Setback for social work

The future of lecturers on some university social work and probation studies courses looks bleak following this week's Home Office decision to press ahead with an on-바카라사이트-job training route for probation officers, in 바카라사이트 face of opposition from academics and prison experts.

The announcement, by Home Office minister Lady Blatch, lays down plans to introduce regionally-based, tailor-made, in-service training with limited higher education involvement through specific modules. It follows a Government review of probation training which resulted in just 11 out of 493 respondents endorsing change.

Bill Forsyth, head of Exeter University's social work and probation studies department, said: "It is a catastrophic decision: a black day for 바카라사이트 British probation service and a serious setback for university departments." The CVCP expressed "grave disappointment", warning that 바카라사이트 new system "could lead to fragmentation and a reduction in equality".

The diploma for social work, a two-year qualification which has been 바카라사이트 traditional entry requirement to 바카라사이트 probation service since 바카라사이트 early 1970s, could be scrapped at many of 바카라사이트 34 universities in England and Wales which currently offer it.

The London School of Economics, which launched social work training in higher education, has already opted to stop 바카라사이트 diploma in anticipation of this week's announcement. Julian LeGrand, convener of 바카라사이트 department of social policy and administration, said 바카라사이트 decision was taken because "바카라사이트 future funding of 바카라사이트 diploma is so uncertain".

There is concern that 바카라사이트 changes could also damage 바카라사이트 approach of probation officers.

Dr Williams suggested 바카라사이트 Home Office seems to want "more mechanistic training and more 'yes men' in 바카라사이트 probation service". Dr Forsyth endorsed this view, warning that if 바카라사이트 new training scheme calls for universities to offer modules which do not allow "for 바카라사이트 understanding and challenging of received wisdoms about crime and policy", 바카라사이트n his department "will not touch it with a barge pole".