A rather good synopsis of the problems facing social workers and society at large after the Baby P case.
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Juzzzy
- http://juzzzy.blog.co.uk
- Thursday, Nov. 13, 2008 @ 17:59:25
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Juzzzy
- http://juzzzy.blog.co.uk
- Thursday, Nov. 13, 2008 @ 18:02:22
My point, btw, is that is indeed unfair to demonise the social workers - but the system is absolutely appalling; the endemic no-guilt-here gut-wrenching; and we'll investigate ourselves, thank you, sickening.
But yes - the fuckwit parents killed the child.
It's the fact they were allowed to do it over at least nine months that makes me feel ill.-
No profession should be above criticism. And I agree that if you have a failure that to investigate via the head of the same department isn't right. I gather the government is going to bring in an external review.
A big problem is the fact that social services haven't had the increase in funding that education or the NHS have. It is simply not a glamorous political area. And whichever government changed the Department of Health and Social Services to just the DoH shot themselves in the foot. They go hand in hand. A lot of the 'problem patients' in the NHS need social service input. And they are not held in the same high public esteem as nurses.
What we are seeing today is the result of Cleveland (). I think that is the question posed in that blog. For the sake of protection of all children do you remove all children at risk and put them in homes? Or do you try and keep families together? What is best for the child?
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technomist
- Thursday, Nov. 13, 2008 @ 18:16:48
I see nothing at all wrong with criticizing social workers.
I have, in the past, given legal advice to a number who, left to themselves, would have told straight lies to avoid the responsibility of their own inactions.
I have also worked with several who are brilliant, hardworking and notable exceptions. On balance though, I am yet to be convinced they comprise a 'profession' - the overall impression is of a moralizing, self-regarding, judgmental, and ultimately ineffectual bunch of people.-
No-one should be above criticism and where failings occur then they should be investigated and independently so.
All professions have bad apples and they need to be educated or removed from post.
To be frank, I'd expect social workers to be moralising and judgemental people. That is their job. In the case of child protection to make a decision about where a child is safe and decide whether the responsible family is, indeed, responsible.
I do get the feeling that they are a group of people who are damned if they do, damned if they don't. Maybe we would get better quality people if we did hold them in higher regard?
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Benjaminbrum
- http://www.twitter.com/benjibrum
- Thursday, Nov. 13, 2008 @ 22:24:08
Ahhh... we have a winner.
Today's magic phrase was "All professions have bad apples".
Are there bad apples or bad barrels?
Have a read of: http://www.lucifereffect.org/
And watch his Ted talk. Fascinating stuff.-
Yes, a cliché.
Yes, all that you need for evil to prosper is for good men to stand by and do nothing.
There was an excellent programme a few years called Five Steps to Tyranny, BBC 2 I think. About how, bit by bit, you can turn a population into 1930s Germany, or 1990s Rwanda.
And the scariest thing about the programme? Is that I, a so-called intelligent, caring person, I could see how that could happen and how I could easily be swept along.
Terrifying stuff.
Ah! I've found it on the net - been looking for it for years!
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8014117996551858132-
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Benjaminbrum
- http://www.twitter.com/benjibrum
- Thursday, Nov. 13, 2008 @ 22:48:51
Zimbardo is one of the first experts talking. He ran the Stanford prison experiment. I've got his huge book (The lucifer effect) on my bedside table. I've been slowly working through it as it's terrifying, shocking and moving. He compares his prison experiment with the ugly scenes at the abu ghraib prison (the actions weirdly mirror each other).
Am watching the steps to tyranny video.
I was in London for the Soho bombing. *shudders* -
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Benjaminbrum
- http://www.twitter.com/benjibrum
- Thursday, Nov. 13, 2008 @ 23:32:41
That's an awesome tv show!
thanks for pointing it out.
So many resonances for me.
Israel/Palestine.
Zimbardo.
Soho Bombing.
Stanford Experiment.
The Stanford experiment took just 5 days to establish it's own tyranny.
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- http://www.alrightprinting.com/
- Wednesday, May. 13, 2009 @ 14:10:26
very interesting things you guys say in the blog. thanks for the info.
i have enjoyed reading it.
cheers
Dare I?
http://juzzzy.blog.co.uk/2008/11/12/service-error-5023393