Social work college plans will not include BASW…
20th September 2011
Early next year, social workers in the UK will benefit from a professional college. The College of Social Work will formally launch on 3rd January 2012, but it will do so without the support of the British Association of Social Workers (BASW).
Today the College of Social Work released a statement saying: “In spite of our wholehearted endeavours to negotiate a merger with the British Association of Social Workers (BASW), it has proved impossible to reach agreement with them within the necessary timescales.”
For many, this is a disappointing if not entirely unexpected turning point in a lengthy saga, which has seen the 2 parties fail to agree on how to move forward together. At this stage, the College of Social Work have decided to that time is better spent acting than talking, choosing to postpone discussions and move to establish the college as quickly as possible. This is in response to what they call “the urgency of the challenges facing social work”.
However the College have not closed the door on the BASW, saying that discussions will continue about the possible merger once the College is established.
