Tag Archives: social workers

Councils urged to replace social workers with non-qualified staff

August 23, 2012   Carers, ukcuts

Money can be saved without hurting quality if councils with high spending on assessments and reviews used more non-professionally qualified staff instead of social workers, says Audit Commission.

Savings of £300m could be made on assessments, the commission says

Mithran Samuel
Thursday 23 August 2012 00:01

Councils have been urged to replace social workers with non-professionally qualified staff in assessments and reviews, on the grounds this can save money without hurting quality.

The recommendation comes in a report today from the Audit Commission, which found that £180m-£310m a year could be saved from annual adult social services spending in England – about 1% to 2% of the total – if councils with relatively high spends on assessments and reviews reduced their costs towards the level of lower spenders.

The biggest potential area of saving was from “changing the mix of staff grades and skills that councils employ” to carry out assessments, by replacing social workers and occupational therapists with social work or OT assistants or other staff without professional qualifications.

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My dual role as a social worker and carer

June 22, 2012   Carers, social workers

Carers want to be listened to and understood

 

Sometimes sitting down for a coffee or tea with carers listening to their experiences is a good way to support them.

I have been a social worker for four years, but I have also been a carer for many years.

Many carers provide inspirational support to their friends, loved ones and family members. Fellow professionals and informal carers are among the most dedicated people I have ever met.

Part of my working role is to provide support to those who care for others; this often entails providing information and advice, as well as offering a listening ear. In my experience it is the listening that carers value the most; many find themselves socially isolated due to their circumstances and just want someone to talk to who can understand their situation.

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Carers UK responds to announcement of draft Care and Support Bill

May 9, 2012   Carers, disability

 

Carers UK responds to announcement of draft Care and Support Bill

The Government has announced in the Queen’s Speech, which sets out the parliamentary programme for the next year, that a draft Care and Support Bill will be published – but that full legislation would be postponed until the next parliamentary session.

In response, Heléna Herklots, Chief Executive of Carers UK said:

“It is deeply disappointing that the Government has decided to delay social care legislation until the next parliamentary session. Whilst we welcome the opportunity to work with Government on a draft Bill, the Government has failed to deliver on commitments to get modernisation of social care into law by next year.

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