This year’s SWAN conference takes place against a growing ‘systemic crisis’.
Low growth rates, spiralling inflation and a severe cost of living crisis are making people’s lives miserable and forcing an estimated 5 million children into a life of poverty.
Years of austerity and cuts to services have brought our health and social care system to the verge of collapse and public services are underfunded and undervalued.
Whilst most of us are struggling to make ends meet, the wealth of the fabulously wealthy has grown exponentially. There are now 117 billionaires in the UK and the 10 wealthiest people in Britain currently have wealth estimated at a staggering £177 billion. If the 6 richest people in the world each gave away £1 million a day to ‘good works’ it would take them 300 years to give away their wealth.
Economic crisis, startling inequality and the destruction of public services – these are the result of decades of erosion of the welfare state and a system that prioritises the interests of the rich over the needs of ordinary people. But it’s not just an economic crisis. Our ecological system is on the verge of irreparable damage and potential collapse; caused by a system that spews out climate warming gases and views the world’s resources as something to be exploited for profit.
And what profits! BP and She’ll have just announced huge annual profits of over £35 billion!
And on top of it all, there is the growing threat of nuclear war. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has brought death and destruction to the people of Ukraine. But it’s now clear that Ukraine is a battlefield for a proxy war between Russia and NATO. And with each escalation the potential for nuclear confrontation becomes more real.
War, ecological crisis, economic melt down, poverty, the destruction of services – these are the costs of contemporary capitalism.
The SWAN conference will explore these issues and what they mean for social workers, for service users and for health and social services in Britain and across the globe.
There will be sessions on refugees, racism and anti oppressive practice; on what the ecological crisis means for social work, on the cost of living crisis and an international session with speakers from across the globe.
Join us on 29 April in Liverpool and join the fight to build the resistance.
Another social work is possible; another world is needed!
Reserve your tickets here
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