A message from Debbie Pedder, Panel Manager, Advanced Child Care Assessments
World Social Work Day is the opportunity for Social Workers all over the world to celebrate the work we do. It aims to highlight the achievements of social work, to raise the visibility of social services for the future of societies, and to defend social justice and human rights.
The initiative of celebrating Word Social Work Day was developed by the International Federation of Social Workers and the first celebration was in 2007. Each year, the celebration focusses on a global Social Work agenda and this year’s theme is ´Co-building a New Eco-Social World: Leaving No One Behind´.
The theme presents a vision and action plan to create new global values, policies and practices that develop trust, security and confidence for all people and the sustainability of the planet. World Social Work Day 2022 will be a highlight opportunity for the social work profession to engage all social work networks and the community they work within to make contributions to the values and principles which enable all people to have their dignity respected through shared futures.
The tragic deaths of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, Star Hobson, Ella-Rose Clover and others left the world reeling with questions about how an adult could inflict such atrocities against a defenceless child. There are lessons to be learned but sadly, history tells us that the responsibility of raising a child is not always something that comes naturally to some.
There are nearly 40,000 Child and Family Social Workers in England currently, most of whom have continued to work hard to safeguard children throughout the pandemic. They are however, the unsung heroes, often vilified for not doing enough yet there are few professionals that can claim to transform lives in the way that Social Workers do, in what are persistently challenging circumstances.
The world as we know it has changed significantly and now more than ever, children and families need support. The cost of living, by far, exceeds the very small wage rises for some workers and leaves families sometimes having to choose between keeping warm and eating. The war in Ukraine leads us to involve ourselves in a humanitarian crisis and to stretch our already depleted resources even further. All of this creates additional stresses for parents, who may already have reached breaking point.
Advanced Child Care Assessments stands together with Social Workers around the world and recognises that you already make a considerable contribution to the values and principles of respect and the belief that we all have the capacity for positive change. Humanity will always prevail and the selfless offers of support for the families of Ukraine showcases the extent of care that we in the UK will offer to anyone in need.
We are proud of all of our Independent Social Workers, who share that selfless commitment to every family that we come across. We approach every family without judgement and with the hope that they can be supported to be the very best version of themselves for the sake of their children.
We thank you for your continued commitment.
