Social Workers in Disabilities – SWID

2010 / 11            Chairperson:     Caitriona Whitty

Secretary:           Anne O’ Loughlin

Treasurer:          Ann Byrne

The National SWID committee met approximately every 6/8 weeks in the past year. The meetings were mainly held in KARE Services, Kilcullen, Co. Kildare.

It has been a busy year for SWID with involvement in a number of areas. 

Following the IASW AGM IN 2010 where SWID’s motion regarding the IASW drafting a policy on the recording/collection of confidential client information was adopted, a working group was set up by IASW to develop same. SWID was represented on this group. Great strides has been made in this area with clarification sought from the Data Protection Commission who upheld the Social Work view in relation to the protection of confidential information which should only be shared on a need to know basis.

During the past year SWID was represented at the HIQA Launch of the draft National Standards for Safer Better Health Care in Sept 2010 and also contributed to their consultation document. There is a SWID rep on the National Rehabilitation Strategy Group and on the Council on Stroke. 

SWID participated in a focus group organised by the National Disability Authority in regards to a consultation process that would inform their policies on key issues such as Independent living and what helps or hinders people in participating in the everyday life of the community. 

Over the past year, SWID has been developing links with the Universities. In November 2010 following a request from Trinity College, 2 SWID members provided lectures to Social Work students looking at contemporary issues in the areas of Age and Disability. In February 2011, UCD invited SWID to give an input into the UCD curriculum Review. 

SWID committee has a representative on the IMPACT Social Work Vocational group. Ruth Robinson’s involvement has kept us abreast of matters regarding the Croke Park agreement as well as other significant Union issues in the past year. 

The Annual Conference/AGM of SWID took place in October 2010. The Conference was titled ‘Value for Money – At what cost?’ Given the current financial climate, the presentations at the conference created a forum for lively discussion and debate.

The main speakers were; Brendan Broderick who spoke on the issues involved in ‘Value for Money’ Group. Brendan is the C.E.O Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary and also a Member of the ‘Value for Money’ Working Group. Frieda Finlay, Chairperson of Inclusion Ireland gave a presentation titled Views of Inclusion: Ireland on the current provision Of Services for Service User Users’. 

Sarah Donnelly gave us food for thought in her presentation titled ‘An Exploration of Care Planning meetings with Vulnerable patients…. Observations and Practical Implications’. The conference ended with Philie Sheehan’s presentation ‘Do parents of children with an Intellectual Disability identify with a grief process as a valid way of describing their experience of having a child with a disability’. This presentation reflected on the importance of the role of Social Worker in the area of Disability. 

On April 1st 2011 SWID held its annual seminar titled ‘Rights and Wrongs - Safeguarding Vulnerable Clients And The Issue of Capacity’. There was a very large attendance at this seminar and the feedback from participants was excellent. Dr. Mary Keys, a Law Lecturer in UCG and a background in Social Work gave an engaging presentation on the issues regarding capacity.

This presentation raised a lot of issues and discussion points for Social Workers. Theresa McDonagh, Social Work Team Leader in Disabilities gave an outline of the policy in operation in the HSE Wexford LHO area regarding ‘Managing Allegations of Abuse of Vulnerable Clients including persons with Disability, Mental Health and Older Persons’. The other contributors to the conference were Dr. Mary Allen, Lecturer in UCD who presented a paper on Domestic Violence and Bernie Gibbons the Project Leader of ‘ The CASPIR Project’ set up by the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety in the North. The project is set to develop an e-resource relating to the Safeguarding and protection of adults and it is hoped that this resource will be of use to Social Work practitioners on the whole island.

The feedback of participants at the Seminar was that the topics were highly important and of great value to Social Workers working in this area. 

SWID is now calling on members for topics for our Conference in October.

Rights and Wrongs

Capacity Issues and Safeguarding Vulnerable Clients

Domestic Violence; Its Impact on Vulnerable Adults and Children

Venue;Tullamore Court Hotel, Tullamore, Co. Offaly 

Date; Friday 1st April 2011

Registration @ 9am closes @ 4pm 

Cost; €20 for members, €30 for non members

Cost includes attendance at Seminar, refreshments and lunch 

This Seminar will be accredited for CPD points. Click here to download the full intinerary

CLICK on the links below to download the presentations;

Intro to CASPIR                      CASPIR Slides

Ppt on Dom V for IHSW         PPT on WHLO                   PPT on Capacity

Many Thanks.

Anne O'Loughlin

Anne.O' This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

"Value for Money - at what cost?"

SWID AGM & Conference 2010

Thursday 21st & Friday 22nd Oct, 2010

click here to dowload the flyer

Social Workers in Disabilities – SWID

Caitriona Whitty

The National SWID committee meets once a month throughout the year. The meetings are presently held in KARE Services, Kitcullen, Co. Kildare.

The Eastern Regional Group of SWID currently meets on a 3 monthly basis in Cheerverstown. Unfortunately due to travel restrictions in the past year, other regional SWID groups have had difficulties convening such meetings.  

During the past year SWID mad submissions to such documents as the Mental Capacity Bill, The Disability Act, The Ryan Report, and to The Assessment of Need Consultation Process. One of our members has inputted to the IASW response to the Draft Early Intervention Standards. SWID is currently involved in providing a submission regarding H.I.Q.A’s ‘draft National Quality Standards for Registered and/or Inspected Services for Children and Young People’. 

SWID committee has representation on the IMPACT Social Work Vocational group, IASW as well as in Inclusion Ireland. 

On 6^th March 2009 SWID organized a One Day Seminar on Assessment of Need – 0 – 5 years. This highlighted Social Workers need for evidence based tools in the Assessment of Need process.  

The Annual Conference/AGM of SWID took place in October 2009 with a large attendance of approximately 80 persons involving existing and new members. The Conference was entitled ‘Evidence based Tools for Social Workers in Disability – A Practical Approach’.  

Discussions at Conference highlighted the need for more engagement and involvement by the Universities in the emerging issues and challenges facing social workers at the coalface. An example being the Assessment of Need process where social workers are being asked to account for their recommendations with evidence based tool.  

The feedback of participants at the Conference was that it was very timely and of great value to Social Workers working in this area.

Since our membership has expanded to include Physical and Sensory disabilities as well as Intellectual we are meeting new social workers which has increased numbers and provided a welcome pool of ideas and experience and a chance to increased networking in geographical areas.

We would hope to build on this and try and identify key areas where we might establish sub-groups to work together on issues/responses/submissions as they arise. Already a number of people have raised issues regarding the client population in the Mild level of functioning, who need Support around Independence Skills, Accommodation, Relationships and Finances.

A motion was put forward by SWID to the IASW AGM 2009. The motion requested the adoption of the recommended standards of good practice developed by SWID for social workers undertaking assessments of Need (Disability Act’ 05 for Children 0-5 years age range). This comprised the following – The Social Work Roles, The Framework for Assessment and the accompanying Guidance document. This motion was approved and the documents will be available on the website.

SWID is in the process of convening a one day Seminar in March 2010. This Seminar will centre on 2 areas of interests for Social Workers in Disability.

Christy Lynch CEO of KARE will deliver a presentation on a ‘Present and Future Residential Options for Persons with Disabilities’ and Phil Mortell Social Work Consultant will provide a presentation on ‘Data Collection and Protection in areas relating to Social Workers (casework recording, report writing etc)’ 

SWID are actively planning their Conference and AGM which will take place in October this year. SWID are open to any suggestions for topics/areas of interest for this.

The following is the membership of the SWID committee for 2010:

Title : Guidance for Social Workers undertaking social work assessments for children (0-5) under the Assessment of Need Process Disability Act 2005 .

The following documents have been approved by the IASW and are designed to assist social workers and assessment officers undertaking the above assessments and to provide some standardization across the profession .

Links to the following documents: -  

- Role of Social Worker in the Assessment of Need of children aged 0-5 years

- Approved Social Work Report  Template

- Guidance in  completing Reports

- Suggested Standardized Assessment Tools and Frameworks

These guidance documents were produced by a subgroup of social workers working in disability and included Catherine Rafter, Frida Lowry, Teresa McDonagh , Geraldine Prunty and Colman Parker

SOCIAL WORKERS IN DISABILITY

Special Interest Group of the Irish Association of Social Workers Seminar

"Present and Future Residential options for Persons with Disabilities"

Christy Lynch, CEO, KARE Services and "Data Collection and Protection in areas relating to Social Workers (casework recording, report writing)" Phil Mortell, Consultant in Social Work Services

Venue: Tullamore Court Hotel, Tullamore, Co. Offaly

Date: Friday 5th March, 2010

Registration @ 9.30am closes @ 3.30pm

Cost €20 for members, €30 for non-members (Cost includes attendance at Seminar, refreshments and lunch)

This Seminar will be accredited for CPD points

Click here for further information on the seminar and the booking form.

Anne O'Loughlin

Ph. 01 2355372 Email. anne.o' This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

SPEAKER PRESENTATIONS: CLICK HERE to download the presentations