If Brick http://wallofbrick.wordpress.com/2010/08/09/monro-review-second-act/ believes that the Children Act 1989 was ever or is, as claimed, a “charter for children” then they are barking up the wrong wall.
The Act was a very effective charter for lawyers, Guardians and experts. Within a very short period of time court cases were taking up to two years to complete. I certainly share the concern that local authorities should not be allowed to practice unfettered but then neither should social workers be permitted to ignore policies nor Guardians think they know better than anyone else what constitutes best practice.
And it was nowhere near as bad as suggested by Brick pre the 1989 Act (implemented on 14th October 1991) – Wilt remembers those days too.
The fact is, lawyers got to be very greedy, some Guardians (some with little clue or even less competence) loved and love playing the prima donna of the Court corridors and interfered in casework they sometimes could not understand (let alone practice) – experts instructed by the cartload were set loose and who in some instances actually told one very little or what was already known.
There was frequently no ‘added value’ to best outcomes for children and the poor social worker from the local authority was diminished to the wicked witch of all points of the compass. Playing with children’s lives in this way is dangerous and certainly not giving paramount concern to the welfare of the child.
Promoting justice and it being seen that justice is done does not need to look like this. Suggesting that money is no obstacle within the justice system is tantamount to contempt of the taxpayer.
I have a lot of time for Brick and the blog Wall (http://wallofbrick.wordpress.com/) – its author is well experienced and very eloquent on subjects Wilt feels strongly about. Occasionally the postings cause some great laughter and joy. However, the Act has not worked and it needs serious reforming and to suggest that it is all because Guardians are being fettered or that the Courts are being restricted because of budgets is pure folly. The fact is, Guardians have been too often a part of the problem – not the solution or silver bullet.
And how does Wilt know all this? Well he is an expert witness and has been for many a year; he too is a Guardian and had a former senior management role within social work for longer than he cares to remember – he is also a tribunal chairman in a related field. He has observed the effects of the Children Act therefore from many an angle and perspective. That does not necessarily make Wilt ‘right’ in his opinions but it certainly is not opinion based on lack of experience.
Of course social workers are experts – the fact that they represent the applicant in court proceedings does not diminish that status and are entitled to stand on an equal footing as any other expert, or Guardian – they are just another expert and not as some Guardians mistakenly believe some kind of ‘super’ social worker wearing their underwear over their tights.
When Wilt acts as a Guardian he is, as with other Guardians, frequently consulted by children’s social workers. Wilt has a ‘contract’ with social worker’s that is shaped broadly thus:
i) You [social worker] are the expert until it is shown otherwise;
ii) I am happy to be consulted but I will not be your supervisor;
iii) I will not attempt to case manage the child’s case;
iv) We will treat each other with mutual respect and recognise and respect our different roles;
v) We are all duty bound to hold the needs of the child as paramount;
vi) As I consider you an expert, do not propose instructing another expert on matters that are perfectly within your competence/resources to complete yourself; we must minimise costs and delay;
vii) When completing your written assessment not only should you demonstrate competence but also fairness to avoid the appearance of bias;
viii) This Guardian does not wear his knickers over his tights or have any super human qualities – he too was once a social worker.
Generally, the above understanding leads to reasonably stress free relations. It sets the social workers mind at rest that the Guardian is not ‘off planet’ waiting to invade and sets them free to get on with what they do best – social work. It also creates opportunity for dialogue and debate, and if it comes to it, permission to disagree or arrive at differing views of settling (disposal) the matter at Court.
Unfortunately not all Guardians take that approach – they do wear their knickers over their tights and are simply social workers who not ‘hack it’ in frontline practice. Some others are just simply not of this world and yet others are the prima donna who love sitting around for hours on end in the Court at huge expense to the public purse but to the benefit of their own bulging purse.
It aint as simple as Brick might have you believe – but he/she is an expert too and can have an opinion, just like that fresh faced social worker from the local authority.
It is for certain there are some Dork social workers – you only need to look at the GSCC files to determine that. There are in proportional terms, take my word for it, far more Dork Guardians, lawyers and experts but they are far less scrutinised or evaluated.
Things really have to change – throwing money (we do not have) at the problem is not the answer.
Brick gets 9 out of ten for composition and language skills, 10 out of 10 for spelling but only 4 out of 10 for his/her reasoning and concluding the solution to the test. A good effort but s/he needs to try harder.
Wilt
Showing posts with label Voluntary Sector Social Care. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Voluntary Sector Social Care. Show all posts
Friday, 13 August 2010
Tuesday, 10 August 2010
A bit late..........
I do like this chap (Martin Narey) at Barnardo’s – indeed we like the charity; definitely one of the better ones, in Wilt’s opinion.
However he is a little ‘come lately’ on this subject matter: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-10908026
There is a further article here: http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/2010/08/09/115067/children-harmed-by-long-delays-in-family-courts-charity-finds.htm
Wit and others predicted this situation (delays) pre the implementation of the Children Act 1989 – Wilt recalls implementation day on 14th October 1991; it is etched in his memory. It was a well intentioned Act but by the mid 1990’s it was very, very apparent that it was failing in one of its primary concerns – that delay in making decisions on solutions for children was harmful.
And why?
Well, it is simple – the Act was hailed as the “children’s charter” but it was everything but giving, in practice, ‘paramount’ concern for the child. It transpired a lucrative avenue of income source, in order, for:
i) Lawyers (especially for parents)
ii) Children’s Guardians (and their lawyers)
iii) Expert witnesses who seemed to grow out of the walls
One could not move for lawyers (some simple “fee earners”), Guardians (some of limited credibility and less competence) and so called ‘Experts.’ Some of the experts appeared to be close friends or even relatives or business partners of the Guardian.
And where was the child in all this?
“Who the fuck is the child” we hear cried – “what does it have to do with them” it is exclaimed!”
So, Barnardo’s, where were you in 1995 – its 2010 (15 years later) and you now complain?
A bit late, me thinks but your observations are belatedly welcome.
Wilt
However he is a little ‘come lately’ on this subject matter: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-10908026
There is a further article here: http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/2010/08/09/115067/children-harmed-by-long-delays-in-family-courts-charity-finds.htm
Wit and others predicted this situation (delays) pre the implementation of the Children Act 1989 – Wilt recalls implementation day on 14th October 1991; it is etched in his memory. It was a well intentioned Act but by the mid 1990’s it was very, very apparent that it was failing in one of its primary concerns – that delay in making decisions on solutions for children was harmful.
And why?
Well, it is simple – the Act was hailed as the “children’s charter” but it was everything but giving, in practice, ‘paramount’ concern for the child. It transpired a lucrative avenue of income source, in order, for:
i) Lawyers (especially for parents)
ii) Children’s Guardians (and their lawyers)
iii) Expert witnesses who seemed to grow out of the walls
One could not move for lawyers (some simple “fee earners”), Guardians (some of limited credibility and less competence) and so called ‘Experts.’ Some of the experts appeared to be close friends or even relatives or business partners of the Guardian.
And where was the child in all this?
“Who the fuck is the child” we hear cried – “what does it have to do with them” it is exclaimed!”
So, Barnardo’s, where were you in 1995 – its 2010 (15 years later) and you now complain?
A bit late, me thinks but your observations are belatedly welcome.
Wilt
Friday, 6 August 2010
Bells & whistles.........
Worcestershire social services were at one time among the best of places to work and the management and professionalism were highly regarded. So either Ofsted have got it wrong (which is always a distinct possibility) in this Community Care article http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/2010/08/05/115045/progress-at-worcestershire-childrens-services-limited.htm or things are getting really bad.
It is true of other places that Wilt comes across on his travels. Previously highly regarded local authority social services are really struggling to the point of near collapse.
Of course budget stress, staffing levels and the surge in referrals following Baby P are all factors coming into play. Wilt is not convinced that it is always or necessarily common place that staffing compliments are too low, it is certainly not pay levels (social workers earn far more than Wilt ever did even when he was a team leader many moons ago) nor is it lack of commitment from individuals.
It is to do with staff vacancy levels, how teams are organised and because in part social work core services are run by local authorities – whether it could ever be fully achieved is open to debate, but both the private and voluntary (private by any other description) sectors need to take over via outsourcing. All local authorities should do is ‘commission’ services. That has begun to some extent in terms of setting up ‘looked after’ children’s team pilots – not a resounding success in Sandwell, but then it is Sandwell. What would you expect?
What is there to stop outsourcing things such as child protection? The private sector culture of reducing waste, focusing on achievable results, minimal bureaucracy, trying new ways of working and sensible employment practices gives them the edge over local authorities who are cumbersome and slow to change, for a variety of reasons.
For example, in the private sector if someone is not up to the job, they are either encouraged to leave or if not sacked – unlike their local authority counterpart who would first go of sick for six months on full pay, a further six months half-pay and could end up (at huge expense to the taxpayer) achieving early retirement or taken to tribunal for something or other and potentially end up paying out compensation (also at great expense to Wilt and others pockets).
We think we will drop a line to our man Eric Pickles (Communities Secretary) and David (call me Dave) Cameron – the “big society thing” but in Wilt’s version with bells and whistles.
Wilt
It is true of other places that Wilt comes across on his travels. Previously highly regarded local authority social services are really struggling to the point of near collapse.
Of course budget stress, staffing levels and the surge in referrals following Baby P are all factors coming into play. Wilt is not convinced that it is always or necessarily common place that staffing compliments are too low, it is certainly not pay levels (social workers earn far more than Wilt ever did even when he was a team leader many moons ago) nor is it lack of commitment from individuals.
It is to do with staff vacancy levels, how teams are organised and because in part social work core services are run by local authorities – whether it could ever be fully achieved is open to debate, but both the private and voluntary (private by any other description) sectors need to take over via outsourcing. All local authorities should do is ‘commission’ services. That has begun to some extent in terms of setting up ‘looked after’ children’s team pilots – not a resounding success in Sandwell, but then it is Sandwell. What would you expect?
What is there to stop outsourcing things such as child protection? The private sector culture of reducing waste, focusing on achievable results, minimal bureaucracy, trying new ways of working and sensible employment practices gives them the edge over local authorities who are cumbersome and slow to change, for a variety of reasons.
For example, in the private sector if someone is not up to the job, they are either encouraged to leave or if not sacked – unlike their local authority counterpart who would first go of sick for six months on full pay, a further six months half-pay and could end up (at huge expense to the taxpayer) achieving early retirement or taken to tribunal for something or other and potentially end up paying out compensation (also at great expense to Wilt and others pockets).
We think we will drop a line to our man Eric Pickles (Communities Secretary) and David (call me Dave) Cameron – the “big society thing” but in Wilt’s version with bells and whistles.
Wilt
Monday, 26 July 2010
Bonfire...................
Wilt predicted precisely this 12 months ago: http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/2010/07/26/114986/sector-leaders-shocked-and-surprised-by-abolition-of-gscc.htm
According to Community Care sector leaders are shocked – well they should have been reading Regulator Watch. So, no surprise to Wilt and he will not be on his own in feeling pleased. The GSCC, with its stupid logo, has been a nightmare from day one. No doubt staff will be leaving to find new, proper, jobs with far less perks and salary – good.
The GSCC was after all one of the primary reasons for Regulator Watch being set up – to publicise those aspects of their work which they preferred not to have published. You know like the major cock ups they frequently made and continue to make. What will Regulator Watch do without them and after the demise of Plaskitt (ex) MP and his demonic constituent?
Of course there is no word about the sister agencies in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales – and the functions of the GSCC will be transferred and subsumed by the Health Professions Council. Let’s see how well they do. For sure they cannot do any worse.
I like the title of the Government Report found here: http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/@dh/@en/@ps/documents/digitalasset/dh_117832.pdf
“Liberating the NHS” has a certain, very satisfying ring to it! The title of Chapter 5 will be particularly poignant to some people in Oxfordshire and Salop.
Pages 21 – 23 deal with the proposed abolition of the GSCC and transfer of its functions. Interestingly, there is a hint that social work students will not be required to register and, unlike at present, the new registration will require no government subsidy i.e. total self funding.
Legislation will be introduced in November 2010 to make all the various changes and implementing the transfer of functions by the GSCC will be effective from April 2012 – these are indicative as distinct from absolute. If all goes to plan, by the end of March 2012 the GSCC will no longer exist – the end of an era error!
So who next? The ISA is already under notice and has delayed starting registration - they are as good as toast and Wilt predicts they will be gone before the end of the year.
Ofsted, Cafcass and Scie? The latter, to my surprise is not a public body although one suspects it gets some funding – it is widely predicted it will not survive. Wilt predicts Ofsted will get broken up and demolished and Cafcass will simply disappear.
The General Teaching Council is already toast. You never know, it might yet come about that regulation of social care might just go the same way. If not, expect to pay more for your registration or start calling yourself something other the protected title of "social worker."
When the term ‘bonfire of the quangos’ was termed – they really meant it!
Good.
Wilt
According to Community Care sector leaders are shocked – well they should have been reading Regulator Watch. So, no surprise to Wilt and he will not be on his own in feeling pleased. The GSCC, with its stupid logo, has been a nightmare from day one. No doubt staff will be leaving to find new, proper, jobs with far less perks and salary – good.
The GSCC was after all one of the primary reasons for Regulator Watch being set up – to publicise those aspects of their work which they preferred not to have published. You know like the major cock ups they frequently made and continue to make. What will Regulator Watch do without them and after the demise of Plaskitt (ex) MP and his demonic constituent?
Of course there is no word about the sister agencies in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales – and the functions of the GSCC will be transferred and subsumed by the Health Professions Council. Let’s see how well they do. For sure they cannot do any worse.
I like the title of the Government Report found here: http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/@dh/@en/@ps/documents/digitalasset/dh_117832.pdf
“Liberating the NHS” has a certain, very satisfying ring to it! The title of Chapter 5 will be particularly poignant to some people in Oxfordshire and Salop.
Pages 21 – 23 deal with the proposed abolition of the GSCC and transfer of its functions. Interestingly, there is a hint that social work students will not be required to register and, unlike at present, the new registration will require no government subsidy i.e. total self funding.
Legislation will be introduced in November 2010 to make all the various changes and implementing the transfer of functions by the GSCC will be effective from April 2012 – these are indicative as distinct from absolute. If all goes to plan, by the end of March 2012 the GSCC will no longer exist – the end of an era error!
So who next? The ISA is already under notice and has delayed starting registration - they are as good as toast and Wilt predicts they will be gone before the end of the year.
Ofsted, Cafcass and Scie? The latter, to my surprise is not a public body although one suspects it gets some funding – it is widely predicted it will not survive. Wilt predicts Ofsted will get broken up and demolished and Cafcass will simply disappear.
The General Teaching Council is already toast. You never know, it might yet come about that regulation of social care might just go the same way. If not, expect to pay more for your registration or start calling yourself something other the protected title of "social worker."
When the term ‘bonfire of the quangos’ was termed – they really meant it!
Good.
Wilt
Friday, 4 June 2010
Time will tell..........
You see, Gove has not forgotten us – not just yet anyway: http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/2010/06/03/114637/gove-promises-support-for-taskforce-recommendations.htm
I aint too sure however that Community Care can be so assertive as they are in this advice: http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/2010/06/03/114638/q-and-a-what-does-the-national-college-mean-for-social-workers.htm that the Social Work College could not become the Regulator to replace the GSCC (http://www.gscc.org.uk/Home/).
The article was written before the abolition of the General Teaching Council for England (http://www.gtce.org.uk/ ) by Mr Gove and as set out by the GTCE in their press release: http://www.gtce.org.uk/media_parliament/news_comment/gtcabolition0610/
The Regulation and Registration function of the GTCE will be assumed by some other body, so the General Social Care Council is not yet in the clear. If the teaching council can be abolished, so can the social work equivalent.
It is not true that all professions have a separate “college” or membership group from the regulatory and disciplinary functions. What exactly is the conflict in one single organisation promoting and supporting professionals whilst also investigating serious complaints? In my mind the two fit together snugly.
The options are however wide open – albeit to be fair the GSCC of late (under new leadership) appears to be getting its act together a bit more. However the trail of absolute disasters it has left behind through utter incompetence (and having been placed under special measures) has left few if any believing that the organisation is anything other an embarrassment.
My prediction – they will go too and their function of Registration will go somewhere else. There are too many of these Regulators and there is both an economy of scale and similar role and function argument in favour of mergers.
Time will tell...............
Wilt
ps: The same arguments and observations go for the SSSC, CCW and NISCC - however they are outside of the English jurisdiction and will determine their own futures.
I aint too sure however that Community Care can be so assertive as they are in this advice: http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/2010/06/03/114638/q-and-a-what-does-the-national-college-mean-for-social-workers.htm that the Social Work College could not become the Regulator to replace the GSCC (http://www.gscc.org.uk/Home/).
The article was written before the abolition of the General Teaching Council for England (http://www.gtce.org.uk/ ) by Mr Gove and as set out by the GTCE in their press release: http://www.gtce.org.uk/media_parliament/news_comment/gtcabolition0610/
The Regulation and Registration function of the GTCE will be assumed by some other body, so the General Social Care Council is not yet in the clear. If the teaching council can be abolished, so can the social work equivalent.
It is not true that all professions have a separate “college” or membership group from the regulatory and disciplinary functions. What exactly is the conflict in one single organisation promoting and supporting professionals whilst also investigating serious complaints? In my mind the two fit together snugly.
The options are however wide open – albeit to be fair the GSCC of late (under new leadership) appears to be getting its act together a bit more. However the trail of absolute disasters it has left behind through utter incompetence (and having been placed under special measures) has left few if any believing that the organisation is anything other an embarrassment.
My prediction – they will go too and their function of Registration will go somewhere else. There are too many of these Regulators and there is both an economy of scale and similar role and function argument in favour of mergers.
Time will tell...............
Wilt
ps: The same arguments and observations go for the SSSC, CCW and NISCC - however they are outside of the English jurisdiction and will determine their own futures.
Saturday, 15 May 2010
Blowing out the candle.............
Happy birthday Regulator Watch – you are one year old.
On 14th May 2009 Regulator Watch went live and is now a worldwide phenomenon with a hoard of regular readers, contributors and stalkers. Of course our number one fan is Mrs C from her hovel in Warwickshire together with her numerous entourage of people to whom she complains – the list is far too long and boring.
Wilt having recently made his epic sail from the Mediterranean to the shores of his homeland is back and has gathered much information from Malta. It’s enough to make an old Templar cry in laughter. Much fun will be had. Not so much as lost or stolen files as brand new files – that should get the Information Commissioner and a poor harassed constable of Banbury a phone call. Shiver me timbers mates, the Wilt is back yet again from his sojourn. More travel (business) is on the near horizon, although this time via tarmac and airports as distinct from choppy seas. There might just be a few Salty Dog trips to North Wales – you bet there will.
But what a year Regulator Watch has seen – it has created a bit of a stir among the regulators in social care, the social care press and the press as a whole. Not to mention interest from some political figures and the like minded reasonable thinking people of the Wilt age i.e. sceptical friends of social care (like a critical friend). The police have had complaints (at least two police forces) from Mrs C (bless her), as have the GSCC and a host of other quango and government agencies. A huge fan has of course been James (The Dunes) Plaskitt, now a former MP of Warwick and Leamington Spa, and those he enlisted in his support - various Ministers, Ofsted and the Information Commissioner. All in an effort to close down Regulator Watch and find out who this dreaded Wilt is – they think they know who he is but it is belly breaking with laughter to keep them guessing. It is even more amusing, to Wilt at least, to know that in this hide and seek game that they are nowhere near warm, let alone hot.
It is of course very odd, in fact absolutely crass and indefensible, that on the one hand Mrs C and Dork Plaskitt try to gag Wilt whilst Mrs C breaches every aspect of confidentiality at will and Plaskitt attempted to exclude MPs from FOI requests – fucking brilliant. In true “1984” style this pair wanted to rewrite history and prevent any dissent or opposition. Now in the case of Mrs C she can be understood, she is a simple minded plebeian, but Plaskitt read PPE at Oxford – he must have missed the lectures on democracy. Fucking Dorks, the pair of them - George Orwell will be laughing in his grave and saying “I told you.” Not that I am suggesting that Mrs C and Plaskitt are Mr and Mrs Stalin – well actually, I am!
And how UK politics have changed – apart from the decimation of Plaskitt! Gordon the Cyclops has gone after tearing out his fingernails hanging onto his desk, Ed the Ferkin Balls is a “has been” (but still an evil looking/acting bastard) and “Dave” the man is farting in the same place where Gordon frequently experienced dysentery – the Number 10 PMs private bathroom. It is rumoured that the party manifesto is used as a bog role! We have hopes for Dave, after all he got our vote, and our local Conservative MP reckons that this coalition will result in real change.
We can but hope.
The year ahead is going to be very choppy – not only in wave action terms but also in CUTS. Big CUTS! We approve. Big government (Whitehall/quango) will suffer immense trauma and just several hundred thousands of people will be looking for “real” jobs – you know, like earning a living. No huge pay offs, a few quid and here is your P45. Oh, and don’t bother attempting to claim dole money cos you will effectively sign up to a contract of doing community work – Wilt needs his lawns, flower borders and fish pond tending to, and a few paint jobs. He will even let you clean his 3 cars. These (so called “employed”) scroungers will become nothing more than the drug taking alcoholics they think themselves to be above – they will all become very reliant on the decreasing state subsidies of other scroungers and beggars, notwithstanding “Cyclops” created a whole host of decent people unemployed through no fault in their work ethic.
And it will not just be Whitehall/quango. Hello local government – the smile is about to be wiped from your face. A cut of 30% (in numerous places around the UK) will result in major job losses too. Again, we approve. Wilt is not aware of any local authority that will not make cuts in the range of 10 to 20%.
Business, including that of Wilt’s will boom for sure. Gone will be the influx of cheap labour from abroad as the increasing domestic workforce market “gets real” in terms of available options and enterprise flourishes – no longer the Albanian weekly car wash and more like the Swindon Cooperative of Ex-Government Employees Franchise Car Wash. So that these nice Whitehall and quango people fully understand, the current (Albanian) cost of a complete valet of a car is £10 (less the charitable on-cost for pension fund), is usually involving 3 persons, it takes about 30 minutes and they smile. OK they (Albanians) sleep 15 to a room (Gawd the smell must be awful) and might get pissed (for US readers – drunk) on occasion, and at which times lock up your daughters and sons, but you know, it is their choice and for them at least it provides a means to a living. They certainly provide a service which I will pay for, and do so weekly. How then will our domestic workforce respond in the light of a choice between jobs/enterprise and a reduction in benefits?
We will see.
Anyway, it’s party time and I have to go blow out the candle on the birthday cake.
Wilt
On 14th May 2009 Regulator Watch went live and is now a worldwide phenomenon with a hoard of regular readers, contributors and stalkers. Of course our number one fan is Mrs C from her hovel in Warwickshire together with her numerous entourage of people to whom she complains – the list is far too long and boring.
Wilt having recently made his epic sail from the Mediterranean to the shores of his homeland is back and has gathered much information from Malta. It’s enough to make an old Templar cry in laughter. Much fun will be had. Not so much as lost or stolen files as brand new files – that should get the Information Commissioner and a poor harassed constable of Banbury a phone call. Shiver me timbers mates, the Wilt is back yet again from his sojourn. More travel (business) is on the near horizon, although this time via tarmac and airports as distinct from choppy seas. There might just be a few Salty Dog trips to North Wales – you bet there will.
But what a year Regulator Watch has seen – it has created a bit of a stir among the regulators in social care, the social care press and the press as a whole. Not to mention interest from some political figures and the like minded reasonable thinking people of the Wilt age i.e. sceptical friends of social care (like a critical friend). The police have had complaints (at least two police forces) from Mrs C (bless her), as have the GSCC and a host of other quango and government agencies. A huge fan has of course been James (The Dunes) Plaskitt, now a former MP of Warwick and Leamington Spa, and those he enlisted in his support - various Ministers, Ofsted and the Information Commissioner. All in an effort to close down Regulator Watch and find out who this dreaded Wilt is – they think they know who he is but it is belly breaking with laughter to keep them guessing. It is even more amusing, to Wilt at least, to know that in this hide and seek game that they are nowhere near warm, let alone hot.
It is of course very odd, in fact absolutely crass and indefensible, that on the one hand Mrs C and Dork Plaskitt try to gag Wilt whilst Mrs C breaches every aspect of confidentiality at will and Plaskitt attempted to exclude MPs from FOI requests – fucking brilliant. In true “1984” style this pair wanted to rewrite history and prevent any dissent or opposition. Now in the case of Mrs C she can be understood, she is a simple minded plebeian, but Plaskitt read PPE at Oxford – he must have missed the lectures on democracy. Fucking Dorks, the pair of them - George Orwell will be laughing in his grave and saying “I told you.” Not that I am suggesting that Mrs C and Plaskitt are Mr and Mrs Stalin – well actually, I am!
And how UK politics have changed – apart from the decimation of Plaskitt! Gordon the Cyclops has gone after tearing out his fingernails hanging onto his desk, Ed the Ferkin Balls is a “has been” (but still an evil looking/acting bastard) and “Dave” the man is farting in the same place where Gordon frequently experienced dysentery – the Number 10 PMs private bathroom. It is rumoured that the party manifesto is used as a bog role! We have hopes for Dave, after all he got our vote, and our local Conservative MP reckons that this coalition will result in real change.
We can but hope.
The year ahead is going to be very choppy – not only in wave action terms but also in CUTS. Big CUTS! We approve. Big government (Whitehall/quango) will suffer immense trauma and just several hundred thousands of people will be looking for “real” jobs – you know, like earning a living. No huge pay offs, a few quid and here is your P45. Oh, and don’t bother attempting to claim dole money cos you will effectively sign up to a contract of doing community work – Wilt needs his lawns, flower borders and fish pond tending to, and a few paint jobs. He will even let you clean his 3 cars. These (so called “employed”) scroungers will become nothing more than the drug taking alcoholics they think themselves to be above – they will all become very reliant on the decreasing state subsidies of other scroungers and beggars, notwithstanding “Cyclops” created a whole host of decent people unemployed through no fault in their work ethic.
And it will not just be Whitehall/quango. Hello local government – the smile is about to be wiped from your face. A cut of 30% (in numerous places around the UK) will result in major job losses too. Again, we approve. Wilt is not aware of any local authority that will not make cuts in the range of 10 to 20%.
Business, including that of Wilt’s will boom for sure. Gone will be the influx of cheap labour from abroad as the increasing domestic workforce market “gets real” in terms of available options and enterprise flourishes – no longer the Albanian weekly car wash and more like the Swindon Cooperative of Ex-Government Employees Franchise Car Wash. So that these nice Whitehall and quango people fully understand, the current (Albanian) cost of a complete valet of a car is £10 (less the charitable on-cost for pension fund), is usually involving 3 persons, it takes about 30 minutes and they smile. OK they (Albanians) sleep 15 to a room (Gawd the smell must be awful) and might get pissed (for US readers – drunk) on occasion, and at which times lock up your daughters and sons, but you know, it is their choice and for them at least it provides a means to a living. They certainly provide a service which I will pay for, and do so weekly. How then will our domestic workforce respond in the light of a choice between jobs/enterprise and a reduction in benefits?
We will see.
Anyway, it’s party time and I have to go blow out the candle on the birthday cake.
Wilt
Tuesday, 4 May 2010
Kiss of death................
A certain Mr White (Conservative) of Warwick who is fighting the Plaskitt (Labour) seat of Warwick and Leamington is sniffing victory, and so he should. His website is here:
http://www.conservatives.com/People/Prospective_Parliamentary_Candidates/White_Chris.aspx
And here: http://www.chriswhiteforchange.com/
You see Mr White is fighting the number 7 (seven) most marginal Labour seats in the UK as set out here: http://www.justsolutions.eu/Marginals/labMarginals.asp with Plaskitt (Dune Boy) only holding a majority of 266 votes – given the demise of Mrs C or at least her fickle charms and alliances, that is likely to reduce to 265. Even Plaskitt is disposable to her.
However, boundary changes in Warwickshire means that Plaskitt’s “notional” majority has risen to 5000! Another Labour conspiracy, me thinks. Nevertheless old one eyed Brown, our inglorious leader soon to become a voluntary worker if the election does not favour him (in other words cut and run), was visiting Warwick and Leamington today with arse licking Plaskitt at his side – Gawd Plaskitt was looking old and grey (probably too much effort in the Dunes).
And, if his “notional” majority is 5000, why did Gordon the Cyclops need to visit the constituency? Perhaps Sarah Brown needs to investigate if Gordon and James have a common interest in sand dunes! Or perhaps, as bloggers in Warwickshire predict, Plaskitt will be toast come Friday.
The most recent poll of marginal seats by the Telegraph (and it is comprehensive) is here: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/election-2010/7674796/General-Election-2010-David-Cameron-needs-just-14-more-seats.html
And it aint very happy looking for Labour or in particular Dune Boy and his fellow cronies! Oh dear!
As stated in the Telegraph article:
“The Crosby/Textor poll questioned voters in 140 marginal seats held by Labour and 20 held by the Lib Dems. Overall, it put the Conservatives on 38 per cent, Labour on 31 per cent and the Lib Dems on 26 per cent. In the most marginal Labour seats, there has been a 7.5 percentage point swing from Labour to the Conservatives, it suggested. If this swing occurred uniformly in the Labour-Conservative marginals, Mr Cameron would seize 103 Labour-held seats.”
Plaskitt must be at the point of relaxing in the knowledge that come Friday this week he will be writing his memoirs – of life in the Dunes and other “exploits, mostly failed, like helping Mrs C, sorting out the Child Care Agency and introducing lie detector technology for benefit claimants.
And of course, shortly after his defeat, Mrs C can only ever have dreams of exploiting her falsehoods of oppression before the bright dawn of having to do a real days work – it is called earning a living, in fact it is called foster care.
A new dawn, a new woman – we doubt it.
There will however be a new order. It is called reality, and that will not be liked by Mrs C who will become even more profiled than she has been to date. Her true profile will emerge from the recess of that stone piled on a lump of cow dung.
Plaskitt will of course be well gone, will not give a “dung” and will make every effort to make more money in some other venture – for sure it will not involve him in anything potentially damaging like writing or mouthing off stuff to the press in support of Mrs C. Nor will he bully Ofsted (stupid twats), the DoH (even more stupid twats) or the Information Commissioner (utter Dorks), and least of all various quango – many quango in a (virtually certain) Conservative led Government will simply go up in a puff of smoke; all Local and Central Government agencies will be decimated beyond any hope of recovery – where will Mrs C feature in this? I leave it to you to consider further.
That will happen even if Plaskitt is re-elected; indeed it will happen whatever Government are in power – so Mrs C has no fucking hope at all, however it turns out.
Meanwhile, Wilt and Salty Dog will have an excellent life, well earned, as will our friend in Salop and his friends in Oxon with their nice houses, cars, holiday homes and huge, again well earned, incomes – even in semi-retirement. One works hard for those things – they are not achieved through claiming off the state or paying over the odds taxes for, in Cameron terms, big Government with little better to do than support Mrs C and other idiots like Ofsted and the GSCC.
There will of course, whoever wins this election be casualties – but I mean real casualties and not sham ones like Plaskitt and Mrs C, the twat quango or lost souls in central and local government. You know, like real workers. The UK will recover, despite Gordon Brown, but some will simply not – we suspect Mrs C has no exit plan, yet!
But she is versatile; she must be given that accolade. File Doctor can attest to that and various other contributors to Regulator Watch.
Wilt (with other conspirators)
PS: our mate in Salop said he had seen the Cyclops in Telford with that fool David Wright – it seems his so called safe seat is in need of a “boost” from Gordon too. Kiss of death if you ask me!
Wright was the MP who attempted to claim on expenses a new Phillips razor (TWAT) but successfully received near on £17000.00 to sell his reduced rent tenancy for his London abode and then went on to rent somewhere else at commercial rates at the taxpayer expense – fucking tea leaf! Has he repaid? He claims he has paid something back but has not disclosed how much.
And of course he had the necessary new wide screen flat panel TV and a whole host of other personal items that will now adorn his Telford home. Of course Mr Wright will not be on his own in that respect, eh Mr (new bathroom) Plaskitt! How much money will he be paying back on his mortgaged London home, we wonder?
http://www.conservatives.com/People/Prospective_Parliamentary_Candidates/White_Chris.aspx
And here: http://www.chriswhiteforchange.com/
You see Mr White is fighting the number 7 (seven) most marginal Labour seats in the UK as set out here: http://www.justsolutions.eu/Marginals/labMarginals.asp with Plaskitt (Dune Boy) only holding a majority of 266 votes – given the demise of Mrs C or at least her fickle charms and alliances, that is likely to reduce to 265. Even Plaskitt is disposable to her.
However, boundary changes in Warwickshire means that Plaskitt’s “notional” majority has risen to 5000! Another Labour conspiracy, me thinks. Nevertheless old one eyed Brown, our inglorious leader soon to become a voluntary worker if the election does not favour him (in other words cut and run), was visiting Warwick and Leamington today with arse licking Plaskitt at his side – Gawd Plaskitt was looking old and grey (probably too much effort in the Dunes).
And, if his “notional” majority is 5000, why did Gordon the Cyclops need to visit the constituency? Perhaps Sarah Brown needs to investigate if Gordon and James have a common interest in sand dunes! Or perhaps, as bloggers in Warwickshire predict, Plaskitt will be toast come Friday.
The most recent poll of marginal seats by the Telegraph (and it is comprehensive) is here: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/election-2010/7674796/General-Election-2010-David-Cameron-needs-just-14-more-seats.html
And it aint very happy looking for Labour or in particular Dune Boy and his fellow cronies! Oh dear!
As stated in the Telegraph article:
“The Crosby/Textor poll questioned voters in 140 marginal seats held by Labour and 20 held by the Lib Dems. Overall, it put the Conservatives on 38 per cent, Labour on 31 per cent and the Lib Dems on 26 per cent. In the most marginal Labour seats, there has been a 7.5 percentage point swing from Labour to the Conservatives, it suggested. If this swing occurred uniformly in the Labour-Conservative marginals, Mr Cameron would seize 103 Labour-held seats.”
Plaskitt must be at the point of relaxing in the knowledge that come Friday this week he will be writing his memoirs – of life in the Dunes and other “exploits, mostly failed, like helping Mrs C, sorting out the Child Care Agency and introducing lie detector technology for benefit claimants.
And of course, shortly after his defeat, Mrs C can only ever have dreams of exploiting her falsehoods of oppression before the bright dawn of having to do a real days work – it is called earning a living, in fact it is called foster care.
A new dawn, a new woman – we doubt it.
There will however be a new order. It is called reality, and that will not be liked by Mrs C who will become even more profiled than she has been to date. Her true profile will emerge from the recess of that stone piled on a lump of cow dung.
Plaskitt will of course be well gone, will not give a “dung” and will make every effort to make more money in some other venture – for sure it will not involve him in anything potentially damaging like writing or mouthing off stuff to the press in support of Mrs C. Nor will he bully Ofsted (stupid twats), the DoH (even more stupid twats) or the Information Commissioner (utter Dorks), and least of all various quango – many quango in a (virtually certain) Conservative led Government will simply go up in a puff of smoke; all Local and Central Government agencies will be decimated beyond any hope of recovery – where will Mrs C feature in this? I leave it to you to consider further.
That will happen even if Plaskitt is re-elected; indeed it will happen whatever Government are in power – so Mrs C has no fucking hope at all, however it turns out.
Meanwhile, Wilt and Salty Dog will have an excellent life, well earned, as will our friend in Salop and his friends in Oxon with their nice houses, cars, holiday homes and huge, again well earned, incomes – even in semi-retirement. One works hard for those things – they are not achieved through claiming off the state or paying over the odds taxes for, in Cameron terms, big Government with little better to do than support Mrs C and other idiots like Ofsted and the GSCC.
There will of course, whoever wins this election be casualties – but I mean real casualties and not sham ones like Plaskitt and Mrs C, the twat quango or lost souls in central and local government. You know, like real workers. The UK will recover, despite Gordon Brown, but some will simply not – we suspect Mrs C has no exit plan, yet!
But she is versatile; she must be given that accolade. File Doctor can attest to that and various other contributors to Regulator Watch.
Wilt (with other conspirators)
PS: our mate in Salop said he had seen the Cyclops in Telford with that fool David Wright – it seems his so called safe seat is in need of a “boost” from Gordon too. Kiss of death if you ask me!
Wright was the MP who attempted to claim on expenses a new Phillips razor (TWAT) but successfully received near on £17000.00 to sell his reduced rent tenancy for his London abode and then went on to rent somewhere else at commercial rates at the taxpayer expense – fucking tea leaf! Has he repaid? He claims he has paid something back but has not disclosed how much.
And of course he had the necessary new wide screen flat panel TV and a whole host of other personal items that will now adorn his Telford home. Of course Mr Wright will not be on his own in that respect, eh Mr (new bathroom) Plaskitt! How much money will he be paying back on his mortgaged London home, we wonder?
Wednesday, 21 April 2010
Slippery sloap.........
Meanwhile the new Supreme Court has forced a judgement of a slightly peculiar nature and questionable wisdom: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8634239.stm
Has the correct balance been achieved? Clearly adults (offenders of gross acts) need to be given the right to be rehabilitated but children (victims) seem again to have a limited, if any, voice in proceedings. Why, for example, were not the NSPCC seeking party statuses in such a case matter and strenuously arguing child protection concerns? Where were, with all their money gained through public support, the NSPCC?
Nowhere to be seen – again!
Wilt (from his desk in Malta)
Has the correct balance been achieved? Clearly adults (offenders of gross acts) need to be given the right to be rehabilitated but children (victims) seem again to have a limited, if any, voice in proceedings. Why, for example, were not the NSPCC seeking party statuses in such a case matter and strenuously arguing child protection concerns? Where were, with all their money gained through public support, the NSPCC?
Nowhere to be seen – again!
Wilt (from his desk in Malta)
Thursday, 18 March 2010
Whistling in the dark.............
This press release from the GSCC is an utter disgrace. They first off presume they have a future (at all), second they believe they have something to contribute, third they assume any competence (they are under special measures) but fourth and worst of all they believe they have the moral foundation (“compass”) to judge others.
See the press release here: http://www.gscc.org.uk/News+and+events/Media+releases/Media_release_17-03-10.htm
We believe this is the equivalent of “whistling in the dark” (as in nervously walking down a dark alley feeling very nervous but trying to appear confident to ward off an attack). In reality the GSCC are fighting for their life and they are grasping at any opportunity which might deter any further attack on their status e.g. we are big girls and do not take us on.
The fact is “darlings” your future is already written, and it aint as you hope or aspire to – you’re dead meat girlies and no amount of whistling will improve your chances of winning confidence with anyone.
We see the Care Standards Tribunal continue to regard the GSCC as utter dorks, see here: http://www.carestandardstribunal.gov.uk/Public/View.aspx?ID=1071
Wilt is aware that other findings will yet further prove the fuck ups of this most fucked up organisation.
Twats!
Wilt
See the press release here: http://www.gscc.org.uk/News+and+events/Media+releases/Media_release_17-03-10.htm
We believe this is the equivalent of “whistling in the dark” (as in nervously walking down a dark alley feeling very nervous but trying to appear confident to ward off an attack). In reality the GSCC are fighting for their life and they are grasping at any opportunity which might deter any further attack on their status e.g. we are big girls and do not take us on.
The fact is “darlings” your future is already written, and it aint as you hope or aspire to – you’re dead meat girlies and no amount of whistling will improve your chances of winning confidence with anyone.
We see the Care Standards Tribunal continue to regard the GSCC as utter dorks, see here: http://www.carestandardstribunal.gov.uk/Public/View.aspx?ID=1071
Wilt is aware that other findings will yet further prove the fuck ups of this most fucked up organisation.
Twats!
Wilt
Wednesday, 10 March 2010
Swimming Lessons.............
Well, it seems BASW are really getting a bashing over the proposal to go for a separate Social Work College – now its academics. See article here: http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/2010/03/09/114009/sector-leaders-shun-basw-college-plan.htm
Among them is Ray Jones who famously had q bit of a falling out with the previous CEO of BASW (not difficult) and knowing both men I can assure you Ray Jones is a very affable man. It is a real shame BASW are taking this approach and as indicated by the comments of the academics it is going to create division and confusion when what is needed is consensus and clarity.
Why, oh why oh why are these people doing this? And a better question is why do BASW think they have improved over their previous capacity of not being able to organise a piss up in a brewery? They are essentially entirely out of their depth.
Wilt
Among them is Ray Jones who famously had q bit of a falling out with the previous CEO of BASW (not difficult) and knowing both men I can assure you Ray Jones is a very affable man. It is a real shame BASW are taking this approach and as indicated by the comments of the academics it is going to create division and confusion when what is needed is consensus and clarity.
Why, oh why oh why are these people doing this? And a better question is why do BASW think they have improved over their previous capacity of not being able to organise a piss up in a brewery? They are essentially entirely out of their depth.
Wilt
Proportionality...........
It seems the GSCC are becoming a little more thoughtful and considered in their judgements as is evidenced in this case, http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/2010/03/09/114008/lancashire-family-support-agency-worker-admonished.htm which is further encouraging of their newly found proportional response. It is in contrast of course to more historical cases, not least in relation to Arthurworrey as one example, where clearly they were out to earn their spurs and prove to the Government that they were worthy of their existence – a history littered with despicable and outrageous attitudes.
Whilst there are signs of improvement we have not yet removed them from the Dork List and of course we must not let them become complacent. They are of course fighting for their existence at the moment and are effectively still under special measures.
We are still watching.
Wilt
Whilst there are signs of improvement we have not yet removed them from the Dork List and of course we must not let them become complacent. They are of course fighting for their existence at the moment and are effectively still under special measures.
We are still watching.
Wilt
Labels:
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In for the cull.........
Whether it is local government or central government bodies (including quango) the realities of cutbacks, reducing outrageous perks and job slashing is becoming a daily headline. From the Government perspective it is reducing waste (which they created – mostly by Gordon) and the Conservatives which is remodelled as doing more for less. They are different sides of the same coin, except the Conservatives (rightly) would reduce public expenditure with or without a major budget deficit. Here is but one example:
http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/2010/03/09/114010/efficiency-savings-could-lead-to-bigger-council-cuts-warn-directors.htm
and here:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article7056366.ece
My mate, who is a senior Conservative figure in the local Council, (and indeed other Councillors or all political colours in other areas) are explicit that cutbacks are possible without major effects upon so called “frontline” services. And posts (if not staff on the payroll) will very shortly no longer exist.
However, such cutbacks need to be combined with a reduction in expectations and paperwork (and culling a few quango entirely whilst combining others) as in rejecting aspects of Laming’s (Baby P) recommendations as essentially well intentioned but distorting of the role of social workers, as outlined in this article:
http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/2010/03/10/114013/scrap-lamings-social-work-assessment-plans-says-lga.htm
and this one:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8558463.stm
Wilt once shared a stage with Laming (shortly after the latter retired) in giving a conference speech and met him later at another event – nice guy but (despite how he portrays himself) not very much of this world. He was after all a former senior Whitehall mandarin who although thoughtful, caring and hard working was and remains slightly unworldly and not grounded in the realities of modern social work.
When Wilt was a fledgling social worker the job was not easy but today he would, if starting out anew, be seriously challenged – it is only a wise old head and the ability to select what work he does which allows him to practice with a level of competence, partly as a auditor/inspector, occasional interim manager, tribunal member, children’s guardian and professional (“expert”) witness. Going back to the frontline of children and families work would be very hard, and I probably would not (at my time in life) quite come up to expectations.
Laming should perhaps reflect on his position as should his successor Dame Denise, both of whom were in fact good Social Services Inspectorate Chief Inspectors (and Denise also the former Chair of the former CSCI). However, it is Laming, hailed as the oracle of children’s social care, who needs to get a grip on avoiding the confusion where one cannot see the wood for the trees.
He is as indicated, well intentioned but lacking the recent knowledge of what it is like on the frontline.
He and Wilt, along with some other bloggers, however share a common status – those who can do, those who can’t teach!
At least Wilt is self deprecating in good British fashion. He read recently the reason for this British characteristic – it is because Britons have a long history whereupon they can self deprecate in the full knowledge that they have a long cultural/historical deposit to call upon, whilst others (like the USA) are still developing their history and as such continue to fly the flag and deny even the most obvious errors.
That reminds me of the GSCC – their history is not exactly littered with huge success, rather their efforts to fly their own flag. Perhaps, also similar to both Laming and that twat Ferkin Balls – the latter the demonic reincarnation of Damien.
Hard times and hard decisions ahead.
Wilt
http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/2010/03/09/114010/efficiency-savings-could-lead-to-bigger-council-cuts-warn-directors.htm
and here:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article7056366.ece
My mate, who is a senior Conservative figure in the local Council, (and indeed other Councillors or all political colours in other areas) are explicit that cutbacks are possible without major effects upon so called “frontline” services. And posts (if not staff on the payroll) will very shortly no longer exist.
However, such cutbacks need to be combined with a reduction in expectations and paperwork (and culling a few quango entirely whilst combining others) as in rejecting aspects of Laming’s (Baby P) recommendations as essentially well intentioned but distorting of the role of social workers, as outlined in this article:
http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/2010/03/10/114013/scrap-lamings-social-work-assessment-plans-says-lga.htm
and this one:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8558463.stm
Wilt once shared a stage with Laming (shortly after the latter retired) in giving a conference speech and met him later at another event – nice guy but (despite how he portrays himself) not very much of this world. He was after all a former senior Whitehall mandarin who although thoughtful, caring and hard working was and remains slightly unworldly and not grounded in the realities of modern social work.
When Wilt was a fledgling social worker the job was not easy but today he would, if starting out anew, be seriously challenged – it is only a wise old head and the ability to select what work he does which allows him to practice with a level of competence, partly as a auditor/inspector, occasional interim manager, tribunal member, children’s guardian and professional (“expert”) witness. Going back to the frontline of children and families work would be very hard, and I probably would not (at my time in life) quite come up to expectations.
Laming should perhaps reflect on his position as should his successor Dame Denise, both of whom were in fact good Social Services Inspectorate Chief Inspectors (and Denise also the former Chair of the former CSCI). However, it is Laming, hailed as the oracle of children’s social care, who needs to get a grip on avoiding the confusion where one cannot see the wood for the trees.
He is as indicated, well intentioned but lacking the recent knowledge of what it is like on the frontline.
He and Wilt, along with some other bloggers, however share a common status – those who can do, those who can’t teach!
At least Wilt is self deprecating in good British fashion. He read recently the reason for this British characteristic – it is because Britons have a long history whereupon they can self deprecate in the full knowledge that they have a long cultural/historical deposit to call upon, whilst others (like the USA) are still developing their history and as such continue to fly the flag and deny even the most obvious errors.
That reminds me of the GSCC – their history is not exactly littered with huge success, rather their efforts to fly their own flag. Perhaps, also similar to both Laming and that twat Ferkin Balls – the latter the demonic reincarnation of Damien.
Hard times and hard decisions ahead.
Wilt
Friday, 5 March 2010
Heroes/heroines...........
Wilt has been working hard, hence his absence from the Blog. However, he has been doing some catching up with, even for him, an earlier than normal start to the day.
It seems according to Community Care: http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/2010/03/04/113956/one-third-of-foster-carers-forced-to-consider-giving-up.htm that foster parents are displeased with their remuneration, and that comes as no surprise as they are as a whole undervalued and not really seen by many in social care as partners.
It is further reported here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8548636.stm by the BBC.
Let me be clear, the vast majority of foster parents are true professionals, occasionally far more grounded and professional than some of those spotty faced newly qualified social workers, their managers and elected members – generally, although not always the voluntary and independent agencies are much better at managing these services and is one area where local authorities would be best to chuck in the towel.
I say generally as to be fair some local authorities are very good at it, but even the best of them struggle.
Foster care is no panacea as there remains as evidenced (mostly in the private sector) in the high numbers of children’s homes in operation. Equally, as there are Dork social workers there are utter idiots and charlatans among the ranks of foster parents, purely out for their own ends and to do as little as possible and, in order to divert attention from their failings/inadequacies, spend immense energy in finding fault with others – as in Mrs C.
So whereas the VAST majority of foster parents work hard, diligently and with complete focus on the child, others (and there is usually one per agency) simply want to create as much havoc as possible in the hope of promoting their personal vanity and lazy/false suggestion of their talents in professional child care. They are a distraction which on the whole obscures the tireless but genuine foster parents who quietly get on with the very hard task of caring for neglected, rejected and abused children, of all ages.
In days gone by the former National Foster Care Association, now the Fostering Network (http://www.fostering.net/) were an organisation you could do business with and were a true and righteous political pressure group, led by good people who, although occasionally lacking a sense of reality, actually cared about children.
They struggled in balancing the factual portrayal (then) of foster carers being intrinsically and instinctively motivated by no personal gain (other than caring for children) and the aspiration that they should be recognised as equal professionals. That struggle is ongoing sadly, but the new Fostering Network does not help itself when failing to distinguish between really good foster carers and really rather poor, questionably motivated people like Mrs C – it is rumoured/reported (from numerous sources) that Mr C is the real foster parent whilst Mrs C is just, well, a waste of space and to boot does not give a shit. And these are reliable sources.
Most “normal” people simply get on with the job – they perform well and are rewarded by results. Some however do the least possible and divert attention away from their personal failures, as in Mrs C.
A bit like social work, foster care is as much a passion and vocation as it is a professional task (unless you are Mrs C et al) but it is imperative that there is “body” which promotes its advance. As BASW is a false hope for social work, so equally is the Fostering Network under its current leadership.
If the Fostering Network (among others) wish to (and it seems it is a wish) defend the likes of Mrs C on the indefensible, then so be it – all it will achieve will be to drag itself down to the level of Mrs C, which it has done hitherto even to values and means exploited by the GSCC, and one gets low in moral standards at that level. In a case matter even the GSCC considered the Fostering Network as a hopeless witness in a (unpublished) finding and the Police were simply, well, spitting in their contempt for this (so called) representatives of foster carers.
Dorks come to mind.
However, better recognition (professionally) is necessary – they like others will however need to ride out the recession and consequential major cutbacks soon upon us. They remain however, with a few exceptions, my heroes.
Wilt
It seems according to Community Care: http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/2010/03/04/113956/one-third-of-foster-carers-forced-to-consider-giving-up.htm that foster parents are displeased with their remuneration, and that comes as no surprise as they are as a whole undervalued and not really seen by many in social care as partners.
It is further reported here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8548636.stm by the BBC.
Let me be clear, the vast majority of foster parents are true professionals, occasionally far more grounded and professional than some of those spotty faced newly qualified social workers, their managers and elected members – generally, although not always the voluntary and independent agencies are much better at managing these services and is one area where local authorities would be best to chuck in the towel.
I say generally as to be fair some local authorities are very good at it, but even the best of them struggle.
Foster care is no panacea as there remains as evidenced (mostly in the private sector) in the high numbers of children’s homes in operation. Equally, as there are Dork social workers there are utter idiots and charlatans among the ranks of foster parents, purely out for their own ends and to do as little as possible and, in order to divert attention from their failings/inadequacies, spend immense energy in finding fault with others – as in Mrs C.
So whereas the VAST majority of foster parents work hard, diligently and with complete focus on the child, others (and there is usually one per agency) simply want to create as much havoc as possible in the hope of promoting their personal vanity and lazy/false suggestion of their talents in professional child care. They are a distraction which on the whole obscures the tireless but genuine foster parents who quietly get on with the very hard task of caring for neglected, rejected and abused children, of all ages.
In days gone by the former National Foster Care Association, now the Fostering Network (http://www.fostering.net/) were an organisation you could do business with and were a true and righteous political pressure group, led by good people who, although occasionally lacking a sense of reality, actually cared about children.
They struggled in balancing the factual portrayal (then) of foster carers being intrinsically and instinctively motivated by no personal gain (other than caring for children) and the aspiration that they should be recognised as equal professionals. That struggle is ongoing sadly, but the new Fostering Network does not help itself when failing to distinguish between really good foster carers and really rather poor, questionably motivated people like Mrs C – it is rumoured/reported (from numerous sources) that Mr C is the real foster parent whilst Mrs C is just, well, a waste of space and to boot does not give a shit. And these are reliable sources.
Most “normal” people simply get on with the job – they perform well and are rewarded by results. Some however do the least possible and divert attention away from their personal failures, as in Mrs C.
A bit like social work, foster care is as much a passion and vocation as it is a professional task (unless you are Mrs C et al) but it is imperative that there is “body” which promotes its advance. As BASW is a false hope for social work, so equally is the Fostering Network under its current leadership.
If the Fostering Network (among others) wish to (and it seems it is a wish) defend the likes of Mrs C on the indefensible, then so be it – all it will achieve will be to drag itself down to the level of Mrs C, which it has done hitherto even to values and means exploited by the GSCC, and one gets low in moral standards at that level. In a case matter even the GSCC considered the Fostering Network as a hopeless witness in a (unpublished) finding and the Police were simply, well, spitting in their contempt for this (so called) representatives of foster carers.
Dorks come to mind.
However, better recognition (professionally) is necessary – they like others will however need to ride out the recession and consequential major cutbacks soon upon us. They remain however, with a few exceptions, my heroes.
Wilt
Saturday, 27 February 2010
Step back and think on..............
Gone it seems are the talks of BASW (British Association of Social Workers) becoming a trade union (as distinct from a professional body) and their role in the forming of the Social Work College (Royal or not) is fraught with tensions – or more to the point fraught with competition. Added to this there are now further tensions between BASW and Unison (the primary local authority trade union.)
Personally, I had some hope for BASW http://www.basw.co.uk/) under the leadership of Hilton Dawson but I am beginning to wonder if even he can drag the organisation out of the utter mess his predecessors created. BASW could never become the organisation to run the Social Work College as they are simply too unsophisticated.
Although BASW claim a massive increase in membership (not yet Wilt) they represent still a small minority, and the term “represent” even has some uncertainty, especially if it comes to dealing with the GSCC et al. Somehow, I do not think this is Hilton’s fault, he probably has as many challenges within BASW as he does external – the BASW committees are a bit of a wet rag, believe me.
They need to bring Dr Ray Jones back on board, although even he (who is very competent) struggled with BASW – or at least its previous head that was an utter disaster.
And so BASW fight this corner, as in this article: http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/2010/02/26/113926/basw-ditches-plan-for-joint-membership-scheme-with-unison.htm but fails to win agreement, but somehow one tends to think that perhaps it is not unrelated to this other tussle: http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/2010/02/26/113924/basw-and-unison-split-over-independent-practices.htm
On the latter matter, Wilt supports Dawson and agrees with the unstated but underlying belief that Unison are only out to serve themselves, a bit like Arthur Scargill did with the miners – you know, him with the odd hair style http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Scargill and otherwise a total fucking twat!
An independent social work workforce is the answer, but unfortunately BASW is not the vehicle to lead that progress, nor sadly are some of the voluntary agencies such as the NSPCC (total twats) – it needs a competent mixture of direct service delivery from the private and voluntary sectors with local authorities acting as commissioning agents. In time, that is what will happen, and bit by bit it is, even under the Brown/Balls leadership much to the chagrin of Unison Stalinists.
When it does come in to final fruition, and it is not if but when, it will certainly sort out the men from the boys and it will ensure that there is a proper agreement between Government and social care providers on what are the priorities – not like now that everything is a priority whether or not there is funding. And, those who are incompetent, and that includes you Mrs C, will find themselves in the wilderness.
So it is less that Hilton Dawson is failing, it is simply he is in the wrong place and has committed himself to a defunct organisation which needs a complete overhaul and shake up – indeed wake up!
I remain confident in Hilton, for now, but Gawd he has a job and more than a half to do. Step back Hilton and think on my man.
We will monitor his progress here on Regulator Watch.
Wilt
Personally, I had some hope for BASW http://www.basw.co.uk/) under the leadership of Hilton Dawson but I am beginning to wonder if even he can drag the organisation out of the utter mess his predecessors created. BASW could never become the organisation to run the Social Work College as they are simply too unsophisticated.
Although BASW claim a massive increase in membership (not yet Wilt) they represent still a small minority, and the term “represent” even has some uncertainty, especially if it comes to dealing with the GSCC et al. Somehow, I do not think this is Hilton’s fault, he probably has as many challenges within BASW as he does external – the BASW committees are a bit of a wet rag, believe me.
They need to bring Dr Ray Jones back on board, although even he (who is very competent) struggled with BASW – or at least its previous head that was an utter disaster.
And so BASW fight this corner, as in this article: http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/2010/02/26/113926/basw-ditches-plan-for-joint-membership-scheme-with-unison.htm but fails to win agreement, but somehow one tends to think that perhaps it is not unrelated to this other tussle: http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/2010/02/26/113924/basw-and-unison-split-over-independent-practices.htm
On the latter matter, Wilt supports Dawson and agrees with the unstated but underlying belief that Unison are only out to serve themselves, a bit like Arthur Scargill did with the miners – you know, him with the odd hair style http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Scargill and otherwise a total fucking twat!
An independent social work workforce is the answer, but unfortunately BASW is not the vehicle to lead that progress, nor sadly are some of the voluntary agencies such as the NSPCC (total twats) – it needs a competent mixture of direct service delivery from the private and voluntary sectors with local authorities acting as commissioning agents. In time, that is what will happen, and bit by bit it is, even under the Brown/Balls leadership much to the chagrin of Unison Stalinists.
When it does come in to final fruition, and it is not if but when, it will certainly sort out the men from the boys and it will ensure that there is a proper agreement between Government and social care providers on what are the priorities – not like now that everything is a priority whether or not there is funding. And, those who are incompetent, and that includes you Mrs C, will find themselves in the wilderness.
So it is less that Hilton Dawson is failing, it is simply he is in the wrong place and has committed himself to a defunct organisation which needs a complete overhaul and shake up – indeed wake up!
I remain confident in Hilton, for now, but Gawd he has a job and more than a half to do. Step back Hilton and think on my man.
We will monitor his progress here on Regulator Watch.
Wilt
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