We should all be celebrating social work

Celebrating social work is not something which is reported that much, but this week it is something we should all do. On World Social Work Day, yesterday, politicians and communities around the world gave recognition to the commitment of social workers and the role they play in helping families, communities and people with difficult problems.

Social work is a relatively small profession compared with doctors, nurses and teachers – about 80,000 people in England – but it carries big responsibility for some of the most complex human and social problems.

People perhaps know most about the high-profile work in child protection, domestic violence and abuse of vulnerable older people.

Given the complexity and high risk, it is not surprising there are sometimes problems with a few cases which hit the headlines.

But this is a small part of our work. In Leicester, social workers operate in schools, hospitals, drug and alcohol teams, clinics and community centres as well as council offices and home visits. They are employed by the council, charities and private care providers.

As a former world president of the International Federation of Social Workers, I have seen my colleagues doing similar work in the slums of Mumbai and Nairobi, city centre schools in New York and community centres in Brazil.

Social workers usually get involved when people have to deal with complicated personal and family problems. These situations often involve long-term physical or mental health problems, disagreements between family members, or difficult decisions about where to live or who should be providing care for a family member.

There may also be a build up of financial problems. In a few extreme cases, social workers have to use the law to protect one or more people involved.

The social worker’s job has become even more difficult in this age of austerity. Whatever you think about benefit changes, these are adding to family pressures, increasing mental health problems and fuelling domestic violence.

At the same time as problems are increasing, the resources available to help are being cut. Social workers are in the eye of this storm.

Wherever possible, social workers aim to talk with those involved and help people to find their own way through the difficulties they face.

We try to help people find their strengths and take responsibility for their future. We play a crucial role in creating stable families and communities.

I am proud of the work done by my colleagues in Leicester and all around the world. It is a privilege to be a social worker.

David N Jones specialised in child protection and then moved to a series of national jobs. He was president of the International Federation of Social Workers from 2006 to 2010. He was appointed independent chairman of Leicester City Adult and Children Safeguarding Boards in 2010.