BASW CONSULT ON ADULT SOCIAL CARE PRACTICE

Request to help bring about radical change in social care

BASW is consulting on a proposal that would bring about fundamental and radical change in adult social care.  They are proposing a new 4 step approach to the way needs are assessed and resources allocated.  

The model separates decisions about need and decisions about budgets. Assessment of need and the resources required would be a matter between the practitioner and service user. The decision about how much could be afforded would be a subsequent and transparent management responsibility.

This would bring an end to the need for managerial control over a social worker’s practice, in order to control spending. It will also, for the first time, expose the real funding gap that exists in adult social care, and therefore expose political leaders to their responsibility for closing it. Read an article in Community Care reporting on the proposal here.

SWAN is urging members to engage in the consultation. Whether BASW follows through on this radicalism and proceed to seriously lobby for change may depend on the strength of response to the consultation. It will require about 15 minutes of your time to read the consultation document, and then another 15 minutes to complete the on-line survey. Click here for the link that will take you to both.