Mr. John Mark Taylorasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with the legal training received and applied by social workers responsible for overseeing cases of children at risk; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WhitneyAppropriate training in child care law and practice is clearly essential for social workers, and all qualifying social work in training courses approved by the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work are required to contain such training. The council is engaged in consultations about the present content of social work teaching and the availability of supervised practice in cases of child abuse with a view to establishing the possibilities for improvement in both qualifying and in-service courses. When it comes to applying the law in particular cases, it is for employing local authorities to ensure that legal guidance is available for social workers.