Role of Social Workers in Traveller accommodation

A collective submission to Review of Social Workers by Traveller organisations welcomes this review of the role of social workers in relation to the provision of accommodation by local authorities for Travellers.

A recommendation is that social work, as in the provision of other services, should be delivered on the basis of identified need and not on the basis of ethnic identity.

It is also pointed out that social workers, as employees of the local authority, cannot be seen as independent advocates for Travellers in relation to various issues-and specifically in relation to accommodation issues. We feel that it is impossible for social workers to effectively challenge the Local Authorities (their employers) on behalf of Travellers to the level that Travellers would expect from an advocate due to a very real conflict of interest.

For more information see our submission.