Social work needs an independent college – BASW

Forget a government-funded college – we need our own profession to create a institution led by, and accountable to, social workers, says Hilton Dawson

The 12,500 members of the British Association of Social Workers (BASW) are being urged to give a resounding “yes” vote in a referendum next month on the organisation’s proposal to create a UK College of Social Work.

We want to transform our profession by creating an independent college to which all 105,000 social workers in the UK will be offered free registration. The college would set its own high standards for entry to the profession, accredit continuing professional development, license all employers of social workers, and set standards for a social work career structure.

This is in stark contrast to the rather puny suggestions of the Social Work Taskforce, which recommended a government-funded college that would give a stronger voice to social work, exercise influence over policy-making, and help improve public understanding of social work.

What we need from the government is not interference or money, but the legislation and the amendments to statutory guidance that would embed the college in critical decision-making about entry to the profession, training, professional development, the fitness of employers, and a career structure that retains the best qualified, most experienced social workers in social work practice.

We need devolved governments that will recognise the critical importance of social work to people’s lives – that they are just as good as doctors, nurses, teachers and police officers. But, above all, we need our own profession to create a college led by, and accountable to, social workers.

This is not a case of the BASW taking over anything. It is a bold and historic move, but it is also a moment of considerable humility. It is the BASW putting our democracy, our organisation, our resources, our 40 years of experience, our skills and our international standing at the disposal of all social workers. Now is the time to take our profession into our own hands in order to take it forward.

If we do that together, we will transform the profession, ensuring that people can have great careers doing the best work in the world, and ensuring that social work serves people very well.

All we are doing is what every other successful and highly regarded profession would do. There is no other profession that would accept the government creating a college for it.

We reject criticism of “going it alone” because we want all organisations with social work members to join, in association with the BASW and, hopefully, with the college. We will ensure a UK college works with all governments and organisations in the best interests of social work.

To those who whisper that the BASW isn’t up to it, we point to a growing membership and, as a consequence, independence, financial sustainability and coherent investment plans. We have access to world-class resources, and knowledge about the highest international standards of practice.

And as for those who say this is too bold, it remains to be seen whether the BASW members will support their own council and whether social workers will join their own college. My view is that support for a college is a compelling matter of professional and personal pride. This is such an important time for social work that we can hardly be too bold.