Social work is a human rights profession. Social workers’ ethics and purpose is grounded in upholding human rights. This is no different during times of crisis. In fact, during complex and uncertain times it is vital to hold firm to universal human rights.
The key messages from both, this Government report and our own survey highlight a lack of timely guidance for front line social workers from the outset, a reduction in new referrals of children and young people and a sense of isolation for much of our workforce.
“Each and every member continues to be at the forefront of our union. I hear constantly from members why they have joined a specialist union rather than one of the large generic unions – so thank you.”
Today’s reports suggesting a public sector pay freeze in next week’s Spending Review will comes as a disappointing blow for frontline staff, including social workers, who have been toiling to deliver vital services as the pandemic rages on.