From the President's Desk
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
South Australian Social Worker AASW Establishe Winter Australian Association of From the President’s desk... Social Workers Thanks to all who have made At the national level we have these events happen. The farewelled Kandie Allen-Kelly AASW SA Branch Association grows through the as CEO and welcomed the Incorporated in the A.C.T. collegial activities of its members inauguration of the College of ACN 008 576 010 and we are grateful to those who Social Work. There will be an opportunity later this year to contribute their time and effort to Correspondence to : create these opportunities. learn more about this important The Branch Manager The months since our last news- innovation in our profession The CPE committee is working AASW SA Branch letter have been full of activities and we will advise you of ar- actively on our upcoming events 4 Milner Street and developments in our Branch rangements as they are con- and at national level. including: firmed. [email protected] * Sharing parenting time, post Highlights since April include: Sue King parental separation: Research * Two energetic gatherings about and Developmental perspectives private practice. The first of (a full day CPE event presented these provided members who by Jen McIntosh on 15 th July) are interested in becoming private practitioners with an * Learning from Consumers and Leonard King AC QC opportunity to learn about the Service Users (presented by nd processes involved and to hear Maria Harries on 22 July) On behalf of the social work President from practitioners operating in a * Alone in a Crowd: What can we community in south Austra- Dr Sue King variety of settings how they have do about Loneliness and Older lia, we would like to extend aaswsapresident developed and managed their people (presented by Mandy our sympathy to AASWSA @internode.on.net private practice. The second Stanley on 9 th August) president Sue King on the was for our members who are recent death of her father, already in private practice to hear * Reconciliation Action Plan for Len King AC QC. Vice President from Deb Lee, National AASW the AASW and the Pendulum of Marion Croser South Australian Premier Mike Board member, an update on Practice with Indigenous people Rann said Mr King, who died funding developments. Thanks (presented by Christine King on th peacefully on Thursday 23rd Newsletter to Robyn Lingard and Mary Hood 9 September). June, aged 86, was a man of Kathy Inverarity/ for their organisation of these two Please mark your diaries now for great ability. "Len King was a Sally McMichael significantly appreciated events; the AGM and Dinner . We are man of exceptional ability who * Well attended CPE events on delighted to announce that Sena- excelled in his professional life Professional Education telephone supervision (presented tor Nick Xenophon will be the as a barrister, parliamentarian, Sally Watson by Margaret Morrell) and Mindful- guest speaker and you are cabinet minister and judge," he guaranteed a companionable and said in a statement on Friday. ness for Moving through Depression (presented by thought provoking evening on 27 Mr Rann said Mr King, who Ethics Maxine Longford); October at the Hackney Hotel. served as state attorney- Tricia Munn Feel free to gather up a table of general from 1970 to 1975 as * Networking breakfasts in the your colleagues. This is an well as holding a number of City, Southern (little venue glitch opportunity to showcase the other portfolios including social Student Representative here) and Northern regions; results of our collective actions welfare and Aboriginal affairs, Mark Wilson was a devoted husband. "Len * High levels of participation in during the year. is regarded as having been the Evidence based practice Non members are welcome at the Branch Manager one of Australia's pre-eminent group and the Peer skill share dinner. Kathy Baklan jurists and a person who main- group. tained a strong connection Page 2 Newsletter Winter 2011 Historic Decision by Federal Industrial Relations Commission Fair Work Australia, the body that deter- eligible social work degree) and as mines federal industry pay awards has being payed at a rate between found that many social workers, youth $10,000 and $15,000 less than a workers and welfare workers in the government sector worker with less community sector are under-paid. responsibilities. The finding was: She said she will leave her position for higher pay. She described the - that their work was under-valued and; be decided for 6 months, as the process complaint – of clients and of staff, of - That there is a gender component to from now involves the Unions and Com- constantly working with new faces in this pay inequality. monwealth government making submis- front line community work. sions to Fair Work Australia and then This was found to be partly because of Editors others have the opportunity to make the caring factor, that much of this work submissions. Increases will probably be involves nurturing, and that this is seen phased in over 5 years. as less skilled. When this was reported on the ABC a Between 150.000 and 200,000 workers community worker called Matilda was in Australia will be affected by this interviewed. decision. She described herself as having four The amounts of the pay increase will not qualifications (although not an AASW Leonard King AC Breaking new ground in Mental Health QC cont .. general practitioners, connect and collaborate with psychiatrists, psychologists, other mental health mental health nurses, professionals. with the community," he consumers and carers. said. The webinars make this much Recordings of all previous easier, whether a clinician is "Len was also known for webinars are available on based in a rural or remote his devotion to his wife, The success of the Mental MHPN’s website for those location, or simply a busy Sheila and to his family." Health Professionals Network’s unable to attend the live event urban professional. For many, In 1975, Mr King was free webinar program, which online, and again, their the webinars also offer the appointed to the Supreme addresses clinical issues in massive uptake has surprised opportunity to earn CPD Court of South Australia mental health, has exceeded even the organisation. MHPN points. and he served as chief all expectations. Communications Manager, MHPN itself is gaining justice from 1978 until he Tanya Reardon, says “The The webinars (web-based experience with each webinar retired in 1995. technology is a relatively new seminars, viewable through a it stages, and there are hopes phenomenon in the delivery of normal browser) have been to expand both access and “He will be honoured with professional development consistently oversubscribed, frequency. While the a state funeral” activities and he demand has with 1,100 clinicians alone technology has matured, there exceeded all expectations. registering for the most recent. are still improvements being With that in mind, we are work- Source: Media Statement made. Participants currently Mike Rann Friday 24 June Being online, MHPN is able to ing to improve the accessibility require a hard-wired internet 2011 pull in expert interdisciplinary of the webinars to more people connection, as wireless panels of speakers from across and to enhance the viewer’s connections can be too the country to share their experience. insights on particular topics. unstable. What it indicates – and what Notwithstanding the Subjects addressed have detailed user feedback challenges, use of the technol- included adolescent mental confirms - is the absolute ogy will undoubtedly continue health, borderline personality hunger amongst clinicians to gain traction within the disorder, and grief, trauma and across Australia for easy, free health profession. anxiety.The panelists have access to professional devel- Continued page 3.. included opment activities, and to Page 3 Newsletter Winter 2011 Breaking new ground Project Update - Australian Social Work in Mental Health cont.. Education and Accreditation Standards (ASWEAS) Review A further three MHPN webinars are scheduled for July 2011, with more In 2008 a new ASWEAS document was developed to replace the preceding standards in the pipeline. document ‘Policy and Procedures for Establishing Eligibility for Membership of AASW’(2000). Since 2008 the AASW has used this new ASWEAS document for How they work accreditation of all University Social Work study programs. MHPN webinars usually run for 1 - A review of the ASWEAS is now underway, and importantly, this process includes a full 1.5 hours and are facilitated by one and lengthy process of consultation with AASW members, Branches and Committees, or more presenters who are mental Schools of Social Work, the Australian Council of Heads of Schools of Social Work, health professionals with expertise and a range of government and non-government stakeholders. in the topic. The AASW has recently engaged a consultant to undertake a Literature Review in MHPN staff are on hand to ensure relation to current national and international evidence in social work education and the webinars run smoothly and to accreditation standards. The Literature Review will be available on the AASW website help with any troubleshooting at as soon as it is completed. The consultant will then be developing a Discussion questions. Paper and focus questions, which will guide and inform the first round of public Visit the MHPN website for more consultation that will take place during July 2011. information. For further updates, progress and preliminary findings please refer to the ASWEAS Review webpage . The Future of Social Work in Private Practice - A Review Our speaker, AASW National Board mem- The first Medicare Locals will be Deb Lee also invited any present to ber Deb Lee, updated us on the submis- announced soon and Deb hopes become involved as SA reps on the sion the AASW will put to the government there may be two in SA to start.