By Lucy Caulkett-
Over 90,000 people have signed a social worker’s petition opposing controversial measures included in the Children and Social Work Bill.
Carolyne Willow- a co-founder of the children’s rights group Article 39, launched the petition against clauses in the bill which gives the government the power to exempt councils from statutory duties under children’s social care law for up to six years.
The government claims the exemptions promote ‘innovation’ by enabling councils to experiment with new ways of working in children’s services. A handful of councils has already expressed interest in using the powers to review the way independent reviewing officers are used and approval arrangements for kinship carers.
However, members of a coalition set up by the children rights group Article 39 . argue that the plans threaten a legal safety net for children and families that have been carefully built up over the past 80 years. The group is backed by over 30 organisations , most of whom are backing the petition.
The government has proposed amendments to the plans, aimed at garnering support in a bid to shore up support for the measures and address concerns of inadequate safeguards in the approval process for exemption applications. It remains to be seen what effect this strongly backed petition will have on the government’s plans.
A safety net for children’s services is very important since the lives and development of children are an integral part of any developing society. Some of the supporters are calling for a public consultation on the issue, categorically condemning the entire governmental plan. The government may need to demonstrate the wisdom in their idea that innovation kin various councils will positively result for children by the moves they propose and find an effective way to allay the fears of members of the Article 39 group.
If the group have carefully considered the implications of governmental plans, then some compromise may be necessary to deliver an efficient system that works for all. In the meantime, the petition will continue to grow, as the issue is flagged and shared in social work forums and among the mutual friends of the Article 39 group.
The petition has received 92,000 signatures and is just 8,000 signatures away from forcing a debate in parliament over the issues. It will be a lot more beneficial for the issue to be resolved through factual and logical communication between the parties involved, without the need of this being raised as a parliamentary debate.