Children give their views on social workers

Social worker talking to young person11 July 2006

Children want social workers to be easier to reach, follow through on their promises and see them alone during visits.

Read their views in a report published today by the Children's Rights Director:

The children made very positive comments about their social workers, overall rating them 8 out of 10.

However, some children felt they should be included in the recruitment process for social workers.

Some also said they were not guaranteed a good social worker – even from councils given the highest rating from the Commission for Social Care Inspection.

Many children felt that social workers:

  • changed too often and did not always share information with each other
  • did not always seem to listen to them
  • did not act quickly enough when problems arose
  • sometimes concentrated more on what was best for the adult looking after them
  • did not speak to them alone during visits.

Children’s Rights Director Dr Roger Morgan said: “As usual, they have been totally honest with their comments.

"Their views are simple - they just want help with personal problems, to be listened to and included in the decisions made about them, treated with respect and to be able to liaise with a social worker who shows empathy.”

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Created: 7/6/2006 Last updated: 7/11/2006