Workforce is an essential component when talking about how resilience in social services can be improved. In this sense, the role of the Principal Social Worker (PSW), can be crucial to lead, inspire, and determine priorities for quality assurance and delivery improvement of social work.
On 22 March, as part of a wider set of activities for Social Work Month, the European Social Network (ESN) organized an online discussion focusing on the role of Principal Social Workers. It was an opportunity to compare how this role is implemented in different countries and highlight the benefits of introducing this position where it doesn’t exist already.
Ensuring quality of social services
Opening the conversation, Sarah Range, head of Quality Practice & Principal Social Worker at Southend Borough Council, outlined the role of the PSW in England. She explained that each registered local authority is guaranteed a PSW position through the Care Act with a clear mandate in ensuring quality of social services.
At the local level, PSWs drive effective social work to ensure that the users of social services have guaranteed person-centred support.
Improving social work through reflective practice
Maria McInnes, Service Improvement Manager in The Child and Family Agency (TUSLA), presented how the role of the Principal Social Worker operates from a child protection perspective in Ireland.
In McInnes words, the aim of PSW is to “encourage, support and facilitate reflective practice, from internal and external approaches.” For social services to deliver quality services, it is important that management is constantly in contact with what happens in the front line.
“One of the biggest challenges of the profession is that it changes constantly” stated McInnes, “this is the reason why TUSLA wants to build its projects from practical experience.” Among the tools they use to make this possible is the creation of national learning systems.
Professionalization of the role
Speaking on the Austrian context, Julia Pollak, International Representative of the National Association of Social Workers, explained while the position of the PSW exists, there is no formal accreditation process or legal basis for the role. Factors that exclude them from having formal rights of being part of strategic decisions.
“A law which sets standards in terms of qualifications and quality would be the ideal for the professionalization of the role of the social worker in Austria” stated Pollak.
Maria McInnes reiterated this view, adding that “the recognition of social work as a profession is crucial to ensuring recognition of the value of Social Services not only for individuals but the whole of society”.
ESN conversation on resilience in the social services through the workforce
This meeting highlighted that the PSW role can play an important part in ensuring quality of social services regardless of differences between countries. However, at present the responsibilities of this figure are held unofficially in most contexts. For this reason, establishing the legal framework to professionalise the role is a necessary development.
Promotion of resilience in the social services through the workforce is a key priority for ESN. We will continue the conversation on roles that strengthen the resilience of social services in the 30th Edition of the European Social Services Conference, which is taking place in Hamburg on 8-10 June.
Missed the discussion or want to watch again – the recording is now online here. The presentations can also be downloaded from the ESN website.
