There has been new guidance issued from the Care Council for Wales in a document that seems to cover all areas of social work activity and underlining how social workers have to comply with codes of practice and behaviour in their work.
A quick read seems to suggest that it’s a good thing – the question will be, as will all previous codes of guidance, will it be followed and what will happen if it’s not??
For me some of the key points that stood out were:
- Social workers have to keep service users informed about how their own information will be used
- (for me the most important thing) emphasising the need for good supervision and reflective practice
- Making sure that everything was centred on the service user – whatever age they are or vulnerability they have.
Under the supervision heading it talks of the need for personal reflection and how essential this is for the development of practice. I have heard so much recently that there’s little or no reflective supervision being practised. Partly due to heavy case loads and operational supervision and partly due to what I think is missed opportunity and the non prioritisation of reflective supervision.
The Care Council said that this is a must have Practice Guidance for Social Workers document for all social workers practising in Wales and that it sets out what is expected of social workers. I would like to have seen some more about whistle blowing and what happens when there are significant areas of unmet need that in social workers professional opinions were necessary to improve the quality of life of their client.
Where is this recorded as a clear professional opinion accepting that the social worker has the professional standing to make that judgement.
I thank that over all the Practice Guidance for Social Workers document is a good one that will help to reinforce the professionalism in Wales. I’ll write more about it as it progresses.
Any social worker in Wales – or the rest of the UK – let me know what you think of it. Read here
by