Lack of leadership in soicial services

I can’t begin to express the depth of loathing I feel for the SS and their utter ineptitude, incompetence Most of which they try to cover up with bullying and lies, While ignoring those in real need they eagerly persecute those innocents caught in their power hungry web.

Having failed in this latest terrible, terrible case I have no doubt they will redouble their attacks on the easy targets.

Eh?

There are some wonderful, individual social workers but the leadership is not fit for purpose - at least in my opinion - they are happy to go after the 'soft' targets while the bad apples get away with it and too many social workers are young and inexperienced.

I have commented on another thread. The head of Social Services in the Council, meant to be responsible for this poor child, was appointed ot the post AFTER she had been sacked by another council for incompetence in the same role!

You couldn't make it up.

55 % of social workers are between 30 and 49. Only 16 % are in their twenties.

It was quite usual in the upper echelons of Social Care for those who were incompetent to be promoted or move to another Government Dept. Nothing changes it seems.

Galaxy

55 % of social workers are between 30 and 49. Only 16 % are in their twenties.

Years ago the young ones I knew were well-meaning but very naïve, probably not capable of dealing with manipulative parents or just too nice.
One hopes that will come with experience, not training.

That's dreadful, M0nica!
I believe there is a network where these incompetents are moved from area to area (not just in LAs).

Just as sodapop has posted.

My daughters social worker is in her 20s but she's really competent and is very good at her job

I have real sympathy for social workers, they do what they can with the very limited resources they have, most of their cases are from very damaged families with lots of problems..
Because they are widely demonized they work within a framework of rules, which set out when they can intervene and to what extent. It is very high emotion and stress, the staff turnover is very high, you have cases that you know are high risk but you can’t prove it and serious harm is caused. To protect yourself you strictly stick to the rule book and tick all the boxes, trying to be detached.
You don’t make the rules, you do the best you can for as long as you can.

Katie59 If things are as you say, and I think you are right, then something is very rotten in the whole management and organisation of Social Work, compounded by an immense complacency among those who run it, and it is truly shocking despite the regular occurance of cases like this no one at a senior enough level has stood up and said that the whole profession needs to be shaken up and restructured from tope to bottom.

sodapop

It was quite usual in the upper echelons of Social Care for those who were incompetent to be promoted or move to another Government Dept. Nothing changes it seems.

The Peter principle?

I know someone who has stayed in social work all her life and ended up in a senior role. I like her and she is a caring person but I always noticed what a bureaucrat she was. I think box ticking rather than going beyond the surface may be behind some of the problems.
In the past, one used to hear of social workers being attacked and of course, the other side of the coin is over reaction like that long ago Orkneys child abuse case where children were removed en masse from their families and it turned out to be unfounded.
Sometimes it seems as though the more controls get imposed from above, the less room people in face to face roles have for acting on their own initiative or gut feeling.

It always was damned if you do and damned if you don’t. A cant win situation.
Unless abuse can be 100% proved it is hard to take things further and some parents can be very plausible in explaining the odd bruising etc.
I am not excusing poor practice but it’s a very hard stressful and often thankless task.

I remember the case on This morning where there were accusations of child cruelty against a man, he fought it legally and the child was returned. Everyone criticising social workers for taking child away. Social services obviously not allowed to comment. He killed the child about a later.

A year later thay should say.

I give up I need an edit button.

Who would be a social worker? Always to blame, never praised.
I think it's true that the profession doesn't generate good leaders but I also think that much training and mentoring has been scrapped or skimped in budget cuts because not regarded as 'front line'.
Also true that the care system is run off its feet in children's services as well as adults.
Social workers did not kill this child. His father and stepfather did.

Yes, that was awful galaxy

Galaxy, I remember that case and others where children were returned, or not removed, where abuse continued.
The Children Act remains the legal structure under which social workers/police/Health and others must work.
Amongst factors influencing what I believe is a poorer safeguarding system includes devastation to support services, alongside increasing abuse of drugs and alcohol.

Big debate is going on now on Any Answers

For Heaven's sake! How very predictable - on Gransnet - to start bashing Social Services, while ignoring the ridiculous caseloads, the awful lack of funding for councils, the police, the NHS etc, since, at least 2010.

Ah - but then of course, all you Tory voters actually did vote for that, didn't you?

Hetty58

For Heaven's sake! How very predictable - on Gransnet - to start bashing Social Services, while ignoring the ridiculous caseloads, the awful lack of funding for councils, the police, the NHS etc, since, at least 2010.

Ah - but then of course, all you Tory voters actually did vote for that, didn't you?

Snidey but not actually surprising that you offer your usual vile insults on people who, through their own life experiences, think differently to you.

However we voted individually, as a country we have a Conservative Government.
The Conservative party are the party of low taxation and a smaller State.
The State is responsible for providing social services.
A smaller state means less for Social Services.
A smaller number of social workers leading to a higher caseload.
Less training and less oversight.
Less police officers.
This is what a smaller State means.

Ilovecheese, exactly, thank you.