Social work is not a unified profession but in my experiences at least, social workers work collaboratively and in solidarity as peers. Given that the Chief Social Worker and the CEO of Social Work England are political appointments accountable to the Government, it really doesn’t matter if they are qualified social workers. They can’t embed social work values and social justice priorities into our profession when their accountability is to politicians and organisationally their prime concern is regulation of our “performance” and prioritising discharge of statutory duties by local authorities. This is why systemic change is never unachieved in my opinion rather than because we are down a rabbit whole working on our own.

Dear Ian. Your answer raises other issues regarding the backgrounds of those who rise to positions of senior management in social work. If they are all qualified social workers, why aren’t they incorporating relevant training and methodologies in their work including anti oppressive/discriminatory practice? If they are from outside of social work, why are they managing social work agencies?
I don’t believe social workers work collectively; the job is largely intrinsically individualised which by definition weakens our capacity to make systemic change.

Laura
I don’t believe I should be making recommendations, I believe that those people and those organisations who demonstrate Racial Prejudice and structural Racism and those who justify racism in their organisations need to take responsibility for their actions as well as educating themselves with books etc.

Like I said watch or read about people like Lemn Sissay – that was direct systemic racial discrimination. They had no legal rights but lied to this man for 50 years. Changed his name at birth, told him his mother didn’t want him, they stripped him of his Ethiopian culture and identity as a Black child and Adult -this is civilised British Society. If they are treating children and families this way can you manage how they treat Black Social Workers in their organisations.

They need to follow up those actions and recommendations not watered down recommendations either. Like some of the ones Wayne has highlighted in his article. Like Ethnic Quotas.

I don’t agree, with your statement about it been complex regarding the causes and contributions that leads someone to hold racist values. I definitely don’t agree with your views that some people don’t even no they hold them. You are basically saying people and many intelligent people /employees don’t no they hold these racist views. I believe it’s a smoke screen. Do you think the police officers who took a selfie with two murdered, black women didn’t know what they were doing. These women just got caught red handed. It’s disgraceful and unforgivable.

Yes maybe there should be an open debate about why White Social Workers and beyond social work hold these views.

All I can say that systemic racism and institutional racism needs to be dismantled in social work organisations full stop. As racism is a mismatch to the values of social work.

I absolutely agree, the withholding of the PPE absolutely will be a part of what I expect is a whole host of other racist behaviours and attitudes, if it had come out like that, it will of course have come out in many other ways and as you say, micro aggressions for sure.

I have never, and never will accept the oppressive and racist behaviours that you have outlined. My point was limited to the guess work entailed in assuming someone is from a ‘slave owning background’. Being racist isn’t complex as you say, you are or you aren’t. Bur what I still think is complex, is the causes and contributions that lead someone to hold racist values. Some don’t even know they hold them. TV, media, education, family, where you live, your class, education, experiences all contribute to prejudice. And that needs understanding if we want to attempt to break it down. I will watch your recommendation