ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the position of women in management within the Personal Social Services and, specifically, local authority social services departments. It discusses the evidence from surveys into the working lives and career paths of the social services workforce undertaken by the Research Unit. The chapter considers women managers’ views of attitudes and practices towards them in their departments. The development programme provides an opportunity to express the views of practitioners and managers and to give a commentary on the findings from the Workforce Studies. It focuses on National Institute of Social Works on management and practice development. It suggests that ‘management’, ‘advancement’, ‘commitment’ and ‘competence’ may be operating as gendered concepts. The chapter also discusses the aspirations and commitment of social services staff. It also focuses on barriers in the workplace where women are subject to discrimination by an organisational culture in which equal opportunities policies are subverted.
