There will now be considerable condemnation of social workers.I will present a few blunt facts to inform those concerned by this case. I trained for social work in 1970 to meet the requirements of the Children's and Young Persons Act 1969.I was an older person with life experience but soon found how difficult was this work.

From the start it was obvious that social workers were completely over-loaded. I realised that women workers,some very young ,and even relatively tough men,were expected to go into potentially very dangerous households,even at night,to deal with child care situations.

Though there was liaison with health visitors there was no structure which afforded the setting up of specialist teams of police officers,H.V's and social workers so that there was more than one person making the visit. After all ,do the police send around a lone policeman,let alone a lone police woman when dealing with potentially violent people.?

I will be frank by telling you that ,like so many others ,I moved on to quieter pastures in local government where it is possible to sit in a well paid comfortable job while social service budgets are cut.

Given the cynicism of politicians nationally and the incompetence, or powerless situation, of those in local government ,do not expect much change.

Unless you have been in the situation most social workers experience you cannot criticise. If you went into the situation with the hard nosed toughness of Clint Eastwood and took the child away you might end up castigated by the press and possibly let down by the courts who, in their political correctness, may decide that though a child is not in the most progressive of households it's condition is not so damaged as to warrant being taken from it's parent.(See C.A. 1989).

The system requires the drastic re-construction which I have suggested. This has to be paid for and experienced social workers have to be paid more than leisure services managers so that they don't transfer to the cosy services in local government where there is no need to understand complex legislation and where there is no risk,

John.D.Evans,M.Soc Science,C.Q.S.W. and letter in Child Care