JUST A THOUGHT ON - 'SURVIVING SOCIAL WORK. THE END...

 

Having the added safeguarding measure of, yes, a 'spy' in the family's home, should be considered a necessary price for some families to pay.

Especially when the alternatives to having this periodic visual monitoring of the child could mean removing them from their families, or living with the increased risk of less monitoring of the child.

Some people will argue with the ethics of such measures. Some will see it as a step too far, but the fact is that we are not going to be able to stop or turn back the clock in marching towards becoming a more surveillance society. 

We can, realistically, only expect to slow down the increasing encroachment of the surveillance society. 

So, I would, am arguing, it makes good sense for social work to make more and appropriate use of all the relevant technology available to it.  

Which the profession could use to reduce the risk which dangerous parenting, and inadequate social work practice and community support, pose to vulnerable children and their families. 

And be able to work more efficaciously the provision of services to all categories of children and families. 

After all, if computers are better able to not only predict  children who are at risk of harm from their parents and carers, but also the type and level of risk. 

Then, does it not make good sense to use such tools? In the field of medicine, the scientists and researchers are developing using computers to diagnose people's illnesses. 

Why not apply the same thing to social work practice? If we are better able to make accurate predictions about people's future, and even past behaviours and about the risk of harm the pose to children. 

Then, scarce resources can be more accurately, efficiently and effectively deployed, and better outcomes should become achievable.

Yes, there needs to be a debate, but there is little to be gained, and much to lose from delaying having it. 

Including that of social workers continuing to have responsibility for safeguarding children, which they are not sufficiently resourced to meet.