This is a major part of the problem. The powers that be in the DHSC and NHS England do not recognise professional social workers as a distinct profession within healthcare or the NHS. They lump us and support workers together and call us the social care workforce. This then leads to confusion within both the NHS and the general public who think that social workers are the bundling fools who take children from their parents or support workers.

In my own role as a care coordinator, temporary posts are generally advertised for nurses or less frequently nurse / OT’s
It is the exception where social workers are included in advertisement’s. This leads to NHS Professionals refusing to register social workers for posts – they can’t get their heads around social workers being able to be care coordinators despite there being lots and lots of us working in substantive post in that role within the NHS.

BASW and the ‘powers that be, need to step up and actively promote the profession showing the positive difference that professional social workers can make for both children and families and adults both inside and out of the NHS.