Towards irrelevance is an overly generous summation actually Tahin.

Well of course “we” do. We are selfless busy bees and nothing else otherwise. Or everything that is wrong with a depoliticised social work beavering away towards irrelevance summed up in one sentence.

I am glad that the event was wonderful and of course what we do needs to be more widely recognised. But an event like this is not the one for me. I think it is devisive to pit social worker against social worker, to say there are only these winners who excell and the rest of us are mere plodders. There was a time when we would attend regional and national training events where we got to hear from speakers with expertise on their topics and meet and learn from colleagues. I changed jobs after one of those. Please own this for what it means to those who get nominated and those who ‘win’ but it’s not a celebration of social work or practitioners when we applaud named individuals. There is no “on behalf of” in that.

This isn’t a celebration of the work “we” do nor is it a celebration of social work as a profession. If it was all of us would get an “award”. This is a part commercially sponsored karaoke night that “honours” individual social workers. If that’s important good for the participants but none of this is in “our” name. It sits on the CVs of the recipients not on anyone elses. Put up a statue outside the offices of SWE or campaign for one on the 4th Trafalgar Square plinth if you want recognition of the fabulous us. The one and only time I attended one of these the buns were stale. That’s a better reflection of social work than a shoddy perspex kinder cut out.

Wonderful
I’ve only been working in health & social care for 38 years so you are inspiring.
Agree my priority is the people I work with there is no greater accolade.

We all know we don’t get the accolade & recognition we deserve & that’s not why we do the job. I enjoyed networking with others & hearing about the great work we do.

Our profession does very little to acknowledge & promote our many strengths and fabulous us.

There probably were nominations from London – the programme could only detail those who were shortlisted.

Thanks community care for your coverage.