Fight to save social care department at Reading intensifies

On the day a government report highlighted the need for expert training and development of social workers, the union said the University of Reading should be working to help the beleaguered profession, not adding to its woes. Lord Laming's The Protection of Children in England: A Progress Report follows a recent government initiative to try and get more social workers back into a profession where one in ten positions are unfilled.

In a tight vote at the university senate meeting last night, 32 members voted in favour of shutting the department, 27 opposed it, and a further six abstained from voting. The result leaves the university without a clear majority and the union warned today that the senior management team must seriously think again before ploughing ahead with any cuts.

'At a time when the UK is crying out for social workers it makes absolutely no sense whatsoever to close this department. The university should be doing its best to help social workers, not adding to their woes.'
Sally Hunt
UCU general secretary

UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, who spoke at the lobby of senate members yesterday, said: 'The government has recently detailed a number of initiatives to help a social work profession still reeling from the Baby P case, yet the University of Reading can still axe a department that provides important courses at both undergraduate and postgraduate level.

'At a time when the UK is crying out for social workers it makes absolutely no sense whatsoever to close this department. The university should be doing its best to help social workers, not adding to their woes. No university can build and maintain an international reputation for excellence if it panics and starts axing departments every time it spots a short-term problem. The staff and students at Reading have the full backing of the national union.'

Staff and students staged lively protests outside the meeting yesterday as members of the senate arrived to discuss the proposals. The threatened department runs hugely successful social work courses at both undergraduate and postgraduate level and, at a time when the government estimates that one in ten social work positions in the UK are currently unfilled, UCU says it fails to comprehend why the institution wants to axe a department that is not losing money.

Dr Ann Quinn, who teaches at the School of Health and Social Care and is a UCU member, said: 'The majority of people in yesterday's senate meeting do not support the plans to close this department. The department provides a vital service to the local area, and allows many students who want to become social workers, nurses and counsellors to gain the experience and qualifications they need.  Closing it will make it very difficult for local people, especially those with family commitments or who cannot afford to move away, to study for these professions. That's bad news for Reading and bad news for the UK.'

A special meeting at Reading Town Hall has been organised for Monday 16 March at 7pm, where members of the public will be invited to come and lend their support.

• The Protection of Children in England: A Progress Report from Lord Laming