A good question for the office Christmas Party this year: do you know any organisation which has its financial year running from October to September? The answer is the Social Workers’ Benevolent Trust. I knew this but then I am a trustee. The reason for the anomaly lies deep in SWBT’s fifty year history. I can’t answer that one.
In keeping with legal requirements SWBT has just completed its annual report which will soon go online. Some analysis of the applications to the charity in the past year have already been included in our regular section in Professional Social Work. Further details will appear in future blogs and in the report itself.
Facts and figures raise questions and often highlight the need for more detail and research. Organisations might then choose to look deeper and develop its strategies in line with what has been found. One area where we have not yet been keeping specific data is that of applicants seeking grants from SWBT who have personally experienced domestic violence.
I have been a trustee for 2 ½ years and during that time I have seen an increase in the number of social workers who contact us who have been subject to some form of domestic abuse. As a practising or retired professional, you won’t need me to tell you what impact this can have on households, especially if it has been concealed and endured for some time. However, I feel it is very important I share some of the information with you which the trust receives.
Personally, I find some of the stories told to us to be particularly distressing. Some social workers have written about how they and their children have had to flee violent or controlling partners, perhaps moving to a safe place in another part of the country. They then have to start up a new home for themselves and their children, probably without most of their personal belongings or what is needed for everyday living such as beds, a cooker or a washing machine, and so on. Where there are children, new schools may need to be found, or new uniforms and other essential items acquired. Sometimes there will be legal cases to fight which can be harrowing, demoralising and expensive. At some point will come the decision on when, or how, to return to work.
Another issue I have noticed is the isolation felt by many social workers who approach SWBT for financial help. This seems to be especially the case with agency workers. A sudden illness in the family may lead to the worker ceasing employment temporarily to care for relatives. The end of a contract and the interim period before a new one is agreed can bring uncertainty. Paid income might cease and financial hardship can be the result.
It is clear that some of the grant applicants have not shared their anxieties with colleagues. When I look back on my career, I understand why workers do not wish to tell their peers about personal difficulties in their lives. Of course, many social workers are not based in teams. They could be carrying out duties independently with little supervisory support. How to overcome professional isolation continues to be a major issue, in my view.
SWBT give grants which must seem small in comparison to unexpected or dramatic changes in life circumstances. Sometimes it receives emails of thanks once grants have been made which is heartening and encourages us to keep going. However, I know that my fellow trustees and I often wonder how the successful applicants will manage in the years ahead. Money is not always the answer.
Mike Young
Trustee – Social Workers’ Benevolent Trust
29th November 2024