An edition of the Tyne Tees Television current affairs programme ‘Briefing’ about the work of social workers. Are they a positive and necessary force for society or just meddlesome busy bodies? In his filmed report Kevin Rountree looks at the work of Newcastle City Council Social Services speaking with both social workers and their managers about the potential effect proposed governmental funding cuts will have on their service. The programme also features five Newcastle families who have...

An edition of the Tyne Tees Television current affairs programme ‘Briefing’ about the work of social workers. Are they a positive and necessary force for society or just meddlesome busy bodies? In his filmed report Kevin Rountree looks at the work of Newcastle City Council Social Services speaking with both social workers and their managers about the potential effect proposed governmental funding cuts will have on their service. The programme also features five Newcastle families who have been positively affected by the work of social services. Title: Tyne Tees Briefing On the streets of Newcastle reporter Kevin Rountree asks passers-by if the know anything about social workers and what they do? There is a mixture of views from those who think they make positive contributions to society, those who think they don’t and those who don’t know who or what they are. In his office a male social worker gives his impression of what he believes people think of him and his profession which he believes is quite negative. In the Tyne Tees Television studio in Newcastle presenter Ian Breach introduces the programme that begins with a film about the workings of Social Services at Newcastle City Council that will both graphically illustrates how the service that will be severely impaired if cuts in local and national expenditure go in accordance to the governments plans. In his office inside Newcastle Civic Centre, Brian Roycroft, Director of Social Services at Newcastle City Council explains to reporter Kevin Rountree about the potential effect on the service his department provides if proposed cuts of a million pounds or more go ahead. In her office Gaye Johnston Principle Training Officer for Newcastle Social Services explain that it would be residential and daycare services that will be cut as they are the most expensive services to run and affecting the most vulnerable. 14-year-old Jimmy arrives home from Sheriff Lea special school in Newcastle and is escorted to the front door by a carer. In the doorway his mother greets him taking him inside. As she takes off his coat and gives him his medication and a cup of milk, she explains in voiceover some of the challenges she faces 24-hours-a-day looking after him which stem from a several intellectual disabilities caused by Meningitis. She goes onto explains that she is a single parent of two children and can’t leave Jimmy with anybody due to his complex needs. As Jimmy goes upstairs and plays with his sister Joanna, she states that she does understand why other parents would consider putting a child like Jimmy into residential care and how much more money this would cost. Jimmy comes back into the kitchen where his mother is frying sausages for tea, she talks about a family care scheme that is recruiting families willing to take a child like Jimmy for up to 24 days a year. As they all sit down for a meal the mother explains that she does have a carer so she can spend more time with her daughter. She talks about the first social worker that was assigned to her when Jimmy started school who wasn’t very good and how things have improved since Diane Chadwick was assigned to his school and is always there to support her. Standing on the steps outside Sheriff Lea school, Diane Chadwick talks about the negative media attention social workers get when things go wrong. However, she explains that due to rules of confidentiality they aren’t able to advertise much of what they do that goes right. Retuning to Brian Roycroft he explains that he believes the government have other areas of expenditure that could be looked at before doing ‘drastic things to public expenditure reducing the standards of living of the most frail and vulnerable in our community’. The estate of Blakelaw in the west end on Newcastle with Kevin Rountree in voiceover providing details of some of the area’s social problems. A phantom car ride along one street with many boarded up houses changes to a local shopping precinct with children standing outside the local Post Office, its’s sign about the entrance vandalised. Nearby graffiti covered walls changes to children playing outside the entrance to the City of Newcastle Social Service Department No. 4 Area Sub Office Blacklaw. Inside a young male social worker explains some of the challenges of working in an area such as Blakelaw with many residents not wanting them ‘poking their noises’ into people business. But, but they have statutory obligations to investigate in cases of, for example, child abuse. Kevin Rountree walks through the estate with a young female social worker, she talks about the most appropriate time when a social worker should step into a situation and be of help where they can with practical support. The Keen family walk along a Blacklaw street towards the Newcastle Social Service sub-office seen previously. At home they sit on the sofa with parents Margaret and Campbell Keen explains to Kevin Rountree the issues they had with daughter Dawn and why social services became involved. Their social worker Peter Bull provides further details of their case, and the support social services gave to the family to help overcome some of their issues. While initially hesitant, the Keen’s explain why they see social services as a important services that has helped them. Title: End on Part One Part Two At night inside Newcastle Civic Centre a woman takes a telephone call for the emergency social services. She writes details down onto a notepad. In his office Brian Roycroft acknowledges that social workers do have ‘fearful power’ to influence and break up a family. However, he goes onto explain the fearful line social workers have to walk between the potential negative effects of taking someone out of normality and serious physical and mental abuse. In another office a male social worker explains that they are accountable to the public and that any major decision is never taken in isolation. Another male social worker explains that they have a statutory obligation to investigate those who appear to be at risk and what powers they have to intervene. However, he hopes they do guard against abusing these powers. Christine Strain, a mother of two, talks with Kevin Rountree about the traumatic experience of social services taking away her eldest son Patrick. The Rye Hill Family Care Centre where Christine stayed while her ability to cope with her younger son Anthony were monitored. She talks about the improvement in her parenting skills and the court case she is fighting to get Patrick back. On the floor in front of them younger son Anthony playing. Returning to the two male social workers seen previously, one believes that people come to social services not for them to step in and do the work, but rather help them help themselves. The second sees themselves as being the last people in the line that anyone can come and talk to and help where other agencies can’t. An actress reads the first page of a letter sent to social services by a woman who has gone through a series of tragedies that affected her and her family. Intercut between the reading of these pages and in the grounds of Newcastle General Hospital Kevin Rountree speaks with Maureen Hitcham the social worker assigned to the case. She provides further detail of the issues this family faced over the seven years she knew them. Although deeply tragic, the letter is positive about both the comfort and support given to her by both Maureen and social services. In her office Gaye Johnston talks about mental health research she has undertaken that shows that it costs half-as-much to keep someone in a residential hostel as it does to keep them in hospital. They are also much happier and get the help they need to lead an independent life back in the community. She is concerned with regards the issue of ‘revolving doors syndrome’ meaning if someone is put back into the community without this kind of support they need they will often end up back in hospital. Diane Chadwick talks about the waiting lists for elderly and mentally ill accommodation and that community care is very labour intensive. Any cuts to funding would cause serious problems for the elderly and frail she believes. Two community nurses arrive at the home of Billy and Blanche McMasters. Blanche has Multiple sclerosis (MS) and the nurses help her out of bed into a wheelchair. In their living room Kevin Rountree speaks with the couple about the support they receive from a home help and their social worker. As Billy provides details the home help working in the home vacuuming the carpet. The film ends on a brief montage from each of the five cases dealt with by Newcastle City Council Social Services and featured in this film. Returning to the Tyne Tees studio Ian Breach leads a discussion into the issues raised in this ‘moving, informative and disturbing report’ with Piers Merchant Conservative MP for Newcastle Central, Derek Foster Labour MP for Bishop Auckland and a member of the Salvation Army and Michael Meadowcroft Liberal MP and Social Services Spokesman. The discussion is brought to a close by Ian Breach who ends the programme by providing details of next week’s edition on reforms in the shipbuilding industry that will see it saved. Credit: Presenter Ian Breach Reporter Kevin Rountree Film Camera Eddie Crooks Sound Ian Richardson Editor Peter Telford Research Sharon Needham, Lynne Petrie Political Editor John Sleight Film Director Rob Cowley Studio Director James Whiteley Producer Bob Farnworth End title: Tyne Tees Colour. © Tyne Tees Television Ltd. MCMLXXXIV