Social Work Taskforce for England
Implications for social work education
Remit of the taskforce
In January 2009 the Department for Children, Families and Schools and the Department of Health launched a joint Social Work Taskforce, with the remit to ‘undertake a comprehensive review of frontline social work practice,’ to include recommendations for reforms to social work education. To facilitate communication about this SWAP in association with JUC-SWEC has added this page where documents and links related to the work of the taskforce insofar as it relates to social work education can be accessed. If you would like to add a document or link please contact Hilary Burgess (h.burgess@soton.ac.uk).
The Social Work Taskforce was asked to identify any barriers social workers face in doing their jobs effectively and to make recommendations for improvements and long-term reform in social work. It was chaired by Moira Gibb, Chief Executive of the London borough of Camden. There is a web-site for the Social Work Taskforce, with key communications including their latest newsletter.
The Social Work Reform Board was established in Januray 2010, in order to take forward the recommendations of the Taskforce.
Implementation Plan
Building a Safe and Confident Future: implementing the recommendations of the Social Work Task Force is now published and can be accessed here Implementation Plan (PDF, 1.39MB)
Social Work Taskforce Final Report
The Taskforce produced its Final Report (December 2009). on December 1st 2009, with 15 recommendations, all of which have been accepted by the Government. A Social Work Reform Board has now been set up to lead and coordinate implementation of the reforms. The Joint University Council Social Work Education Committee (JUC-SWEC), the Association of Professors of Social Work (APSW) and SWAP each have a representative on the Board (see below for more details).
Downloads
The powerpoint slides used by Moira Gibb to summarise the report (PPS, 249KB)
A summary of the taskforce's recommendations by Pat Higham for SWAP (PDF, 90KB)
Taskforce recommendations re initial social work qualification.Questions/issues for HE by Hilary Burgess (PDF, 32KB)
A paper outlining the possible implications for HE in relation to the taskforce recommendations by Pat Higham for SWAP (PDF, 108KB)
Letter from Moira Gibb (PDF, 23KB) following the initial meeting of the Reform Board.
Addendum to JUC-SWEC submission to the taskforce (Word, 106KB)
Next steps
JUC-SWEC, APSW and SWAP plan to collaborate to coordinate the HE response to and engagement with the reform process, and to work constructively with other stakeholders (employers, practitioners, service users and carers, the GSCC, SCIE and sector skills councils) to ensure the best outcomes for social work students, and thus for service users.
Following the final report a joint letter in response to the recommendations (PDF 76KB) was sent to the Chair of the Task Force and to the Secretary of State at the Department for Children, Schools and Families, the Department of Health and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills by JUC-SWEC, APSW and SWAP. This letter was responded to by David Lammy (PDF, 223KB) (Minister of State for Higher Education and Intellectual Property).
Select Committee Inquiry into training of Children and Families Social Workers
During the summer of 2009, an inquiry into the training of Children and Families Social Workers was undertaken by the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee to examine the structure, content, quality and supply of training (including post-qualifying training), and entry routes to the profession. The report of the select Committee is available from the Parliament publications website.
