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April 29 an important day for social work staff!
UNISON, in partnership with Community Care, is launching Social Work Watch to shine a light on a typical working day in social work. On Tuesday, 29 April we need as many social work staff as possible to fill in a survey about their working day. We will use the results to promote understanding of social work, and highlight the daily pressures staff currently face. Wed like social work members in Surrey County UNISON to spread the word about the initiative and also use it as an opportunity to talk to non-members as a recruitment opportunity.

Why are we doing this?

We will be asking you to fill in a survey telling us about what you did on that day. How many hours did you work? What kind of work did you do? How did your work make a difference to the lives of service users? And what impact did the day have on your mental well-being? All your responses will be anonymous. Our aim is to bring the findings of the survey to the public and policy makers to promote greater understanding of social work and to step up the push for change.

What do we have to do?

To pre-register and get a survey reminder send to you on the day, please email socialwork@unison.co.uk with the words Social Work Watch reminder in the subject. Put the 29 April in your diary. During the day, you may want to keep brief notes of your activities and experiences. Then at the end of the day, or very soon after, go to ww.surveymonkey.com/s/socialwork-watch and complete the survey. Tell your colleagues we need mass participation in the first ever Social Work Watch!

Look out for the results theyll be publicised in the summer along with ways for you to get involved in the campaign.

As an added incentive those who complete the survey on or soon after 29 April will be entered into a prize draw to win a free iPad Mini!

Surrey County UNISON says please get involved

Branch Secretary, Paul Couchman, said: I would urge anyone involved in social work in Surrey to take this opportunity to tell the world about their work and help dispel some of the myths propagated by certain sections of the media. UNISON recognises the vital role that social work staff carry out in protecting vulnerable children and adults and we know that this work can be incredibly demanding and stressful for them. With the Government pushing an austerity agenda and attacking their pay and conditions too that makes it doubly difficult for them. We believe that every survey submitted will help to build up a body of evidence that will make policy makers and politicians across the country really sit up and listen.

SOCIAL CARE CONTACTS AT SURREY UNISON:

Adults Social Care: Children Schools and Families: Alan Clyne alan.clyne@surreycc.gov.uk Jane Armitage jane.armitage@surreycc.gov.uk

Surrey County Branch

0208 541 9091 unison@surreycc.gov.uk UNISON, Room G17, County Hall Penrhyn Road Kingston-upon-Thames KT1 2DN Website: www.surreycountyunison.org.uk Facebook members group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ surreycountyunison/ Follow us on Twitter: @SurreyUNISON