ÂŁ3.25 Social Work News Magazine
mysocialworknews.c0.uk
July - September 2018 issue
06
The spotlight on your profession
16
26
We speak to Cafcass
Keeping safe at work
Social Work Circle
We hear about how they are developing their services to support those in need.
We share advice as to how you can keep yourself safe when visiting clients.
Our social workers share their thoughts about mentoring and what is "proper" social work.
Social Work News
Contents July - September 2018 issue
08
10
National Deaf Children's Society
A day in the life of...
Working with deaf children and young people is a challenge. We find out what resources this charity has to support social workers.
We find out from Nick Pratt, Head of Safeguarding at the Independent Safeguarding Service about his typical daily routine.
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14
Volunteering Matters
Have your say
Find out about the innovative mentoring scheme which is making huge strides to support those on the edge of leaving care.
You let us know how you can gain confidence of children, how to deal with trauma and which organisations provide invaluable support.
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24
NWG Network
Win the latest social work textbooks
This national charity provides support to professionals working in a variety of different roles about the issues relating to CSE.
Enter our competition for the chance to win a fabulous selection of the latest social work textbooks.
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28
Social Work Circle
Social Work Circle
What is proper social work? In our latest column, we hear from a social worker who gives us her take on whether there is such a thing.
Can social workers benefit from having a dedicated mentor to advise and guide them? Our social worker shares her thoughts.
Social Work News - 02
Social Work News
Editorial
foreword Welcome to a special bumper issue of Social Work News. You may have noticed that it’s larger than usual, and this is because we’ve filled it with more informative articles and interviews than ever before. This issue, we’ve explored how charitable organisations can offer vital resources and support to social work practitioners across the UK. Our exclusive interview with the National Deaf Children’s Society (page 08) gives useful advice for how social workers can communicate with deaf James Rook
children, and we are excited to share details with you about how the NWG Network are providing resources related to CSE (read more on page 22).
Meet the team
Recently, Anthony Douglas, announced his plans to step down from his role as Chief Executive of Cafcass next spring, but as you can read in his interview on page 06, he remains passionate about his work. We’re sure you’ll agree, he has done a tremendous job and we wish him all the best for the future.
Finally, we’re delighted that so many of you are continuing to contribute towards our magazine. Between our regular “Have your Say” column (page 14 ), and our brand new Social Work Circle feature (page 26), we are delighted to be seen as the voice of the profession. We want our magazine to reflect you. Your thoughts. Your careers. Your opinions. If you would like to get involved in the next issue of Social Work News, or would like to let us know your feedback, please email us at press@mysocialworknews.com
James Rook,
Chief Executive, Sanctuary Social Care
Andrew Pirie,
Owen Dye,
“More and more social workers than ever before are getting involved in the magazine and joining our community. We’re pleased to see it become a positive place to share and discuss fantastic social work practice.”
"Social Work News keeps getting bigger and better with every issue, and as the content continues to evolve, we are taking every opportunity to push the design too. My favourite this issue being the Work Life feature on page 10."
Amy Dawson,
Mark Nicholls,
“There are some really exciting social work initiatives taking place across the UK, so it’s great to be able to share some of these success stories with you. We hope that you walk away feeling as inspired as we did.”
“It’s always interesting to speak to different councils and find out more about the ways in which they work. I hope this issue's Council Spotlight features have you inspired to join the social work teams at Torbay and Hounslow.”
Marketing Director
Art Director
Contributing Editor
Editorial
0333 7000 040 | press@mysocialworknews.com
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Contributing Writer
Advertising
0333 7000 040 | advertising@mysocialworknews.com
News bites
News bites Key news stories and announcements.
Apprenticeship bursaries launched for care leavers
Independent safeguarding service launched
Care leavers aged 16-24 looking to join an apprenticeship programme can receive a bursary payment of £1,000.
An innovative online project has been launched which is offering practitioners the opportunity to improve their knowledge and understanding of safeguarding practices.
The extra financial support will be available to those starting an apprenticeship after 01 August 2018. It will be paid in addition to the £1,000 funding provided to both employers and training providers when they employ a young person either in care, or on an education, health and care plan. Research from care leavers has shown that many were put off the prospect of starting an apprenticeship due to low rates of pay which left them struggling to live after bills had been paid. Matthew Reed, CEO of the Children’s Society, who lobbied the government for change said: “We hope this grant will make apprenticeships a more viable option for young people looking to find work after leaving care.”
The Independent Safeguarding Service has been designed as a one-stop portal, providing practitioners with information and resources to help them ensure that they are working effectively and compliantly with all safeguarding legislation. Access to the service is provided via a paid-for membership scheme which not only includes updated policies and toolkits, but members can also benefit from Unlimited Statutory & Best Practice Safeguarding Training. Membership prices start at just £65 per year for individual membership and more information can be found at independentsafeguardingservice.org/
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News bites
The government's official response to Social Work England consultation The government responded to its consultation of the new regulator, Social Work England, setting out a clear vision of how they see the new framework working. In a letter co-written by Nadhim Zahawi, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Children and Families and Caroline Dineage, Minister of State for Care, they stated that they wanted to see a profession with “improved capability” and “a profession where frontline practitioners are highly skilled, confident and have strong, supportive supervision and leadership”. Within the consultation response, it was confirmed that Social Work England will have the ability to place conditions of registration against social workers who are not meeting expected professional standards, whilst registration can be refused if the applicants English language skills are not good enough. Social Work England is expected to launch in Spring 2019. We’ll update you on the latest news in a future issue of Social Work News.
Colum Conway named Chief Executive of Social Work England
80:20 campaign launched by BASW to tackle admin times
Social Work England, the new regulator for Social Workers in England has announced that Colum Conway will be its new Chief Executive.
The British Association of Social Workers have launched a campaign aimed at reducing social worker's admin time.
Mr Conway has previously spent five years as the Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Social Care Council, the regulator for social workers in Northern Ireland. Mr Conway will be joined on the leadership board by Lord Patel of Bradford, who has been named Chair. Speaking of his appointment, Mr Conway said he was “determined that Social Work England will make a unique and lasting contribution to the profession of social work”
The organisation hope that the 80:20 campaign will raise awareness of how much time practitioners spend doing paperwork, compared to direct work with service users. BASW hope that the campaign will encourage local authorities to invest in reliable and efficient technology systems, therefore freeing up more time for social workers to spend with families. The campaign follows on from recent research from Kings College London which suggested that ‘admin pressures’ played a significant part in social worker burnout.
Share your news! Simply email press@mysocialworknews.com if you have a story you wish to share with us. Social Work News - 05
Cafcass
“Good social work managers are educators, regulators, role models and counsellors” Earlier this year, Cafcass were rated “outstanding” by Ofsted. We speak to Chief Executive Anthony Douglas to find out what this rating means to them, and how they are continuing to develop their services to support those in need.
Future change in Cafcass will be wrapped up with systemic change in the family justice and child care system. Private law reform is the obvious starting point, particularly diversion from court and more targeted interventions in the most serious cases of domestic abuse, high conflict and parental alienation. A successful future system mostly depends on leadership on the frontline by individual social workers but leaders at the top are also crucial to set direction, to problem solve and to build public and political confidence.
What is your top priority towards the latter part of 2018 and moving ahead to 2019? Our top priority for next year is the same as this year – to do our day job to the highest possible standard. This means ensuring the service we provide to each child referred to us by a family court – 140,000 children last year – is good or outstanding. For the next child referred to us, it may be their only chance of a decent future.
You’ve recently undertaken some high-profile appointments – how would you like to see them using their experience to guide and support Cafcass’ work? Appointing Edward Timpson as Chair and Sir Andrew McFarlane as President of the Family Division will help to give confidence about the system’s future direction. Both are popular in the sector, highly committed and approachable, and proven reformers.
Earlier this year, Ofsted rated you as “outstanding” – a far cry from 2009 where you were deemed “inadequate”. How have you transformed your services within such a short time frame? Improvement was mostly due to developing a high-quality workforce and strong workforce cultures around the country; cultures where the narrative in teams and throughout the organisation was how best to support the children referred to us. We have developed various tools in-house to improve quality whilst managing very high levels of demand over a number of years. It was important to work as a united team of over 2000 staff and Associates. Working with the power and wisdom of crowds is not well understood as a building block for change but I believe that all major change has to achieve a consensus that it is the right way forward. We harnessed that. We also gave and maintain a strong commitment to flexible working. We give staff the technology and tools to carry out a complex and demanding role which is ‘emotional labour’. The only way we can give children maximum support is by making sure we do the same to the staff supporting them.
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Cafcass
Ofsted praised your “culture of continuous learning and improvement”. How do you help staff work to the best of their ability? It is crucial that staff feel the risks they run are shared by management. All social work decisions and judgments carry with them a risk.
Anthony Douglas
Good practice leadership brings with it a strong oversight of cases, but also a teaching role for less experienced staff. Good social work managers are educators, regulators, role models and counsellors – four in one management. Staff also have access to bespoke internal training including regular webinars and ‘off the shelf’ sessions. I take part in interactive webinars, which gives me the chance to engage with staff and for them to ask me questions. Our ‘off the shelf’ sessions address issues that arise locally and are delivered by a practice supervisor or manager in group supervision or team meetings.
tools, and relevant academic references and case law to help social workers assess the impact on children of these issues and domestic abuse. The pathways are being developed in collaboration with our own practitioners and will incorporate feedback from a wide range of stakeholders including therapists and parental groups.
How will you be sharing this new tool with practitioners across the sector? As is the case with our existing Domestic Abuse Assessment Pathway, the new tools and guidance will be accessible via our website. We also plan to work with ADCS and the Principal Social Worker Network regarding the best methods for sharing and dissemination of the resources. Many LSCBs and Family Justice Boards are also interested in the tools and guidance. We see these forums as good opportunities to promote awareness of the emotional harm caused to children in family court proceedings and to improve assessment of child impact and methods for improving outcomes.
How are you using advances in technology to support and improve social work practice? We’re always looking for better ways of working and ensuring the vulnerable child’s voice is heard in the clearest possible way. Sometimes this isn’t straightforward but our innovative apps, ‘This Much’ and ‘Backdrop’, have helped children and young people to express themselves through visual, graphical and pictorial content. Our Voice of the Child app, in its initial stages of development, will help Family Court Advisers understand in greater detail what the child is thinking and feeling. Children can use drawings, stickers and writing and scaling tools to illustrate what’s important to them, while ‘My Journey’ helps them to share their lived experiences, how they feel about their current situation and explores their vision for the future. This is an exciting project for us and once completed, we’re hoping to make it available to local authorities and other agencies.
How does your High Conflict Practice Pathway differ to previous tools relating to parental conflict and what can social workers expect from it? We realise the damaging impact high conflict and parental alienation can have on children and their families. Our Cafcass Assessment Pathways will address this by incorporating guidance, evidence-informed practice
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Find out more. You can find out more information about Cafcass’ new apps and dedicated Pathways via their website. Visit cafcass.gov.uk for more information.
“Deaf children should be given access to the right support, so they can reach their full potential” Working with deaf children or young people can be a difficult challenge for social work practitioners. We speak with Christopher Mullen, Social Care Policy Advisor at the National Deaf Children’s Society to find out what resources are available for social workers across the UK.
What are the aims of the National Deaf Children’s Society? There are around 50,000 deaf children in the UK: we believe that each child should be provided with equal opportunities. We aim to remove any barriers and provide better access to support, enabling all children to meet their full potential. Deafness is not a learning disability and with most deaf children attending mainstream school, we need to work hard to prevent them from falling behind their peers both academically and emotionally.
What are the biggest issues faced by deaf children? Educationally, deaf children are struggling due to a lack of specialist provision within their mainstream schools. A third of councils are cutting their budgets to support deaf children – this will have a significant impact upon children who are already struggling to learn effective communication skills. Without the right support, they could become more vulnerable and at risk of being isolated, abused or bullied. The cuts to early intervention services will also have a significant effect upon deaf children and their families. More than 90% of deaf children are born to parents with
no experience of hearing loss or understanding of how to communicate with deaf children. This poses a significant challenge and without easy access to early intervention services, we could store up problems leaving families needing access to more complex help in later years.
How much involvement do you have with social work teams? Although the numbers of deaf children are rising, it is still very much a low-incidence disability which is geographically spread across the UK. We recognise the pressures facing social work teams when trying to fight for resources to support vulnerable children. At the National Deaf Children’s Society, we are here to provide additional support for social workers to help them work more effectively with deaf children. Last year, we launched our social care advisory service – this is where we can answer any calls or emails from social workers who may need a little advice or guidance. It may be that you need some support to make an assessment stronger or perhaps you need advice as to what should be included within a support plan. Our advisory service isn’t a substitute for a specialist social worker, but it is a useful resource which is freely available to social work professionals.
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National Deaf Children’s Society
What resources are available for practitioners working with deaf children? Our website offers a wide range of resources which have been created with the needs of social care staff in mind.
Christopher Mullen
As well as best practice guides there are a range of interactive videos and downloadable brochures which can help professionals understand the difficulties faced by deaf children and their families. We work closely with LSCBs to provide advice for the implementation of the Working Together to Safeguard Children guidance and we also advise Children's Hearing Services Working Groups (CHSWGs) across the UK. This gives us the opportunity to offer strategic advice for how families can access good quality, local support services. We also provide regular training workshops to help upskill social workers – as well as pre-set courses, we offer bespoke training packages to in-house teams looking to learn more about working with deaf children. Later this year we will also be launching remote learning opportunities which will help social workers to access training at a time that suits them.
There are numerous resources available, and thanks to a growing use of technology, there are a wide range of apps which can be downloaded and used to back up conversations and aid communication.
What happens when a social worker is unable to communicate via sign language? It is important to remember that many deaf children may communicate orally without using sign language. Even where sign language is used, there are many different variations of sign language available, so you may find that even if you have a professional within your team with the ability to sign fluently, you could still have issues. Our advice is to always use a qualified interpreter – you must not rely on using a family member to interpret for you as it could significantly change the narrative and lose the voice of the child. We would recommend using an interpreter registered with the National Register of Communication Professionals working with Deaf and Deafblind People (NRCPD). As a voluntary regulator, their members adhere to set standards and a guaranteed code of conduct.
What are the biggest challenges faced by social workers when working with deaf children? Deafness can affect children in so many different ways; there really isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. Some children may have been born deaf, whilst it could occur during later life for other children (perhaps as a result of an illness). This means that social workers need to really understand the experience of the child and how deafness has affected them. It can be challenging for professionals as different members of the same family may have very different perspectives. When you add in the voice of the ‘Teacher of the Deaf’ (a qualified professional who may have been providing additional support within a school), it can be incredibly difficult for social workers to retain the voice of the child when undertaking any assessments or reports.
How can a social worker upskill themselves to maintain a strong practice working with deaf children? Language is key to all communication – social workers will have picked up similar skills when working with service users who may not speak English. For instance, they should remember to always face the child – communication can be picked up via lip reading and where possible, use aids like photos, drawings or symbols.
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Accessing support from the National Deaf Children’s Society Downloadable resources can be accessed online: ndcs.org.uk/professional_support
Contact Details Call: 0121 234 9825 | Email: socialcare@ndcs.org.uk Website: ndcs.org.uk/socialcareadvice Find a qualified interpreter via the NRCPD: nrcpd.org.uk/
Work life
Work life
A day in the life of….a Local Authority Designated Officer. After an unorthodox route into social work, Nick Pratt, Head of Safeguarding at the Independent Safeguarding Service, shares how he has harnessed his knowledge and experience to help establish an online safeguarding training/CPD hub.
My journey into social work I started working in social care in 1999 within an ‘Asylum Team’, filling out forms for new arriving adults and families seeking accommodation and subsistence support whilst their applications were being heard by the Home Office. Prior to this I worked in television production and research. I had no training or background in the area of Asylum Team work but remember spending the first few weeks carefully reading through legislation and the judicial review hearings, so I understood the legal framework of the duties placed on the Local Authority. After a few months, I became a liaison between Local Authorities and the Home Office. After working in this area for a few years, I was offered the opportunity by my then employer to train as a Social Worker and was surprised at how much I enjoyed it despite the amount of work on top of my job. I went straight in to frontline child protection and felt I had found my calling. The work was exciting, enormously challenging, but very rewarding.
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Work life
My Typical Day I am currently a Designated Officer for a Local Authority (commonly called a LADO) and manage allegations against staff and volunteers who work with children. I also help co-ordinate the London LADO Network, represent London on the National LADO Network, and deliver training to organisations in all sectors around their Safeguarding practice. Nick Pratt
My day-to-day work involves chairing multi-agency meetings, auditing safeguarding practice in various organisations, quality assuring internal investigations, looking at organisational learning, managing information relating to high profile cases and supporting social workers with child protection practice. During a typical day I will consider new referrals of allegations, support employers with risk assessments on employees, coordinate Police and Children’s Services response to referrals, chair allegations meetings, delivering training and write briefings for senior management. During the evening I juggle being an attentive parent and husband with helping with a social enterprise called the Independent Safeguarding Service
My Proudest Moments
This offers organisations affordable access to everything they need to embed good practice. ISS can also offer the same training access (60 training sessions) for social workers who want CPD for just £65 which can be a real issue for those working as locums. Profits are reinvested to improve the services available.
My biggest challenges I think the biggest challenge has been the lack of consistent ‘footing’ in the various authorities I have worked in. The industry is known for its instability due to changes to the political landscape, restructuring, changes to senior management, changes in theory to be used in practice and staff turnover. Whilst I welcome change brought about by new research, I feel that social work with families can become challenging in terms of available time during periods of instability. I recall one Local Authority some years ago where my diary was almost full of management meetings and compulsory training courses for new practice direction. This resulted in me having very little time on the ground to deal with the nuts and bolts of practice issues and support for my social workers that was badly needed.
What I am most proud of is seeing confident social workers that I have trained; especially when they strive for good practice and are not afraid to challenge appropriately. The periods of time I have spent training up NQSWs were particularly enjoyable for me as they always reinvigorated my ongoing hunger for social work.
Lesson I’ve Learnt I have become involved in the Independent Safeguarding Service (ISS), a Community Interest Company that is set up to provide a wealth of safeguarding resources. It emerged after a group of LADOs and safeguarding leads (around 50) in different sectors became frustrated that access to high quality training and updated compliant policies and procedures required a lot of money for organisations. This seemed to be unusual as being able to embed good safeguarding practice is in everyone’s interest. With no solution to this from the government and with everchanging legislation and statutory local authority contacts, we got together and volunteered our knowledge and time to set up ISS as a social enterprise. We developed software that can produce a full set of bespoke safeguarding policies in less than seven minutes. This, combined with access to some 20 safeguarding CPD training courses delivered by experts in their areas, is all available for a small membership fee.
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After Work The importance of a work/life balance has been lost on me up until the last few years but is more important to me now. I have young children so spending time with them is always a priority. Generally being outdoors, camping and going to the beach always recharges me. I am lucky enough to live in Suffolk where there are swim-able rivers which my son enjoys, so you are likely to find us there over the summer.
Volunteering Matters
“Encouraging inter-generational relationships are making a big difference to those in need” We meet with Dionne Walton, Grandmentors Volunteer Manager to find out more about the innovative mentoring scheme which is making huge strides in Ipswich to support those on the edge of leaving care.
“Our care leavers benefit from these sessions because it may be the first time that they have had somebody’s full attention for up to two hours” says Dionne with a smile. “Because their mentor isn’t rushing to complete paperwork or head off to see another client, they can open up and build a stronger, more trusting relationship.”
The first thing you’ll notice when speaking to Dionne is her obvious passion and pride for the Grandmentoring scheme which she established in Ipswich last year. Developed as a project by the national charity Volunteering Matters, the innovative “Grandmentors” project has proven to be a reliable way of providing support and guidance to young people who may have experienced challenging life circumstances. Currently operating in Islington, Hounslow, Folkestone, Stockton and Wiltshire as well as Ipswich, the initiative works in conjunction with Leaving Care teams to match young people aged 16-24 (who are Not in Education, Employment or Training) with a dedicated volunteer mentor over the age of 50. Lasting up to 12 months, the mentor is on hand to offer weekly sessions to build up the person’s confidence and skill set, helping to ease the transition into adulthood. Because of the inter-generational gap, the mentor can demonstrate positive, healthy relationships and become a role model for those who may have lacked support throughout their life.
Dionne’s enthusiasm for the role is contagious and since making her first official ‘match’ at the end of 2017, she has since successfully partnered 19 young people with mentors and has a surplus of local people volunteering to get involved. She says: “There are big differences in the ways in which the project has worked in different locations. Whilst our London colleagues can run an advert in a local paper and reach hundreds of potential volunteers, in a rural location like Ipswich we need to work much harder to engage with local people.” “I spend much of my time going out to local business networking events where I get to speak to people faceto-face about the benefits of volunteering. It’s hugely beneficial because not only do they buy in to what we are doing, but they are becoming advocates for us and sharing details of the project with their own colleagues and peers as part of their own community activities.” When talking about the Grandmentor’s scheme, Dionne is keen to emphasise that the project is run very differently across the country, where Local Authorities have invested in the project and developed it in accordance to their own locality’s needs and behaviours.
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Volunteering Matters
“The best thing about this scheme is how flexible it can be” says Dionne. “Our teams have worked closely with Local Authorities to create bespoke projects which work well for their particular regions. What excites me is that as we see more success in each area, we’ll have solid examples of best practice which will allow us to replicate successful projects in similar locations across the country.”
Dionne Walton
Over the past year, Dionne has worked in close partnership with Suffolk County Council to run the project and she believes that their full support is vital to the project’s success. Sitting alongside the council’s Leaving Care team, Dionne is able to get involved in cases and offer support and advice to fellow social work colleagues as well as invite them to attend low-key events which introduce young people to potential mentors. “We learnt very quickly that a soft-matching approach works really well for us in Ipswich. For example, we have held several bake offs where we’ve been able to introduce our young people with our volunteer mentors. It was
Dionne adds: “The hardest part of launching any new project is actually liaising with the Local Authority to agree exactly how it needs to be run within that area. However, once the plan has been agreed, it’s an incredibly quick and easy project to start – not to mention cost effective.” “The funding tends to be met jointly by the Local Authority and by external partners. We’re continuously looking at new ways to fund these projects which cost in the region of £50,000 to support a minimum of 35 care leavers. In Ipswich, the council has shown huge support for the scheme and covered half of the cost of the project themselves – something which we are hugely grateful for.” The success of the scheme speaks for itself. Not only are care leavers actively engaging in the project, but in Ipswich, Dionne is starting to see young people self-refer themselves by coming along to local events and asking to be matched with a potential mentor. Dionne suggests that this demonstrates that not only is the approach correct, but it also shows that the “product” is working effectively.
Within just six months of engaging with a weekly mentor, the scheme can celebrate that 95% of care leavers were involved in Education, Employment or Training. Compared to the national average of 49%, it is clear that this is an effective project for those working with a difficult audience.
amazing to see them interact without any input from us, and as a result a few people had the confidence to ask for a specific person to be their mentor.” “As any social worker will know, to see someone who has experienced such hardship take control and have the confidence to identify who they feel would be a positive influence on them is great to see and it’s definitely one of my best moments since getting involved in the project.” Looking ahead, Dionne is keen to work with colleagues at Volunteering Matters to expand the project nationally. There are currently plans to roll out the initiative in other locations including Waltham Forest. A benefit of this project is the relative ease in which it can be set up. Once the Local Authority has given its support, the project can be fully functional within a few months.
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Dionne concludes: “We are hugely ambitious and we’re continually working hard to make sure that the project is working as effectively as it can be. It’s important to us that our care leavers and volunteers are equally benefiting from this scheme, so we’re always listening to feedback and looking to see where we can improve. “I’d like to encourage more social workers to get involved – even if it’s just visiting one of our local events to see what we’re doing. This is a great resource with a proven track record and I’m proud to be a part of this.”
Incorporating Grandmentors into your region If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, email grandmentors@volunteeringmatters.org.uk Alternatively, if you would like to incorporate the Grandmentors project in your region, please contact Verna.Chung@volunteeringmatters.org.uk
Have your say This issue, we look at how you can gain confidence of children or young people, how to deal with trauma and your recommendations for which organisations provide invaluable support to social work teams!
How do you gain the confidence of children or young people, and how do you encourage them to open up to you? “It depends on the child and their age. They need to know they can trust you and they are safe. There are tools to use with children which can complement and inform assessments.” Anne Marie, Birmingham. “Children prefer someone who can get to their level and will not judge them. I always ensure l build a positive relationship with the child from the beginning. I use direct work, tools like 3 house (sign safety), games, feeling cards or questionnaires as a way to start conversations.” Hilda, Chichester. “Be honest, upfront and don't treat children like they don't know what they want/need. They know what will change things for the better for them. We may not always agree but they need to be heard and feel that they are being taken seriously.” Shirley, Bury. “Start by asking absurd questions which makes them chuckle.” Christine, Lancaster. “When working with children I make sure I’m at their level. I make sure I have the right tools whether this is toys, arts and crafts or reading books. It’s whatever their interest is; it allows them to know your listening which breaks down the barriers and allows them to talk to you. This will build up that trusting relationship.” Kelly, Manchester.
“Never make promises that you can’t keep and always be honest with them. Without this you will never gain their confidence, because you won’t have developed their trust. Sometimes they can’t find the words, so use a storybook. If they don't want to say it out loud or to your face, use chalk boards or sit back to back. Never lose imagination and creativity and don’t be scared to try new things. Be human, let them know that you’ve had sad times or hard times and what helped you through. Never leave them feeling unsafe or anxious... help them to manage it and support them, tell them what happens next. Always talk about good things as well as the difficult things - there’s always a positive.” John, Croydon.
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Have your say
Which organisations are effective in providing additional support to social work teams? “Early help services – they divert families from needing to progress to formal services.” Shirley, Bury. “I recently worked with NSPCC in relation to a sexual abuse case and was extremely impressed by the level of expertise, professionalism and knowledge.” Rose, London. “NHS colleagues such as community nursing teams can, and have been able to, provide services and support beyond the remit of my role. Providers have also been key in this process and it is often their remit to engage with the client and build an effective relationship so that the dependency on social workers lessen.” Samantha, Jarrow. “Local organic community groups where service users feel connected to their community.” Christine, Lancaster. “Barnardo’s provide lots of wishes and feelings work and excellent parenting groups. They work in partnership, do joint working, share information appropriately. Education is largely good. They sometimes do not understand thresholds and are reluctant to help. However, they are adaptable, helpful when seeing children in school and share information appropriately.” Ben, Carlisle.
How can you effectively support those who have experienced severe trauma? “By understanding the reason for their trauma, how it impacts on their behaviour, communication and relationships. Making referrals for appropriate treatment/therapies can also make a big difference.” Neville, Plymouth. “Set aside time to build relationships and learn about the person away from that trauma.” Esther, Birmingham. “Be really empathetic, bear in mind that what they are able to share is just a tiny fraction of events they have encountered. Be patient, passionate and non-judgemental. Some of them may have flashback which can impact on their ability to respond to your interventions, give them time and be sensitive to their experiences.” Pat, Paignton. “By discussion & personalised working. They should lead the assessment process, and this can only be accomplished by gaining their trust and of the people that are supporting them.” Aftab, Malakand “Look at a problem holistically: break issues down into manageable pieces for the service user and go at their pace.” Rob, Pontypridd. Social Work News - 15
How to keep safe at work You may be used to dealing with complicated or volatile situations but how can you ensure that your personal safety is maintained at all times? Author Brian Atkins offers his advice as to how you can keep yourself and your colleagues safe when visiting clients.
Working as a frontline practitioner in social care is an essential, complex, difficult and rewarding task. Working in child or adult protection, or with people affected by behavioural disturbance further adds complexity to the task, which is often conducted alone in a stressful or risky environment. Such stress can have a major impact on the personal and professional wellbeing of the worker. Working in situations which appear unsafe can also impair judgement and professional practice. When social workers feel unsafe they may not be able to challenge poor parenting practice or behaviour or to insist on fulfilling their duty to protect children, including the need to see them alone and inspect bedrooms. This factor has been identified in several Serious Case Reviews over the years including that of Victoria Climbie and many more recent reports. Similar challenges apply in adult social care. Assaults on social care staff have caused concern for many years but have never been successfully addressed on a national basis. It is part of the reason why practitioners leave the profession, and why organisations fail to perform optimally.
What happens to people (including professionals) when they feel threatened? When people are subject to physical or emotional threats, the body produces an unconscious reaction to freeze, run away or fight as a deeply inbuilt survival mechanism, common to animals and humans. The freeze response causes the person to remain totally still in the hopes that they will not be seen or attract aggression – like a “rabbit frozen in the headlights�. It can cause workers to freeze, and to not have the necessary professional interaction with their clients. Preparing for flight or fight causes changes in the body which stimulate major muscles but also have a disastrous effect on thinking and analytical ability.
Personal Safety
Brian Atkins
In some long term professional relationships, workers can become trapped into a hostage style relationship with their clients, where the power balance shifts from the worker to the service user due to the impact of long-term threats and intimidation. This is related to the ‘Stockholm Syndrome’ where terrorist hostages have made positive relationships with their captors and try to appease and support them. If a worker is not properly supervised and supported this can result in the worker trying to please the service user family, by minimising the threat to the vulnerable child or adult, and consequently putting the actual subject of intervention at risk
What can practitioners and their employers do to reduce risk of violence and aggression, keep safe and be able to work effectively? As a social worker, you should not think that realistic anxiety in threatening situations is due to your personal weakness or inadequacy, rather as a consequence of the job / role that has put you there. It is both your professional responsibility and that of your employers to address the issues to enable you to work safely. Social care workers in risky situations need to be aware of the potential dangers and plan their response accordingly. Proactive steps that you can personally take include: • Improving your safety awareness, including in service user’s homes, on the street and travelling • Conducting risk assessments of situations and service users • Planning to minimise risk • Developing team-based safety systems and processes
Using supervision A good supervisor is potentially your best ally in developing working practices to keep you safe. She or he should recognise the impact violence and aggression can have on your work including the potential for hostage style relationships and should proactively ask questions if they suspect that such concerns are being minimised. They can also help to access additional resources (e.g. pairing
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with colleagues or the support of police/security) to help you feel safe in potentially dangerous situations. You can use your supervisor to help you practice appropriate responses, including how to impart unwelcome news.
Working with colleagues Your team members are a good source of support when you are feeling anxious about work-based situations. Staff safety should be a regular part of team meeting discussions, including helping to prepare for commonly occurring situations such as having to see a child alone. The team culture should ideally support this should be no trivialising of concerns about personal safety. Team based safety systems for lone working will be essential.
Training Your employer should offer Staff Safety/Lone Worker training. Good training should include basic safety awareness and provide a theoretical understanding of why people become violent and aggressive. It should enable you to understand and practice de-escalation techniques, and to be able to recognise when the situation is unsafe. Training may also include disengagement techniques to enable workers to avoid or break away from assaults. Such training should be provided within the ethos of social care and you have a duty to take it seriously, and to use team meetings to refresh your understanding of the issue and the messages from training.
Policies and procedures Your employer should have policies and procedures concerning lone working and staff safety. You and your team should be aware of where to find these, and what they say and how they apply to the work situation. This should be a regular item for team meetings.
Want to learn more? You can read more about how to remain safe at work thanks to Brian’s book, “Personal Safety for Social Care and Health Workers”, £19.99, Critical Publishing. Purchase online at criticalpublishing.com
Council Spotlight
Council Spotlight Torbay Children’s Services is looking toward a brighter future under a new director. Mark Nicholls speaks to Alison Botham, Assistant Director for the Children Young People and Families Service about the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.
Torbay is now entering a new phase. The foundations for continued and sustained improvement have been laid by the Senior Leadership Team, and supported by their Children’s Commissioner, who was brought in to work with Torbay in 2016. Torbay continues to focus on supporting its frontline staff to deliver best practice, improving safeguards and outcomes for children and young people. With a stable leadership team and Alison Botham, now in post as the joint Director of Children’s Services for Torbay and Plymouth, new opportunities can be explored and realised in the context of sustained improvement. The team are working hard in collaboration with their partners, to achieve their shared vision for the children and young people of Torbay. Alison came to the South West, from London, five years ago, as Assistant Director for the Children Young People and Families Service in Plymouth. Her commitment to supporting and championing social work, and high-quality practice through high support and high challenge is undaunted. She says: “I love my job and believe that as a profession we should be proud of what we achieve for some of the most vulnerable children, young people and their families. I have a responsibility and an expectation of others at all levels that we will keep children and young people at the heart of everything we do. We are embedding the right conditions, and support for social workers to be confident in their delivery of high quality relationship-based practice.”
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Council Spotlight
In Torbay, the Assistant Director is an experienced Practice Leader focussed on improving outcomes for children and young people through collaboration and providing the right conditions for all practitioners to develop and learn. The council has invested in new premises and agile working arrangements with cutting edge technology and are well-placed to achieve our ambition for Torbay’s children and young people. Alison adds: “Social workers who are committed to improving outcomes for our most vulnerable children and young people will be given the support and professional development they need, alongside the right conditions and tools to deliver their best work. We have ensured the basic foundations for good practice are in place with effective working arrangements with corporate partners within the authority through to police, schools and health organisations, and a strong relationship with the third sector. Over recent months we have also seen the integration of Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Co-ordinators within the social work teams and have good partnership links in the areas of substance abuse.” But how will she convince social workers to come to an authority in the process of re-building its reputation?
“Torbay has a track record of listening to and supporting staff well, manageable caseloads, how to manage when there are pressures, providing good quality supervision and support, listening to social workers, and valuing their contribution on how we develop an improved service. With the recent appointment of our Principal Social Worker, we have a robust way of reporting the views and experiences of the frontline social workers to all levels of management. There are also regular social work forums which consider, listen and understand your experiences. They review the implementation of practice models across the services, share research, and champion Workforce Development.” In terms of the future for Torbay, Alison said: “I see a steadily improving service with improving outcomes for children and young people, and where staff are well supported and experience the difference between getting the basics right and feeling confident, active and proud of the services they deliver.
She continues: “For frontline staff coming to an authority that is improving, being a part of making an even bigger difference for children and their families in an authority that has had a troubled past or has current difficulties, is extremely rewarding. I know from experience how satisfying it is to be a social worker working with colleagues and partners to protect children and young people, supporting and enabling them and their families to improve their outcomes. As a social worker in an improving authority you know that you are contributing to the improvement.
She concludes: “Torbay offers excellent quality of life as well as work opportunities. Situated on the South West coast, the Bay is made up of three towns: Torquay, Paignton and Brixham, each with unique characteristics but all part of the beautiful English Riviera. They are surrounded with opportunity for all members of the family, whatever their requirements. The bustling cities of Exeter and Plymouth are nearby, as well as rural and coastal working opportunities not afforded to big city life.”
Apply today Find out more about the vacancies available at Torbay Children’s Services, visit sanctuarysocialcare.com/jobs or call the permanent recruitment team on 0333 7000 026.
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Council Spotlight
Council Spotlight Mark Nicholls speaks to Jacqui McShannon, Director for Children’s Safeguarding and Specialist Service at the London Borough of Hounslow, about the opportunities offered to social work professionals. With a thriving social work department, forward-looking and innovative, with a nurturing environment for newly-qualified staff, Hounslow is looking to recruit additional personnel within its children and young persons team. A passionate advocate of delivering high quality services to children and young people and ‘hearing their voices’, Jacqui McShannon was pivotal in setting up Hounslow’s Corporate Parenting Panel and has worked for the authority for a number of years. Currently Director for Children’s Safeguarding and Specialist Service, she outlines the opportunities that await.
What is the appeal of working as a social worker in Hounslow? We are a small, lean, outer London authority, where every person counts: an authority where everybody is valued and has a contribution to make and knows they are working for the greater whole. Our management team is stable but has also been ‘refreshed’ by new additions: our senior managers are well-known to practitioners and vice-versa and characterised by their approachability and accessibility. We hear that from our annual social work health check and get good feedback about the level of support and training, the visibility of managers and the culture in which people are working. Our elected members are also very supportive of what we do.
Can you talk about the strong nurturing environment at Hounslow? We are very good at growing our own, promoting people and retaining people’s loyalty and we will help shape their careers. We have a strong ASYE (Assessed and Supported Year in Employment) programme, with good feedback from our newly-qualified social workers. We are part of the West London Alliance Step Up to Social Work and we have a big emphasis on training. This year we are working with the Centre for Systemic Social Work to offer training to 25 social work practitioners over a two-year period. Our practice learning is very hands-on, and we have practice champions who work with NQSWs, and also help colleagues address challenging areas like recording, chronology and genograms.
What about career development for more senior personnel? We have clear career progression and help people to develop areas of interest. We have advanced practitioner posts which social workers can apply for in areas such as domestic abuse, or other areas of interest, where they then coach, mentor and train other practitioners, and we promote the idea of practice leaders.
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Council Spotlight
At Hounslow, we recognise we have different roles and responsibilities and there is clear intersectionality between them. In addition, we are part of the West London Teaching Partnership and have posts that allow practitioners to research an area of interest and contribute to how training is delivered at university but also to run practice development training in-house. That has been very successful.
What about additional opportunities for social workers? We had a joint targeted area inspection last year and following on from that, Ofsted has asked us to contribute to round table discussions. We have an advanced practitioner who leads on Domestic Abuse. We also free up social workers to contribute to a One Stop Shop where victims of domestic abuse can meet with a range of professionals and get legal and child welfare advice, social workers are given time to deliver Let’s Talk programmes for children who have experienced domestic abuse. We try to free up our social workers wherever we can to develop their interests for example Safeguarding Team social workers set up and run a group for adolescent girls at risk of CSE
Which areas are you actively looking to attract more social workers into? We have a stable workforce but we are seeing some people move on, usually after significant levels of service. We have a record of practitioners and managers returning to Hounslow. Currently, we have team manager vacancies in the Intake and Safeguarding Teams.
What is Hounslow like as an area to work in? As an historic outer London borough, Hounslow is close to Heathrow and on the Piccadilly line with good transport links into central London. The borough also features modern housing estates, quiet suburbs, green belt villages and has fashionable cosmopolitan districts too. It has some of the most beautiful parks and open spaces in London with no fewer than five historic houses and landscape gardens. We are reasonably close to the river and it is less busy than other parts of the capital. The schools are good or outstanding. More than 140 languages are spoken in a very diverse borough with lots of active, engaged, communities and our social workers love the opportunities that offers, our workforce is also diverse and reflects that. The Council is embarking upon a major programme of change to modernise the way we work and reduce our carbon footprint. We will be moving to a new landmark building in 2019 located in Hounslow town centre, and our new technology will enable staff to work remotely and flexibly to improve the service we provide to residents and to help our staff achieve a better work/life balance.
What about the future?
We are particularly keen to have permanent staff in our safeguarding, support and corporate parenting teams because we are conscious about providing stability and continuity to children and young people. The safeguarding and support team work covers child protection, children in need and court work. Within corporate parenting we are looking for social workers to work with young people who are 14+ and are particularly interested in working with adolescents and the leaving care team. Our elected members are very supportive of corporate parenting and have all signed up to the Hounslow Pledge, which is a list of promises we have made to children and young people in our care to make clear what services they can expect to receive from us as their corporate parents.
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We are totally committed to making continuous improvements for children and young people in terms of their experiences and outcomes. We may not necessarily be outstanding but there is no complacency in Hounslow; we are very motivated, driven, open, honest and ambitious with children and young people and are an authority that is constantly looking to improve and develop. Morale is high among our social workers, but we also know in some areas our cases are high and we are now looking at increased capacity, particularly in safeguarding and support teams.
Apply today Find out more about the vacancies available at Hounslow Borough Council, visit sanctuarysocialcare.com/jobs or call the permanent recruitment team on 0333 7000 026.
How the NWG Network is tackling CSE NWG Network is a national charity focusing upon child sexual exploitation (CSE). It provides support to professionals working with children and young people in a variety of different roles, from policing to healthcare to social work. We speak to Phil Ashford, CSE Response Unit Lead, to find out more about their work.
In 2016 you were provided with £1.24m funding from the government to develop a taskforce over three years to tackle CSE. What work has already been undertaken and what is still planned? The past few years have been extremely busy, with work ranging from developing assessment tools to contributing to national policy. Over half our team have given evidence at the Independent Inquiry in to Child Sexual Abuse, while our work on the VOICE project, which is tackling CSE in sport, hit national headlines and has led to Sport England funding a sports lead for the Response Unit.
What is the NWG Network? We are a national charity, with over 14,500 members across the UK. We help to link professionals around the country so that they can then disseminate CSE best practice throughout their organisations. We hold regular training events, an annual conference and are responsible for National CSE Awareness Day which happens on March 18 each year. We are also home to the national CSE Response Unit - a team of staff who are available to respond to concerns around the clock and support staff who may encounter CSE. Many people receive safeguarding training as a routine part of their role but rarely have to use it, so it can be very difficult to know what to do when someone discloses CSE to them. We are here to signpost people in the right direction and give them access to resources that can help them.
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We’ve developed a multi-agency assessment tool which can be used to highlight those at risk of CSE and we have also recently completed a large piece of work looking at the transition from children’s to adults’ services and the vulnerabilities this can cause young people. You often hear people refer to a “cliff edge of support” when someone reaches their 18th birthday. We’ve produced a best practice benchmarking tool for organisations to use to ensure that they are making this transition as smooth as possible and will be looking at ways to roll this out as widely as possible.
How do you provide support and guidance to frontline social workers? The CSE Response Unit has a hotline which members can call with any concerns they have around dealing with CSE. We also have a huge online resource library which gives access to over 1,200 useful resources.
Child Sexual Exploitation
We help staff network with others across the country to share best practice and learn from each other’s experiences. We know that dealing with CSE can be tough and it’s important for people to be able to talk about the challenges and feel supported. We hold regular training events and an annual conference, as well as delivering in-house training sessions for organisations. Phil Ashford
You’ve mentioned your online resource library; can you tell us what this is and how social workers can benefit from it? We’ve worked hard to develop our online resources which are available to all of our members. It contains everything from strategic documents such as benchmarking tools for senior managers to advice for frontline staff - things like how to use appropriate language when dealing with young people or how you can help parents whose children have been affected by CSE. If your local safeguarding board is a member of NWG Network, you will be able to access our resources. Either check with them or give us a call and we can let you know. Individual memberships are available too.
Case study - Essex County Council One of the local authorities working closely with NWG Network is Essex County Council, which has made changes to ensure social workers feel more integrated in to teams. Phil Ashford says CSE cases in Rochdale and Rotherham and the subsequent handling of them has left many social workers across the country feeling undervalued. “There are a lot of people out there who are doing things very well under difficult circumstances. They really do want to make a difference to the lives of children and young people.” For NWG that empowerment has meant encouraging social workers to work with multi-agency teams to ensure that child protection happens in a joined-up way. “It’s a change of culture where social workers are part of that change and not just among the scapegoats,” said Phil. Social worker Kay Harrop, who is the CSE Lead for Children and Families for Essex County Council, says she has seen a big improvement.
How is the network ensuring that there is a consistent approach to tackling CSE across the country?
“We have monthly multi-agency meetings and robust frameworks in our CSE processes, and procedures, and a CSE Toolbox, which includes a CSE Risk and Vulnerabilities assessment, that is taking us forward.
The network allows professionals to share best practice and explore how their organisations could be doing things better/differently.
“We also offer regular CSE in-house training to the Essex workforce, which has been a real success and helped to spread good levels of practice across the service.”
With their input we have developed benchmarking tools for areas like the transition to adult services which outline a standard approach.
Want to know more?
Their feedback also links in to things like the national inquiry and the work we do with government departments, so the network is helping to shape things at that national level as well.
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If you have any concerns about CSE or would like to find out more about the work undertaken by the NWG Network, simply phone the hotline or visit their website. CSE Hotline: 0300 303 3032 | Website: nwgnetwork.org
Book review
Check out the latest social work textbooks For your chance to win these fabulous books, make sure you enter our free prize giveaway. For your chance to win this selection of texts (worth almost £100) then simply send an email to press@mysocialworknews.com with the subject heading “book giveaway”. Don’t forget to include your name, postal address and phone number!
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Book review
Observing Children and Families. Beyond the surface Gill Butler | criticalpublishing.com | £17.99 Combining a mix of theory with practical activities, this book is ideal for social workers looking to understand a child’s perspective. The book will not only teach readers how to improve their observational skills, but it will help social workers develop new approaches for observation and understand how they can make sense of what they have seen.
Social Media in Social Work Education Joanne Westwood | criticalpublishing.com | £19.99 Social media and new technologies have changed the ways in which we learn new information and communicate with peers. Cleverly edited by Joanne Westwood, this book offers readers some advice as to how social media can contribute to student learning as well as social work practice. Each chapter also explores how professional boundaries can be maintained in an online world.
Writing Analytical Assessments in Social Work Chris Dyke | criticalpublishing.com | £19.99 This book is a perfect resource for those needing a little support when writing reports and assessments. Designed to be a step-by-step guide, you will learn how to analyse, how to improve your report structure and how to complete your report quickly. The book is full of clear examples and scenarios to provide a comprehensive yet practical toolkit for any social work team.
Mental Health and the Criminal Justice System: a social work perspective Ian Cummings | criticalpublishing.com | £19.99 Written by a senior social work lecturer at the University of Salford, Ian Cummings focuses this book upon the growing issue of mental health provision within the criminal justice system. Cummings looks at the wider role of social work and how it has a key role to play in supporting those in need. Readers can expect thorough research, in a clear, easy-to read style.
Values in Health and Social Care: An introductory workbook Ray Samuriwo, Ben Hannigan, Stephen Pattison and Andrew Todd | jkp.com | £19.99 This practical workbook has been designed to help readers understand how to maintain values – with specific references to personal, professional and organisational values. Primarily aimed towards social work students and NQSWs, it can also be used by those new to senior positions who need to understand the nature and influence of strong social work values. Each chapter features practical activities which reiterate the learning. Thank you to Jessica Kingsley Publishers and Critical Publishing for providing these books.
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Social Work Circle
What is “proper” social work? Our social worker wonders if there really is such a thing as “proper” social work?
Why not join our Social Work Circle? If you have a passion for social work and a flair for words, why not join our Social Work Circle? We are always looking for contributors to share their thoughts in our regular column – it doesn’t matter whether you are newly qualified or have over 30 years’ experience, if you’re keen to share your views, we want to hear from you! All contributions will be classed as a CPD activity and we can provide you with a signed certificate for your portfolio regardless of whether you wish to write under your own name or anonymously. All you have to do to get involved is let us know your name, job title, contact information and what you would like to write about. Simply email press@mysocialworknews.com and we’ll be in touch!
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Social Work Circle
"The other day, one of my colleagues returned from a visit and declared that he had completed a piece of ‘proper social work’. The other social workers chuckled in acknowledgment of this novelty, and some nodded in recognition of their own similar experiences, before returning to their computers. Whilst I understood that my colleague (let’s call him Pete) had been speaking light-heartedly, it made me think about what ‘proper social work’ really constitutes. I was intrigued to know what my fellow social workers felt was ‘proper’ social work; what makes them tick? If I were to conduct a clinical research study of social workers and ask them to define ‘proper social work’, I’d wager that a lot of them wouldn’t mention databases or record-keeping. I felt they would be more likely to describe it as the relevant stuff, the work that changes lives, and improves things. I approached Pete and asked him what he meant by his comment. He sighed as he struggled to articulate his feelings on the matter. After some thought, he said it was about ‘seeing people and talking to people’. He had been out all morning, meeting a family for the first time following a referral to our team. He had met the client, the carer and the whole family, discussed why the referral had been made and what the issues were. There was considerable anger and hostility directed at Pete because the referral had been made a few weeks earlier. They all felt neglected and disheartened. This was followed by tears as the stress of the situation became evident. There were disagreements within the family, including objections from the client who brought up old family disputes. Pete took his time; he listened, talked, listened some more, explained, answered questions and, after some time, left with a plan which had been agreed by all. As he explained to me, he had used a wealth of his skills and experience to manage the situation. He had sifted through all the complex and conflicting details thrown at him by different members of the family. In his role as social worker, Pete had acted as family therapist, mediator, trouble-shooter and diplomat all in one. By the end of the meeting, he had successfully formed a fledgling working relationship with the client and their family. I could identify with this experience and I recognised Pete’s joy at such a successful initial outcome. I asked other social work friends about their experiences. What was interesting is that some common themes very
quickly emerged. All, without fail, mentioned direct contact with people – the ‘seeing and talking’ element Pete had originally talked about. This was the case regardless of client group. When I also considered my own experience of direct contact with clients, I was able to pinpoint that ‘proper social work’ is about building relationships. It is the establishment and development of these relationships that results in the rewarding feeling that Pete felt – the sense that we have made a difference to a clients’ life. Indeed, building and sustaining relationships is defined under the HCPC standards, section 9. It’s complex, time-consuming, frequently infuriating and sometimes it feels like a waste of time. I’m sure we all have those clients and those families we enjoy working with, and those we don’t. The real skill of a social worker is continuing to work on those relationships even when there is a difference of opinion or a seemingly impossible divide."
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Social Work Circle
“I needed a mentor. A professional guide. Someone I trusted, who could give me objective advice & push me out of my comfort zone... In our latest “Social Work Circle” column, our social worker shares her thoughts on how social workers can benefit from having a dedicated mentor to help advise and guide them throughout their career. “A few months ago, I was at a juncture in my career. Having moved from agency job to agency job, I had finally applied for a permanent position and had been offered it. Before I signed on the dotted line, however, I’d seen a better job with more money, in a neighbouring authority.
I was torn. Should I give up the chance of a permanent job, take a chance or should I stick with the freedom and flexibility that agency work gave me? I couldn’t ask my manager obviously, nor could I ask my partner who doesn’t work in the public sector and has no idea about different roles. I couldn’t ask my colleagues because I didn’t know them well enough.
...I didn’t want much, did I?” Social Work News - 28
What I needed was a mentor. A professional guide. Someone I trusted, who could share their knowledge of resources and other employers. Someone to give me some objective advice. Someone who knew enough about my job and me to give me sound advice, put me out of my comfort zone but at the same time enable me to flourish professionally and personally.
I didn’t want much did I? When I first started in social work, two decades ago, I received supervision from an older social worker. She supported me, told me bluntly when I’d not done a good job and generally pointed me in the right direction. As well as clinical supervision, she also gave me career advice and encouraged me to think about what inspired me. This wonderful woman never made any decisions for me but instead made suggestions about posts I might be interested in after my current one. She persuaded me to attend training courses which I wouldn’t have otherwise have considered. One of those courses was ‘assertiveness skills’, probably the single most useful course I have ever attended but that’s a different
I’ve been qualified for nearly 30 years and I still miss a mentor. Sure, I have colleagues and good friend to moan with, but a mentor is different. They’re not a friend. They’re not (usually) a colleague. Whilst mentoring is usually about offering support to a less experienced worker, usually a younger person just starting out on their career, I think it’s invaluable for those of us who’ve been around the block a bit too. Mentoring could be key in retaining experienced staff; improving their self-worth, valuing their expertise and developing new skills. Just because we’ve been doing the job for a long time, it doesn’t mean that a) we know it all or b) we don’t need a guiding hand every now and then. I asked a colleague about this the other day and she referred to her Continuing Professional Development review. I’m sure we all have something similar, though it might be known by another term, but generally they’re a form of appraisal. Frequently they’re seen as a paperwork exercise to tick a few managerial boxes, and to make us do more for the same money. You know, take on a student, or attend a course. Ideally, they could also offer a mentoring-type of role too, but the reality is, they just don’t. This can be for a number of reasons; inexperienced managers, lack of trust between managers and staff or simply a lack of time.
So how does one find a mentor? I’ve haven’t seen many formal mentoring services offered by local authorities or the NHS, so I’ll be finding my own.
story. By the time I left my post three years later, I was much more confident and knowledgeable, not just about my skills but about where I was going in my career. Sadly, when I left that post I lost my mentor too because she retired soon afterwards. I attended a student recruitment fair recently and noticed that only one or two employers offer a mentor-service for newly qualified staff.
When I started practice teaching years ago, the head of student placements was a great support, encouraging me to think laterally about my aspirations and my skills. In my current search I’ll think about my existing contacts, attending courses, speaking to people and making new connections. I’ve previously found conferences and student fairs useful for networking and meeting other professionals. I will raise it in my next supervision, and I’ll let you know how I get on.”
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Get involved with Social Work News! Do you have a passion for social work and a flair for words? If so, we want to hear from you!
Social Work News magazine is seeking new contributors to support our editorial team, allowing us to truly represent the voice of the profession. Perhaps you would like to write a guest column for the next issue or maybe you work in a niche role and would like to share your advice/recommendations with your peers. Whatever it is, if you’ve got an idea that you would like to see featured in an upcoming issue, we want to know about it! All contributions towards the magazine would be classed as a CPD activity and we will provide you with a signed certificate which you can use in your portfolio regardless of whether you choose to write under your own name, or anonymously as part of our brand new ‘Social Work Circle’ which you can read on page 10. All you have to do to get involved is let us know your name, job title, contact information and what you would like to write about, by the 31st August 2018. Simply email press@mysocialworknews.com and we’ll be in touch!
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Give your CPD a boost ‌by reading and downloading articles inside this issue of Social Work News.
In this issue: Find out how social workers can communicate with deaf children and young people. We learn more about what it's like to work at Hounslow Borough Council and Torbay Children's Services. You can win a selection of the latest social work textbooks. Each and every article has been carefully selected to offer insight into how social work is changing, making it easier than ever for you to count reading the magazine as part of your Continuing Professional Development profile. We strongly believe in giving our readers every opportunity to contribute to the magazine and our editorial team will happily consider any ideas you might have. We look forward to hearing from you!