The Role and Tasks of Social Work

The 'Role and Tasks of Social Work' project, led by the General Social Care Council (GSCC) will describe the roles, tasks and value of social work. It was launched in January 2007 and is now nearing completion.

Following completion of the public consultation the final draft of the statement was forwarded to DH and DCSF on 12 December  2007 and we await their comments.

CWDC is part of the steering group contributing to this project which falls out of the Options for Excellence joint review of the social care workforce. The project which was commissioned by the Department of Health has explored the changing role of social work and aims to define the value of the social work contribution in the 21st century.

Details are on the GSCC website and can be accessed from this link.

The following statement provides the background to the project:

" Social work is a problem-solving activity, carried out by the worker through relationships with the individual, family and community. Social work is usually needed when individuals, families or groups are facing a major and often life changing problem or challenge. Social workers help individuals and families to achieve the outcomes they want in the ways they prefer. 

"Social work has a specific focus on:

• promoting people’s ability to maximize their own capabilities and life options, including participation in education, training, employment, social and leisure activities
• developing people’s ability to form positive relationships within their family and their social network;
• helping people to create and maintain independence, and, when this is not possible, to benefit from alternative forms of support that protect their dignity, rights and choices; and
• protecting people’s human rights, and promoting the exercise of their rights and responsibilities as citizens."

(Options for Excellence; part 2 page 49)

As services become more integrated, within children’s services, the aim of working towards a “team around the child” approach will become key. Thus roles and tasks of key professions may need to change and adapt to new settings and ways of working. Social work is one of those key professions. A consistent theme from research cited by service users and workers and themselves, is the central importance of relationships, the importance of partnerships and the quality of therapeutic relationships between social workers and service users. It is crucial therefore at this particular juncture, with social work now a regulated profession and following the joint review of the social care workforce, to begin a wide ranging debate. This should help to describe if there are elements unique to the social work role and to set out some clear definitions of the role and task of social work. The papers on this page are the first stage in that process.

A consistent theme from research cited by service users and workers and themselves, is the central importance of relationships, the importance of partnerships and the quality of therapeutic relationships between social workers and service users.

It is crucial therefore at this particular juncture, with social work now a regulated profession and following the joint review of the social care workforce, to begin a wide ranging debate. This should help to describe if there are elements unique to the social work role and to set out some clear definitions of the role and task of social work.

The papers referred to with links on this page are the first stage in that process.

Follow the links to: