Letter: No self-interest

The suggestion by the proprietor of a home for adults with learning difficulties that social workers receive bonuses for the introduction of clients to owners of private residential homes has no foundation ("Care home offers bounty to fill beds", 5 October).

Social workers have wanted regulation to protect users of services from abuse, and your report confirms there are people who see nothing wrong in behaving in this unethical way. The Government's commitment to a social services council is a way of offering protection against exploitation. Any social worker of this association would be bound by our code of ethics and would consider such behaviour contemptible.

David Burchell

British Association of Social Workers, Birmingham B5