Don’t jump to slam social work

IN the aftermath of the conviction of Matthew ScullyHicks with regard to the tragic death of his adopted daughter Elsie, then once again the role of social workers comes under the media spotlight.

I am therefore delighted to be able to recount my very positive experience when attending the recent Care Leavers Regional Conference at the impressive Arts Centre in Stockton.

This was an opportunity for young people to speak about their experiences when in the care of the Local Authority and the relationship that they had with both their social workers and their foster carers.

Inevitably there were some tragic stories but what really stood out was the positive accounts of social workers who had gone the extra mile to build meaningful relationships with young people whose lives were in turmoil.

It is a source of some frustration for me that so much good and important work done by our social workers remains in the shadows and that their role usually emerges into the spotlight when a tragedy occurs as in the case of young Ellie. Child protection is never an exact science and difficult decisions are made on a daily basis to protect the safety of vulnerable children. I hope therefore we will not leap to criticise but will seek to value all engaged in Child Protection for the demanding and important work they do. Coun ROB HIGGINS corporate parenting committee member Newcastle City Council