Social work news

• UNISON ballots members on striking over local government pay offer in Scotland

  08-05-2025 22:25
  
  Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.UNISON is balloting its members on whether to strike in protest at this year’s local government pay offer in Scotland.
  The ballot of over 80,000 members across Scotland’s 32 councils began on 1 May and follows a consultative vote in which 92% of those who participated backed staging walkouts over the 3% offer from COSLA.
  The employers’ body has said that its offer “ut
  
  Read more

• The Guardian view on Labour and immigration debate: time to change the frame | Editorial

  08-05-2025 19:42
  
  The way to win an argument with Reform is to bring economic reality and positive stories of migrant contribution back into the pictureBritish political debate around immigration has long been framed around three axiomatic beliefs: too many foreigners are coming, the explanation for that is incompetence by previous governments and the numbers can be brought down without economic cost.Those assumptions are sure to be expressed in a government white paper due to be published later this month. The d
  
  Read more

• Second union urges rejection of local government pay offer and seeks support for strike action

  08-05-2025 17:15
  
  Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.A second union has come out against employers “full and final” pay offer to local government staff in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
  The GMB has joined Unite in recommending members reject the 3.2% offer in a consultative vote, and will also seek support to take strike action in protest against employers’ proposal.
  The third and biggest local government union, UNISON,
  
  Read more

• Transparency data: RISE programme: lists of advisers and schools

  08-05-2025 16:52 via gov.uk
  
  The schools currently receiving targeted intervention through the regional improvement for standards and excellence (RISE) programme and the list of RISE advisers.
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• School capacity survey: guide for local authorities

  08-05-2025 15:48 via gov.uk
  
  How local authorities should submit data for the annual school capacity survey (SCAP).
  
  Read more

• Access your school attendance data

  08-05-2025 15:20 via gov.uk
  How to access your school attendance data through the Monitor your school attendance tool.
  
  Read more

• ‘What I wish I had known about managing a difficult relationship with my supervisor’

  08-05-2025 13:55
  
  by Sophie Baker
  This is the fifth instalment in Sophie Baker’s ‘What I wish I had known…’ series, where she reflects on her approach to practice when she started out – and what she would tell her younger self now.
  When I found myself struggling to connect with my new supervisor, I felt unsettled and unsure. I was left questioning all the things I had learnt to expect from our professional relationship.
  Rather than leaving supervision less anxious and with a clear v
  
  Read more

• Delivering our Plan for Change for workers

  08-05-2025 11:08 via gov.uk
  
  The Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting spoke at the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (Usdaw) Annual Conference in Blackpool.
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Research: Developing a competency framework for effective assistive technology training

  08-05-2025 10:30 via gov.uk
  
  Examines the skills and knowledge needed by staff in special schools and colleges to use digital assistive technology effectively.
  
  Read more

• Most social workers expect cuts to their budgets this year

  08-05-2025 09:08
  
  Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.Most social workers are expecting cuts to social care funding in their area in 2025-26, a poll has found.
  This is despite ministers making £3.7bn extra available to local authorities with social care responsibilities this year, compared with 2024-25, through government grant increases and council tax rises averaging about 5%.
  Though the increase in funding for councils was judged to be
  
  Read more

• VE Day boost for veterans’ healthcare

  08-05-2025 01:15 via gov.uk
  
  Government announces £1.8 million investment to transform NHS care for veterans, serving personnel and their families.
  
  Read more

Follow @UK_socialwork on Twitter!