Below inflation pay rise for social workers and social work England fees to rise to £120

Im not sure why these discussion need to turn into public sector workers vs othr public sector workers to work out who is the worse off. Its not necessary

But in addition, the rush to point out that teachers, nurses, police officers etc etc all have to do 'social work'

Well guess what social workers have to do, all the other jobs too. Child gone missing, go out and search for them, dont phone the police until you've done that. Child committing crime, police wont take action but refer to 'social care'. Parents homeless, what is the social worker doing about that, how come you havent managed to get these parents housed or moved to more appropriate housing? Parents and/or child not in reciept of the right benefits, social worker, how come you havent sorted this yet? Parents and/or child, not registered with a GP, not taking the right meds, still on a waiting list for diagnosis - what are you doing about that social worker, why havent you fixed this yet?
Child wont go to school, Social worker why arent you taking the child to school or making the child go to school their attendance is terrible!
Child or family made threats or are violent to professionals so support services or MH teams etc wont visit - too dangerous - social worker, you have to visit though
Child hasnt got the right school, still waiting for a specialist school - social worker, make this happen, the child being out of school is breaking the law, you're letting this child down, failing children left right and centre.
Child doesnt want to speak to or know their parent, parent doesnt have a good relationship with the child and wont care for them properly - social worker, what 'work' are you doing with this child and their family to get them all happy again
Child on drugs, parent on drugs - how come their substance use hasnt reduced social worker, what have you done about that?
Child needs to move, parent needs help with transport - social worker, pick this child up and transport them and their belongings in your clapped out old car that cant even fit all the stuff in it requiring several trips

She said the below inflation pay rise was inadequate. Because it is. A below inflation pay rise is equivalent to a real terms pay cut. Nobody said she wanted management salary.

Wow. I can read thank you. She thinks after 3 years 37k is inadequate. So I jumped to the assumption she wants management money, because there is nowhere else to go in social services.

£37k is not the starting salary and in what universe is 3 years post qualifying 'just finished training'? Please expand. Do you actually believe that social workers are in training for 3 years after qualifying?

It’s not great for social work. I’m in Scotland and most social workers will start around £40k rising to around £44k after 3 years.

I am not in any way disparaging of social workers. I have a huge amount of respect for them- my parents were both social workers as is my sister and my dad grew up in mm
Children’s homes/foster care. I have also spent my adult life teaching in very deprived areas.

BUT I have no time for people who think 37k is not an adequate starting salary. We are in a recession, everyone is struggling and you can’t cite 3 years of experience as a reason why you deserve more money- this is why many are turning against the welfare state and why it may not exist in ten years. She has just finished her training. 37k is more than enough.

Are the private sector roles with similar salaries equivalent to social work in skill and responsibility? Private sector is a big demographic

Who complained about not being on a management salary?! Your reading comprehension skills are poor especially for a teacher

£37k for 3 years experience really isn’t bad. That’s similar to many private sector roles, which also have worse pensions than you. 3.2% was also standard at at rise too.

I wont have a lump sum, most people are the same as me in public sector pensions

I didn’t see anyone complaining they weren’t starting on management salaries, the OP is saying the agreed pay rise doesn’t reflect what’s been offered to other professions that are often considered comparable.

You clearly have no idea of the reality of public sector pensions. They are no where near as good as they once were - most public sector workers will not have a good pension - but still people believe otherwise.

I never complained about the money. Because however hard it was I wanted to do what I was doing. I loved it. I was promoted and now earn more money doing it because I was and am good at what I am doing. I am however tired of people who haven’t shown any real experience or ability complaining that they aren’t starting on management salaries… why would they?

The OP has nowhere stated that they feel they are important. They have correctly said they are doing a highly responsible job. The three years experience is post qualification.

Because give it a couple of years and go agency on £45 an hour

Yeah, I don't want to do that, which is why I trained to be a social worker, not a teacher. However I could also invite you to do any number of terrifying, difficult, draining, impossible, devastating tasks that I have to do as a child protection social worker but I doubt you'd want to do that either.
I genuinely struggle to see why you're so disparaging of social workers. I respect teachers, it's a hard job that most people couldn't do. Yet you think we are all piddling around training for 3 years and should be grateful for our salaries that work out at below minimum wage for most people if it truly took into account how many hours they worked. It's weird.

Hang in there, it’s honestly an amazing profession once you’re in and established. And salaries do improve once you’ve found your feet. I’ve been in the profession for over 25 years, most of that in child protection and I’d do it all again despite the challenges.

I know very well, I know that three years experience of child protection work in most places develops a skill set very quickly indeed. I know that very many social workers come to social work as a second career, bringing with them a load of working experience usually in an associated role. They don’t go from school, to university and back to school and so generally have a wealth of experience to draw on before they reach practice.

There’s a huge difference between a 25 year old teacher qualified for 3 years and a 40 year old social worker similarly qualified.

Ok you get up every day in the 6th poorest borough in the country and teach classes of 32 in a school in special measures to misogynistic teenage boys and see how easy that is.

As a student social worker, it makes me wonder why I’m bothering getting into nearly 60k worth of debt.

Everywhere. It’s not only inner city London that needs child protection. I’d have thought as a social worker you would know that?

That sounds so rough! Because child protection social work is a walk in the park in comparison 😆

You were management after 4 years yet somehow you think a social worker with 3 years practice is still training. That's the extra year.

But not when you made manager, though. So what, you're just so exceptional you were made a manager with only 4 years experience , but no social worker is any good or experienced after working on the front line for 3 years? Ohhhhkay.

You said you qualified in 2012 and have been in management since 2016 - I’m not a teacher but I’m sure that’s 4 years post qualification. Which is one more than the three years you said was new blood.