Humansolutions Bulletin - September 29th 2020

Social work by its very nature is challenging and demanding work. But, in the current social, economic and political climate, it can prove extraordinarily difficult to keep your head above water. Written by two highly experienced social work professionals, this important book explores the significance of that context, offers guidance on how to survive despite it and even to aim for thriving within it. There are no easy answers, but there is much we can do to make sure that we are able to fulfil the potential and value of social work as a force for making our society a humane one without sacrificing our own health and well-being. Available for purchase here or here

The idea of cultural sensitivity is now a well-established one, but my experience has taught me that many people do not fully understand the implications of that. For example, many times I have come across people who assume that it applies only when dealing with somebody whose skin colour is different from one’s own. In reality, it is much more complex than this, as there will generally be cultural differences that relate to class, region, profession or vocation, linguistic group and so on. Culture is a much broader and more inclusive concept than it is generally given credit for. Our own cultural backgrounds and experiences will have been a profound influence on who we are (our identity), our sense of…

Small-scale studies in recent years have uncovered a strong appetite from students of all backgrounds for history teaching that reflects a broader range of voices. Now, young campaigners such as The Black Curriculum, Re:rooted and Fill in the Blanks are leading the charge. Click here to read more

Only by greatly strengthening the prevention of poverty can we start to achieve the wider and stable state of social security required to provide a secure future for children and families. Yet prevention has been so neglected that it has dropped down the list of policy priorities – or market-focused policymakers have pushed it down as part of their rejection of planning. This paper sets out the case for preventing poverty with some specific proposals and then discusses where the money to pay for them might come from. It draws on the ‘wider aims’ of "Into the twenty-first century: the development of social security", one of the best reports ever produced by the International Labour Office (1984). Click here to…

100 civil society groups, Windrush survivors and religious organisations have come together to demand safe and legal routes now, in response to the government's dangerous rhetoric surrounding recent Channel crossings. The fact is that people seeking protection in the UK can only do so once they reach UK soil. The lack of safe and legal routes by which to reach the UK means that people are pushed into the hands of people smugglers and forced to take dangerous journeys to claim asylum here. In its response to Channel crossings, the government has so far sought to abdicate all responsibility. We've been here before - if the Home Office is truly serious about learning the lessons of Windrush, they need to…

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