If they didn't get it wrong so often they wouldn't need a pat on the back for actually doing their job

Actually I thinik it's a dam good idea - it's not so much as giving them a pat on the back and showing the system can work. Then getting that good practice across the field.

I think the welfare of children everywhere is in crisis at the moment!

I see so many dad's now wanting joint parental responsibility for their kids they've left behind, because they don't want to pay what the government says they should pay to their kids mother!

I really worry about kids being caught up in this now!

I think it is a good idea as we are so negative of the SW when they do f**k up and boy do the press slate them for it when they do but it is the horrendous cases we see not the other end of the scale.

The SW that helps that mother to get to appointments on time with 4 kids in tow. Reading to a 5 year old whilst mum has 5 minutes with her new born as the father has decided fatherhood isnt for him. Being there when the mother breaks down and feels overwhelmed.

All proffessions need that pat on the back to say well done we all like praise when deserved not the slating we give them mostly the SW at the moment.

I think someone said the same of our kids so what of the adults too,

1 in 20 social workers are not fit for the job to 19 are excellant in their job.

I think its a jolly good idea. SWs get so much earache from us (us in the wider sense), why shouldn't we praise them for doing a very hard job, in many cases, with fairly ghastly people?

I suspect if you looked at almost any industry, you'd find that 1 in 20 people are not fit for the job.

Good call Mr Balls

The thing is, i don't neccesarily think that there should be bells and whistles for someone carrying out a job they trained and chose to do, but instead there should be an expectation of fairer reporting when looking at controversial areas of news, like child welfare and so on. For all the (justified) outrage surrounding the baby P case, it is forgotten about the thousands of children that are looked after and rescued by the welfare system in this country, which has it's issues but is still a good one overall... It is about time that the media become accountable for their reporting tactics.

But then, adults should have more sense than to believe everything they read and react emotionally all the time, it doesn't inspire change.

The thing is Joe Publics idea of asocial work isn't real, I've known SW's who run the most dilapated cars because they canot take a half decent ones into the area that they are working in or they dare not let their family go out in one with a number plate that is 'known'. SW's that have been in fear of their lives from manic parents who children they have effectively rescued. They are swamped under by paperwork - have a shortage of safe placements - and manage most of the time to get it right.

TRagically when it goes wrong it's horrendous so yes lets see some balance and in all honesty they dont' sign up for the rubbish they get it's barely talked about during training and placements.

Totally agree Polly

I had a friend whose mother had been a SW for over twenty years and the stories she told about the Bureaucracy was bordering on the ridiculous and in the end, that is what stops agencies working together and means that children slip through the cracks (how i hate that phrase), but what is the alternative, i don't think it is possible to fully appreciate the caseloads that these people have on their desks, dozens of families, 40 or 50 children at any time that are at risk, and thats on quiet times, i had actually been considering working in this field until i spoke to her and was completly dissuaded, especially the violence and abuse they have to put up with in order just to check on some children.

In an ideal world no child would come to harm, but there is no ideal world and i just really resent the irresponsible reporting around this area, vindicating the profession as a whole and never looking any deeper than the case that is the most controversial!

Sorry rant over.

I just saw "Ed Balls calls..." so clicked to see what it was about - because he did actually call on me yesterday, knocked on my door for a chat!