to think that being a social worker is most unpopular job on the planet?

[slipperandpjsmum]

Everytime I turn around there is something negative about the job. We have so many vacancies on our teams now and I think public perception has alot to do with it?

Are there any jobs less well regarded these days? Or are we being paranoid??

Yeah, can't be easy. Social workers are only human. It has occured to me that SWs are condemned for taking children away from their parents and also condemned for not taking them away. They can't read minds, see through walls and look into the future!!! I know that the mistakes matter, but still. Is there a better system?

I'm not a sw btw, but this just occurs to me. Also, in cases such as the woman who fled to Ireland to have her baby because it would be taken from her if she stayed in the UK, the media were blowing it up so that the public would be outraged by the injustice, but the SWs obviously didn't reveal the details that might have made the public think "ah......now I don't know what to think". Ditto with the couple with the iq too low to have children.

It must be a very difficult job. I expect the vacancies will be filled soon enough though as so many councils are laying off staff due to cutbacks in child services.

MIL is a social worker, DH is a copper. I married into scum if you listen to some quarters.

They ask too much of applicants to even get into the lower entry level posts within social care, it has nothing to do with perception more about being far too picky.

MIL says people in her department are being made redundant all over the place.

Midwife seems pretty low on the list round these here parts. Makes for very demoralising reading.

However I have utmost respect for SW's, I couldn't do your job.

Younger brother's training to be one at the moment - with a particular eye to working in the mental health/people with learning disabilities field.

Jobs worse regarded:
Estate agents
Traffic wardens

Yep there's a few out there.

But didn't you know public sector workers are overpaid and deserve to lose their jobs and have huge pay cuts SOH? Tut tut tut :)

A very difficult job and not one that I would do. Quite often damned if they do and damned if they don't.

Have had experience of some excellent ones and some pretty average ones.

I think sws need a lot more support and a lot more freedom to allow them to make the right decisions - I'm talking particularly for children here. Too many children are allowed to remain with bps for far too long - partly to do with current legislation.

Less naivete and more commonsense.

YANBU.

Bailiffs get more sympathy

Im not a huge fan of social services and their workers right now ,yes they are only human and all humans make mistakes but i have had to deal with them this week about a child who was potentially in danger and they made me feel like a liar!! Failing another child ....

It wouldn't be top of my list of dream jobs. I suppose you are right - the pay, hours and demands placed on a good SW is just too high.

YANBU SW do seem to get a bad rep. Sometimes it seems to be deserved but lets face it, no one can give what they haven't got and what SW seem to lack is man hours and support for the most part.

Bouncers are worse. Have never met a nice bouncer.

Oh but of course hardhatdonned. DH is actually Satan in a uniform. MIL sits at his right hand. It's not a family, it's a cult.

Politicians? Paparazzi? Arms Dealers? Used Car dealers?

Social worker I am dealing with at the moment is not doing their reputation any good at all.

If you assure someone you will call them back in two days about a sensitive subject leaving it six weeks, (and counting), instead is taking the piss a bit!

Mary can you not do the MA?

Saying that.... like AMry this was something I wanted, experience etc- homestart, asd.......... the lcoal establishment wants six months unapid FT voluntary work to get up to date experience. Am not quite sure what planet tehy live on where chidlcare is free and so is the cost of living.

So now looking at etaching; hence an annoyed htread in AIBU as the government has decided my subject is low priority.

Am going to cral under a pillow and stay there!

Oh I know Beer. I really do. On the whole I really admire people who do the job it can not be easy. I don't generalise. Its not Social WOrkers that have annoyed me today, its just this one person

Friend of a friend does child protection, loves her job, but is under so much pressure. Case load huge, working til late evening- if a child needs to be taken into emergency care she gas to stay until that child has somewhere to go - juggling childcare for two young children, husband SW too, in same boat, struggling to cover school holidays...

She is lovely. There are good ones out there.

Mary it's hard to get voluntary work here as well; 100 emails and letters for one interview as a voluntary TA!

AFAICS the only difference this Big Society alrk is going to make is that some slightly odd local entreneur ahs been getting the school to send out letters asking for parents to join the Big Society and volunteer... as an unpaid cleaner or homecarer for his profit making business. Is it just me that has an issue with that I wonder?