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In-Service Training for Social Workers
The extension of social work practice in community care has been undertaken by local
authorities at a time when the whole conception of the aims and objects of the social services and
society's expectations of them is undergoing change and re-evaluation. However exciting this may
be, it is important that we should not lose sight of the fact that good social services are directly
related to the existence in the department, and the further recruitment of, staff with the attitude of
mind that accepts people in need, and has a desire to use every possible resource in helping them.
There is no single service labelled "community care" which can exist separate from all
other services, and this has been borne very much in mind in devising the in-service training
programme. It will be remembered that the Borough Council have approved the appointment of
Welfare Assistants as trainees with the expectation of their secondment to training colleges
awarding recognised qualifications in social work. The course is intended primarily to equip men
and women for work in Health and Welfare Departments (including Mental Health). We look forward
to the return of our first trainee as a qualified officer in the autumn of 1967. Four others began
their two-year course in 1966 and another four are due to begin this autumn. The nature and
content of these courses is known and has naturally influenced our own programme.
We have started a small library of books recommended for preparatory reading, and have
been fortunate in being allowed the long-term loan of some from the public library.
As this "pre-training" is mainly carried out within our own setting, it was realised at
the start that it would have an effect upon, and could not be undertaken in isolation from, other
members of staff. Simply expressed, the aim has been to assist in the learning process in any
area where the need is apparent. Consequently it was seen that pre-training and staff development
were two parts of a whole and needed to be looked at together.
Theory and practice are complementary and do not always occur in the same order.
Valuable experience and skill in a particular field cannot be over-estimated. No in-service
training programme can succeed without the active and full participation of skilled members of
staff. Our coming together for visits, talks, to see films and have discussions, has provided
opportunities for pooling knowledge and experience and induced the climate where we are ready
to learn from each other.
In addition, certain items in the programmes have been made available to staff and
students in other departments. It is topical to talk about the multi-disciplinary approach, but
there is no doubt that the person in need benefits by his problem being looked at from all angles,
and social workers themselves get a deeper understanding of ways of helping by being able to
discuss mutual problems in an informal atmosphere.
The programme, as well as increasing knowledge, aims at producing a balance between
theory and practice. Broadly this is achieved in two ways. The trainee has regular tutorial
sessions that progress from the giving of factual knowledge concerning legislation; the existing
social services, both statutory and voluntary; the keeping of records; to discussion of social
policy and practice, the definition of case work and how to present a case history. At the same
time the trainee, working alongside the experienced social workers, is carrying out essential
work in the department and so is faced with living persons with real problems. These are brought
back for discussion resulting in a more effective service and a greater understanding on the
trainee's part of what he is doing and the reasons for this.
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