A report in today's The Guardian newspaper says that social worker's morale is at 'rock bottom' by cuts, targets and ministers making the issue of race and adoption a "political football", according to the biggest professional association.
Nushra Mansuri, of the British Association of Social Workers, is expected to criticise the education secretary Michael Gove, who accused social workers of condemning black and Asian children to a life in care rather than see them adopted by white couples.
"Leftwing prescriptions are denying children the love they need," Gove said in February. "This misguided nonsense punishes those who most need our help." The coalition later amended practice guidelines to speed up the adoption process and emphasise the determination of ministers to see more trans-racial adoptions.
"We are angry being misrepresented in this way," said Mansuri, who speaks for 14,000 social workers. "It is easy to talk about children in care who need to be with loving families and we are concerned about that. But we also know that only a minority can be adopted."
Mansuri, who will address the Lords select committee on adoption legislation led by Lady Butler-Sloss, said ministers increased their popularity by highlighting difficulties in adoption but did not take responsibility: "They set the policies and release the resources. What Gove said is an example of adoption as a political football, of the misrepresentation and distortion that gets people's backs up."
You can read the full story in The Guardian here.
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