BASW are I am afraid, very afraid, again losing the plot. Wilt had great hopes for Hilton Dawson but has increasingly edged towards the conclusion that he has become infected with the BASW virus of “not living in the real world.”
Or is it that BASW (and Hilton) have complete delusions of grandeur?
It is a real shame, BASW were shaping up after the disastrous intervention of its previous total idiot (expenses laden and alcohol driven Scottish Dork – first order with ribbons) leader (sic) only to become increasingly it seems to me lost in its own false reality – as in anyone really understands them.
See the article here: http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/2010/03/04/113959/basw-asked-to-step-down-from-social-work-college-talks.htm
It is a disgrace that BASW are the organisation (whose membership fee is no small amount) can be “sidelined” even by this even more disgraceful Government. And they have the temerity to say they will set up their own college: http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/2010/03/04/113975/childrens-minister-criticises-basw-college-pledge.htm
What is wrong with these people?
In the wake of the loss of Michael Foot, a man I loved and few could regard as anything other than a political icon, one is given to remember some of his foibles, not least his “manifesto” designated as the “longest suicide note in history.” It seems BASW are doing the same for social care as that manifesto did for the labour party.
Wilt sadly never ever met Foot although he did meet Tony Benn, a not dissimilar political icon, but he did get a feeling for both as conviction politicians as distinct from today the career politicians, although would add Blair and Thatcher, and indeed Churchill as political heroes.
Whereas some have merit, warts and all, where does former MP Hilton Dawson fit? A wannabe social care battle warrior fighting the wrong enemy, perhaps? A lost soul in the crap of BASW?
Whatever, Wilt is putting off his membership application to BASW.
Wilt
UPDATE
ReplyDeleteWord gets around quickly – the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) http://www.scie.org.uk/ have already picked up on Wilt’s article as they have made four separate visits (reading the article 7 times) today to view it. And they did not arrive at the Blog by accident or through a web search.
Anyway, we hoped they liked the article.
At least SCIE seem to have a better grip on reality than BASW (http://www.basw.co.uk/) has as is recounted i8n this further Community Care article quoting a senior social care source, here: http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/2010/03/05/113976/basws-college-plan-is-most-difficult-task-in-its-history.htm
The article also indicates that NAGALRO (National Association of Guardians ad Litem and Reporting Officers) http://www.nagalro.com/ have come out in support of the move by BASW. Well, I am a member of the highly respected and effective NAGALRO but they are not representing my view. I tend to go along with that unnamed senior social care figure mentioned by Community Care who expresses the view close to my own, although I would put it more bluntly – BASW needs to learn to walk before they start running, otherwise there will be tears before bedtime.
I do rather like the new look BASW website however: http://www.basw.co.uk/
Their press release is here: http://basw.tumblr.com/post/425013798/historic-decision-basw-college
I once operated under the misapprehension that “working on the inside” was the best method of achieving change (as in BASW staying on board with SCIE et al) but I now think differently – I am more cynical the older I get (probably a misspent youth)!
So, perhaps in one sense Hilton Dawson and Co has a point, but I just cannot see BASW ever being capable of setting up a College (Royal or otherwise).
I remain of the view that BASW are now failing the profession (as it did under its previous disastrous CEO) in throwing out its rattle from the cot.
There is one thing Dawson and Wilt agree on however – Ed Ferkin Balls is an utter twat.
Wilt