Sukhdave (Dave) Grewal’s Post

Well finally someone starting to touch on some of the real issues in social work which is poor management and leadership.

Fantastic news for social workers in the State of Colorado. The Governor signed the HB24-1002 -Social Work Licensure Compact. What does it mean for social workers? BILL SUMMARY The act enacts the "Social Work Licensure Compact" (compact). The compact is designed to: 1. Eliminate the necessity for social workers to obtain licenses from multiple states by providing for the mutual recognition of permits from other states that have signed the compact (member states); 2. Facilitate the exchange of licensure and disciplinary information among member states; 3. Authorize member states to hold a regulated social worker accountable for abiding by a member state's laws, regulations, and applicable professional standards in the member state in which the client is located at the time care is rendered and 4. Allow for the use of telehealth to facilitate increased access to regulated social work services. The act authorizes the state board of social work examiners (board) to promulgate rules and facilitate Colorado's participation in the compact. This includes notifying the Social Work Licensure Compact Commission (commission) established by the compact of any adverse action the board takes against a Colorado-regulated social worker. The commission includes a delegate from each member state and has the powers and duties outlined in the act. The compact becomes effective on the date the compact is enacted in the seventh member state. For the 2024-25 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $78,750 from the Division of Professions and Occupations cash fund to the Department of Regulatory Agencies for use by the Division of Professions and Occupations to implement the act. APPROVED by Governor June 3, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024

What do you think about these changes to workers' rights that Labour are bringing in? The UK government is introducing a major overhaul of workers' rights with the Employment Rights Bill, aimed at providing more benefits like sick pay and parental leave from day one. While this is set to affect millions of workers, it also raises important questions for businesses—especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs)—about how these changes will impact their operations. Key Changes: Sick Pay: Employees will now be eligible for Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) from the first day of illness, which could result in increased short-term costs for businesses. However, this might improve worker satisfaction and retention. Parental and Bereavement Leave: New hires will be entitled to unpaid parental and bereavement leave immediately, rather than after months of service, which could create staffing gaps for SMEs already working with lean teams. Flexible Working: Employers will need to consider flexible working requests from the first day of employment. While this provides workers with more options, it may create operational challenges for SMEs with fewer resources to manage such flexibility. Zero-Hours Contracts: Workers on these contracts will be offered guaranteed hours based on their recent work history. While this adds structure to unpredictable schedules, it could also reduce the flexibility SMEs have relied on when adjusting labour to demand. Business Concerns: Many SMEs are cautious about the potential costs and logistical difficulties that could arise from these changes. Tina McKenzie, policy chair at the Federation of Small Businesses, described the bill as potentially burdensome, particularly for smaller firms that may lack the resources to quickly adapt to new regulations. For instance, offering sick pay from day one and navigating new rules around flexible working could strain limited HR capacities. Dominic Ponniah, CEO of Cleanology, highlighted how the changes might affect hiring decisions. He mentioned that firms may become more selective about new employees, given the added complexity around sick pay, unfair dismissal, and extended probationary periods. Opportunities for SMEs: Despite concerns, some business leaders see potential benefits. Ann Francke of the Chartered Management Institute noted that many progressive businesses have already implemented aspects of these changes. By adopting more flexible and supportive policies, SMEs could see improved employee morale and productivity, making them more attractive workplaces in the long run. For smaller businesses, the two-year delay before most changes take effect allows time to prepare. SMEs can begin planning now—reviewing policies, adjusting recruitment strategies, and consulting with HR experts to ensure they’re ready when the new laws come into force.

This is great news and could be an absolute game-changer for social care. It is unsustainable for people who need social care support to have to rely on providers only able to pay at or close to minimum wage, so a pay body can help put this back to where it needs to be (equivalent to NHS pay). Stating the obvious .... as long as the funding follows the pay, and we remember that a huge part of the social care workforce is outside of the public sector, so funding needs to flow from Government to commissioners of social care support and on to the providers of social care - and ring-fenced all the way through. Otherwise, we will have even more market failure than we have now. Looking forward to supporting the Government to put this in place. https://lnkd.in/eZBreWRU

Here’s a great read on the Importance of Self-Care for Social Workers, a crucial tool for social workers. #SocialWorkers #MentalHealth #Wellbeing https://lnkd.in/ezEAi6XH

Joe Hanley's post below points to the decline in the numbers of social workers completing the CPD requirement. Practically everyone I know in social work sees it as a box ticking exercise but this is such a missed opportunity for the profession. There is a real need to think about the practice-research gap and with some organisation this could be a really valuable opportunity to facilitate this kind of engagement. The relationship between research and practice is central to our professional identity, and in this sense a CPD requirement is a something valuable. But to make this opportunity real I think we are going to need some genuine leadership in this area from Social Work England. 

Regulations will tighten for agency social workers in children’s services starting in 2025, aiming to reduce costs and promote stable, permanent staffing. While authorities support the changes for improving continuity of care, there are concerns about the impact on recruitment and retention in the sector. Our Managing Director, Jonathan Wadsworth commented on the regulations: “Enforcing legislative power to further restrict support from agency providers is simply turning a blind eye as to why there are such high vacancy rates in the first place. Local authorities are not retaining their permanent workforce and this needs addressing first.” Read the full article ⤵️ https://lnkd.in/eegjSsxt

Social Work England find that social workers who believe society values them are more likely to recommend social work as a career. Further evidence that informing social workers that most people DO actually value them is vital for recruitment/retention. https://lnkd.in/eCMJY_Jz

What's the latest with social care? 📈 Demand is increasing and expected to continue to climb 🪑 High vacancy rates and high staff turnover 0️⃣ A quarter of social care workers are on zero-hours contracts 💰 Pay is among the lowest in the UK economy 🏆 Opportunities for progression are limited Desperately in need of investment - faced with growing demand and in excess of 150,000 vacancies - is this social care crisis fixable? What else should be done? We asked the people who know - the care workers themselves. We shadowed domiciliary care workers in our six month action research project to understand the challenges they face and listen to their insights into how to fix them. Here's what we found out: https://lnkd.in/ezd-m77f

📢 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗚𝗶𝗴 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗞𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗮! 🚀 The Karnataka government has unveiled the groundbreaking 𝙆𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙖 𝙋𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢-𝙗𝙖𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙂𝙞𝙜 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙚𝙧𝙨 (𝙎𝙤𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙎𝙚𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙒𝙚𝙡𝙛𝙖𝙧𝙚) 𝘽𝙞𝙡𝙡, 2024. This landmark legislation aims to protect the rights of gig workers and ensure their social security. The bill is expected to be introduced during the upcoming monsoon session of the state legislature. Here are the key highlights: ➡️ 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝘆: Gig workers will have greater autonomy to terminate contracts and avoid being overworked. A platform-based gig worker may refuse or reject, with reasonable cause, a specified number of gig work requests per week, as shall be provided in the contractual agreement between the platform-based gig worker and the aggregator, without any adverse consequences. ➡️ 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: All platform-based gig workers and aggregators must register with the state's labour department. Aggregators must submit a database of registered gig workers within 60 days of the Act's commencement. Gig workers will receive a unique ID applicable across all platforms. ➡️ 𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗳𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱 & 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗱: Establishment of a welfare board comprising state officials, gig worker representatives, aggregator representatives, and civil society members. Creation of a welfare fund to provide financial support and social security benefits, including health insurance and accident coverage. ➡️ 𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗳𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗙𝗲𝗲: Aggregators are required to pay a welfare fee based on either transaction costs or their annual turnover. The fee will contribute to the welfare fund, ensuring continuous support for gig workers. ➡️ 𝗢𝗰𝗰𝘂𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗮𝗳𝗲𝘁𝘆 & 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 (𝗢𝗦𝗛) 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀: Aggregators must adhere to prescribed OSH standards to ensure a safe working environment for gig workers. The state government will inspect working conditions and enforce compliance. ➡️ 𝗚𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗱𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗹 & 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗽𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Gig workers have access to a grievance redressal mechanism to address any issues. Aggregators must provide written reasons for termination and give a 14-day notice period for any contract changes. An Internal Dispute Resolution Committee will be established for aggregators with over 50 workers. ➡️ 𝗣𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗡𝗼𝗻-𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲: Aggregators failing to comply with the Act may face fines ranging from ₹5,000 to ₹50 lakh. Interest rates of 12% per annum will be charged for late payments of the welfare fee. #GigWorkers #Karnataka #SocialSecurity #LabourRights #GigEconomy #WelfareBill #EmploymentRights #LabourLaws #EmploymentLaws #WorkplaceSafety 💼⚖️💪 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀: 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀, 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗧𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀, 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗜𝗔𝗦, 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀𝗕𝘆𝘁𝗲𝘀