Children’s social workers, teachers and councillors could face five years in prison if they fail to alert police to evidence of child abuse, under new plans to be announced by prime minister David Cameron on Tuesday. Cameron is expected to say “Professionals who fail to protect children will be held properly accountable and council bosses who preside over such catastrophic failure will not see rewards for that failure.”
We have put together a selection of views from people in and outside of the social care sector. Let us know your views in the comments section below, or by tweeting us @GdnSocialCare.
Prof Brigid Featherstone, chair of The College of Social Work children and families faculty:
“While we recognise that a strong response is needed to the deplorable practice of child sexual exploitation, threatening to jail frontline social workers is not the answer. We have been similarly clear about this in relation to mandatory reporting, for which there is no sound evidence.
Not only will such a move reinforce an already persecutory climate for those struggling to deliver services in difficult times, but the proposals also fail to address the incredibly important safeguarding issues that recent Serious Case Reviews have raised.
We need support and training of staff at all levels on how to recognise, report on, and help stop child abuse. We must also ensure a full and effective range of responses to different forms of abuse. We must address the severe lack of investment in child protection services, which has put organisations and systems under incredible strain and reduced their capacity for in depth work with children and their families.”
Oh dear is the best way to solve important & complex problems by threatening imprisonment of public servants. Who'd be a social worker?
— mary beard (@wmarybeard) March 3, 2015
@wmarybeard birmingham already finding it hard to fill posts. This will put more off social work.
— John Matthews (@Skeptical_John) March 3, 2015
Whilst I agree with #socialwork responsibility to identify abuse,I fear jail threat will further scapegoat us-taking blame from perpetrators
— Social Work Tutor (@socialworktutor) March 3, 2015
Lostgirl, in a comment
“In response to this and those who say this proposal shifts blame to social workers rather than perpetrators, I say as a past victim of child sex abuse that, yes, of course I’d like to have seen my abusers prosecuted and imprisoned. But I’d also like to see the social workers and others who did nothing in response to my allegations punished too because their lack of action meant the abusers were able to get away with it scott free. Their lack of action also meant more children were put at risk and that risk still exists in the present day.”
In any complex social situation, simply increasing the risk of criminalization is rarely the best policy. From drugs to social work.
— Jack of Kent (@JackofKent) March 3, 2015
Train as a social worker where you not only face endless criticism for doing or not doing and now jail is a possibility too! #socialwork
— TRHRachie (@haleofbay) March 3, 2015
Not keen on this proposal @David_Cameron Will we scapegoat individuals for system failures? #cse #socialwork pic.twitter.com/K9COShHuQZ
— gary pickles (@gary_pickles) March 3, 2015
Cameron. Letting senior Social Work managers (no code of conduct) off the hook& gunning for teachers & social workers http://t.co/SQbBxSwX7F
— Wirral In It 2gether (@Wirral_In_It) March 3, 2015
@clarercgp child protection work involves uncertainty. This is a way to damage social care recruitment and retention further.
— Lucy Morley (@LucyMorley1) March 3, 2015
@socialworktutor hard to answer in 140 characters. Would rather see money spent on improving services to the child.
— Katherine Trill (@KittyTrill) March 3, 2015
@socialworktutor But would victims find it easier to accept that it wasn't their fault if they saw those who let them down being punished?
— Katherine Trill (@KittyTrill) March 3, 2015
Grandstanding election bait, meaningless until misapplied & will only further deter young from teaching, social work http://t.co/4x7Bmg4ma3
— Duncan Sim (@duncanasim) March 3, 2015
@MillinersTale will have huge implications for social workers among others - we must speak out on this
— Brid Featherstone (@Brigid39) March 3, 2015
@BASW_UK @GdnSocialCare How can jail threats to the front line public servants solve the wider institutional failure in child protection?
— Biraj Gurung (@birajgurung) March 3, 2015
@ProfSueWhite @BASW_UK agree, how does this solve the problem? Reductionist, how does this address wider social issues in those communities?
— Kim Dodd -Woodbridge (@khedgehog_kim) March 3, 2015
@BASW_UK @itsmotherswork @David_Cameron 1/2 is it an election year...oh yes, perhaps more resources and understanding rather than threats...
— ScriptedbyMe (@ScriptedByMe) March 3, 2015
@BASW_UK @itsmotherswork @David_Cameron 2/2 ... would help frontline staff and those children who are isolated and suffering.
— ScriptedbyMe (@ScriptedByMe) March 3, 2015
If you think the way to keep children safe is to criminalise an already chronically under-resourced and demoralised workforce for the.. 1/2
— Itsmotherswork (@itsmotherswork) March 3, 2015
...children they don't manage to save from harm, you're so out of your depth in policy terms, I don't know where to start! 2/2
— Itsmotherswork (@itsmotherswork) March 3, 2015
