Chaired by Ian Byrne MP, the group brings together politicians from both the House of Commons and the House of Lords and from across the political spectrum. The initiative is being coordinated by the Social Workers Union (SWU) as part of its Campaign Fund to enhance the voices of front-line social workers.
The Fund is operated by Campaign Collective and will soon mark its fifth year of operation.
The first meeting introduced MPs and peers to SWU and the British Association of Social Work’s “Stronger Social Work, Better Lives” campaign. The campaign aims to expose unsustainable workloads, excessive bureaucracy and the impact of chronic underfunding on both staff and service users.
Driven by the views of SWU and BASW members, politicians heard powerful evidence showing how poor working conditions are undermining the profession and public services. Research shows that, compared to the UK average, working conditions for social workers are worse than 90–95% of other employees in both the public and private sectors.
John McGowan, General Secretary of the Social Workers Union, added:
“This is a significant step forward in making sure the voices of frontline social workers are heard in Parliament. We’ve seen the toll that unmanageable caseloads, poor pay and lack of support are taking on the workforce.
The creation of this cross-party group, our ongoing Campaign Fund and our joint campaign with BASW send a clear message that social workers deserve respect, resources and recognition for the essential work they do every day.”
In the months ahead, the new group will examine key issues including frontline challenges, workload pressures, recruitment and retention, mental health, and the impact of government policy on practice.
The SWU Campaign Fund, managed by Campaign Collective, continues to support initiatives like this that give social workers a stronger collective voice and promote fairer, safer working conditions across the profession.