Guidelines issued on media reporting on work of social workers

The British Association of Social Workers and press oversight body Impress have issued media reporting guidelines for cases involving social work after what they said were complaints from the Social Workers Union (SWU) of “harrowing stories about the impact of poor media reporting about the profession”.

The guidelines are intended to maintain accuracy over reports involving vulnerable groups, ensure coverage does not create harm to the public, ensure no social workers are individually named or identifiable as working on a particular case, recognise social workers are not spokespeople or able to breach confidentiality and avoid portraying law-breaking as acceptable or perpetrators as victims.

Carol Reid, SWU national organiser, said: “Social workers are on the front-line of helping the most vulnerable in society. In their roles, social workers have to carry out statutory duties. Therefore, it is correct and accepted that these professionals – like their colleagues – are open to public scrutiny.

“However, unlike colleagues in general nursing, police and social care, social workers tend not to receive balanced coverage in the media.

“Indeed, it is often the case that social workers only make headlines when things have gone wrong. To avoid unbalanced reporting on social work and social workers, and to ensure they are covered fairly, on matters of public interest, this document sets out helpful guidance.”

BASW chief executive Ruth Allen said: “Social workers and people receiving services should have confidence that media output of all types will be accurate, fair and won’t put people at risk.”

Among cases cited by the SWU, one social worker needed police protection after being named in the media and facing death threats and another was harassed at work by a group with a megaphone and later followed home.

Mark Smulian