'Judges want role of independent social workers safeguarded'

The important role played by independent social workers (ISWs) in care proceedings should be safeguarded, concludes a new report which is based on the views of senior judges. A senior Oxford University researcher and her team ed 23 senior judges sitting in 20 of 43 county courts across England and Wales and found that ISWs were highly valued - they are regarded as practitioners at the 'top of their field', able to provide high-quality assessments in care proceedings in tight timescales. Their 'experience, expertise and wisdom' in complex cases influences outcomes for children and helps courts move forward with speed and confidence, adds the report. Authored by Dr Julia Brophy, from the Department of Social Policy and Intervention at the University of Oxford, the report was commissioned by the Confederation of Independent Social Work Agencies UK. The report says concerns that independent social work reports cause delay, duplicate existing assessments and add nothing new to proceedings were 'ill founded' and 'wrong'. This is contrary to the Family Justice Review of 2011, which accepted many of the criticisms of ISWs. In s, judges said that the use of ISWs can avoid delay in proceedings: they have the specialist skills and expertise that local authorities were unable to provide - or could not provide within the timeframe required.