Recognising the Contribution of Alison Bavidge to Social Work in Scotland

That the Parliament recognises the outstanding contribution of Alison Bavidge during her tenure as National Director of the Scottish Association of Social Work (SASW); acknowledges that, since taking up the role during the COVID-19 pandemic, Alison has delivered significant achievements on behalf of SASW members and the wider social work profession in Scotland, including securing improved bursary funding for postgraduate social work students, contributing to establishing the first ever Cross-Party Group on Social Work in the Scottish Parliament, advocating for improved working conditions through the One Deal for Social Work campaign, and developing comprehensive professional training to reflect the unique needs of Scotland’s social work community; commends her leadership in advancing anti-racism, justice reform and community resilience, and for influencing progress towards national terms and conditions for social workers across Scotland; recognises her unwavering commitment to social justice, equity and the empowerment of practitioners and the communities that they serve; considers that, under Alison’s guidance, SASW has become stronger, more inclusive, and more responsive to the complex challenges facing society; acknowledges her warmth, humour and humanity, which have made her a respected and much-loved colleague; expresses its gratitude to Alison for her dedicated service and leadership, wishing her every success and happiness in her future endeavours, and is confident that her legacy will continue to shape the future of social work in Scotland and beyond.