In this issue we talk to Meg Barbour, someone with experience of using social work services who helps the GSCC to inspect universities offering the Social Work Degree.
1. Tell us a little about your background and how you first came to use social work services.
Just over 40 years ago, at the age of 23, I met my husband Ced and we married and went on to have four children. In 1996 our children were all grown up and we were looking forward to a long and happy retirement together. Unfortunately it wasn’t to be as Ced was diagnosed with suspected Alzheimer’s in 1997, and I cared for him until his death in 2004. As it turned out Ced was suffering from Lewy Body Dementia, a less common form of dementia than Alzheimer’s, which presents itself in a very similar way.
2. When did you first use social work services?
Our Community Psychiatric Nurse referred us to social services once Ced’s condition had significantly deteriorated. We were visited by a social worker who made an assessment of our needs,
3. When did you decide to help with the assessment of social work courses?
Shortly after Ced’s diagnosis, I was beginning to feel isolated and I became a member of a support group run by Age Concern and the Alzheimer’s Society. From this I became part of a group who helped in the training of social workers in my local area. By this point I had done lots of research on dementia, and of course had lots of hands on experience of caring for Ced. We became ‘voices of experience’ and helped with interviewing and assessing social workers as well as reviewing course material and marking for the Social Work Degree.
In 2004 I was approached by the GSCC and decided to volunteer to help them in their inspection of educational institutions running social work courses. Sadly my husband died in 2004 so I had more time on my hands and wanted to do something productive and concrete to help. By now I had amassed a lot of knowledge of caring for people with dementia and had a good understanding of the benefits system, so I thought that helping the GSCC would be a good way to pass on my knowledge.
4. Tell us about your work with the GSCC
Initially I attended some training to help me understand how the work of the GSCC fitted into the picture I had already seen through my work visiting educational establishments as a ‘voice of experience’.
I learned how the Social Work Degree course had evolved and how it was valuable to have lay people involved in the training and the evaluation of the courses being provided. Using people with experience of using social work services, such as myself, is especially valuable.
In my work with the GSCC I initially acted as an observer as part of an inspection team visiting a university offering the Social Work Degree before becoming a visitor, getting involved in the inspection itself. During a typical inspection we spend the day looking, listening and asking relevant questions from the course providers. The inspector gives us the freedom to ask whatever questions we like. At the end of the inspection we discuss the day’s events with the inspector and put together our comments and questions for the report on the university.
I obviously have a special interest in service user and carer involvement in courses, so many of the questions I ask are intended to find out how these people are involved in different aspects of course teaching. For example, are they using a good mix people from different backgrounds on the course? Are at least some still being assisted by social workers? Are service users and carers used in course reviews and the assessment of students’ work? I also ask questions about whether student placements are sufficiently varied and well monitored.
The course re-validation and inspections are very important events for the universities and in my experience they are energised and take considerable time to prepare for the meetings. They value having someone who has used services asking them questions and they take my input into consideration.
5. Do you think that your visits to universities help public protection?
I’m not a policeman, but I see your point! I do think that ultimately having people who have experienced social work services on the team does have a positive impact. The whole point of it is that when you turn out social workers they have an understanding about what it’s like from a service user’s viewpoint. For example, when I visit my local university (not for the GSCC) I meet many social work students. Quite often they are 18 or 19 years old and understandably they might not have much real experience of working with people who use services. As someone who has experienced caring for someone with dementia first hand, I can offer them valuable insights into what it’s like. I have not had experience of other social work areas, such as drug and alcohol work, so they have to rely on other visitors for that.
I’m there to represent people who have used services, and as such I try to ask practical questions that would be relevant to them and their families. I think having this input helps focus on the end goal of all social work training – improving public protection and the experience of people who use services.
