Institute of Welfare - Seeking to Shape Welfare Policy

Institute of Welfare - To advance professional excellence in human welfare

Seeking to shape welfare policy

The Institute strives to play a role in shaping and influencing welfare policy at a national level. We do this because, as an organisation with a great deal of expertise and experience in this field, we feel we can offer relevant advice that will make welfare delivery more effective.

Here are examples of our policy-influencing role in action:

We made representations to the Government which resulted in new regulations under the Finance Act 2000 being issued to exempt from tax the cost of a welfare counselling service provided by an employer to employees. This ruling should provide a further incentive to employers to offer such a service. The tax exemption came into effect on 21st August 2000.

We responded in detail to the Government's consultation document, published in August 2000, on proposed reforms to drive up the quality of social services in England. Here are a few of the points we made in a detailed response (click here for the detailed version) to the Government:

Change in social care will neither last nor take place unless grassroots practitioners are given hands-on opportunities to put the results of research into practice.

A commitment to life-long learning is needed, with an annual performance review and fully resourced training at all levels. Once they are qualified in social work, individuals should undergo regular evaluation.

Centres of excellence should be encouraged, both for education and practice in social work.

The future success of partnership working lies in people from different sectors and professions training together - care workers, nurses, social workers, doctors, managers, chief executives, councillors.

We submitted written evidence to the Committee on the impact of the Government's 'New Deal' policies. Here are some of the key points we made (for a more detailed version click here) about the role and performance of the Employment Service's personal advisers to people seeking help and support from the programme:

There is a lack of face to face contact between advisers and clients.
More training of advisers is needed to equip them with the skills they need.

There is little or no on-going support for clients at the workplace.
Clients' social problems are not being picked up and dealt with by the scheme.

Here are examples of our policy-influencing role in action:

We responded in detail to the Government's consultation document, published in August 2000, on proposed reforms to drive up the quality of social services in England. Here are a few of the points we made in a detailed response (click here for the detailed version) to the Government:

Change in social care will neither last nor take place unless grassroots practitioners are given hands-on opportunities to put the results of research into practice.

A commitment to life-long learning is needed, with an annual performance review and fully resourced training at all levels. Once they are qualified in social work, individuals should undergo regular evaluation.

Centres of excellence should be encouraged, both for education and practice in social work.

The future success of partnership working lies in people from different sectors and professions training together - care workers, nurses, social workers, doctors, managers, chief executives, councillors.

There is a lack of face to face contact between advisers and clients.

More training of advisers is needed to equip them with the skills they need.

There is little or no on-going support for clients at the workplace.

Clients' social problems are not being picked up and dealt with by the scheme.