Employers should help support those in social work jobs to engage positively with the media, according to new policies from the Local Government Association.

The LGA is recommending that qualified social workers and others in the field are allowed to be interviewed by journalists without the restrictions that employers normally place on interactions with the media. The LGA believe that this will help increase public understanding of social work - showcasing their achievements and helping to "explain the profession on a day-to-day basis.''

Their new publication, Giving Social Work a Voice, aims to illustrate "how to improve social workers' relationship with the media". It was developed in response to the findings of the Social Work Task Force report, which said that there was an unfair and inaccurate image attached to social work.

"For those of us who work with or support social workers, it is perhaps easy to forget that the majority of the general public will have no reason to come into contact with them in the course of their daily lives" write the LGA chairs Shireen Ritchie and David Rogers in the foreword to the pamphlet. "Creating a greater public understanding of what social workers do should encourage appreciation of the job."

The pamphlet recommends that social work employers back their employees when talking to the media, give them greater flexibility in fitting media work in with their normal workload, as well as accepting "that they will express their own opinions". It also recommends establishing a professional relationship with journalists based on mutual benefit, to be honest with the media at all times - especially about sensitive information - and to liaise with the local press team as a matter of course.