New infographics aim to show the reality of social work

The College of Social Work (TCSW) has published two new infographics as part of its Real Social Work campaign, to help the public understand the complex and delicate work done by social workers in the face of a changing professional landscape.

The College opened for membership in 2012 as a centre of excellence for social work, upholding and strengthening professional standards, at a time when the legislation, management structures and recommendations for social workers faced frequent reorganisation, as detailed in the “Social Work Timeline: 2000-2015” infographic.

A second infographic focuses on the varied and complicated tasks that social workers undertake, and the challenges thrown up by today’s working environment. The graphics are accompanied by e-postcards, containing quotes from College members sharing what Real Social Work means to them.

Chief Executive of the College, Annie Hudson, said: “Every day, social workers do a vital and difficult job, covering a wide range of complex tasks and roles. However, understanding of the job outside of the profession is sadly limited. We often see poor portrayals of social workers in the media, and negative stories about social work in the press, which adversely affect morale. These do not tell the whole story of what real social work looks like, and the vital contribution it makes to our society.

“For social work to thrive as a skilled profession and continue to support people to have fulfilling and good lives, we must foster a better understanding of the work we do and the challenges we face. We need to reach out to the public, the media and, crucially, the next government. We want to see clear commitments to supporting, understanding and truly valuing social workers and the work they do to build strong and resilient communities.”