big majority, a lot of policy making opportunities and agendas on Brexit, the economy, public spending, international trade, human rights and immigration (amongst others) that do not seem compatible with solving the social deprivations, lack of opportunity and inequality we are facing today across the UK.
In BASW, we are clear what we stand for as an association, what the profession of social work stands for too and what we need from government policy and funding.
In times of uncertainty it is important to focus and be clear on our priorities, our ethics and our values. Our election manifesto still stands and will inform our work throughout the coming year. It will inform the pressure we bring to hold the new government to account.
- We need meaningful, wholesale reform for adult social care and investment that will build a thriving social care workforce
- We want an end to austerity in public services, including cuts to LA budgets which have hit vital services for older people, children, families, individuals and carers so hard in the last decade.
- We must see the UK-wide homeless emergency resolved, to support people off the streets with more affordable housing and for investment in preventative services.
The new government has a duty to listen, to understand and to make positive change to people’s lives.
Over the coming months we will be campaigning for social workers and the children, adults and families who use their services through the BASW manifesto key asks.
We have begun this work by writing to all new government ministers and MPs following the December 2019 general election to share the manifesto, ask for support and to meet to discuss issues that matter to social workers.
Work with us - concentrating and harnessing our energy and effort in the current political climate is essential - together we can make the voice of social work and people that use social work services heard.
