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Message from Lyn Romeo the Chief Social Worker for Adults for the ASYE Digital Skills Initiative

North West London Partnership and @SWSCmedia have collaborated to incorporate digital skills for Newly Qualified Social Workers (NQSW) into the North West London Partnership’s Assisted and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE) programme. Below is…

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Annie Hudson’s message for the ASYE digital skills initiative between @SWSCmedia and North West London Partnership

North West London Partnership and @SWSCmedia have collaborated to incorporate digital skills for Newly Qualified Social Workers (NQSW) into the North West London Partnership’s Assisted and Supported Year in Employment…

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Nushra Mansuri’s message for the ASYE digital skills initiative between @SWSCmedia and North West London Partnership

I am so excited to be writing this blog ahead of the AYSE event on 09 September 2014 hosted by the North West London/West London Alliance Partnership and @SWSCmedia.  First…

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Social Workers’ registration renewal and the HCPC CPD audit

The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) registration renewal period for social workers in England opens on Monday 1 September 2014 and social workers have until 30 November 2014 to…

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Why social workers in England must renew with the HCPC – A message from the HCPC

Below is the message from the HCPC for social workers’ registration renewal which runs from: 1 September to 30 November 2014. The HCPC registration renewal period for social workers in…

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Creating a Culture of Learning

Creating a ‘learning culture’ within local authority Children’s Services is perhaps one of the biggest challenges we face in moving towards the kind of ‘child centered’ system envisaged by Munro….

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Contracting out social care services – An opinion piece by: Jo Moriarty

At first glance, the contracting out of social care services to providers in the private and voluntary sector is nothing new.  Since the late 1980s, local councils have moved so…

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Service User Involvement – Opinion piece by Peter Beresford

This discussion of user involvement all starts with a memory. It’s interesting where trains of thought take you. This one actually started the other day with a long train ride….

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Social Work Education… What needs to change? and where to from here?

In the last twelve months social work has seen some very significant and wide reaching changes ranging from  the closure of General Social Care Council (GSCC) and transfer of social…

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Stand Up for Social Work – by Dr. Simon Duffy

This blog is a first and hesitant step – an attempt to find a pathway out of the current crisis in social work. It is written to provoke thought and…

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ASYE and how it can improve the practitioners’ experience? – Opinion piece by Fenix Cornejo

The beginning of a Social Worker’s career can be challenging and initial experiences can be pivotal. As we all may know, the social work profession is changing with the new…

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Assessed and Supported Year of Employment Advice for Newly Qualified Social Workers – England – Source BASW 2013-05-28

The Assessed and Supported Year of Employment (ASYE) was a recommendation of the Social Work Reform Board (SWRB). The ASYE followed on from a previous scheme called NQSW. The ASYE…

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Postmodernity and Social Work Ethics: Moving On? – by: Prof. Richard Hugman

Join & share your views in a special evening @SWSCmedia with Prof. Richard Hugman, discussing Postmodernity and Social Work Ethics… Tuesday (14 Mary 2013) at 9:00 PM BST / 4:00 PM EDT….

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Why social work should fall in love with randomized controlled trials – By Dr. Donald Forrester

Research studies often feel a bit like relationships. Some are brief, some more enduring. Often they start out full of excitement, and then as that calms down there is a…

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Military Social Work: What are the Challenges for Military and Veteran Families? Wednesday, Apr 10 @ 8pm (EDT)

What are some of the challenges of military families and veterans? What are the services and support military families need? and what can be done to improve those services? How…

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#SWSCMedia #MilSW Chat: Engaging Military Families Through Social Work – Wednesday, Apr 10 @ 8pm (EDT)

Join the tweet chat on 4/10, at 5:00 PM PDT / 8:00 PM EDT to discuss the challenges military families face and how social workers can help. We are delighted…

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Social Work at a Crossroads Resistance or Compliance? – By Dr. Simon Duffy

I am not a social worker. But I am a big fan. I have spent over 20 years working alongside social workers, particularly in order to improve the lives of…

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Just One Question: How can social networking help my social work practice? By Claudia Megele

Social Work is a relationship based profession and social networks are essential in establishing and maintaining relationships. Therefore, there is great and natural synergy between the two. In fact, aside…

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The impact of austerity on Social and Economic inequalities from an Irish perspective by IASW Part of @SWSCmedia #WSWDay Series

During the early years of the twenty first century the Irish economy was booming.  After decades of poverty and emigration Ireland had completed a remarkable turn around. Between 1995-2000 the…

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Why Social Work? What is the role of Social Work in 2013? by Bridget Robb Part of @SWSCmedia #WSWDay Series

Today, World Social Work Day celebrations have been held by BASW, in conjunction with others, across the UK, including events in Westminster in conjunction with the Joint University Council Social…

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Social Work in the 21st Century by Dr. Nancy Smyth Part of @SWSCmedia #WSWDay Series

Last week one of our social work alums, I’ll call her Sally, described her challenges in caring for an aging parent across a distance: she and her brother (who live…

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Time for Slow Social Work? by Dr Sally Holland Part of @SWSCmedia #WSWDay Series

Many people will have heard of the slow food movement. It values local knowledge and local strengths and resists universal, bland fast foods. Some may have heard of ‘slow parenting’,…

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Elective Home Education – a dangerous method? by Sherry Malik Part of @SWSCmedia #WSWDay Series

At a meeting of the Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) we had a presentation from the schools effectiveness service about Elective Home Education. What we learnt came as a surprise…

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Critical Reflective Learning – Podcast by Dr. Neil Thompson – @SWSCmedia Series for #WSW

Podcast on Critical Reflective Learning by: Dr Neil Thompson. Dr. Neil Thompson is an independent writer, educator and adviser. He edits the free monthly e-zine, Well-being BULLETIN (www.well-being.org.uk). A blog and free Tip of the Week facility are…

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Critical reflection: a celebration and challenge by Jenny Simpson Part of @SWSCmedia #WSWDay Series

One of the key elements of social work practice is critical reflection.  It is a concept that is drummed into social work students, and which is expected of qualified  practitioners…

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‘Social Work means enabling, empowering, supporting…’ by Sharon Scott Part of @SWSCmedia #WSWDay Series

Social Work means enabling, empowering, supporting and protecting. To me, being a social worker means helping the most vulnerable children achieve their full potential, free from fear of harm or…

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‘There will be many challenges ahead…’ by Nina Santiago Part of @SWSCmedia #WSWDay Series

While studying for my undergraduate degree in Psychology & Sociology at the University Of Leeds, I was deeply troubled by the harrowing accounts I read of abuse and neglect experienced…

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‘Me and social Work’ by Prof. Shula Ramon Part of @SWSCmedia #WSWDay Series

I have come to social work mainly due to autobiographical reasons; my mother had postnatal depression which I have experienced as the first child when my brothers were born. When…

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‘Social Work as a vocational career’ by Katie Dangerfield Part of @SWSCmedia #WSWDay Series

Katie Dangerfield explains why she chose social work as a career choice. Join @SWSCmedia on the 19 March 2013 for our live Social Work Twitter at 8 PM GMT /…

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‘Social Work and me’ by Tanya Moore Part of @SWSCmedia #WSWDay Series

The difficulty in reflecting upon why I became a Social Worker is that although I can remember the world before I qualified, I can’t really remember not being a Social…

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‘Social work and me’ by Julia Warrener Part of @SWSCmedia #WSWDay Series

Thinking about why I chose social work as a career has helped me realise that social work chose me. When I graduated, with what is effectively an English degree, I…

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Workplace bullying; What are the current issues & implications? By: Canadian_SW

Recently in the media there has been a lot of talk surrounding the issue of bullying. When we think of bullying we may think of school yard antics,or cafeteria trays…

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Children and Families Bill 2013 – @SWSCmedia debate

The introduction to the Children and Families Bill 2013 states: “The Children and Families Bill will make the legislative changes that underpin our wider reforms to support children and families….

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Children and Families Bill 2013: It’s not good news… – Opinion piece by Prof. Brigid Featherstone

The Children Act 1989 emerged after years of research and consultation and was welcomed by a very wide constituency as it was considered to provide a strong framework for all…

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Children and Families Bill 2013 – Opinion piece by Nushra Mansuri @SWSCmedia debate

I was semi amused to read a blog by conservative MP Jesse Norman last week critically acclaiming the Children and Families Bill and urging us all to celebrate it.  I…

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Happy Social Work Month

Happy Social Work Month to All… Social Work month offers us an opportunity for raising general awareness of social work, its role and mission, as well as its values. In…

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#WorkforChange Twitter cross-chat @MSWatUSC & @SWSCmedia

  #workforchange tweet chat on Thursday, Feb. 28, at 6 p.m. PST/ 9 p.m. EST. Join the University of Southern California School of Social Work and its online MSW@USC program for a tweet…

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Leadership and Social Work: #SWSCMedia US Debate 2/27 8pm EST – Posted by Glen Gaugh

Leadership: What difference does it make? “An Analysis of Leadership in the Social Work Profession,” a study of 150 random deans, executive directors, and organization presidents concerning attitudes about leadership,…

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Hotdesking and its significance and implications for professional identity and work environment and culture…

The public sector is under increasing pressure to produce and deliver more for less and in less time, hence, cuts in health and social care sectors run deep and across…

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Luddite or Love It: The Ethical Case for Technology Use in Social Work by Karen Zgoda – @SWSCmedia Debate

It’s 2013. Our modern Internet is now 24 years old, email is about 20 years old, folks have been blogging their personal lives and what they ate for breakfast for nearly…

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PTSD in the military- Are we doing enough for our armed forces? By: Canadian_SW

Gun control has been a hot topic in the media for some months, especially in light of the recent tragedies in Aurora and Newton. In recent weeks however, the media…

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Panicking over the past – Opinion piece by Mark Smith

As if we didn’t have enough to worry about in the present, the Jimmy Savile affair opens up the whole of recent history as a site for us to panic…

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Moral Panics for the 21st Century – Opinion piece by Prof. Viviene Cree for @SWSCmedia Debate

Like many others, I have been interested in the idea of moral panics for a long time, probably since I first read Stan Cohen’s ground-breaking book, Folk Devils and Moral…

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Moral Panics and Social Work: towards a sceptical view of UK child protection – @SWSCmedia Debate

Children and families social work has been prone to periodic involvement in scares and moral panics, e.g. the Munchausen by proxy syndrome of the 1970s, glue-sniffing in the 1980s, satanic…

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Child sexual abuse: What are the issues & challenges? & How can children be better protected? @SWSCmedia Debate

Child sexual abuse involves persuading or forcing a child to take part in sexual activities, or encouraging a child to behave in sexually inappropriate ways. Sexual abuse can be very…

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Mental Illness: Violence and Victimization- US #SWSCmedia Debate on 2/6, 8pm EST

Recent events of interpersonal and mass violence in the US have renewed what is often characterized as a cause-and-effect relationship between mental illness and violence. In general, this may happen…

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Mommy bloggers and children’s right to privacy: an evening with Sarah Kendzior « Social Work/Social Care & Media

Mommy bloggers and children’s right to privacy: an evening with Sarah Kendzior « Social Work/Social Care & Media.

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Preventing and Responding to Gun Violence – Where Do Social Workers Go From Here? – Opinion piece by Karen Zgoda

Barely a month has passed since 20 children aged 6 and 7 were killed in their classrooms at Sandy Hook elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. It is also disturbing that for…

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Gun Control: What are the issues? & Is it a Question of Civil Liberties? @SWSCmedia debate

Gun control has been a persistent debate for at least half a century in US, beginning with the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, and Dr. Martin Luther…

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Why BASW developed a Social Media Policy – By Fran McDonnell (BASW Policy Officer)

Social media is a growing issue for social workers, in terms of how they employ these communications platforms in their professional and personal lives. We see its prevalence in discussions…

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Bridging the social media divide – an Opinion piece by Nushra Mansuri (Professional Officer BASW)

Technology is firmly now part and parcel of our daily lives, embedded in our culture and transcending our whole lives – professional, personal and those grey areas in between. So…

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From sport to the social & the political; my tour of Twitter – Opinion piece by Julia Warrener

I’d enjoyed Twitter for many months, well before September, 2012.  It had given me immediate news on all the important things; Arsenal’s results; on all things cycling, who’d won what,…

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Social Media for Social Work and the ethics of online engagment – An evening with BASW (@BASW_UK) @SWSCmedia

The increasing use of social media and its applications have dramatically changed and continue to change the manner in which people communicate and exchange information. This has brought about significant…

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Frontline: The Fast-track Social Work Training Scheme… @SWSCmedia Debate

Thank you for joining @SWSCmedia debate on Frontline and for sharing your views.  We are very pleased to have offered the first public open debate about Frontline where all participants could…

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Frontline Project and Social Work: An opinion piece by Josh MacAlister for @SWSCmedia Debate

It’s been an exciting and busy time for Frontline over the last few weeks and we have high hopes for the future. I am now working full time to make…

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What is in store for Social Work, Social Care and Health in 2013? Debate Summary – 8 January 2013

Thank you for joining the debate and for sharing your views on the prospects of Social Work, Social Care, and Health in 2013. It was an excellent way to start our debates…

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What’s Ahead for Social Work This Coming Year? Opinion Piece by Dr. Nancy Smyth – A #SWSCmedia debate

Welcoming in a new year always brings a chance to consider what might be up ahead. Given who I am, many (but not all) of my predictions relate to social…

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What’s in store for us in 2013? What do I hope for? Opinion piece by Prof. Brigid Featherstone – #SWSCmedia debate

Well I hope that those of us who are involved in social work and social care reclaim the discredited phrase ‘we are all in this together’ and make common cause…

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‘What is in store for Social Work, Social Care and Health?’ Opinion Piece by Glen Gaugh – A #SWSCmedia debate

We will face no shortage of social needs in 2013. From any standpoint of practice, knowledge, or belief, the challenges will be more and greater than they have been in…

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Improving the dialogue between research and social work practice: Opinion Piece by Prof. Jonathan Scourfield – A #SWSCmedia debate

Few would disagree that there should be better dialogue between research and practice in social work, leading to practice which is better informed by evidence. How to achieve this change…

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What is in store for Social Work, Social Care and Health in 2013?

2012 has been an eventful year for social care, social work and health as each of these sectors saw significant changes in policy and legislation ranging from the so called…

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Wishing You All the Very Best of the Festive Season and A Happy New Year…

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Solution Focused Social Work – A Special Evening with Dr. Neil Thompson – Debate Summary

Thank you for joining the debate and for sharing your views regarding solution focused social work. Also our great appreciation for Dr. Neil Thompson who joined us to share his…

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Partnership and Empowerment: by Dr. Neil Thompson

In my training and consultancy work I often encounter a degree of negativity towards the ideas of partnership and empowerment. This largely comes from a belief that, while they may…

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HCPC and Social Workers’ Registration, Regulation, and Continuous Professional Development (CPD)

Thank you for joining the debate and for sharing your views regarding HCPC and Social Workers’ registration, regulation, and Continuous Professional Develop (CPD). Also our great appreciation goes to HCPC…

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HCPC: Continuing professional development (CPD) and your HCPC registration – By Mark Potter (Stakeholder Communications Manager at HCPC)

Our standards for continuing professional development are very different to the General Social Care Council’s (GSCC) system of post registration training and learning (PRTL). This system required social workers to…

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HCPC: Why social workers in England must register with their new regulator – By Marc Seale (CEO & Registrar HCPC)

Social workers in England have a new regulator following the abolition of the General Social Care Council (GSCC). The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) is now responsible for regulating…

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Social Work & Child Protection: A Broken System?

In a recent speech at the Institute of Public Policy Research, Education secretary Michael Gove started his speech by saying: “I want to begin with an admission. The state is…

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Adoption & Race: Interracial Adoptions… what are the issues?

4 decades ago in September 1972, in an unpublished position statement on trans-racial adoptions, the National Association of Black Social Workers in the U.S. stated: “Black children belong physically and…

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Doing Social Work in between the cracks… An All Party Parliamentary Group examines the State of Social Work in U.K.

On 30th of October, the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Social Work heard evidence from two frontline practitioners about the current state of social work. The APPG was launched…

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What can we learn from Savile’s case?

TV star Jimmy Savile, who died last year at the age of 84, is believed to have been one of the UK’s most prolific sex offenders. Estimates suggest that as…

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Continuous Professional Development (CPD) and Social Media – By Claudia Megele

Social work operates within a knowledge economy and one in which its practitioners are expected to take responsibility for their own training and development. But, even in this age of…

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Social Work & Professional Identity: What does it stand for? – @SWSCmedia Debate

Since its’ inception the role and identity of social work has been a subject of debate and it seems that even after a century past Flexner social work has never…

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Social Media, Social Learning and Education + CPD – By Claudia Megele (Originally published in Compass)

Social media tools and approaches, based on Web 2.0 paradigm, offer educational possibilities in so far as they can support social interaction such as sharing and exchanging information and views,…

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Employers Social Media Policy and the Challenge of e-Professionalism

The widespread diffusion of social media and its increasing use in both personal and professional spheres combined with an abundance of information sustained by increasing out-pouring of private information into…

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Summary of the debate on: Voices of Children & Children’s Rights

Thank you for joining the debate and sharing your views on “Voices of Children & Children’s Rights“ @SWSCmedia. Below is the summary of the discussion and we look forward to your views…

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Child Protection Social Work: Separating Children from their Families? Why? When? & How?

Thank you for joining the debate on “Child Protection Social Work: Separating Children from their Families? Why? When? & How?” We changed our topic shortly before the debate to shed…

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Voices of Children & Children’s Rights: @SWSCMedia Debate

Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child states: “1. States Parties shall assure to the child who is capable of forming his or her…

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Values and Ethics in Social Work – Special Group Discussion @SWSCMedia

Thank you for joining the debate and sharing your views on “Values & Ethics in Social Work“ @SWSCmedia. Below is the summary of the discussion and we look forward to your views…

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Ethical implications of Social Media engagement for Health, Social Work, and Social Care – @SWSCMedia Debate Summary

Thank you for joining the debate and sharing your views on “Ethical implications of Social Media engagement for Health, Social Work, and Social Care professions“ @SWSCmedia. Below is the summary of…

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Social Work & Social Media & Apps – @SWSCMedia Debate Summary

Thank you for joining the debate on “Social Work and Social Media Apps” @SWSCmedia and for sharing your views. Below is the summary of the discussion and we look forward to your…

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Social Work and Social Media Ethics By Nushra Mansuri @BASW_UK

The emergence of social media has revolutionised how we communicate with one another and how information is transmitted and shared.  No longer are we solely consumers of the media but…

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Ethical implications of Social Media engagement for Health & Social Work/Social Care Professions

@SWSCMedia is hosting a special debate tomorrow evening on Social Work/Social Care/Health and Social Media Ethics. During this debate we will explore the ethical implications of social media engagement for…

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Nursing and Midwifery Research Conference – where are we now?

An opportunity for all nurses, midwives and health visitors to come together to share their research findings and experiences and its relevance for today’s practice. Keynote speakers include: Professor Jenny Hunt…

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#SWSCMedia Debate Summary: Internet & Child Abuse Offenders – what are the current challenges? With Special Guest Mark Williams-Thomas

Thank you for joining us and for sharing your views on “The Internet & Child Abuse Offenders – what are the current challenges?” @SWSCmedia. It was a lively evening with excellent…

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Social Media & Social Work: @SWSCmedia: Bringing Social Workers Together Globally By Linda Grobman

With the rapidly changing technology all around us, it seems that new online social work communities and resources are springing up all the time. One such community and a leading…

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#SWSCMedia Debate Summary: Where to from here? What are the realistic job prospects for Newly Qualified Social Workers…

Thank you for joining us and for sharing your views on “NQSW: Where to from here? What are the realistic job prospects for Newly Qualified Social Workers? Debate” @SWSCmedia. It was…

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The Internet & Child Abuse Offenders – what are the current challenges? – Opinion piece by Mark Williams-Thomas

The Internet has created a global gateway and market, with no boundaries or distances to travel. As a result the policing of online child abuse offenders has required a co-ordinated…

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Affordable Care Act: Forward or Rollback?

Affordable Care Act is a truly historic legislation with vast and far reaching implications/consequences that will transform the health care landscape in America. For instance focusing on the population of…

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NQSW: Where to from here? What are the realistic job prospects for Newly Qualified Social Workers…

Social work has and continues to undergo many changes and the same can be said for social work job prospects. Under the Labour government we saw unprecedented investment in public…

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Rape and Abortion Rights… Debate Summary @SWSCMedia

Thank you for joining us and for sharing your views on “Rape and Abortion Rights Debate” @SWSCmedia. This was the first of our new U.S.A. & Canada debates series @SWSCmedia. It…

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Rape and Sexual Violence… Debate Summary

Thank you for joining us and for sharing your views on “Rape and Sexual Violence”. This was part of the @SWSCmedia debate series. Below is the summary of the discussion and we…

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Rape and Abortion Rights… @SWSCmedia debate in collaboration with @NPSW

This is the first of @SWSCMEDIA‘s U.S. Debate Series which will be run every Wednesday (8:00 PM ET / 3:00 PM PT) in collaboration with Network of Professional Social Workers…

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Reflection on Foucault and Feminism: We should ask and critically address the hard questions if we are to change the status quo

Yesterday, referring to Foucault views and the various feminist perspectives including Susan Brownmiller’s, I raised Foucault’s question “Is rape the same as a punch in the face?”  My reference to…

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Rape and Sexual Violence… The legacy of a patriarchal sexuality.

On Tuesday (21 August 2012) Hadley Freeman wrote an article entitled “Everyone’s talking about rape” and it certainly did feel like that, as we saw different politicians on both sides…

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