Tell me what you think of social workers!

[ScummyMummy]

Pleeese! For my final piece of college work. Go on- you know you want to...

1. Which of the words on this list you would particularly associate with social workers? Powerless Supportive Interfering Non-judgemental Overworked Powerful Oppressive Prejudiced Helpful

2 a) Are your thoughts about social workers
a) Mostly positive
b) Mostly neutral
c) Mostly negative

2b) Why do you think this is?

3. When families with children need support, do you think social workers
   a) Mostly offer useful support
   b) Sometimes offer useful support
   c) Rarely offer useful support
   d) I don?t know

4. When elderly people need support, do you think social workers
   a) Mostly offer useful support
   b) Sometimes offer useful support
   c) Rarely offer useful support
   d) I don?t know

5. When children are at risk of abuse, do you think social workers
   a) Mostly succeed in protecting children
   b) Sometimes succeed in protecting children
   c) Rarely succeed in protecting children
   d) I don?t know

6. If people with severe mental illnesses become dangerous to others, do you think social workers
   a) Mostly offer useful support to the person and succeed in protecting others
   b) Sometimes offer useful support to the person and succeed in protecting others
   c) Rarely offer useful support to the person and succeed in protecting others
   d) I don?t know

7. Have you or anyone close to you ever had a social worker?

8. What advice would you give to social workers wanting to do a good job?

9. Do you want to say anything else about what you think of social workers?

No - I want lots of negative views if they're out there, fio. Pleese- I can take it i promise. Part of the reason i'm doing this topic is that i think social workers have no idea how negatively they are viewed... Let me know the worst.
Or the best if that's your experience, other people.

So you can tick prejudiced in Q1 and add ignorant tosser to the box at the end, maybe?
Sounds like a prize eejit, your social worker, fio.

anyone? I want the views of the general public! That's you and you and you and you and you and you, you know.

Pleeese! For my final piece of college work. Go on- you know you want to...

1. Which of the words on this list you would particularly associate with social workers? Powerless Supportive Interfering Non-judgemental Overworked Powerful Oppressive Prejudiced Helpful

2 a) Are your thoughts about social workers
a) Mostly positive
b) Mostly neutral
c) Mostly negative *

2b) Why do you think this is?

Through my experiences

3. When families with children need support, do you think social workers
   a) Mostly offer useful support
   b) Sometimes offer useful support
   c) Rarely offer useful support *
   d) I don?t know

4. When elderly people need support, do you think social workers
   a) Mostly offer useful support
   b) Sometimes offer useful support
   c) Rarely offer useful support
   d) I don?t know

5. When children are at risk of abuse, do you think social workers
   a) Mostly succeed in protecting children
   b) Sometimes succeed in protecting children
   c) Rarely succeed in protecting children
   d) I don?t know

6. If people with severe mental illnesses become dangerous to others, do you think social workers
   a) Mostly offer useful support to the person and succeed in protecting others
   b) Sometimes offer useful support to the person and succeed in protecting others
   c) Rarely offer useful support to the person and succeed in protecting others
   d) I don?t know

7. Have you or anyone close to you ever had a social worker?
   Yes

8. What advice would you give to social workers wanting to do a good job?

Listen. And dont just spout off what you cant do.

9. Do you want to say anything else about what you think of social workers?

LOL! Have never had 'official' contact with a social worker, and clicked on this thread to say that the two I have known socially are both truly lovely people! (oh, and one is you!)

Thank you cc. Really appreciate it.

I'm afraid, unhelpfully, that the only SWs I come across tend to be very good ones which is why they're talking to journalists.

blu- you must fill it in anyway. no contact with social workers required. Thanks for saying I'm lovely. You are too but I need action here!

mi- you too. fill it in- tell me your impressions

1. Which of the words on this list you would particularly associate with social workers? Powerless yes Supportive Interfering Non-judgemental Overworked yes Powerful Oppressive Prejudiced yes Helpful

2 a) Are your thoughts about social workers
a) Mostly positive
b) Mostly neutral
c) Mostly negative yes

2b) Why do you think this is?

because there seems to be a constant churn in social work. case loads are too big. lack of joined up thinking between different agencies. things always having to be referred on and passed on. ie too little autonomy and co ordination

3. When families with children need support, do you think social workers
   a) Mostly offer useful support
   b) Sometimes offer useful support
   c) Rarely offer useful support
   d) I don?t know don't know

4. When elderly people need support, do you think social workers
   a) Mostly offer useful support
   b) Sometimes offer useful support
   c) Rarely offer useful support rarely
   d) I don?t know

5. When children are at risk of abuse, do you think social workers
   a) Mostly succeed in protecting children
   b) Sometimes succeed in protecting children
   c) Rarely succeed in protecting children
   d) I don?t know don't know

6. If people with severe mental illnesses become dangerous to others, do you think social workers
   a) Mostly offer useful support to the person and succeed in protecting others
   b) Sometimes offer useful support to the person and succeed in protecting others
   c) Rarely offer useful support to the person and succeed in protecting others rarely
   d) I don?t know

7. Have you or anyone close to you ever had a social worker?
   someone close

8. What advice would you give to social workers wanting to do a good job?

stay in the same post and agitate for a bigger department budget to employ more colleagues. listen to customers and respond to their needs rather than those of the social work department. know your patch and know what is and should be avialable. keep up to date with good practice and new ideas. be pro active. don't be complacentor defeatist. like your customers and want to make their outcomes the best possible.

9. Do you want to say anything else about what you think of social workers?

My experinces are these well meaning social workers kindly arranging contact with my father who I HATED and I told them that and they smiled and said I still had to go and see him, smiling saying my mum would get into trouble if i didnt
They made me feel like I was wrong for not liking him and not wanting to go and see him.
Also my brother is mentally ill and no matter what my brothers getting up too they cant do anything unless hes a harm to himself or others.
Ok, so thats the rules. So why bother having this network of support if noone can do anything till he kills someone?

nope, ss. good thought but I'm keeping it simple. just want as many views as possible. Am visiting shopping centres to catch people, and also phoning and interneting to gather views so will compare the different mediums.

thanks v much zippi.
cc- I'm sorry you've had such horrible experiences..

Thank you fio. You were lovely. And I am cross with your social worker.

more needed! Anyone can answer not just those who have had personal experiences of social workers. It's about public perception.

i haven'treally had a proper feel for them yet. about 8 weeks ago I contacted my HV and said 'I need help, I'm concerned for my children'

about 4 days later I was seen by a CPN and a social worker together, they decided that I would benefit from a family support worker.
2 weeks after that 2 social workers (different ones) came and spoke to me for 2 mins and AGAIN said yes we think you would benifit from a family support worker and I have heard nothing since.......

BUMP. Please fill in questionnaire at bottom of page if you have 2 mins to spare. No personal experience of social workers needed. Your reward is a virtuous glow at helping me pass my course.

Can anyone else fill this out for me? It's about general public perception so I'm interested in EVERYONE'S views, not just those who've had a social worker. The stuff so far has been brilliant. But I need as many views as possible so anyone else's contribution would be greatly appreciated...

1. Which of the words on this list you would particularly associate with social workers? Powerless Supportive Interfering Non-judgemental Overworked Powerful Oppressive Prejudiced Helpful

2 a) Are your thoughts about social workers
a) Mostly positive
b) Mostly neutral
c) Mostly negative

2b) Why do you think this is?

3. When families with children need support, do you think social workers
   a) Mostly offer useful support
   b) Sometimes offer useful support
   c) Rarely offer useful support
   d) I don?t know

4. When elderly people need support, do you think social workers
   a) Mostly offer useful support
   b) Sometimes offer useful support
   c) Rarely offer useful support
   d) I don?t know

5. When children are at risk of abuse, do you think social workers
   a) Mostly succeed in protecting children
   b) Sometimes succeed in protecting children
   c) Rarely succeed in protecting children
   d) I don?t know

6. If people with severe mental illnesses become dangerous to others, do you think social workers
   a) Mostly offer useful support to the person and succeed in protecting others
   b) Sometimes offer useful support to the person and succeed in protecting others
   c) Rarely offer useful support to the person and succeed in protecting others
   d) I don?t know

7. Have you or anyone close to you ever had a social worker?

8. What advice would you give to social workers wanting to do a good job?

9. Do you want to say anything else about what you think of social workers?

I've experienced social workers through different students that have been under the care or social services, or have had sw for whatever reasons. Sadly, my experiece hasn't been great with the ones that I've encountered

1. Which of the words on this list you would particularly associate with social workers? Powerless Supportive Interfering Non-judgemental Overworked * Powerful Oppressive Prejudiced Helpful

2 a) Are your thoughts about social workers
a) Mostly positive
b) Mostly neutral
c) Mostly negative *

2b) Why do you think this is?
through professional experience , so many of my students assigned to sw are in a limbo land with lots of things promised but never delivered

3. When families with children need support, do you think social workers
   a) Mostly offer useful support
   b) Sometimes offer useful support *
   c) Rarely offer useful support
   d) I don?t know

4. When elderly people need support, do you think social workers
   a) Mostly offer useful support
   b) Sometimes offer useful support
   c) Rarely offer useful support
   d) I don?t know *

5. When children are at risk of abuse, do you think social workers
   a) Mostly succeed in protecting children
   b) Sometimes succeed in protecting children *
   c) Rarely succeed in protecting children
   d) I don?t know

6. If people with severe mental illnesses become dangerous to others, do you think social workers
   a) Mostly offer useful support to the person and succeed in protecting others
   b) Sometimes offer useful support to the person and succeed in protecting others
   c) Rarely offer useful support to the person and succeed in protecting others
   d) I don?t know *

7. Have you or anyone close to you ever had a social worker?
   no

8. What advice would you give to social workers wanting to do a good job?
   be prepared to say no when assigned to too many cases
   stick with a case
   don't go on 'annual leave' when you have case conferences booked

be able to speak to the children at their level, not condescendingly or dismissively

9. Do you want to say anything else about what you think of social workers?

Message withdrawn