Balls launches social worker drive

1st September 2009

The government is launching a campaign to recruit 5,000 social workers to protect vulnerable children and families.

Children's secretary Ed Balls said social workers "transform lives" and that the campaign is needed to raise the profile of social workers following recent negative portrayal in the wake of the Baby P case.

Launching the initiative, Balls said: "Thousands of children and families desperately need the help and support social workers give in difficult and sometimes dangerous situations.

"Yet the success stories of the nation's social workers are rarely heard and research shows that many people don’t even know what social workers really do."

The 'Help give them a voice' campaign aims to recruit social workers who may have left the progressions and people looking for a career change, alongside those people making initial career choices.

A number of celebrities have taken part in the television appeal, with each of the actors playing a child or adult in need of the support of a social worker.

The nationwide adverts are part of a £58m drive to transform the social work profession, showing how social workers change the lives of thousands of children and adults and provide a voice for the most vulnerable.

Launching the appeal, actress Samantha Morton spoke of the "wonderful" social workers who supported her as a child, while musician Goldie and Skins star Nicholas Holt also contributed to the appeal.

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Article Comments

Only when a social worker is able to hold a case for as long as is necessary, even if that is 20 years to allow for the care of children born of those who were in care can social work succeed. I got out of it. Too much paperwork, not enough care.

Gerald
1st Sep 2009 at 4:17 pm

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