Published Monday 14 March 2016 at 16:57
Social media users will be given a unique insight into the inner workings of social services in Blackburn with Darwen during a tweet-a-thon in recognition of World Social Work Day.
Tweets will be posted from social workers throughout the day on Tuesday, March 15, 2016 to help raise awareness of the vital work they do.
Regular posts will be tweeted, highlighting key facts and the work that goes on behind the scenes. The tweets will be posted via the Council’s Twitter handle: blackburnanddarwen #wswd2016
The idea is to give the public a glimpse of the work that goes on whilst also helping to recognise social workers for their valuable contribution working to protect and help the most vulnerable in our communities.
The Council’s Chief Executive Harry Catherall will also be spending part of the morning with social workers and partners at the Multi-Agency Service Hub based in Blackburn.
Harry will meet social workers and key partners including police and health workers who work together in the same building to help ensure services are effective and efficient.
A short video entitled: Real social work, making a difference in Blackburn with Darwen has also been created to help give an insight.
The YouTube video features social workers, adults and children’s services directors Steve Tingle and Linda Clegg and the Executive Member for Children’s Services, Cllr Maureen Bateson.
The aim is to highlight the different aspects of social work, the role of a social worker, the challenges, the support that is available and the rewards of the job.
Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council employs around 250 social workers across both Adults and Children’s Services – working to protect the most vulnerable in our communities.
At any one time the Council has around 3,000 open cases – working to support vulnerable children, adults and families.
Blackburn with Darwen Council’s Chief Executive Harry Catherall said: “I often get feedback about our social workers going above and beyond the call of duty.
“I feel humbled by the work they do and feel it is important to highlight the good, yet challenging work that goes on.
“Social workers do this against a backdrop of mounting pressures, working in difficult and challenging circumstances.
“I would like to thank them for their dedication and the work they do day in day out. Creating a short video and tweeting about the work that goes on will hopefully give the public a brief insight into what goes on behind the scenes.
Children’s social worker Charlotte Flannery said: “There’s no denying that social work is challenging.
“But no other job in the world could compete with the personal rewards you get from knowing you’ve helped keep a child safe or a family together.
Every day is different because the difficulties each family faces are different. The biggest challenge is often getting a child to open up and trust you. We have to analyse situations and assess the risk factors to recognise the triggers that might indicate that a child is at risk.
“Knowing that you’ve kept a child safe who is free to flourish and achieve so much more is highly rewarding.”
Councillor Maureen Bateson
Cllr Maureen Bateson, Executive Member for Children’s Services, said every day social workers perform countless acts that make a real difference to the lives of lots of people across the borough.
She added: “It is hard to think of a more important job than social work and a profession with a greater level of responsibility – one in which the rewards can be so great but the consequences of failure so severe.
“They have to balance empathy and compassion with exercising power and authority to protect those who are regrettably hurt and vulnerable.”
Cllr Bateson added: “I’ve been involved with children’s services for many years and with ever decreasing cuts to budgets this makes it much more difficult for our social workers and adds to pressures.
“However, we try and mitigate this as best we can and make sure our social workers are supported and enabled to do the job they are employed to do in these increasingly difficult times. It’s important that they get the support and recognition they deserve which is what this day is all about.”
Recently, services for children in Blackburn with Darwen children’s were commended by Ofsted.
Staff at a short break centre for disabled children and a young person’s support unit were described as ‘exceptional’ in national inspections.
Both Apple Trees and the Adolescent Support Unit (ASU) in Blackburn, which are run by Blackburn with Darwen Council, were judged to be Outstanding in all areas by Ofsted
Linda Clegg, Director of Children’s Services, commented: “There is much that everyone working in these services should feel proud of – our social workers have many qualities involving kindness, compassion, courage, resilience, cleverness and high levels of skill and wisdom and that deserves recognition.
“That said, we can’t ever be complacent when it comes to safeguarding, whether that be children or vulnerable adults. We are very committed to continuously improving services and work closely with partner agencies to ensure we are doing the best for our children, families and older people who need our services in times of need.”
Blackburn with Darwen Council is currently looking after 330 children and similar numbers of vulnerable adults.
Adults social worker Caroline Clarke said working in a small authority like Blackburn with Darwen allows her to spend more time helping those who need it.
She said: “I feel like I have the best, but one of the most challenging jobs in the world. We work as a close-knit team and have direct access to excellent support from our managers.
“The good thing about working in a smaller patch means you spend more of your time working to help those who need it rather than spending hours in your car trying to get to appointments.”
Councillor Mustafa Desai
Councillor Mustafa Desai, Executive Member for Adult Social Care and Health said: “Our goal is to help people live longer, healthier lives in their own homes.
“The services we provide through our health and social care partnerships are a key component in allowing people to enjoy their independence for as long as possible.
“Social workers play an increasingly important role in enabling our older people to live safely in their own homes and in their own communities, a place where they often feel most comfortable.
“They do an extremely valuable job, advocating for the person, offering care, support and helping to put in place key services that they probably didn’t know was available to them at a time in their lives when it is most needed.”
Steve Tingle, Director for Adult’s Services, added: “Our social workers are the life blood of our department and play a valuable role in helping older and vulnerable people to get the right help and support. They help people to live independently in their own homes as more often not, that is where people want to be as they get older as it keeps them connected with who they are.
“Our social workers are also embracing the power of technology using telecare and mobile technology and communications where possible to help speed up processes and ultimately make things better for the people who we are here to help.
“We also have safeguarding responsibilities and I would urge anybody who has any concerns about a relative or neighbour to contact us.”
If you have any concerns about a child, young person or adult you can report concerns in confidence.
If you have a concern about a child please contact: 01254 666400 or out of hours ring 01254 587547.
To report a concern about an adult contact the Emergency Duty Team on 01254 587547, or contact the Police on 01254 51212 or dial 999.
There are social work job opportunities in Blackburn with Darwen. For more information visit: www.blackburn.gov.uk