Social workers in the island will not be issued with body-worn cameras, the Department of Health and Social Care has confirmed following questions raised in Tynwald last week.

The issue was brought forward by Onchan MHK Julie Edge, who asked whether the department or Manx Care had considered introducing body-worn video cameras for social workers and related services.

Ms Edge cited survey evidence suggesting that up to 85% of social workers have experienced abuse or assault, arguing there was a duty of care to staff.

Responding, the minister Claire Christian said Manx Care does not currently use body-worn cameras in any of its services, nor is their introduction being considered for routine social work or social care settings.

She told Tynwald there is no professional regulatory guidance supporting the use of body-worn video in social work and that professional bodies have raised ethical and practice-based concerns.

These include the potential to undermine trust with children and families, which could impact the ability to build rapport and ultimately affect the quality of care provided.

The Minister also highlighted significant data protection issues, noting that the collection of personal information, particularly health-related data, must be lawful, necessary and proportionate under the island’s legislation.

She added that evidence from small-scale pilots elsewhere has been mixed and does not clearly demonstrate improved outcomes for staff safety.

When questioned on comparisons with the police, who do use body-worn cameras, the minister said policing and social work operate in fundamentally different legal, professional and ethical contexts.

She explained that police cameras are used within a law enforcement framework, whereas social work is focused on safeguarding, support and therapeutic engagement.

Further contributions raised concerns about potential breaches of Article 8 of the Human Rights Act and professional standards around dignity and privacy.

The Minister said any future consideration would require legal advice but stressed that trust, empathy and partnership remain central to social work practice.