2 minute read
When Social Workers need Social Workers
I don’t think social workers give enough thought to how people feel when we come into their homes,” says Michael Wood.
“Often, we’re seeing people at their most vulnerable. “We know we’re there to help, but I do think more time and training should be given to understanding how people really feel in those difficult moments.”
Michael speaks from experience. In August 2019, after struggling for months with his mental health, Michael ended up being voluntarily admitted to a mental health ward.
“My struggles were partly about work, and partly about personal circumstances - I think it’s always hard when things are difficult at home and difficult at work,” says the 39-year-old.
“I don’t think it helps that supervision doesn’t really take into account the emotional impact of the job, and how you’re coping. Often it’s just about case management and doesn’t always feel like a safe enough space to be able to say the things you need to.
"I also think people in our line of work worry that, by admitting they're having trouble, people will make judgements about whether they're capable of the job.
Michael was working as a social worker in the child protection team in North Tyneside, a job he’d been doing for 14 years.
“When I spoke with the crisis team, I definitely felt that there was this expectation that, because I’m a social worker, I should have known how to access help earlier,” says Michael.
“The truth is, if you’re in crisis, and you’re struggling with difficult thoughts, you’re not rational.”
Michael says he wasn’t resistant to the involvement of social services, and did find the intervention helpful, though he found it hard when he crossed paths with someone that he knew from his professional life.
“My first day in the hospital, I was in the communal room when the Mental Health OT husband of a colleague walked down the corridor towards me. I just froze.
“That was tough, I’d wanted to be able to control who saw me like this, and that really opened my eyes to people’s vulnerabilities, and what it’s like for them when we come into their homes, their safe space.”
18 MONTHS ON, MICHAEL IS HEALTHY, AND BACK WORKING IN A NEW ROLE AS AN ADVANCED PRACTITIONER SUPPORTING SOCIAL WORKERS IN HIS TEAM.
He says he feels his experience has given him a unique insight that he’s now keen to share with other professionals.
“I know there are other people in the teams where I work who have had mental health struggles, but it’s not really talked about, and that’s what I think needs to change,” he says.
“I regularly have one-to-one case discussions with social workers, and the first thing I do on a call is check in with how they’re doing and what their day has been like.
“So much of this job is about the support you get from colleagues in the room, so with all of us shut away in our own homes, it’s vital we reach out to one another.
“I really want people to know that what happened to me can happen to anyone, and there’s no need for shame. Most importantly, there is always a path back. With help, we can recover, go back to work, and live the lives we were living before.”
