Gerry Madden reflects on the BASW Northern Ireland and Social Workers Union event held in Derry on 2nd April 2025.
“I was absolutely delighted recently to represent SWU at the launch of the BASW NI and SWU research report ‘The Case for Change’. This report is core to the ongoing campaign supported by both BASW and SWU aimed at bringing substantial and meaningful change to the Social Work Student Incentive Scheme.
“There was a large turnout of students, academics, local elected representatives and also representatives from both BASW NI and SWU. The presentation of the research was made by Andy McClenaghan, BASW NI Public Affairs, Policy and Communications Lead. There was a palpable sense of energy in the room and a feeling that the report set out very powerfully the case for change: there has been no change / uplift in the student support scheme since at least 2008!
“At the same time it was difficult and indeed at times distressing to listen to the experiences of students as they struggled financially to complete their studies. The research clearly evidences how the increased cost of living has affected students’ standard of living during their time at university and also the impact of all of this on their mental health. The film presentation was particularly powerful in this context and it is hoped that this will be widely disseminated in the coming months to further strengthen the message of the campaign.
“It is also important to note that there was a deep sense of frustration and disappointment expressed by all present at the failure of both the local Health Minister and Chief Social Worker to attend despite their being invited to do so. This however had the effect of making the organizers and supporters of the campaign more resolved to use the energy created by today’s launch of the report to push ahead to achieve the change clearly needed and the final session of the event focused on responses to the students’ experiences and reflections on next steps.
“The clear sense was that the way forward was collective action and already a number of steps in this direction are being considered. For my own part, I indicated that SWU remained absolutely committed to supporting the campaign and to be involved in whatever way was needed.
“Thanks in the meantime to all involved in the production of the report and to the organizers of a really momentous event. THE CASE FOR CHANGE HAS BEEN MADE, AND NO IS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE ANSWER!”
Gerry Madden,
SWU Northern Ireland Representative / SWU Treasurer
Learn more about the BASW NI & SWU campaign: The Case for Change
Under the current Social Work Student Incentive Scheme, the Department of Health provides eligible student social workers an annual payment of £4,000 and an allowance of £500 towards travel costs associated with practice placements.
Last year BASW NI and SWU jointly published research highlighting the dire financial circumstances of social work students in Northern Ireland in a report called Campaign to increase the Social Work Student Incentive Scheme: The case for change. Included in this research, an online survey of social work students in Northern Ireland found that for nearly all (98%) the annual payment is not sufficient to meet the costs associated with completing the Degree in Social Work.
The Case for Change report calls for an uplift in the Social Work Student Incentive Scheme to £7,000 per year. You can read more about the report and download it from the SWU website: https://swu-union.org.uk/2024/05/social-workers-call-for-an-increase-in-student-social-work-bursaries
Watch this short film from BASW NI and SWU’s campaign to increase the Student Incentive Scheme, featuring the experiences of social work students studying during the cost-of-living crisis.
The Case for Change: