In honour of National Social Work Week 2024 (March 18 to March 22), Rhondda Cynon Taf Council are proudly acknowledging and celebrating the hard work, commitment, and efforts of our dedicated social workers across both adult and children’s services.
The Council are passionate about recognising the work of its social workers. Throughout the week, case studies recognising the dedication of our social care staff and their support teams will be highlighted to show appreciation for the work they do and the essential services they provide to the community.
Additionally, the Council will be observing World Social Work Day which is celebrated on Tuesday, March 19. This year’s theme is Buen Vivir: Shared Future for Transformative Change, which emphasises the importance of collaboration, innovation, and community-led approaches within the social care sector, a key element of the social work mission in Wales.
The International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) said: “World Social Work Day is a celebration that aims to highlight achievements of social work, raise visibility of SS for the future of societies, and defend social justice and human rights.
“Social workers from all over the world come together to celebrate and promote the contributions of the profession to individuals, families, communities, and wider society.
“This year’s theme is rooted in the Global Agenda and emphasises the need for social workers to adopt innovative, community-led approaches that are grounded in indigenous wisdom and harmonious coexistence with nature.”
This year the Council are focused on empowering social workers, supporting them in their mission to make a lasting impact on the lives of many vulnerable individuals and families.
Social work plays an important role in the lives of many people. Across the UK, it is estimated that roughly 1.6 million people are employed in the social care sector, and in Wales alone this figure sits at almost 91,000.
Social workers are motivated by a strong desire to help others, make positive changes in people’s lives, and contribute to society. They possess a strong sense of social justice and are attentive to the needs of the vulnerable. Social work is a profession committed to helping people live safely and healthily, enabling them to reach their full potential.
The annual social work campaign centres on recognising, appreciating, and applauding the hard work and dedication of social workers across a variety of sectors. The key themes include:
- Learning – We celebrate the sharing of good practice within such a diverse profession. Our social workers continue to enhance their knowledge and skills to service our community better by accessing additional training and qualifications that the Council offer.
- Connecting – Social work is not just a profession; it is a lived, learned, and shared professional experience, that creates opportunities for the sector to connect. As an organisation, the Council recognises the importance of fostering collaboration within social care to strengthen our collective impact.
- Influencing – As the Council navigates challenges and celebrates the successes of the sector, it is important that we start to explore innovative solutions. Our social workers are at the forefront of positive change, advocating for the well-being of those individuals and families who they serve and support.
Neil Elliott, Director of Social Services at Rhondda Cynon Taf Council, said: “Social care staff provide an integral role in our communities, supporting children, young people and adults at all stages of their life.
“For National Social Work Week, we are showing our appreciation to social workers and their social care colleagues across social services by recognising the commitment they make each day in such a difficult and strenuous role.
“By providing our social workers and their colleagues with the recognition that they deserve, this empowers them to keep doing what they do – which is providing high quality care and support to the most vulnerable children, families and adults in our community.
“I want to thank each of our social workers, and their social care colleagues across social services who make such a positive difference in the lives of many and work tirelessly to ensure people are healthy and safe.”
Social workers, alongside others play a key role in keeping people safe and looking after those most vulnerable. Their work includes:
- Supporting families facing difficulties
- Protecting children from abuse and neglect
- Providing mental health and substance misuse treatment
- Supporting schools, hospitals, and community organisations
- Supporting older people
- Supporting those with disabilities
- Supporting foster carers and adopters
- And much more.
Cllr. Gareth Caple, Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care, said: “It is amazing to see the hard work and dedication of the Council’s staff group, across both Adult and Children’s Services.
“It is so important that social workers and their colleagues across social services that enable them to perform their jobs, are given the thanks and recognition that they so deserve.
“This week is all about ensuring that all social care staff know that their work is valued highly and appreciated.
It is important that we empower all social workers and their colleagues across social services teams so that they can help to improve lives within our community. To all of Rhondda Cynon Taf’s social workers and the teams beyond, I want to say thank you; your hard work is valued and appreciated.”
It is also important to note that social work faces challenges. The number of social workers in recent years has significantly dropped, whilst the number of vacancies has increased. This is partially due to the challenging nature of the job. Because of this, it is even more important to recognise the hard work that goes into social work, and the commitment that our social work staff put in to ensuring the best outcomes for the families and the individuals that they assist.
Nevertheless, A 2023 survey undertaken by Social Care Wales into the views of registered social workers in Wales had the following findings:
- 63% started working in social care because they wanted to make a difference to people’s lives.
- 79% feel supported by their colleagues, and 66% feel supported by their manager.
- 79% feel they get the right training to do their job well, and 75% think there are training opportunities available to them.
- 50% of all registered social workers not currently in a leadership position believe it is possible for them to be a leader.
We invite everyone to participate in Social Work Week 2024 by recognising and appreciating the hard work of our social workers and the support staff. Take some time to share your insights, engage in conversation, and maybe #ThankASocialWorker this Social Work Week.
To find out more about World Social Work Day, please visit: https://new.basw.co.uk/about-social-work/what-social-work/world-social-work-month-2024-events#wswd24
To find out more about IFSW, please visit: https://www.ifsw.org/
#WSWD2024 #SocialWorkWeek2024 #WSWM2024 #ThankASocialWorker
Posted on 18/03/2024