Work gets underway on developing college links across the UK

Work is underway on plans to encourage Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales to select a social worker to sit on the interim board of the College Development Group, an England-based body that BASW is pressing to establish formal links across the UK.

The move follows BASW’s return to  the College Development Group (CDG), carrying the mandate of 89% of the 4,543 votes cast in a recent referendum in favour of BASW having a leading role in the development of an independent UK-wide college.

Speaking after initial meetings with the CDG, BASW chief executive Hilton Dawson welcomed the body’s willingness to work towards a UK-wide college, which BASW has campaigned for. “I am really pleased that this seems to have been accepted. Social work is often better in the devolved countries than it is in England. It has a lot to learn from Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, which were never going to ride on the coat-tails of England,” he said.

In a letter to members last month BASW chair Fran Fuller set out clearly the Association’s intention to press for a pan-UK and British Isles approach: “In Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and the Isle of Man we will enter into discussions with all governments and all parties to help create a College of Social Work in accordance with the aspirations of our members and our national committees.”

Mr Dawson said the thousands of social workers across the UK who voted in support of an independent college in BASW’s referendum have helped strengthen the Association’s influence on the CDG, a body set up to develop a College of Social Work.

He confirmed that agreement was already in place for five BASW members to be involved in the recruitment of an interim chair this summer.

Speaking following BASW’s decision to rejoin the CDG – chaired by the Social Care Institute for Excellence and charged by the Social Work Reform Board with establishing a college in England – Mr Dawson said the results of the referendum had boosted the case for the CDG to base its work on BASW’s core principles. “It must be available to all social workers – not just those in England – it must be independent, it must be accountable to social workers and led by the profession, and it must be potent enough to make a difference to the status and standing of social work and social workers,” Mr Dawson explained.

Pointing to the fact BASW is next month celebrating its 40th birthday, he said the Association’s involvement in the development of the national college would give the process credibility, ensuring it was accountable to social workers and able to survive in the way that other professional colleges have managed.

BASW chief executive also flatly rejected media reports suggesting that the Association has undertaken a ‘u-turn’ in its position on working with the CDG. “BASW never set out to ‘take over’ the College or to ‘breakaway’ from the work of other colleagues. We didn’t leave the College Development Group, we were excluded from it, and we are delighted to have returned to the College Development Group now that the referendum is over. The commitment of thousands of social workers shown at the referendum has strengthened the case for the College Development Group to base its work on the BASW principles I have clearly set out. These are vitally important.”

Mr Dawson said he looked forward to the BASW AGM on 20 May where he hoped members would endorse the Association’s efforts over recent months as “principled and empowering in handling a complex situation rather well”.