Student and newly qualified Social Workers face a deluge of challenges and pressures during a period of intense learning and challenge. On occasions they may feel isolated or not clear about who they can talk to or where they can seek support.
The purpose of the Forum is to have a safe, comfortable, positive and confidential space for student and newly qualified Social Workers to meet their peers, support each other and to share and explore ideas and experiences.
This online forum is aimed at new BASW members, who are either newly qualified or have qualified with in the last 5 years and want to make supervision work for them.
If you are not sure what supervision is for or if it simply feels like a chore that has to be done, in this session we will explore:
> What supervision is really for (linking it to the PCF and BASW’s Ethical Framework
Our aim is to challenge ageism and advocate for more effective social work practice in later life.
Our work includes: • Advocating for social work responses to improve wellbeing through allyship and empowerment • Promoting policy and holistic practice that recognises diversity and intersecting experiences within the ageing population • Promoting social work in later life in education and professional development • Developing and sharing evidence about how social work contributes to positive ageing.
The Welsh Government is consulting on the national strategy for preventing and responding to child sexual abuse 2025 - 2035. The strategy sets out a vision for a Wales in which: • children and young people are safe from the harm of child sexual abuse • those affected by sexual abuse are supported across their lifespan
BASW England’s Criminal Justice group has expressed serious concerns at the Ministry of Justice’s (MOJ) decision, announced 24 April 2025, to introduce PAVA incapacitant spray across all youth custody settings in England. We believe this policy change will undermine safety, trust and the therapeutic environments essential to supporting children/young people in custody.
The mindfulness-based social work and self-care (MBSWSC) programme focusses on improving social work practice and self-care. It is a programme which has developed a strong evidence base for its effectiveness at reducing stress, emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation of service users, symptoms of anxiety and depression, and improving well-being and a range of social work practice skills and competencies.
A session uniquely designed and delivered by Siobhan Maclean, an experienced social worker, practice educator and consultant who has written widely around social work theory and written reflection.
Delivered virtually using MS Teams, with limited group sizes to allow for full interaction with the trainer.
This programme will explore:
- Journeys in social work practice
- Using the ‘what? why? and how?’ framework in management practice
- What leadership and management mean in social work
BASW Independents Local Networks provide an excellent opportunity to build professional links with other self-employed social workers in your area. These meetings are currently virtual and held on MS Teams.
This group meets quarterly on the 3rd Thursday of the month.
This online lunch time session will provide an opportunity for members to learn more about BASW UK activities, your membership benefits, advice and representation and how you can access CPD, be involved in our campaigns, consultations, networks and special interest groups.
Your Professional Association connects you with other social workers working in diverse settings across different nations at different stages of career pathways.
Human rights and social justice are core social work values and together we can promote the voice of social work and the BASW Code of Ethics.
Delivered by BASW’s accredited training partner DCC-i via MS Teams.
Since the implementation of the Care Act 2014, working with adults who may be at risk of harm and undertaking safeguarding adults’ enquiries has seen a shift in emphasis from process to personalised responses.
In a crisis, silence can cost lives psychological safety helps ensure every concern is voiced and heard. This interactive lunchtime session explores how social work skills can strengthen psychological safety in disaster contexts, improving communication, trust and resilience under pressure.
Participants will: • Understand the role of psychological safety in effective disaster response. • Explore guiding principles for fostering trust and open communication in high pressure situations. • Reflect on how social work values can influence collaborative multi agency responses.
The Southwest regional branch welcomes Matt Stabb, who has a lifetime of lived experience due to having Cerebral Palsy. He is a long-standing disability rights activist committed to supporting Disabled people to make their voices heard and to make change.
He’s also a footie loving, left-wing, antifascist who loves causing a little bit of chaos. Matt is a proud disabled man with a story to tell. Join your local BASW branch to hear from Matt in a Q&A session based on his recently self-published book ‘Keep on Keeping On: Cerebral Palsy: It is what it is’.
Entry to this online event is FREE for SWU members and voting facilities will be provided during the meeting.
When booking your free place: at the Payment Method section please select "Credit Card" and you will be given the option to sign up to the event for free. If you need support registering for this event please contact joanne.marciano@swu-union.org.uk.
Registration deadline: SWU members must register by 12pm (noon) on Thursday September 25th to attend this AGM.
Research findings and practice experience provide compelling evidence that animal abuse in the context of domestic abuse is a tactic of coercive control and an act of animal cruelty (Arkow, 2014; Barrett et al, 2017; DeGue et al, 2009; Fitzgerald et al, 2019; Newberry, 2017; Richards, 2009, Wakeham, 2025). Although the link between domestic abuse and animal abuse is uncontested, it is an issue that is often not translated into practice.
Supported by BASW, the Neurodivergent Social Workers Special Interest Group (NSW SIG) is a SIG for neurodivergent social workers, and professionals within social care.
If you are a social worker who is neurodivergent, come and join us, let’s be the change and make our workplace neuro-inclusive! This vibrant, active SIG meets online, usually on MS Teams, on the last Tuesday of every month, 7pm till 8.30pm.