Time to end lie of austerity.

So its pointing towards more cuts to local government services in the name of the con which is ‘austerity’. Let’s think about this. What is local government, as a pose to government? Well local services such as bins, roads, lollipop people, education, teachers, dinner supervisors, police, fire brigades, planning, housing, adult and yes children’s social services come under the financial banner of ‘local government’.
Now saying that, central government, Theresa the Traitor and Co, they are supposed to supplement the money we pay to local government through council tax from the money raised by all the other taxes we pay to them. From car tax, income tax to VAT and capital gains tax.
The councils used to control the way money was spread out through the services but now they also have to pay private companies due to government forcing them to privatise bins, road services, housing, and many other services. That means however much money the council budget is cut by they still have to finance them, including bus companies that run tendered services, those routes that they say they cannot profit by.
This means the services we need that are not privatised such as social care and most of education (not academies) have their monies cut.
Now some of you know, before illness hit me I was a social worker and manager in child protection, and i worked all over England and Wales. I cannot work anymore in the field but keep up to date with colleagues, legislation changes and issues.
When I managed teams you were expected to have several years experience on the front line. Newly qualified workers were given protected case loads until they had more experience and were not allowed to undertake Section 47 (child protection) enquiries until they had gained the experience and skills.
Due to cuts however experienced workers were given higher and more challenging caseloads, they deal with the most horrific issues in society and if front line often walk into situations alone which the ‘brave police’ would need assign several officers armed and armoured, to attend the same address. They see the most heart wrenching cases, experience emotions you cannot help but take home with you. This is not anywhere near as bad as the horrors experienced by the victims of abuse, but it is all day every day of their working life. Their job is to protect the most vulnerable in our society, and yes sometimes they fail, sometimes they make mistakes, sometimes they to be frank are naff at their jobs but generally they are not, generally they go the extra mile. The role of child protection social worker is not 9-5 and rarely allows for a social life.
Sadly the experienced of us often end up like me becoming too ill to work, or becoming so fed up and stressed they don’t want to work in the field anymore. This has led to newly qualified workers, straight from uni, after only a few months being promoted to senior practitioners and then managers. This is ridiculously dangerous. They end up with huge unmanageable case loads, no resources and no support. They are constantly under threat of having their registration publicly removed or worse.
The get limited of often no supervision and due to the cuts can no longer rely on support from other agencies including the police.
This then becomes a horrific situation for children and families that are living with abuse, kids at significant risk of harm through neglect, physical abuse. Sexual abuse or as with all abuse emotional harm.
Families being split apart instead of supported, children being taken into a care system not fit for purpose. Parents and children living in abject poverty due to austerity and the effects of universal credit and zero hour contracts.
The NSPCC adverts are not even close to what these folk go through.
This is only an example of the true effects of the lie that is austerity, us the people of the UK bailing out bankers after they gambled with our money. They were back on full bonuses within weeks but ten years down the line we the poor are still paying whilst they and the Tories profiteer.
That is Austerity.
This needs to stop now! We need to stop it. Time to rid the Tories, end establishment control and take our country and our lives back.

Jonesy
Dog of Socialism

Check out my blog at http://www.thejonesy.com
Thanks