Changing the Public's Perception; Social Workers Make the Deadlines Only When There Is Bad News. However, a New Fly-on-the-Wall Documentary Being Screened Tonight Aims to Address Negative Attitudes about the Profession

Byline: Niki Chesworth

[bar] AMNED if they do, damned if they don't. This is the title of the first programme in a new BBC2 fly-on-the-wall documentary series, Protecting our Children, about social work which starts tonight. The title sums up the poor perception of social workers who hit the headlines only when there is a failure in the system such as the tragic Baby P case.

However, rather than deterring people from wanting to join the profession, exposing just how challenging the role of a social worker can be is expected to do the opposite -- and lead to a rise in interest in social work courses.

This is what happened when a previous series, Someone to Watch Over Me, was screened a few years ago and the Open University, the production partner for the series, has prepared a range of resources to go online to coincide with the transmission.

"When previous programmes have gone out showing just how difficult and stressful being a social worker can be, more people seem to want to become one," says Owen Davies of The College of Social Work. …

Questia, a part of Gale, Cengage Learning. www.questia.com
Publication information: Article title: Changing the Public's Perception; Social Workers Make the Deadlines Only When There Is Bad News. However, a New Fly-on-the-Wall Documentary Being Screened Tonight Aims to Address Negative Attitudes about the Profession. Contributors: Not available. Newspaper title: The Evening Standard (London, England). Publication date: January 30, 2012. Page number: 52. © Not available. COPYRIGHT 2012 Gale Group.

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