There is an urgent need for investment in social work services across Scotland.
Social workers, occupational therapists and para-professionals work under stressful circumstances, with increasing workloads, unfilled vacancies, and greater inequality and poverty in the community.
This is compounded by poor IT systems, reduced access to training and management acceptance that staff will regularly work long hours. Unless these issues are addressed, the crisis will only get worse.
UNISON Scotland social work issues group (SWIG) have set out a range of actions that need to be addressed – which have been agreed at our SWIG conference.
The document details 12 demands that all branches are asked to
- Discuss with members and identify those demands that accord with the needs of their local situation.
- Submit these amended, or added on to , list of demands to your Director of Social Work/Chief Social Work Officer as a formal claim.
- Where there is a failure to progress, consult members in regard to raising a formal dispute
- Report to the Social Work Issues Group on progress.
UNISON – with our local branches- will raise these demands with local authorities and at a national level. The demands in this document are the minimum that are required.
Please read and share with your colleagues, and join us to campaign for social work services.