Commons Sense

House of Commons · Westminster Hall

World Social Work Day — [Derek Twigg in the Chair]

18 March 2021 · 4 other contributors · 8,047 words

Opened by David Simmonds Con Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner

Responding minister: Not recorded

Social Care

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

David Simmonds raised concerns about world social work day — [derek twigg in the chair] in Westminster Hall. Response awaited from government.

Key points

  • David Simmonds highlighted the crucial role of social workers in supporting vulnerable individuals across various life stages.
  • Simmonds cited research showing fewer than one in five residents will use social care services in their lifetime.
  • Simmonds called on the Government to ensure social services are well-resourced and integrated with healthcare systems.

Key requests to Government

Simmonds called on the Government to ensure that social services are properly resourced and joined-up with healthcare systems to meet residents' expectations. He also expressed a wish for greater understanding of what social workers do in order to contribute to an informed debate about their importance.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

David Simmonds Con Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner

David Simmonds highlighted the crucial role of social workers in supporting vulnerable individuals across various stages of life, from children to adults with learning difficulties and elderly people. He cited research indicating that fewer than one in five residents will ever come into contact with social care services throughout their lives, emphasizing how important it is for society to recognize the work of social workers despite this low visibility. Simmonds shared personal experiences from his time in local government, showcasing transformative changes brought about by good-quality social work practices and lamented the challenges faced when intervention comes too late.

Other contributors (4)
  • Emma Lewell-Buck Lab South Shields

    Ms Lewell-Buck criticised the Government's attempts to deregulate children's social care services, highlighting past efforts in 2017 and 2019 that were met with cross-party opposition. She mentioned a statutory instrument from last year which removed protective legislation for children during the pandemic, despite efforts to scrap it. Nearly 80% of social workers have reported increased concerns about safeguarding vulnerable adults and children due to lack of early intervention support.

  • Janet Daby Lab Lewisham East

    Janet Daby highlighted the long-standing pressure on children's services, emphasising the underinvestment and undervaluation of social work roles. She recounted her seven years as a social worker, noting how bureaucratic demands increased while time with children decreased. Daby stressed the importance of valuing and investing in social workers to improve service quality for children and families.

  • Liz Kendall Lab Leicester West

    Ms Kendall thanked social workers and highlighted the extra pressures they face, including burnout from years of budget cuts. She mentioned a survey showing that more people need help but it is harder to get due to lack of early intervention during the pandemic. In Leicester, social workers have felt isolated working from home and undervalued compared to other services. Ms Kendall focused on three issues: tackling rising poverty, particularly child poverty; addressing the issue of people with learning disabilities still in hospital settings; and bringing forward long-term plans for reforming social care.

  • Steven Bonnar SNP Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock

    Commemorated social workers during World Social Work Day, highlighting the challenges faced by the sector due to budget cuts and staff shortages. Raised concerns about the impact of these issues on vulnerable communities and called for a rethinking of the approach to social work.

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