Centre For Post Qualifying Social Work - Employer Testimonials
Piers Tetley, Learning and Development Manager (Social Services)
In support of our recent awards Piers Tetley, Learning and Development Manager – Social Services, said:
The influence and achievements of the Centre for Post Qualifying Social Work at Bournemouth University cannot be underestimated. The Director, Keith Brown, sits on the most influential government and non-government social work bodies and is simply outstanding at translating governmental policies and initiatives into knowledge exchange/transfer initiatives which employers need and value.
In this ever increasingly complex business context Keith Brown and his team provide employers, like mine, with an absolutely invaluable service. It is not unreasonable to say that without the Centre many employers would simply not know where to turn for advice and guidance. Their materials, partnership arrangements and flexible approaches to meeting employers workforce development needs are widely acknowledged as the best in the country and are driven by their desire to ensure the best possible social work practice is available to the most vulnerable in our society; more critical than ever at this time due to the recent high-profile cases and public scrutiny of social work practice.
Their work with regard to Best Interest Assessors is a clear example of this and I therefore, as Joint Chair of the South West England Learn to Care Social Work Employers Forum, fully support this application.
Kim Westaway, Learning and Development Manager (Dorset County Council)
Kim Westaway, Learning and Development Manager – Adults’ Services, Dorset County Council said:
The deprivation of liberty legal safeguards (DoLS), which came into force on 1st April 2008, had a major workforce development impact on all local authorities in England. Every local authority in England was required to have trained and assessed Best Interest Assessors ready to implement this legislation, yet the guidelines and standards for assessment were issued finally only on 3rd November 2008.
The Centre for Post Qualifying Social Work was without doubt the single most important provider of this education in the UK. Without its efforts to produce flexible education and materials, many employers including mine would simply not have been able to meet their statutory obligations.
The Centre’s ability to work in partnership with employers is simply outstanding. They are widely known as the leaders in their field in the UK and this is built on their excellent relationships with employers such as mine, which allows for exceptional workforce development initiatives and is why they are the most successful University department in this field in the UK.
Their materials, partnership arrangements and flexible approaches to meeting employers workforce development needs are widely acknowledged to be the best in the country and are driven by their desire to ensure the best possible social work practice is available to the most vulnerable in our society. This is more critical than ever at this time due to the recent high-profile cases and public scrutiny of social work practice.
I fully support this application.
