BASW says political priorities risk compromising independent professional judgement
In a notable 4-page statement published this week, the British Association of Social Workers (BASW) has discouraged its members and all other social workers from working for the Home Office's new body for assessing the age of asylum seekers.
BASW is the UK's largest professional association of registered social workers.
As BASW's statement explains, the Home Office's new National Age Assessment Board (NAAB) was implemented by the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 and is gradually assuming responsibility for carrying out age assessments from local authorities.
BASW said it is concerned that NAAB being part of the Home Office means political priorities will risk compromising the independent professional judgement of social workers.
Given the rhetoric by the current and previous Home Secretary on asylum seekers and given the risk of politics intruding on professional objectivity, BASW says it is therefore discouraging all social workers from taking age assessment roles in the NAAB.
"Now that the [Nationality and Borders Act 2022] is being implemented the Home Office is scaling up the recruitment of social workers to undertake age assessments under the remit of the NAAB. […] BASW is informing social workers that currently the context for professional decision making risks being compromised by working for the NAAB and this has important consequences for human rights. BASW is therefore discouraging our members, as well as other social workers, from applying for, or accepting these roles," the statement explains.
BASW further warns that it seems unlikely the new NAAB can immediately recreate the organisational capacity and capability held by local authorities for carrying out age assessments that has taken many decades to develop.
"[S]ocial workers do not practice in isolation. They need adequate resources, appropriate supervision and a line management structure that understands the purpose and function of social work. … Without these appropriate structures and support a social worker's professionalism risks being severely compromised," the social workers association noted.
BASW added that the moving of age assessments from local authorities to the NAAB also risks increasing the fragmentation of local authorities' services to children.
BASW stresses that its statement should not be interpreted as a criticism of the professional objectivity of those who currently work for, or may take employment with, the NAAB. It also acknowledged the work of others in the Home Office and in the Border Force who strive to maintain objectivity despite the most difficult circumstances.
The Community Care website reported that the Home Office said in response to BASW's statement: "The National Age Assessment Board's assessments and members of staff will be distinct from the Home Office's asylum and immigration decision-making functions. The best interests of children and the aim of achieving accurate age assessments will be the primary consideration."