Bob Holman on social work reform.

Social workers are constantly under fire. The popular press and politicians blame them for failing to remove vulnerable children from the parents and also for needlessly taking them away. Rarely do social workers receive public praise.

It is a timely relief to read Couldn't Care Less, a report from the Centre for Social Justice set up by the former leader of the Conservative Party, Iain Duncan Smith.

The report highlights the unsatisfactory emotional and educational outcomes for many in-care children supervised by social workers in their own or foster homes. It acknowledges that most such children come from poverty-stricken parents. It calls for improved mental health and after-care services.

Notably, it is positive about social workers. It states that most join the profession for the noblest reasons: they want to make a difference to people's lives.

They bring skills and dedication to a job which demands long hours for modest wages.

Unfortunately, it argues, there is an unacceptable gap between what social workers wish to do and the service children in care can receive.

There are two reasons for this - first, social workers are allowed insufficient time for direct work with children, parents and foster carers. They are made to spend up to 70% of their day with computers and paper.

Second, staff shortages. Even if all vacancies were filled, caseloads would still be too heavy. Huge amounts of money (proportionately more than in the NHS) are spent on agency staff who tend to be short-term.

The effect of shortages on frontline social workers is stress, burn-out, the highest amount of illness of any public service, and departure from the profession.

Notably, a survey under-taken for the report reveals that of social workers considering leaving their jobs, 61% blame feeling undervalued, 56% said they were having to lower their professional standards and 53% believed the job was too stressful.

The main response from government tends to be inward-looking restructuring, which soaks up yet more money and staff. By contrast, Couldn't Care Less has imaginative plans to draw both high-achieving graduates and former care users into social work. This would lessen the dependence upon private agencies, and, demonstrate to social workers that they are valued.

It adds that social work training should include (but not be dominated by) the social pedagogue approach, with an emphasis on a psychological understanding of children's situations, development and education. Such an approach certainly appears to have worked in Denmark. But bear in mind Denmark has less poverty and inequality than Britain.

All this will cost money. Where will it come from? I notice that leading Tory MPs are dissatisfied with their £65,000 a year plus excessive expenses and insist on their right to receive outside earnings of around another £100,000 in order to maintain their lifestyles. I wonder if Iain Duncan Smith will join me in a campaign to have such earners taxed more heavily for the sake of our social services?

Bob Holman is a retired professor of social policy and a community worker in Easterhouse, Glasgow.