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ow social wo ke s can el

eo le live e lives e wan

ulie i le reports from an inspiring conference about a series of
Named Social Worker pilots in England funded by the Department of Health.
An audience of self-advocates, families, social work practtoners and
others heard about the positve contributon social work can make to the lives
of people with learning disabilites when practce is based on knowing what works,
and is developed in co-producton with the people it supports.

e e ocial o k on e ence ancas e nive si en e
o isa ili esea c e e e e a e ocial o ke is
e ne as
e ween c o e an a c so e sai i was us oo social wo k l A dedicated social worker
B si local au o ites eo le wi lea nin isa ilites notce
al e ale a en ive ool e social wo ke was e e o e an l The main point of contact for
o n a e el e e was less alk o e acton . people and their families
an e o s i e an e new a e secon si - on ase o l A professional voice of
ocial o ke ilo s wi eo le ilo s is ein un e . challenge across the system
wi lea nin isa ilites. e ilo s
ialle i e en in s inclu in Good social work practce with people Lyn Romero, Chief Social Worker
avin e e s e e ience as ai with learning disabilites placed for Adults in England
ea e e s. loe a a e o citzenship and social inclusion at its
e nnovaton ni su o tn e centre, the Chief Social Worker for
local au o ites alon si e e ocial Adults in England, Lyn Romero, said. The rise of managerialist and process-led
a e nst u e o cellence Social workers need to support the social social work was leading to poor outcomes
sai a i a ean acttone s networks that can make a real diference for people with learning disabilites,
allowin t e o eall e o know in people’s lives and be a bridge to said Rob Mitchell, Principal Social Worker
eo le an eall lis en. n ac community resources and services. for Adults in Bradford. Social workers
ofen rely on a ‘box of tricks’, instead
of working with people’s families and
a real change over the six years we have htp://www.integratepreston.org.uk/ networks or listening closely to what the
atended. The frst year we were the only For further informaton about person is saying about the life they
organisaton to send a delegaton that the enterprises see: want. Referring to the Care Act 2014,
included those we support as well as paid htp://www.integratepreston.org.uk/ he said that practtoners need to
staf and volunteers – we didn’t have to integrate-community-enterprises.asp start from the assumpton that the
make a conscious choice about that as it person is best placed to judge their
is in our DNA. At this year’s awards it was own wellbeing and focus on
nice to see that it is now the norm for this their wishes, feelings, beliefs,
to be the case. and individual circumstances.
ENTERPRISES:
For myself all this is not without its l ak- – product assembly, Advanced Practtoner Jackie Mahoney
challenges. I am a qualifed nurse by packaging and fulflment service spoke about revisitng the profession’s
profession and hold senior operatonal roots in ethical and social justce
management responsibility for a large l n e a e s o – approaches. Speaking about their
and diverse range of supported housing in charity retail service involvement in Calderdale, and now the
additon to the social enterprises. I fnd l lan s – hortcultural business Bradford pilot, Nina Riddleston and
myself having to know as much about with plant nursery, traditonal Shvonne Nakoneczyni refected that
DEFRA regulatons, commercial vehicle crafs and contract work good social work isn’t about simply
deployment and chainsaw qualifcatons, protectng people – people are experts in
and a whole host of obscure details in l e oo ouse – their own lives. Self-advocates want social
order to allow the businesses to furniture renovaton, workers they can trust, who treat them
operate. On the plus side, there is never a handyman service, waste and with respect, listen and do what they say
dull moment and the efect we have on an surplus wood converted into they will do. It was important that social
individual and community level is its furniture and other products. workers challenge the prevailing medical
own reward. ll en e ises a e sus aine model and the barriers and assumptons
ou a in inco e. that hold people back from living the life
Peter Green is Project Director at they want.
Integrate (Preston & Chorley) Ltd Contnued overleaf

www.cl-initatves.co.uk Community Living Vol 31 No 2 | Winter 2017 17