The Language of Social Work

Within social work, language is everything,” explained Jason Barnes.

“It sets the tone for the relationships we build, and yet we know, from talking with people with lived experience, that many of the terms we use are actually creating a barrier to building trust and understanding.

“Service User, LAC, Placement - some of these have been around so long they’re part of the professional furniture, but it’s time to rethink.”

After eight years working on the frontline, as a social worker and practice manager, Jason knows of what he speaks.

In 2016 he launched ‘Social Work Development Group’ to bring together practitioners from across Sussex, side-stepping institutional barriers to connect and learn.

A YEAR AGO, HE DECIDED HECOULD DO MORE, FORMINGTHE SOCIAL WORK ACTION

GROUP, TO BRING ABOUTMEANINGFUL CHANGES INSOCIAL WORK CULTURE,EDUCATION, AND PRACTICE.

Jason joined forces with Tammy Mayes - an activist and parent with lived experience - and social work students Diana Katoto and Omar Mohamed. Together they created working groups to support anti-poverty, anti-racism, LGBTQ, disabilities, and parents - those with lived experience and social work education.

Jason says: “SWAG’s focus is on collaboration, and advocating for and taking necessary steps towards authentic changes in our profession, centring families as the experts of their own lives, and amplifying the experiences of minority groups.

“We introduced Rep roles, to head up each working group, and Eric Banks, Vikki Walton-Cole, and Rich Lynch- Smith have taken on three of these roles with great enthusiasm.”

This month Social Work Action Group launches its first national campaign - ‘Language in Social Work’ - to encourage those working in the sector to stop and think about the language they use.

“THIS CAMPAIGN IS NOT ABOUTPOINTING THE FINGER, ORISSUING A LIST OF DOS ANDDON’TS,” CLARIFIES JASON.

“I know as well as anyone there is certain jargon that will roll off my tongue without me thinking.

“This is about challenging all of us to think compassionately and critically about the language we use.”

Last month, Social Work News announced it was backing the campaign, and hundreds of people took to our Twitter feed to share their personal pet peeve terms.

@Dylanrgsloan: “‘LAC - a child asked me once what he was lacking in. Contact - replace this with family time.”

@DrARoeschMarsh: “‘Challenging behaviour’ tells us nothing - what is the behaviour? ‘Vulnerable,’ again what does this mean? Any of us might be vulnerable depending on the context.”

@ohhollygosh: “Acronyms generally, to me the use of them always feels elitist and inaccessible all round.”

Jason adds: “I think there’s pressure on newly-qualified social workers to communicate with jargon that’s being used around them, even if this is alienating for families.

“Language is so powerful, it can be the springboard for the entire relationship, so it’s important we get it right.”

FOR TAMMY MAYES, ‘SERVICEUSER’ HAS PARTICULARLYNEGATIVE CONNOTATIONS.

“I heard that term for years, but I’m not and never have been a ‘service user’.”

“I didn’t ask for social services to get involved in my life, it’s not a service I opted to ‘use.’

“IN MY EXPERIENCE, A LOT OFLANGUAGE IN SOCIAL WORKNEEDS TO BE CHANGED.”

So how can people get involved?

Jason says: “We’re asking people to use the hashtags #ForTheRecord or #NotAServiceUser online to share their experience of why language is important in social work, and what they would like social workers to know.

“We’ll be sharing comments and videos from the SWAG Twitter account in the run-up to World Social Work Day on March 16th.

“We’re also asking social workers to commit to choosing a different term in place of ‘service user,’ as it’s one people feel so strongly about.

“That many people can’t be wrong, it’s time that term was gone.”

SWAG is seeking more collaborators and Reps. Follow @swactionuk on Twitter and DM to make contact.