The College of Social Work: Media release

College response to Community Care re BASW proposals

30 March 2010

AllanBowman, chair of The College of Social Work Development Group, has invited Fran Fuller, acting BASW chair, to meet with representatives of the Development Group following BASW’s referendum – regardless of the outcome. The objective will be to reach an agreed position to build one College. 

Mr Bowman says: “The College Development Group looks forward to getting involved in collaborative, constructive debate with all social workers – including the nine per cent who are BASW members - during the major consultation which will start in May. Enabling them to shape the future College is what really matters.”

The specific proposals that BASW has made (ie a joint working programme, advisory role to the CSWUK; nomination of social workers for election to the CSWUK Council; secondment of development team to the CSWUK; and joining the CSWUK associated organisatoins) are puzzling to the Development Group. 

Speaking on the issue, Allan Bowman says:

“BASW appears to be trying to subvert the agenda away from building one college which is what the Development Group has signed up to do.  The Development Group – which represents a wide range of stakeholders -  has negotiated and agreed terms of reference  and a development process to build the College. BASW has actually signed up to these but they now seem to be asking us to change them. This is beyond our agreed remit and not what we believe to be the best way forward for the profession.”

“We want to build one College with BASW rather than a joint working programme.  It follows therefore that we do not see it as appropriate to take on a formal advisory role to a different College led by BASW or to nominate social workers to a Council for their College.

“The suggestion that the temporary staff employed to support the early stages of development are seconded to a BASW College is odd and impractical. The role of this small team is to support the College Development Group. 

“Members of the Development Group will need to take their own decisions about association with a separate college developed by BASW and the Development Group as a whole cannot speak for individual organisations. 

“As BASW has pointed out, this is a transformational moment for social work.  I have asked Fran Fuller to make sure that we all work together to achieve the changes for the profession that are so necessary.”

Bill McKitterick’s decision to stand down as the BASW Council lead on the College Development Group, is entirely his decision. The Development Group will continue to work with BASW regardless of who they nominate as their representative on College discussions.

In a letter sent to acting BASW chair, Fran Fuller, Mr Bowman also corrected a number of factual inaccuracies in recent BASW press statements, and suggested that it is unhelpful to keep drawing attention publicly to differences rather than shared ambitions for the College.

In particular, he has clarified the following.

• The College of Social Work that the Development Group is starting off is not a government funded model and is independent of government.  Government is providing start up funding to get the College off the ground; once established it will be funded from membership subscriptions and associated income.
• The decision to invite Ms Fuller to meet with the Development Group was not taken after any Ministerial pressure on the Development Group or on me as Chair of that group

SCIE did not ask BASW to step down from the Development Group temporarily – the Development Group did that, and was unanimous in taking that decision because of the clear conflict of interest that arises from BASWs stated intention to form its own College. 

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