Social Work News Christmas 2023 by Social Work News Magazine

The magazine for social workers, by social workers

SOCIAL WORK NEWS WINTER 23

IN THIS ISSUE. COLUMNISTS:

EDITORS FOREWORD

THANK YOU FOR THE SOCIAL WORKERS PUTTING OTHERS FIRST AT CHRISTMAS

Social work does not stop because of Christmas. Social work never stops. Thank you to all those who keep it going when the rest of us ‘clock off’ for the festive period.

THE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS - SOCIAL WORK EDITION!

Our SWN columnist, and social work manager, Tilly Baden shares her own version of the popular festive singalong song... through the eyes of a social worker!

CHRISTMAS MIRACLES HAPPEN AT EVERY HOUR IN SOCIAL WORK

HOW PERSON-CENTRED PRACTICE CAN HELP SAVE THE OFFICE XMAS PARTY

“Christmas Eve-Eve duty had left me far from seeing visions of sugarplums, but thanks to my brilliant colleagues, I was reminded it’s never too late for a Christmas miracle...”

We’re well-versed in this approach when advocating for our clients, but how does this translate to the twinkling lights of the office Christmas party? More than you think!

As our Social Work News team has continued to grow, welcoming more frontline social worker writers - and as I’ve proofed and edited their millions of words written in hundreds of columns and articles - my enormous admiration for those who wear the badge of ‘social worker’ has only grown.

I am in awe of the work you do, and am so proud to be a part of something that helps to highlight you all, and give you the voice you so richly deserve. For that, I give enormous thanks to my team, for their energy, enthusiasm, and dedication. Through them, I’ve witnessed the small joys that motivate them, the heartbreaks that push them to do better, and their utter passion for this profession, which is our ultimate inspiration for everything here at SWN.

Celebrate social work as 2023 comes to a close

20 PODCAST

Live every Friday morning! 12-months on from the launch of the Social Work Radio podcast, our hosts look back on over 50 fantastic episodes.

28 SUPERVISION “I’m in my 40s and wonder if I’m too old to become a social worker?” In these weekly columns, our content editor, and experienced social worker, Vince, answers your questions.

- Nik Farah, editor Personally speaking, there is nothing I would rather commit my working life to than social work. I feel incredibly privileged to do what I do for a living and, despite the occasional struggle, the good days far outweigh the bad. I will work to continue to advance the causes of all of my brothers and sisters in this profession as we go into 2024 and beyond.

40 CONFESSION

“Everyone thought I was the best manager, but I was hiding a secret...” This issue, an anonymous social work manager shares their experience of pushing too far, and how to make it back.

44 FEATURE

Social work is a wonderful career, but no matter how noble our vocational calling may be, no job is worth ruining or losing your life over. That is why we must continue to demand better protection, better pay, and better political support. We must keep standing up for social work. Merry Christmas to you all and a happy 2024.

Are you really ready for Christmas, and everything it brings with it? You’re more ready than most! Here are 5 social work skills that will save you from family drama this Christmas!

06 CAN YOU IMAGINE..?

What if the Elf on the Shelf... was a social worker?!

52 ADVICE

Help! I’ve been called to an inquest as a social worker - what does this mean? Social worker Anne-Maria Lemmer breaks it down and tells us what we really need to know.

31 SOCIAL WORK SKILLS

Our brand new Social Work Skills section launches in this issue, with tips and insights designed to give your day-to-day practice a boost.

- Vince Peart, content editor PRESS@MYSOCIALWORKNEWS.COM @MYSWNEWS

hristmas is a magical time of year. It is a time to enjoy friends, family, and festive cheer. It can also Vince Peart be a wonderful time at work too, and many a social worker will be conjuring up a Christmas miracle or two this yuletide. Many a social worker will be working such magic at the expense of their own personal enjoyment though; forsaking time with friends and family, and the savouring of festive cheer, for the sake of others. Many of you reading this will be doing so after a long day or a waking night, keeping a watchful eye on those in crisis, and offering a helping hand to people in their time of greatest need. SOCIAL WORK DOES NOT STOP BECAUSE OF CHRISTMAS. SOCIAL WORK NEVER STOPS. To those of you working in emergency duty teams the Christmas, taking care of clients when the rest of us have clocked off, I thank you. To my brothers and sisters working in hospitals, ready and waiting to support people with each and every need, I thank you. To the colleagues of mine supporting clients with their drug and alcohol struggles, who see more work now than ever, I thank you. And it is not just social workers who 05

keep a watchful eye and offer a steady hand to those in need at this time of year; our multi-agency colleagues are there working alongside us too. To the foster carers who open their doors to children in need, no matter what time of the day or night it may be, I thank you. To the support workers who are there offering crisis intervention, ready for the spike in domestic abuse and alcohol misuse, I thank you. TO THE CRISIS TEAMS WHO WAIT ON THE OTHER END OF THE PHONE, STANDING BY TO BE THERE AS A GUIDING LIGHT IN PEOPLE’S DARKEST MOMENTS, I THANK YOU. Social work is hard, but the work of those colleagues who will not ‘clock off’ at this time of year offers those of us working more conventional hours a little respite, in amongst all the chaos. There will be no out of office e-mails for our colleagues putting in the overtime and burning the midnight oil this Christmas. I will be thinking of you all this year and offering up a prayer of thanks, for both the work you do and the welfare of those you serve. Your sacrifices and selfless service are not lost on me. You are the reason that the rest of us can find some time for ourselves and our loved ones at this time of year. Thank you for the social workers putting other people first this Christmas. Your good deeds are known, seen, and loved.

THE OVERWORKED SOCIAL WORKER Imagine the scene: it’s 10pm on a Thursday night, the day before a big assessment is due. Paperwork galore is key here, so be sure to lay out files, forms, and scraps of illegible notebook pages, along with an ancient and only semi-working laptop nearby, to indicate that little downtime has been had. Add a sprinkle of coffee cups on every available surface, and a pizza box, and the illusion is complete. You may want to smudge some black circles under your Elf’s eyes too… THE EMOTIONALLY-DRAINED SOCIAL WORKER As your Elf shuts the door on the world, and pops the lid on a long day, pull

out the mini tissues, a bottle of wine, some chocolates, and stick a feel-good rom-com on the TV for easy viewing (Bridget Jones Diary or The Holiday would be at the top of our list). Stick a phone within easy reach good for either mindless social media scrolling or calling a friend. Optional extras are a snuggie blanket and big fluffy slippers - all designed to envelop and comfort. THE ‘WE CAN DO THIS’ SOCIAL WORKER This is a nice simple one, and a great way to demonstrate your Elf’s plucky ‘can-do’ attitude!

tissues and a cup of tea (for comforting, as their bestie spills their problems) a notebook (to map out an action plan for their BFF) and a cardigan slung around their shoulders to help get them into work-mode. Job done. THE RISK-ASSESSING SOCIAL WORKER All the other toys of the house may be carelessly abseiling down the bed, or living their best life by sliding down the bannister, but your Elf has serious doubts as to whether this is a good idea. After all, no one knows better than him/her the last thing A&E needs right now is a group of careless toys with broken limbs descending.

Enlist the help of a Barbie or stuffed They really don’t want to spoil the fun animal to play the part of the Elf’s distraught bestie, and set them up side- - they understand that enjoyment is by-side on the couch. Your Elf will need an important part of life, and fantastic

for your mental health, as is the sense of camaraderie these toys are clearly experiencing, plus there is a dollop of FOMO thrown in - but all they can see are the potential hazards. So, they compromise. Before anyone can get involved, there is a risk assessment form that everyone is going to have to sign. Set your Elf up on the cusp of the fun - clipboard and pen in-hand, and a ‘no nonsense’ expression on their face (eyeliner is great for creating that ‘furrowed brow’ look). THE MEDIATOR SOCIAL WORKER The stuffed bear didn’t mean to disregard Barbie’s feelings. Your Elf understands that, and he’s the one to mediate this discussion, before things descend any further.

You can enlist the help of the previous ‘bestie’ bear or Barbie to reprise their role here. Prop the Elf so he’s laying a soothing hand on the arm of each. THE “PLEASE EXCUSE THE MESS!” SOCIAL WORKER You’re going to have to brave the late-night cold for this one, armed with crisp packets, sweet wrappers, biscuit crumbs, and fast-food bags. Spread them around the car - paying particular attention to the footwells and grab some of those handy ketchup sachets to squirt some stains around the car’s interior. A half-eaten sandwich shoved down the side of one of the seats would really complete the look. Once your car looks just right, set your Elf up in the driving seat, an apologetic look on their face, and perhaps slightly 07

reddened cheeks. THE LATE-TO-THE-PARTY SOCIAL WORKER This one couldn’t be simpler, and is ideal for a late night when you’ve run out of ideas. You just need an empty room. The elf, of course, isn’t there yet. They’re running late. Or perhaps they’ve decided to ditch the festivities and head straight home, too worn out from the day to face the idea of showering, changing and spending the evening making small talk with a bunch of strangers. Save this one for the night you forget about the Elf until you’re already halfway up the stairs to bed with a cup of tea and a chocolate biscuit in hand.

n the first day of Christmas My job gave to me, A craving for a cup of tea.

On the second day of Christmas My job gave to me, Two reports late, And a craving for a cup of tea. On the third day of Christmas My job gave to me, Three mini breakdowns, Two reports late, And a craving for a cup of tea. On the fourth day of Christmas My job gave to me, Four colleagues off sick, Three mini breakdowns, Two reports late, And a craving for a cup of tea. On the fifth day of Christmas My job gave to me, Five duty days! Four colleagues off sick, Three mini breakdowns, Two reports late, And a craving for a cup of tea. On the sixth day of Christmas My job gave to me, Six overdue notes, Five duty days! Four colleagues off sick, Three mini breakdowns, Two reports late, And a craving for a cup of tea.

On the seventh day of Christmas My job gave to me, Seven new assessments, Six overdue notes, Five duty days! Four colleagues off sick, Three mini breakdowns, Two reports late, And a craving for a cup of tea. On the eighth day of Christmas My job gave to me, Eight interventions, Seven new assessments, Six overdue notes, Five duty days! Four colleagues off sick, Three mini breakdowns, Two reports late, And a craving for a cup of tea. On the ninth day of Christmas My job gave to me, Nine missed home visits, Eight interventions, Seven new assessments, Six overdue notes, Five duty days! Four colleagues off sick, Three mini breakdowns, Two reports late, And a craving for a cup of tea. On the tenth day of Christmas My job gave to me, Ten tired colleagues, Nine missed home visits, Eight interventions, 09

Seven new assessments, Six overdue notes, Five duty days! Four colleagues off sick, Three mini breakdowns, Two reports late, And a craving for a cup of tea. On the eleventh day of Christmas My job gave to me, Eleven calls outstanding, Ten tired colleagues, Nine missed home visits, Eight interventions, Seven new assessments, Six overdue notes, Five duty days! Four colleagues off sick, Three mini breakdowns, Two reports late, And a craving for a cup of tea. On the twelfth day of Christmas My job gave to me, Twelve unread emails, Eleven calls outstanding, Ten tired colleagues, Nine missed home visits, Eight interventions, Seven new assessments, Six overdue notes, Five duty days! Four colleagues off sick, Three mini breakdowns, Two reports late And a craving for a cup of tea. By Tilly Baden.

hristmas! It conjures up so many lovely images; twinkling lights, presents under the tree, a turkey Matt Bee roasting in the oven, and enough hot, scrumptious food to make you want to lie down on the couch for a week while you watch all your favourite festive films. Lovely. But it’s a bit tricky enjoying all of these Christmas indulgences if, at the same time, your head is still crammed with thoughts of work. This is the perennial problem for social workers. Wherever we are, whatever we’re doing, we take our work with us, and this is never more the case than at Christmas. In fact, it is doubly hard during the festive season, because while our own lives may overflow with gifts and very many good things, the

lives of our clients are frequently less festive. OF COURSE, THIS IS A HUGE GENERALISATION. NOT ALL SOCIAL WORKERS HAVE A GREAT CHRISTMAS, NOT ALL CLIENTS HAVE A BAD ONE. BUT CERTAINLY, IT IS THE NATURE OF OUR WORK THAT WE ARE PRESENT IN THE LIVES OF PEOPLE STRUGGLING AT THIS TIME OF YEAR. The question is, when can you stop thinking about them? This is about more than simply turning off those work-related thoughts. Drinking enough mulled wine should help you to do that. No, this is about something deeper. Let me put it like this. Say you were a middle-manager in... I don’t know, a stationery supply firm. Your work life

would be dominated by sales figures and technical details about shipments and invoicing. When Christmas comes around, you are highly unlikely to have any niggling, uncomfortable feelings that some of the crates of A4 paper sitting in a warehouse aren’t enjoying the festivities as you’d like them to. Social workers, however, do have this issue. We can’t help but experience passing thoughts about the people in our care. So much so, it can make us re-evaluate Christmas entirely. It’s hard to step out of a struggling household on Christmas Eve, and then completely abandon yourself to Christmas excess the day after. Well, I say it’s hard, but I can personally testify that it is achievable – if you really commit yourself to taking down the full roast with all the trimmings. Seriously, though, Christmas has been different for me ever since I became

a social worker. Many years ago, I used to be that middle manager in a stationery firm (or in a civil engineering firm, at least), and back then, I was wonderfully insulated from the strife and struggles of others. Yes, I knew people had it tough. I’d seen those Salvation Army adverts. But this didn’t represent anybody I knew. Everyone I knew was in the pub, which is where I planned to be shortly after clocking off on Christmas Eve.

to have much, in order to feel like you have a lot more than someone with nothing. The question is, what can you do about it?

Now, as a social worker, I do know lots of people like this. Their names and faces are etched in my mind, and this certainly changes the Christmas experience. I’m not saying it makes it worse. Just different.

YOU’D END UP LIKE JAMES STEWART IN IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE, WITH EVERY SINGLE PERSON FROM THE LOCAL COMMUNITY JAMMED INTO YOUR HALLWAY, AND HALFWAY UP YOUR STAIRS.

Actually, no, it does make it worse. It hardly makes it better knowing that people not far away in your community are suffering and lonely. It’s the comparison of their lives to your own that makes it so tricky. You don’t have

No, a social worker must simply reconcile themselves with the fact that there is a clear distinction between their personal and professional lives, and the gulf between the two

You can’t simply break all professional boundaries and invite them round for Christmas lunch. You can’t buy them lots of gifts. You can’t do much of anything at all. Which is a good thing, because otherwise where would this end?

can sometimes feel awkward and uncomfortable. You wish you could do more. You wish you could bring everyone home with you – but you can’t. Also, this is not your problem to fix. Society is unequal and you can only do so much to combat this. You can become a social worker, for instance. The point is, though, that at Christmas when you are on leave you are not, in fact, a social worker. You are simply a person enjoying the festive period with time to reconnect with family, friends, and as much delicious food as you can possibly manage. This may seem indulgent – because it is. But that’s the point. As much as you can, you should try and forget work and enjoy the festivities. And if you do find yourself worrying about work, rest assured. There is all the rest of the year to get back on with your job again.

he twinkling of lights adorning hedgerows, as golden light spilled from windows Millie Glass containing festive scenes of Christmas trees and stockings hung by chimneys with care, did little to lift my mood, which better reflected my own sodden shoes and the dribbling of rain that accompanied me on my trudge across town. Christmas Eve-Eve duty had found me far from seeing visions of sugarplums. Having left the office four hours earlier, and something akin to the Bates Motel (masquerading as a ‘refuge’) only ten minutes before, I had lost every ounce of my Christmas spirit. The mother, whose shoulder my arm had been wrapped around for the previous hour, was unlikely to find any such spirit before the morning, either. With a five-year-old and a three-yearold finally sleeping in relative safety, she had been forced to face the dismal pay-off of securing this basic need against the backdrop of an abusive relationship. Rather than waking up to see if Santa had been to fill the stockings in their own pink bedroom, her children would be rubbing their bleary eyes on Christmas morning to bring into focus an unfamiliar setting with peeling magnolia paint. “I SHOULD HAVE WAITED

UNTIL AFTER CHRISTMAS. HE’D NEVER HAVE LAID A FINGER ON THE GIRLS AND NOW THEY’RE HERE IN...IN THIS...” She’d winced from the pain of her last beating as she’d attempted to gesture around the cramped room. “Their presents were at his mums, but I can’t tell her where I am, or go get them…”

couldn’t shake the cold from my bones, nor thaw the rawness of such grief at this, the most wonderful time of the year. Two hours later, my phone rang and I glanced down to see a withheld number. “Turn on your work phone,” the voice of a kindly out-of-hours colleague chuckled at the other end of the line.

AS THE SCREEN LIT UP, THE Her shoulders had heaved with sobs IMAGE THAT FILLED IT TOOK MY she attempted to stifle, in an effort to VOICE FROM MY THROAT AND allow the sleeping forms across from us BROUGHT TEARS TO MY EYES. the respite of their dreams. No affirmation of having “done the right thing” could assuage that mother’s guilt in that moment, and no squeeze of her shoulders could pull her broken heart back together.

The words ‘Merry and Bright’ still perched in it’s branches, the tree from the refuge flashed on my screen; the once-bare walls behind it now obscured by presents wrapped in Digging the council phone, which was jewelled shades of wrapping paper once again on the fritz, from my pocket, and, before them, three stockings. I let the emergency duty team know The out-of-hours team had been to that they were ‘safe.’ I couldn’t bring visit. A simple text followed: “Santa myself to utter the word ‘settled.’ I made it after all.” explained the situation as best I could. The importance of Christmas has Despite my team searching high and very little to do with presents. But for low, no toy appeal presents remained a mother facing a Christmas alone, in the office that could be delivered with the prospect of seeing her young to the family on my visit. The refuge children feeling crushed and forgotten, were providing a Christmas dinner at that importance cannot be understated. least, and a donated Christmas tree sparkled in the corner of the lounge; The presence of our out-of-hours the bareness of its surroundings colleagues over the festive period can thrown into stark contrast by its own be the most important gift we have as luminescence. social workers. For families in crisis, I drove home to a warm house, and felt and facing harrowing holidays, our colleagues in out-of-hours can pull off doubly great for my own family who miracles. Thank you one and all. were merry inside; though even that 13

hat does it take to be a child protective social worker? The mission, as we all know it, is Effie Molina to protect children and strengthen families. ...that’s all the children, and all the families. Even the unlikeable ones. The kids that swear at you every time you see them and the teenagers that hardly ever take your advice. The parents that society doesn’t care about, or adequately fund services for - the drug addicts, the impoverished, the perpetrators, and the undocumented. The borderlines that will call 97 times a day, and then ignore you for two weeks. You must be there for them all. It takes resolve. You must love learning. You will be expected to know a lot about a lot in this work: from child development, tenant rights, and mental illness, to

domestic violence, legal process, and school special education services. Don’t know a lot about the Cambodian deaf community? Here’s your opportunity to learn. Never met a three-year-old transgender child or worked with a veteran with a traumatic brain injury? You will soon. And you will be expected to find ways to help each and every one of them, to understand their particular world and challenges. Sometimes you will need to a listening ear - empathetic and patient. Sometimes you will need to be hard, like a probation officer, setting the boundary. Sometimes you will need to be practical and a provider of information, like a teacher or parent aid. Sometimes you will need to make medical decisions, like a nurse. Sometimes you will need to be savvy and strategic like a lawyer. Sometimes you will need to make important, lifealtering decisions, like a judge. Most days, you will need to be many of these things, changing from moment to

moment. It will be exhausting. You need to be a chameleon. You need to feel comfortable existing in a world of change. Policies and social work practices will continue to change and evolve, and from one moment to the next what you understood as the expectations of your job will change with them. There are days you will feel like you are in the Twilight Zone. You will learn to live with the myriad juxtapositions until it becomes the new normal. Holding the hand of a woman as she sobs after you have terminated her parental rights. Processing a man’s childhood trauma with him while interviewing him, after he has digitally penetrated his five year old. And by the way, you need to be able to say digital penetration in reference to a five-yearold. If you flinch, that child is watching, and will know that you simply cannot handle it. They will never a say a word to you, protecting you and making it impossible for you to protect them. You need to be unflinching.

there is an invisible line under which exists Unpleasant Realities. Most people don’t want to look under that line. When they are forced to, they get a bit cranky. Who was supposed to make sure THAT didn’t happen? Who’s doing something about all that unsavoriness? They will expect you to be a mind reader and you will wish you There will be high caseloads and were one. Bad things will happen and incompetent service providers, you will be up nights with the ‘what ifs’ stressed coworkers, and frazzled managers. On particularly bad days you and ‘I should haves’ running through your head. They will never think you will be the incompetent, stressed, and frazzled one, and your cohorts will hold have done enough and you will always you up. You are not Midas and all those wish you could do more. If you are not already humble, the work will soon you touch will not be transformed by humble you. your mere presence in their lives. You must believe you are planting seeds. If REMEMBER, YOU ARE THE you are lucky you will see them bloom COURAGEOUS ONE MERELY once in a while. Even when things are FOR CHOOSING THIS WORK. blossoming, don’t expect anyone to organise a flower show. There will not Whether you are on the job or not, you be a lot of Thank Yous in this work. will never not be a child protective The focus tends toward the negative social worker…that awareness stays and the greater community will not with you, all that exists in the depths. understand your work. The truth is You need to stay strong, and know the YOU MUST BE THE HOLDER OF HOPE WHEN THOSE AROUND YOU CAN’T HANG ON THEMSELVES. YOU MUST BE QUIXOTE-LIKE IN YOUR SEARCH FOR OPTIMISM IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY. YOU MUST BUILD YOUR OWN WINDMILLS.

core of yourself. You must fight to stay soft. This work can change you in ways that are not positive. You need to be mindful and purposeful about staying open to the world. What does it take? I suppose it takes being a resolved and unflinchingly hopeful chameleon, living in a constant state of change and juxtaposition with an active mind and an open heart. It takes all of that, and so much more. And at the end of the road, that chameleon will look back and say with certainty: “Well, that - all of that - was meaningful.” Because you will have spent your life dedicated to protecting children and strengthening our most vulnerable families. Your eyes will have been opened to parts of the world that so many others have the privilege of not seeing. And despite the pain, suffering and ugliness, you will have spent your life with resolve, hope, optimism, and a belief that change is possible. And you will have been a part of that change.

n my eleventh year as a children’s social worker, I have worked with many parents. Single parents, separated Vince Peart parents, same-sex parents, co-parents, young parents, old parents, birth parents, adoptive parents, stepparents…you name it, I’ve seen it.

and fathers subject their children to the most horrific abuse known to humankind. I have seen mothers and fathers turn their entire lives around and afford their children the kind of care that seemed impossible only months before; often breaking the pattern of decade upon decade of intergenerational trauma. During all of what I have seen, I have yet to find the perfect parental archetype.

In all that time I have seen the best and My Instagram feed would have me worst of parenting. I have seen mothers believe that children always need

a mother and a father to thrive. In a sense, and according to the science, this is correct. There is, as painful as this may be to admit, plenty of evidence which shows how children growing up in a two parent household - with clearly defined mother and father figures - do better on the whole. AS SOMEONE WHO GREW UP IN SINGLE-PARENT HOUSEHOLDS - FIRST WITH MY MOTHER AND THEN WITH MY FATHER - THIS IS AN UNPALATABLE TRUTH. AS SOMEONE WHO IS NOW

RAISING HIS OWN CHILDREN BETWEEN TWO HOUSEHOLDS, THIS IS EVEN HARDER TO ACCEPT.

THAT TO BE THE CASE - BUT ONLY WHEN THOSE PARENTS ARE GOOD FOR ONE ANOTHER.

hardest times in reality. But that is a topic for another day.

No, we must accept that the pursuit of the perfect family is not worth the pain inflicted upon children if having both parents in the same home must come at the cost of witnessing, or being subjected to, abuse. That is too high a price to pay.

their fridges. I see videos of fathers talking about working 12-hour days for the sake of buying their wives their dream homes. I see parents showing off about all the things they can affordpassing it off as aspirational but, in reality, talking down to those less fortunate by saying “look how great we are.”

domestic abuse their ex-partner’s new boyfriend is exposing his children to.

For all their ubiquity, these Instagram parents do not inspire me. All they are doing is showing off their wealth So, while I accept the general overall If those parents do not work well and and privilege, grifting for the sake science at play here, I refute its the children suffer, then it is always far of advertising revenue and affiliate application to all. What if the father is better for children to have two happy links. Marketing their children to the abusive? parents in different homes than two world without any form of consent unhappy ones in one home. The same Surely we cannot say, as some ultraor recognition of the harm that living goes for single parents too, it being far Conservative commentators on this through a lens can do to little ones. better for a parent to raise a child alone matter have done, that the mother must than within the confines of an abusive No, they do not inspire me at all. remain in a relationship for the sake of her children having their father around. relationship. I will tell you what does inspire me My Instagram feed rarely reflects though - the parents I see every day at What if the mother exhibits toxic this reality though. Instead, the work who are going through hell for the behaviour and abuses the children? algorithm bombards me with images sake of their children. Surely we cannot ask the father to of supposedly picture perfect parents. The mothers having to attend court stand by and watch his children be hurt Mostly white and mostly American, I simply for the sake of trying to keep the see images of mothers prepping meals after shortly giving birth. family together. for the week and neatly organising The fathers fighting to prevent the

THAT IS NOT TO DISMISS THE CLEAR EVIDENCE THAT CHILDREN DO BETTER WHEN BOTH PARENTS ARE PRESENT AND TOGETHER, I STILL BELIEVE

In my personal experience, the people who depict the most perfect lives in social media are generally having the

The young parents turning their whole lives around, steadfast in their dedication to affording their baby with a better upbringing that their own parents gave them. The most inspiring parents are those overcoming adversity, not those who are Instagram perfect. They are the ones I see every day in person, not every day on my phone.

out a cheery survey or engage in informal chats. Just as you would in a professional setting, listen actively. Does Mei have dietary restrictions that make the usual festive fare a minefield? Is Ameerah dreading the party because she struggles with social anxiety? Empathy is key, just like it is when understanding a client’s perspective. COLLABORATIVE JINGLE BELL ROCK: PLAN WITH, NOT FOR A person-centred approach is inherently collaborative. Invite ideas and encourage participation from all. Maybe the fostering team has some off-the-wall ideas for games that are not just your tired old Christmas trivia? Or perhaps the quiet student in the corner has a hidden DJ talent? The party should be by the office, for the office, reflecting the collective uniqueness of your merry workforce. DIVERSITY UNDER THE MISTLETOE: INCLUSIVE CELEBRATIONS

erson-centred practice is the very essence of social work, built on the foundation of respect for individuals and their autonomy. It is about stepping into the snow-covered shoes of each client or colleague and understanding their unique preferences, needs, and desires. As social workers, we are already well-versed in this approach, regularly advocating for our clients in every

decision that affects their lives. But how does this translate to the twinkling lights of the office Christmas party? For starters, person-centred party planning means moving beyond the one-size-fits-all festive shindig. It is recognising that not everyone wants to rock around the Christmas tree; some may prefer a quiet corner for a meaningful conversation over a mulled wine (alcoholic or non-alcoholic).

In a special festive edition of Social Work Skills, let us take a look at how you can apply those skills to ensure the office Christmas party is truly the most wonderful time of the year, for all. ENGAGING IN FESTIVE EMPATHY: DO ASK, DO NOT ASSUME Before you even start untangling the fairy lights, get to know your colleagues’ holiday preferences. Send

Remember, December is not just about Christmas. It’s a kaleidoscope of cultural celebrations. A personcentred party considers all cultural backgrounds, ensuring that everyone feels represented. Maybe there is room next to the gingerbread house for some Hanukkah gelt or a Kwanzaa kinara. GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PARTIES PAST: REFLECT AND ADAPT Person-centred practice is reflective, and the office party should be no

different. Reflect on what has worked in This not only fosters understanding and team bonding but also brings that previous years and what has not. warmth of shared human experience Perhaps the ‘bottomless brunch’ did that lies at the heart of social work. not go down too well with those who do not drink, for health or religious reasons. Learn from these experiences and adapt.

“AND A PARTRIDGE IN A PEAR TREE”: INDIVIDUAL APPRECIATION

The point is to create avenues for everyone to contribute in a way that feels right for them, not in a way that is prescriptive.

Incorporating person-centred practice into the office Christmas party is more than just a festive exercise; it is a testament to the values that social workers hold dear all year round. It demonstrates that you live by the principles you espouse, and understand the importance of human connection, and the uniqueness of individual experiences.

Finally, make it a point to show SANTA’S LITTLE HELPERS: SUPPORT appreciation for each and every colleague. Whether it is a thoughtful AND PARTICIPATION word in a card, or recognition of their Provide options for participation that contributions in front of the managers, cater to different comfort levels. make them feel seen and valued – Not everyone wants to be Santa’s much like the affirming approach you elf in the gift exchange. Some might take with your clients. prefer helping with decorations or CONCLUSION contributing to the charity collection.

SILENT NIGHT, JOYOUS NIGHT: BALANCE THE FESTIVE CHEER While some people revel in a loud and busy bash, others may find it overwhelming.Create spaces and activities that allow for quieter interactions, mirroring the balance you strive for in client-centred meetings. Maybe set up a corner with cozy chairs for chatting, away from the “Jingle Bell Rock.” THE OFFICE CHRISTMAS CAROL: STORIES AND SHARING Invite colleagues to share their holiday stories or traditions, just as you would explore the life stories of clients.

By approaching the office Christmas party with the same dedication and attentiveness you give to your clients, you not only save the party from being another forgettable gathering, but you also strengthen the fabric of your workplace bonds; you make it a time for coming together, for celebrating diversity, for giving and receiving, and - above all - for appreciating the incredible tapestry of individuals that make up your office family.

12-months on from the launch of SWR, we look back on over 50 fantastic episodes.

illy rolls her eyes good naturedly as Vince throws back his head and emits a bark of laughter, his large cushioned headphones bouncing on his ears.

“Love the banter between you two,” one review read.

Tilly drums her fingers on the base of her mic, and watches him with a wry smile.

“So so refreshing and affirming to listen to you, your humanity, your beautiful social work values and your banter… I am often cringing with Tilly and appreciate the humour of Vince,” said another.

“We seem to have got off topic…” she says, as Vince wiggles his eyebrows mischievously at the camera.

And: “The best podcast around for social work. Makes me laugh on the way to work every Friday morning.”

“Do you think we can get back to social work now..?”

THE PODCAST LAUNCHED ON NOVEMBER 3RD 2022 AND, IN ITS FIRST YEAR, ATTRACTED LISTENERS IN 120 COUNTRIES, WITH DOWNLOADS OF ITS FIRST 50 EPISODES HITTING SIX-FIGURES.

It’s a scene that regular listeners and viewers of Social Work Radio will recognise well. As the ‘straight man’ in this particular dynamic duo, Tilly often finds herself tasked with reeling Vince back in from whatever tangent he’s drifted off on. And the audience loves it.

Thousands tune in each week to listen to Social Work News’ content editor and independent social worker - Vince

Peart discuss social work stories and topics with co-host, and social work manager, Tilly Baden.

their listeners, the realities of their profession mean the subject matter is often difficult and hard-hitting.

“It has been a long-held ambition of mine to provide a social work podcast that offers the kind of real life and relatable content our profession needs, and I am ever so grateful that such a goal has been achieved,” says Vince.

Some of the most popular episodes of the last year include: Can we stop parents from killing their own children? The Lucy Letby baby murders - a social work perspective; and Jade’s Law: what rights should parents who murder their partners have?

Tilly agrees: “This first year of Social Work Radio has flown by, and defied all of our expectations. “Vince and I are both so incredibly grateful for all our listeners who make the show what it is; the comments, feedback, likes, and questions are so important to us, and we appreciate each and every one.” And while Vince and Tilly’s friendship and camaraderie provides a healthy dollop of light-hearted escapism to

every subject honestly, openly, and sensitively. “SOCIAL WORK NEEDS A VOICE, AND - ESPECIALLY FOR THE YOUNG NQSWS ENTERING THE PROFESSION - IT’S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW THEY’RE NOT ALONE. WE’RE RIGHT THERE WITH THEM.”

profession,” says Vince. “It involved me discussing my friends and family who had died by suicide. It was undoubtedly a hard show to record, but one that remains with me.”

Vince says his biggest thanks, looking back on the past year, has to go to the listeners “who make it all worthwhile” a sentiment Tilly echoes: “A huge thank you to everyone who enables Vince Other popular episodes include The and I to keep doing what we love And as for our hosts’ favourite things your social work manager wants episodes, each has a clear answer. talking about social work and showing you to know; How to best prepare our listeners that whatever struggles While bookworm Tilly favours ‘The social work students for practice; books that changed our lives,’ recorded they are going through, they are not Surviving your first year as a social back in March, Vince’s choice is one of alone,” she smiles. worker; Am I too young/too old to be a SWR’s most recent episodes: ‘For the “Whatever the topic, you can be sure social worker; and Imposter syndrome ones who didn’t make the night.’ that it will be a wild ride on the good in social work. ship SWR!” “It was the most touching show, for “We don’t shy away from difficult Listen to Social Work Radio every me, and considered those fellow topics, we can’t,” says Vince. Friday morning with your preferred social workers who took their own “But we make it our mission to tackle

lives because of the rigours of our

podcast provider.

the milk on her way in as per the dairy diary, whilst still searching for a way to alleviate the awkwardness she feels for not doing it. Just make sure that the people you unload to know you well enough to not consider you liable to burn down the office, or hit send on the scorching email you’ve constructed during your indignant soapboxing… 2. ENABLE ‘DO NOT DISTURB’ Your phone has chimed more times today than you’ve heard the phrase ‘fill your own cup, first’ since starting out in practice. You’ve held a counselling session for a colleague whilst simultaneously completing a referral for a charge and trying to recall the name of the third-cousin-twice-removed who was identified for a viability assessment.

e all know that to be a social worker is a privilege. We also know there are periods where Millie Glass we will be far from thriving, and barely surviving. We are not saints or saviours (apart from to our colleagues, when we step in to cover a Friday duty) so despite the council’s well intentioned ‘lunch-time yoga’ and ‘mindfulness moment’ workshops, a deep breath isn’t always going to cut it when we’re at the sharp end of social work. But these five secrets from the dark side just might…

1. LET IT OUT I’m awful for denying that I get angry. If anyone asks me, I will tell them that I ‘don’t really do anger’ and I mean it. I do, however, internally release a tirade of profanities that would have even a seasoned sailor blushing after I’ve realised my laptop is on the seat of the car, whilst my backside is on a chair in the office. I mutter incoherently en-route to my supervision about how stupid it is to work with the notion of collectively bettering humanity, whilst as a species we do our best to undermine ourselves at every turn. I smile politely and bite the inside of my cheek whilst the self-

important superior eats up an hour of time I don’t have, to inflate their own ego with tales of just how spectacularly insightful and considerate they are before stuffing my laptop in to my bag with enough force to make Yoda take notice. We are empathetic and dedicated. We will take on more than we should to ease the burdens of our colleagues (as they do for us). We do it to ourselves. And yes - we can still be angry about it. We can be angry at the necessity of this situation. We can fume about the continued fumbling of a government that perpetuates it, and we can be peeved that Paula hasn’t picked up

Just as you shut off the council issued brick at the end of the working day, your own phone rings and you notice twenty notifications have stacked up during your last core-group meeting to boot. And you haven’t even started to consider your own needs within this. TWO WORDS. AIRPLANE MODE. AFTER A DAY OF BEING ONCALL FOR EVERYONE (FOR EVERYTHING), TAKING SOME TIME TO DISCONNECT CAN HELP YOU TO CLOSE DOWN A FEW OF THE TABS THAT ARE PERPETUALLY OPEN IN YOUR BRAIN. Just make sure you let your nearest and dearest know you’re doing this

- otherwise your mindful moment may lead to a manhunt when you’re suddenly MIA. 3. INDULGE YOUR SENSES If this was a list of what we should do to survive those stressful moments, you would find here a wholesome list of walks, mediation resources, and mindful moment cues... ...instead, this is what we can do (…and I do, do) when our resources are worn down: a) Throw on your marigolds and focusscrub the house from top to bottom with a glass (bottle) of wine, before giving yourself over to Netflix until the early hours. b) Blast loud music and hold a onewoman performance in your car or living room (complete with remote control microphone). c) Drop the usual routine and demands of an evening to enjoy some quality time with your own tiny humans, or loved ones, focusing on nothing but play-dough or pasta between you. It’s wonderfully cathartic. 4. INDULGE YOURSELF Stop thinking you have to be Mother Theresa. Be self-indulgent. Talk about the impact on you. How it made you feel. Run yourself a hot bath, bury yourself in a good book, whine to your friends over wine. SOCIAL WORK ROUTINELY REVEALS THE MOST REWARDING OF RESULTS AND FRACTURING 23

OF FAILURES. WHILST MOST OF OUR DAYS REMIND US THAT OUR VOCATION IS VALUABLE TO THOSE WE SUPPORT, THERE ARE TIMES WHEN WE HAVE TO ACCEPT THAT WE CAN DO NO MORE TO ENABLE CHANGE IN THEIR LIVES. So wallow in it. A heart-to-heart, a cry, a tub of ice-cream. Whatever your processes are, let them unfold. Allow yourself to hole-up under a blanket and lament that a dead end has been reached and there are no more corners to turn. We are human beings and our work has been underpinned by hope for an outcome that is no longer viable. Empathy doesn’t allow for us to keep a comfortable distance from the suffering of those we support. We have to own that suffering in ourselves to move through it. 5. FIND THE FUNNY Finally, the darkest - and worst kept secret to surviving social work, is our signature sense of humour. Laugh about it. Social work is difficult, complex, and invariably comes with a side of trauma that we can’t substitute out. It might seem counterintuitive and contrary to our values to laugh at the situations we find ourselves in, but irony, satire and parody can often times be the antidote to working day-in and day-out with the infamous ‘toxic-trio.’ As Ricky Gervais so eloquently phrased it: “Humour helps to gets us over bad s*it.”

ake a break from the hustle and bustle of our noble profession and indulge in this playful, yet enlightening, game. Hold onto your caseloads and prepare to chuckle, snort air through your nose, or sigh in camaraderie at these relatable moments…

sharing is caring, right? (Though maybe not during flu season.)

1. NEVER HAVE I EVER... FORGOTTEN A CLIENT’S NAME MIDCONVERSATION

Who hasn’t imagined being able to clone oneself to attend multiple meetings at once? Or read minds to better understand our clients? While we’re not superheroes, the impact we create sure feels like it!

Tip: Personalised mugs can be both a statement and a saviour. 5. NEVER HAVE I EVER... FANTASISED ABOUT HAVING SUPERPOWERS

Let’s be real for a moment. It’s hard to remember what you had for breakfast, let alone recall the names of all the clients you meet in a week. And yet, we Tip: Remember to celebrate small victories. Even if you don’t have the push through the awkward “you, dear cape, you sure have the spirit. person/mother/father/child” moments with grace. 6. NEVER HAVE I EVER... USED THE Tip: Mnemonics! Associating a small TOILET AS A MINI ESCAPE ROOM detail about a client with their name Five minutes of solitude, away from the can be super helpful. paperwork and ringing phones, can feel like a short holiday. 2. NEVER HAVE I EVER... CRIED AFTER A TOUGH DAY AT WORK

Emotions are part of our job. If you’ve never shed a tear after a difficult case, then hats off to you. But for the rest of us mere mortals, keep a box of tissues handy in your office/bag/car. Tip: Remember, it’s okay to seek counselling. We’re all human. 3. NEVER HAVE I EVER... GOOGLED A SLANG TERM A CLIENT USED “Hey, that session was lit!” Wait, was it on fire? Whether you’re down with the lingo or perpetually puzzled, keeping up with the evolving slang is an unsaid duty. Tip: Regularly check out Urban Dictionary or engage in conversations with younger clients or colleagues to stay updated (but it’ll be best to Google some spicy slang on your personal phone!) 4. NEVER HAVE I EVER... MISTAKENLY DRANK FROM A COLLEAGUE’S MUG IN THE BREAK ROOM If social workers had a pound/dollar for every mix-up that happened, we’d all be able to retire tomorrow. And hey, 25

Tip: Everyone deserves a break. Consider implementing mindfulness techniques or short walks to recharge.

7. NEVER HAVE I EVER... BEEN TEMPTED TO USE OFFICE SUPPLIES FOR PERSONAL REASONS That stash of coloured markers sure looks enticing for a weekend of scrapbooking with the kids, and I could really do with some stamps and envelopes for my Christmas cards this year. But, of course, ethics and integrity always prevail. Tip: Occasionally indulge in stationery shopping for personal use. It’s therapeutic! 8. NEVER HAVE I EVER... DAYDREAMED ABOUT WINNING THE LOTTERY AND FUNDING ALL MY CLIENTS’ NEEDS (THEN RETIRING FROM SOCIAL WORK) Oh, the changes we’d make with unlimited resources! Until then, we’ll continue to work with what we have, always aiming for the best outcomes. Tip: Engage in charity fundraising or crowdfunding for specific projects. Every little helps.

I STARTED MY SOCIAL WORK TRAINING STRAIGHT AFTER I FINISHED MY A-LEVELS AT AGE 18. I QUALIFIED AND STARTED MY FIRST JOB AS A CHILD PROTECTION SOCIAL WORKER JUST A COUPLE OF MONTHS AFTER MY 21ST BIRTHDAY. Whilst I’ve switched specialisms, I’ve been in statutory social work for the entirety of my adult life. Usually when I reveal that I started my social work training at 18, I get one of two reactions: The first reaction is: Wow! You must have been mature and responsible for your age. I don’t know how you did it!

I Tilly Baden

s there a right age to start my social work training? Will I have enough life experience to be effective at giving advice?

These are all questions that I’ve heard time and time again from many prospective social work students. It’s perfectly normal to have doubts. Let’s unpick these questions and I’ll share my experience in the hope that it will

THE SECOND REACTION IS: YOU MUST HAVE MISSED OUT ON SO MUCH! I WAS OUT ENJOYING MYSELF AT THAT AGE, NOT WORKING IN A STRESSFUL JOB WITH LIVES AT STAKE IF YOU MAKE A MISTAKE. acquired over time, but conversely, it can also give you maladaptive coping First off, age does not equal life experience. Nor does it equal maturity. strategies and cynicism which are going to be more of a hindrance than I’ve known many adults in their 40s and help. 50s that embarked on their social work Also, age doesn’t give you people training having led far more sheltered lives than others in their late teens. I’ve skills. This is something that can’t really be taught. They can be honed also known many young adults who and moulded over time, but the probably don’t have enough maturity fundamental ability to connect with to cope with the pressures that come another human being and work out with the job. In some instances, life what motivates them is, in my opinion, experience provides you with coping an innate skill that some people are strategies and wisdom that is only better at than others. provide you with some reassurance.

There is a third reaction which has nothing to do with age and goes something along the lines of: Why on earth would you want to be a child snatcher! That raises an entirely separate issue that we won’t go into today! I’ll admit, there have been times when I have wished that I’d had some breathing space in my early 20s where I could have lived a carefree existence. Being thrown in at the deep end with a high-risk, complex caseload aged 21,

was undeniably tough. I think social work stole some of my innocence as I was exposed to the most heinous and darkest parts of human nature where children were abused at the hands of others, and my role was to investigate allegations and protect children from harm. When some of my friends were off travelling, partying, and living a hedonistic lifestyle, I was spending long hours doing a job where there was the constant threat that one mistake could lead to a child dying or being seriously harmed. Not only would that be horrific for the child and their loved ones, but knowing that I would have to live with that mistake for the rest of my life, and not to mention the threat of having my picture plastered across the news and social media, was a heavy burden to carry. Would anyone ever feel ready for that kind of responsibility? I may have been young, but I don’t think it would have made much difference if I were 51 instead of 21. A newly qualified social worker will have a steep learning curve no matter how old they are. None of us have experienced everything. You need to have empathy and the ability to put yourself in the shoes of the person you are supporting to understand what life is like for them. You need to have an inquiring mind and a curiosity to get to the root of the issue. A lot of social work involves problem solving, creative thinking, and the application of knowledge, theory, legislation, and policy to real world scenarios. Having the right value base and a strong moral 27

compass is far more important than how many years you’ve been on the planet. I certainly don’t regret my decision to be a social worker. It may be tough and there are days when things go wrong, but this doesn’t compare to the joy and the satisfaction I get from my work. I get to work with the most fascinating people, and I get to support them to overcome significant challenges in their lives. Every day, I get to advocate for others, protect human rights, and I get to be part of their stories. It’s an immense privilege and I wouldn’t want to change my career at all. REMEMBER, AGEISM WORKS BOTH WAYS. IN SOCIAL WORK, WE WORK WITH PEOPLE OF ALL AGES, BACKGROUNDS, AND CULTURES. WE NEED OUR WORKFORCE TO BE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE POPULATION, AND THIS INCLUDES SOCIAL WORKERS FROM DIFFERENT GENERATIONS. Let’s ensure that we create a safe and supportive work environment for our older and younger colleagues alike. To answer my original question – is there a right age to start your social work training? The answer is no. Only you can make that decision. You will know in your heart if you are ready or not. If you’re prepared to embark on the greatest challenge but the most rewarding career where you will experience the most intense highs and lows, then we will welcome you with open arms, no matter how old you are.

’m in my 40s and wonder if I’m too old to become a social worker. What are your thoughts on my age working against me in the social work profession? - Maggie

ear Maggie, Firstly, thank you for your message and also for deciding to become a social Social Work Supervision worker. We will welcome you into our vocation with open arms and I hope that my articles and podcasts may offer some small bits of advice and guidance along the way. As for your question, the obvious thing to say is…. of course you are not too old to be a social worker! In fact, you are probably just about in the prime years of your social work lifespan and have at least two decades left ahead of you. NOT ONLY ARE YOU COMING INTO SOCIAL WORK AT AROUND THE AVERAGE AGE OF THE WORKFORCE, BUT ENTERING THE PROFESSION IN YOUR 40S MEANS THAT YOU BRING WITH YOU A BREDTH OF LIFE EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE THAT YOU SIMPLY WOULD NOT HAVE GAINED HAD YOU STARTED THE PROFESSION EARLIER.

them. I know brilliant social workers who started in their early twenties (my good friends Tilly and Millie being two perfect examples). I know other excellent practitioners who started in their thirties (Joe), forties (Keith), and fifties (Sue). There really is no ‘right’ age. When you are ready, you are ready. I have seen many issues throughout my time as a social worker and, sadly, have also witnessed several social workers being poorly treated in the workplace. I have never once seen a social worker experiencing ageism. While I am not denying its existence, it is something that I have never known myself, nor have I ever had someone write into me detailing how they have been victimised or discriminated against due to their age. In fact, whenever the issue of age in social work is raised, it tends to be by younger social workers who struggle to make connections with their clients due to accusations they “don’t have kids”.

I hope that this might help settle any natural worries you may have Maggie and go some way towards reassuring you that your age will not have any Not only may that benefit your clients in negative impact upon your professional terms of what you are better equipped journey whatsoever. to offer them, but it might also help On a personal note, I am pleased that with your own emotional resilience and your have found your way into social fortitude. work and that your life’s journey has That is not to say that those who are younger or older than you will not bring their own unique talents and skills with

led you to us.

Good luck my friend. I will be rooting for you. - Vince

In Enfield, we take pride in everything we do, helping children and adults realise their potential. We are looking for experienced social workers and occupational therapists to work throughout our adult and children’s services.

The magazine for social workers, by social workers

SOCIAL WORK SKILLS WINTER 23

Our residents are at the centre of what we do and we have a ‘can do’ attitude. You will be able to achieve all you want to in your career, at Enfield. “I’ve worked here for 16 years, both in adults and children’s. Enfield has always supported my career development providing me with opportunities to learn and progress.” Matt, Team Manager

Benefits:  Extensive learning and career development opportunities  Stable, engaged and visible management  Flexible working  Excellent transport links  Modern working facilities  Focus on technology  Upto to 31 days annual leave, plus 1 additional day at Christmas, on top of bank holidays

www.enfield.gov.uk/services/ jobs-and-careers

Social Work Skills offers our readers bite-sized tips and insights, designed to help them boost their social work skills in their day-to-day practise. Social Work Skills is written and curated by our content editor, Vince Peart, an independent social worker of 11 years who has previously worked in local authorities and for CAFCASS, as a social worker and manager. Vince has also appeared as a social work expert on Sky News, ITV, BBC Radio 5 Live, and BBC Scotland, and his articles have been published in The Guardian, Daily Mail, and The Mirror. Read Social Work Skills every week at mysocialworknews.com

hronology in social work is a timeline of significant events and changes in a client’s life. It provides a concise record of a person’s history and experiences, often highlighting any patterns or trends that may impact their current situation. Chronologies are crucial for understanding a client’s background, informing decisions, and planning interventions. In this Social Work Skills article, we’ll delve into the essential steps to create an effective social work chronology. 1. UNDERSTANDING THE PURPOSE Before you begin, be clear about why you are writing the chronology. Is it for court proceedings, case management,

or a multidisciplinary assessment? The purpose will guide the content and structure. 2. GATHER INFORMATION Draw data from various sources including: • Case notes • Interviews with the client and significant others • Official records (medical, legal, educational, etc.) • Previous assessments 3. CHOOSE A FORMAT Chronologies can be presented in several ways:

• Tabular: With dates in one column and events in another.

6. HIGHLIGHT SIGNIFICANT LIFE EVENTS

• Narrative: A written account of events in chronological order.

Such as: births and deaths, marriages and separations, changes in residence, medical procedures or significant illnesses, legal proceedings or police encounters, educational milestones.

• Timeline: Visual representation with markers for significant events. 4. ENSURE ACCURACY

7. INCLUDE SOCIAL WORK INTERVENTIONS

Never include unnecessary personal details that might compromise the client’s privacy. Always adhere to ethical guidelines and ensure data protection. 9. REGULARLY UPDATE THE CHRONOLOGY

11. REFLECT AND LEARN Use the chronology as a reflection tool. Analyse patterns, triggers, and life events that have shaped the client’s experiences. This will not only inform your practice but will deepen your understanding of the client. CONCLUSION

• Referrals made and their outcomes

A chronology is a living document that evolves with the client’s journey. Regularly update it to ensure it remains current.

• Assessments undertaken

10. SEEK FEEDBACK

A well-crafted chronology is a potent tool in a social worker’s arsenal. It offers a clear, concise history of a client’s life journey, providing context for their current situation.

5. BE OBJECTIVE

• Support group/course attendance

Write events neutrally, without adding personal judgment or opinions. Use direct quotes where possible and relevant.

• Crisis interventions

Before finalising, consider having a colleague or manager review your chronology. Their fresh perspective might catch inconsistencies or suggest relevant additions.

By being accurate, objective, and thorough, you can ensure that the chronology serves as a valuable resource for both understanding and advocating for your client’s needs.

Be meticulous about dates. If unsure, use qualifiers like ‘approximate’ or ‘around’. Cross-reference information from different sources to ensure consistency and accuracy.

Detail interventions, such as:

8. MAINTAIN CONFIDENTIALITY (IF POSSIBLE)

SOCIAL WORK SKILLS - 33

otivational Interviewing (MI) is an evidence-based counselling approach that helps people articulate their own reasons for change and develop a plan for achieving their goals.

2. Develop discrepancy: Highlight the contrast between your client’s current behaviour and future objectives.

sessions. Utilise your client’s own motivations for change as a catalyst for setting these objectives. ADDRESS AMBIVALENCE

Initially developed by William R. Miller and Stephen Rollnick in the 1980s for substance abuse treatment, this method has been adapted for various settings, including social work. Whether you’re involved in child protection, mental health, or adult services, understanding how to apply motivational interviewing techniques can enrich your practice and enhance client engagement.

3. Roll with resistance: Rather than confronting resistance, the approach advises to redirect it. 4. Support self-efficacy: Encourage the belief that change is possible and that your client is capable of it.

In this Social Work Skills, we explore how you can effectively use motivational interviewing during assessments, interviews, and direct work sessions with your clients. WHAT IS MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING? Motivational Interviewing is a clientcentred, directive approach that facilitates the intrinsic motivation within individuals to change by exploring and resolving ambivalence. THE MODEL IS GROUNDED IN PRINCIPLES THAT AIM TO EMPATHISE WITH YOUR CLIENT, DEVELOP DISCREPANCY BETWEEN THEIR CURRENT BEHAVIOUR AND THEIR ULTIMATE GOALS, AND “ROLL WITH RESISTANCE” RATHER THAN CONFRONTING IT DIRECTLY.

HOW TO INTEGRATE MI INTO SOCIAL WORK ASSESSMENTS ACTIVE LISTENING Active listening is fundamental in both social work assessments and motivational interviewing. During the assessment phase, your role is to gather information to better understand your client’s circumstances and needs. Listen carefully to what your client is saying without interrupting, and use MI techniques like reflective listening to validate their experience. OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS Use open-ended questions to elicit more than just a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer. This provides an opportunity for your client to explore their feelings and circumstances more fully. For example, instead of asking, “Do you want to change?”, you could ask, “What are some reasons you might want to make this change?” AFFIRMATIONS

The primary goal is to empower your clients to become their own agents of change.

During assessments, you’re not just gathering data; you’re building a therapeutic relationship. Use affirmations to validate your client’s struggles and achievements, however small they may be.

KEY PRINCIPLES OF MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING

APPLYING MI IN INTERVIEWS AND DIRECT WORK SESSIONS

1. Express empathy: Understanding your client’s perspective and demonstrating an empathetic attitude.

GOAL SETTING Collaboratively establish specific and achievable goals during direct work SOCIAL WORK SKILLS - 35

It’s common for your clients to express ambivalence about change. MI offers tools for exploring these mixed feelings in a non-judgmental manner. Use techniques like doublesided reflections to articulate the ambivalence, thus helping your client see that their mixed feelings are a natural part of the process. HANDLING RESISTANCE Instead of confronting resistance head-on, which could make your client defensive, ‘roll’ with it. Redirect the conversation and allow them to present their arguments for change themselves. FOLLOW-UP AND MONITORING Consistent follow-up is essential in social work and becomes more effective when done using MI principles. Check-in on goals, celebrate any amount of progress, and renegotiate goals if necessary. CONCLUSION Motivational Interviewing is a versatile and impactful tool in the realm of social work. Its principles of empathy, client-centredness, and facilitation of intrinsic motivation make it a particularly useful approach during assessments, interviews, and direct work sessions. As a social worker, integrating these methods into your practice can significantly improve client engagement and outcomes. By mastering the techniques of Motivational Interviewing, you can empower your clients to harness their own motivations for change, transforming not just their own lives but also those of their family and friends who rely upon them.

PRACTICE ACTIVE LISTENING Be present and listen more than you speak. Clients often want to be heard and understood. MAINTAIN EYE CONTACT This indicates your attentiveness and interest. AVOID INTERRUPTING Allow the client to share their story without interruption. Clarify when needed If something is unclear, kindly ask for more information. ESTABLISH TRUST

s a social worker, your initial visit to a new client’s home is a pivotal moment. It sets the tone for the future professional relationship and can influence your client’s trust and openness to receive support.

RESEARCH

Engaging your client from the start ensures a strong foundation for a productive and beneficial relationship. In this week’s Social Work Skills we will take a look at some of the best practices for making a lasting first impression:

Know the goals of the visit, whether it is an assessment, an introduction, or some other objective.

PREPARE AHEAD OF TIME Before setting foot in your client’s home, it is essential to:

Familiarise yourself with the client’s background, history, and any documented needs. SET CLEAR OBJECTIVES

GATHER RESOURCES If you anticipate specific needs, come prepared with relevant resources or contacts. PRIORITISE RESPECT AND BOUNDARIES

Entering someone’s home is inherently intimate. Treat your client’s space with utmost respect. SCHEDULE THE VISIT

Building trust is fundamental in any therapeutic or helping relationship. You can help to do this by: BEING TRANSPARENT

Always make an appointment and confirm it beforehand.

Clearly state your role, the purpose of the visit, and the confidentiality of the information shared.

DRESS PROFESSIONALLY

DEMONSTRATING EMPATHY

Your appearance should reflect respect and professionalism, whilst avoiding being overly formal to the point it may create barriers.

Show genuine concern and understanding for their feelings and experiences.

RESPECT PRIVACY

If you promise to do something, ensure you do it. Consistency builds trust.

Only inquire about or discuss what is relevant to your role and purpose.

FOLLOWING THROUGH

Be culturally sensitive

Recognise and respect the cultural, religious, and individual differences of each client.

Unless it is therapeutically beneficial, avoid sharing personal experiences.

RESEARCH

Your primary role is to support and advocate for the client, not to become their friend.

If unfamiliar with a client’s cultural background, take time to understand it.

STAY OBJECTIVE

End on a positive note

ASK If you are unsure about a particular practice or custom, it is okay to ask respectfully. This can also help build rapport.

Before concluding the visit:

ACKNOWLEDGE

Express gratitude

Validate your client’s experiences and perspectives without imposing yours. UTILISE OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS Such questions encourage clients to share more about their feelings, experiences, and concerns, giving you a fuller understanding of their lived experiences. Example: Instead of asking, “Are you feeling okay?” you might ask, “Can you tell me more about how you’ve been feeling lately?” MAINTAIN PROFESSIONAL BOUNDARIES While it is essential to be empathetic and kind, remember to maintain a professional demeanour. AVOID PERSONAL DISCLOSURE

SOCIAL WORK SKILLS - 37

RECAP Go over the main points discussed and any agreed-upon actions. Thank the client for their time and openness. PROVIDE CONTACT INFORMATION Ensure they know how to reach you for follow-up or questions (and make sure to answer phone calls and e-mails when you are contacted!). CONCLUSION The initial home visit can be both challenging and rewarding. By coming prepared, showing respect, actively listening, and building trust, you can lay a foundation for a meaningful and constructive relationship. Remember, the aim is to empower and support your client in their journey to a better life, and this starts with a successful first engagement.

n the ever-evolving world of social work, we need to juggle a demanding and constantly changing array of tasks. From client meetings and paperwork to advocacy and professional development, a social worker’s plate is rarely empty (and we’ll be spinning another 20 more).

ENCOURAGES BREAKS

Amid this whirlwind, a tool like timeboxing can prove to be transformative. In this Social Work Skills, we explore the magic of timeboxing and how we can utilize this technique to achieve greater productivity in our work lives.

Knowing there’s a finite amount of time to complete a task encourages concentrated effort, reducing the temptation of distractions.

WHAT IS TIMEBOXING?

Start by listing typical tasks in a day. This could be meetings, paperwork, research, or outreach programs.

Timeboxing is a time management method where you allocate fixed, limited time slots or “boxes” for specific activities. Instead of simply creating a task list and working through it, you designate certain periods to tackle each task, promoting focused and efficient work. Once the allocated time ends, you move to the next task.

By allocating fixed time slots for tasks, timeboxing inherently emphasises the importance of breaks. These moments of respite can reduce burnout and improve overall well-being. IMPROVES FOCUS

TIMEBOXING IN SOCIAL WORK IDENTIFY CORE TASKS

ESTIMATE TIME Estimate how long a task typically takes. Be realistic and include a buffer. ALLOCATE TIMEBOXES

THE BENEFITS OF TIMEBOXING FOR SOCIAL WORKERS

Using a planner or digital calendar, assign time blocks for each task. Stick to these blocks as closely as possible, but be flexible when necessary.

STRUCTURED APPROACH

USE TIMERS

Timeboxing gives a structured approach to your day, providing clear start and end times. This eliminates the ambiguity of when and how long to work on a particular activity.

To ensure adherence to the timeboxes, use timers or alarms. There are several apps and tools available that can assist with this, such as the Pomodoro Technique (which we will explore in detail in another article sometime).

MITIGATES OVERWHELM With so many responsibilities, social workers can sometimes feel overwhelmed. Timeboxing creates a visual map of the day, making tasks feel more manageable.

TIPS FOR EFFECTIVE TIMEBOXING IN SOCIAL WORK PRIORITISE TASKS Not everything is equally important. Ensure the critical tasks get prime slots during your most productive hours. BE REALISTIC It’s essential to be honest about how long tasks take and to allow for interruptions and emergencies, especially in the world of social work. COMBINE TASKS If two tasks are related and don’t require immense concentration, consider combining them. STAY FLEXIBLE Sometimes, emergencies or unexpected tasks will arise. Allow room for adjustments, and don’t get discouraged if things don’t go according to plan. COMMIT TO THE PROCESS Like any new habit, timeboxing requires commitment. It might feel restrictive initially, but over time, the benefits become apparent. CONCLUSION

REVIEW AND ADJUST

In a field as dynamic and demanding as social work, it is imperative to have tools that foster efficiency and wellbeing. Timeboxing not only ensures that tasks get done but also promotes a balanced work approach.

At the end of the week, review your timeboxes. Were they realistic? Adjust them based on your experience, refining your schedule for efficiency.

Embrace this method, adapt it to your unique needs, and discover the magic of a well-structured and productive day in social work.

SOCIAL WORK SKILLS - 39

Share your Social Work Confessions by emailing press@mysocialworknews.com

’ve been a social worker for over thirty years - spending ten years in social work practitioner roles, eleven years Social Work Confessions as a manager, and twelve years in senior management. In an era of short-term contracts, rampant burnout, and agency staff propping up beleaguered teams, I am a rare breed. I’ve built a solid reputation, achieved many great outcomes for children, earned the respect of my staff, and helped develop many novice practitioners into capable and conscientious social workers. I have really loved the people I have supervised over the years, and am so proud of what I have seen people achieve, often working against the odds and in hazardous conditions to bring about positive change for vulnerable children. These people were more than just colleagues and this is more than a job.

it’s never ‘just’ work when you are a social worker. Those that I spent the best years of my life alongside never had to knock on my door because it was always open to them. They knew they could phone me at 10.30 pm if they were worried about a court case the next day, or had dealt with an emergency placement, and they knew I would always have a plan. I WAS WHOLLY ACCOUNTABLE AND WAS ALWAYS ON HAND TO BACK UP MY WORKERS, BECAUSE WE WERE IN IT TOGETHER. IF SOMETHING WENT WRONG, AND THERE WAS A PROBLEM, IT WAS OUR PROBLEM. IF THERE WAS A SETBACK ON ONE CASE, WE ALL PULLED TOGETHER TO MAKE THINGS RIGHT. WHEN THE SUCCESSFUL OUTCOMES CAME AROUND, WE ALL CELEBRATED. But, if it was my decision and my decision alone, I carried the can and shouldered the burden of blame.

I believe I did what I could to keep both the children we cared for and the workers I supervised as safe as they could be.

Every action was driven by fear and the constant threat of inspection.

But the truth is that I was hiding a secret - crippling anxiety. Crippling anxiety that prevented me from sleeping, eating, socialising with friends and being emotionally connected to my family every single day.

And all this set against a backdrop of devastating cuts to services and a failure by successive Governments to address the sorry state of our profession.

Carrying the pain and trauma for up to seven hundred children at a time, making those big decisions about whether children should return to their birth parents, reading the harrowing accounts of damaged little lives every single day, feeling the pain of parents who simply could not safely parent because of the damage they had suffered themselves… how could this not take a toll? Then there was the other source of intense stress, which I found even more difficult to manage - the downward pressure from those above me in the management hierarchy.

Every decision was framed within the question ‘what would Ofsted say?’.

For all the pressure, I kept my anxiety hidden and pushed on through. I had a large staff and hundreds of children who were reliant upon me and I couldn’t let them down. So, I kept it all locked deep inside me and learned to live in constant fear. I didn’t want to be seen as weak or unreliable. I didn’t want people to lose their faith in me. I couldn’t keep running from the monster forever though and, earlier this year, in a job which I was really loving, it caught up with me. The dizzy spells increased, exhaustion worsened, and my stomach cramps intensified. I became increasingly reliant upon

medication just to sleep at night.

for being ‘weak’… I felt useless.

I felt spaced out and detached. I was scared all the time. I would hide in the office toilets and cry. Three times I collapsed on the commute home.

But with time and a lot of support - from mental health services, and my family, who all begged me never to return to the job I love - I pulled myself back from the ledge and am now on the road to recovery.

I KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG, BUT I WAS DESPERATELY TRYING TO HOLD ON, TO BE THERE FOR THE JOB I HAD GIVEN MY WORKING LIFE TO. EVENTUALLY, IN DESPERATION, MY HUSBAND TOOK ME TO THE HOSPITAL. I was diagnosed with complete mental and physical exhaustion, depression, panic disorder and PTSD. I told the consultant what I did for a living and she wasn’t even surprised at how I’d ended up this way. For a while, life was a blur and it was impossible to work. I couldn’t even walk, I was heavily medicated, and I had to be looked after like a baby. The worst part of it was I hated myself 41

Now the challenge is to find out who I am if I can no longer be the rock who supported everyone else. In social work, there is a culture where we are expected to simply absorb all the pain, pressure, and panic that comes our way. Those who look like they’re invulnerable to burnout are heralded and, for a long time, I quelled the little warning voice inside me, and took pride in being invincible myself. That gift of invincibility came at a great price for me. My advice to everyone in social work is to nurture that voice inside because it’s there to protect you from yourself. If you don’t listen to your soul and heed those warnings, you risk losing all the colour in your world.

pparently, the first ever social worker in the UK was a lady called Mary Stewart. Many years ago, Matt Bee on 21st January 1895, she was appointed as a hospital almoner, thus giving birth to our great and noble profession. Now, I have lots of questions about Mary Stewart, most of which I can never find answers to. Who was she? What did she do? And how did her becoming an almoner (whatever that is) lead to the birth of social work as we know it today? Alas, I do not have time to unpick all this. But what I can say for sure is that whoever Mary Stewart was, she probably didn’t wear a suit. Had she done so - and had she also made lots of presentations standing in front of flipcharts, and issued quarterly reports - then the great and noble profession of social work would have ended before it had even started.

This is because nobody with a flipchart has ever made any difference to anyone. Had Mary Stewart adopted a flipchart as her primary social work tool, it wouldn’t have been any use to any patient lying in a hospital bed. They needed help, not a theoretical five-year strategy with an accompanying mission statement. Which brings me neatly to this topic, and that is that it is my fervent belief that everyone in social work - from newly qualified practitioners, managers, senior managers, and all the way to the highest heights of the director - should carry a caseload. A caseload is the only way you can truly make a difference. Firstly, there are the obvious benefits. By allocating cases to managers and directors, we reduce caseloads in an instant. Everybody is therefore better off. Our clients also suddenly benefit from a wealth of experienced hands arriving on the shop floor where they can put all their expertise to good use, rather than sitting in conference rooms drinking cups of coffee. Better yet, there will be no need for

anybody to sit around in conference rooms anyway, because there will be no need for lengthy meetings for senior staff to understand what’s going on down on the shop floor. Ordinarily they do this with spreadsheets and reports. But if senior staff are already working on the shop floor, all this lot can just get turfed in the bin. As an added benefit, then, this would save a rainforest or two. In the meantime, senior staff would understand in an instant the strengths and weaknesses of their department as they work alongside everyone else, answering phone calls, logging onto the IT system, swearing at the IT system, and then despairing at the IT system. What’s more, because they are senior staff, they’d be able to do something about it. That means, if they started work on a Monday, we’d have a new IT system by Wednesday and a skip ordered for Friday to throw all the needless paperwork away. AT PRESENT, THIS IS NOT HOW IT WORKS. SOCIAL WORK, LIKE

SO MANY OTHER INDUSTRIES, KEEPS ITS LEADERS AND DIRECTORS ESCONCED IN OFFICES AND IVORY TOWERS, MEANWHILE THE WORKERS BEAVER AWAY GETTING WILDLY OVERWORKED AND FRUSTRATED. This is not to say that senior staff also don’t work hard. They absolutely do. I read some research a few years ago that showed that as many unpaid extra hours as social workers put in, senior managers put in even more. But a key difference was that senior managers reported high levels of job satisfaction, while all the social workers wanted to jump out of a high window. Why should this be? Probably because, unlike social workers, senior staff felt they had some authority and control. This is ironic – because they don’t really. Not sitting in an office. Sitting in an office, all they can do is send emails. Otherwise, they sit in conference rooms working on the next big strategy where they dream up goals and ambitions.

However, this is largely pointless work. Big departments are stacked full of individual people, all working frantically hard and overwhelmed by their own workloads. They struggle to organise themselves to go for lunch together, so the very idea that they can organise themselves to achieve some far-flung goal is ridiculous. You may as well try and play fetch with a blue bottle. THIS MUST BE VERY DISPIRITING FOR SENIOR MANAGERS AND DIRECTORS - WHICH IS WHY A CASELOAD WOULD BE SUCH A WELCOME RELIEF. IT WOULD HELP COUNTERACT THE FUTILITY OF IT ALL, SEEING SOME OF THEIR EFFORTS MAKE A REAL, IMMEDIATE DIFFERENCE AND CHANGE A LIFE. It would also help them stay sharp and in practice. What’s more, and my final point here is that, if senior managers and directors could have caseloads, it would open all sorts of new career pathways for frontline workers. As it stands today, if you want to climb

the corporate ladder, you must say goodbye to your clients and hello to the conference room. This must deter countless highly skilled and talented social workers from ever advancing their careers. After all, if you love working with families, why would you ever choose to stop? But if becoming a senior manager meant you didn’t have to, surely this would mean those talented people could take the next step? I want the very best social workers running our organisations, and the very best social workers probably enjoy working directly with people more than they do writing mission statements. Which brings me back to dear old Mary Stewart. Of course, back in 1895, there was no such thing as a mission statement, but naturally this didn’t hold her back. Not only did she establish our profession but, within two years, she had achieved something no social worker has ever achieved since. She had recruited two assistants. Which goes to show you don’t need flipcharts anyway.

s social workers, we have navigated through crisis interventions and mediated conflicts that would make most family Christmas spats look like a polite disagreement over the last mince pie. But let us not kid ourselves - when it comes to family drama around this time of year, even the most stoic of professionals might find themselves wanting to hide behind the nearest Christmas tree. So, with that dreaded fear of family drama ever looming, here are five social work skills that will keep you cool, calm, and collected as an angel sitting on top of your Christmas tree. ACTIVE LISTENING (OR HOW TO HEAR BEYOND THE SEASONAL JINGLES) Active listening is not just for the workplace. When Aunt Linda starts ranting about the overcooked turkey, do not just sit there and nod while tuning her out to ‘Last Christmas’ for the fifteenth time. Instead, use those honed skills to really listen to the undercurrents of what is being said.

Instead, channel that empathy into supportive but not overly indulgent, responses. Remember, you can understand the emotional undertow without swimming in it. BOUNDARY SETTING (OR THE ART OF NOT GETTING WRAPPED UP WORSE THAN LAST-MINUTE GIFTS) Your professional boundaries are like the perfect wrapping paper - neat, firm, and hard to tear through. Apply these at family gatherings to avoid getting emotionally gift-wrapped into a debate. When politics come up and you can feel the collective blood pressure rising, it is okay to pass the cranberry sauce and change the subject. There’s a time and place for everything – and it’s not between the gravy and green beans. DE-ESCALATION TECHNIQUES (BECAUSE NOT EVERY CHRISTMAS CRACKER JOKE IS FUNNY)

A good social worker knows how to deescalate a situation faster than Santa sliding down a chimney. Apply these techniques when tensions rise. If Uncle Teo and Cousin Hamima are about to go at it over who is the family’s reigning Is it really about the turkey, or is it Aunt Monopoly champion, distract them with Linda’s way of seeking attention? a hearty “Who wants eggnog?” It is all about redirecting energy – think less Reflective responses like, “It sounds like you put a lot of effort into the meal” ‘family feud’ and more ‘charades teambuilding.’ can work miracles. It is very often far less about the bird and far more about SELF-CARE (YES, THIS MEANS the bird-feeder’s feelings, after all. DODGING THE SPROUTS) EMPATHY (WITHOUT DROWNING IN Self-care is not selfish, it is essential. THE GRAVY BOAT OF GRIEF) When the family drama hits the fan, You have got enough empathy to fill Santa’s sack, but beware of overindulging, because you do not to drown in the gravy boat of grief when cousin Mohammed announces his fourth career change of the year. 45

take a breather. Go for a walk, admire the snowflakes, or help the kids build a snow-social-worker. And if all else fails, avoid the sprouts like you avoid burnout. No one needs that kind of negativity in their life.

You can change lives oc working in Adult S

ial C are

at Worcestershire County Council Want to work and travel in some of the West Midland’s most beautiful scenery? Want to work in a strength-based way that ensures people are at the centre of decision making? In Worcestershire, we put people at the heart of everything we do to ensure people can live their best lives in a place they call home, supported by thriving and connected communities, where people feel included and safe and have easy access to high-quality and efficient support when they need it.

JOIN OUR TEAM. There are a wide range of career opportunities in Worcestershire. We have a well-established Social Work Apprenticeship offer and have recently added an Occupational Therapy apprenticeship route. We also have a fantastic career development offer facilitated by our Social Work Academy including support for those interested in the Social Work Apprenticeship, a robust ASYE Programme once qualified and continued support to develop your career post ASYE. We are fully committed to career development for all our staff and have a range of roles such as Advanced Social Work Professionals, Area Managers and Heads of Services. We also support Social Workers to become Practice Educators, Best Interest Assessors and Approved Mental Health Professionals, and more. We focus on co-production through our Building Together Forum and work closely with health colleagues and a wide range of partners to improve outcomes for people and create a collaborative working environment.

It’s more than a job.

When you join our team, you’ll become part of the Worcestershire family, helping improve people’s lives every day. You’ll also get a whole range of benefits as standard by joining the Council’s workforce. Including and not limited to: • • • • •

Great holiday entitlement A brilliant pension scheme My Lifestyle portal offering discounts Extensive wellbeing support Genuine flexibility

I feel really valued and appreciated. I have been supported to develop my skills and experience over the years. I wouldn’t wish to work in a more supportive and friendly team.

An employer who listens.

We hold regular staff briefings with an opportunity to talk and ask questions to the Chief Executive, staff surveys and annual celebrations for Social Workers Week, including awards. We also have a very active staff social media site and a strong Diversity and Inclusion collective, so you’ll always feel like you have a voice.

learning opportunities to facilitate your career development, including a comprehensive internal training offer and access to Research in Practice, an online learning platform which enables you to access, understand and apply evidence in your work, alongside keeping up to date with developments in social care.

Without the support from senior management and actually Worcestershire County Council, I wouldn’t be Anyone considering a role in social a social worker. care will find a warm welcome in Worcestershire. We have a highly Strong leadership to get the best out supportive network of staff and resources of you. for your personal and professional We know that the skills, attitudes, knowledge and behaviours of our leaders are vital for development.

our success. We have an embedded set of management leadership competencies that ensure we get the best from our leaders. We An employer who cares. also have a learning and development package As an employee, you’ll be able to access for all levels related to developing managerial a range of resources via our Health skills, as well as safeguarding training and Wellbeing hub, and our bi-annual appropriate to your role. Wellbeing Weeks. We have our own LGBTQ+ Staff Our Social Care staff play a crucial part Network, a comprehensive menopause at in our mission to help our residents work programme, and a network of internal Mental Health First Aiders. You can take part in stay as healthy and independent as regular conversations with managers focused possible. We are a carer-friendly employer on wellbeing and access free eye tests, and promote a good work-life balance regular health screenings and employee flu as standard. vaccinations. - Mark Fitton, Strategic Director of the People Directorate A place to learn and grow. We have a dedicated Learning and Development team who are always working to help you develop your skills and continue to For more information, visit: develop. We also have an e-learning platform, www.worcestershire.gov.uk/adultsocialcare apprenticeship opportunities and workshops designed specifically for Care and Social Work. - Paul Robinson, CEO Chief Executive of Worcestershire County Council

As standard, all our social care staff can access the dedicated Social Work Academy, designed to ensure Continuing Professional Development (CPD). You can access diverse

Dive into our resources round-up - whether it’s out now, or coming soon, here are a few books we think you should be getting your hands on…

JUST ARRIVED OR COMING SOON... packed with examples and case studies, this book is both practicallyminded and constantly returning to The third edition of this bestselling book guides you through the principles first principles: reminding you what it is of good writing and methodically shows you are trying to achieve and teaching you how to write reports that can be you how to analyse, how to structure read by families and judges alike. You the process of writing an assessment (researching, chronologising, informed will learn how to write high quality, useful and timely assessments without data-gathering, putting it all together), becoming mechanistic or managerial. how to get this done under time This book kills the myth of a trade-off constraints, explores the practical and psychological barriers to good practice, between efficiency and quality of work. This book is available now from and looks at how you turn good criticalpublishing.com priced at £26.99. analysis into useful recommendations. WRITING ANALYTICAL ASSESSMENTS IN SOCIAL WORK

This new edition, written by Chris Dyke, features brand new content, on subjects such as decision-making and cognitive fallacies in assessment, how to conduct analysis on domestic violence and systematic thinking and reflexivity in assessment. There are also updates on MCA assessments and any new legislation and documents. Written in an accessible way and

potential risks in situations, when to avoid involvement, and how best to manage these risks, giving them the confidence to work effectively. Suitable for practitioners, students, leaders and supervisors, this book covers topics such as managing risks, improving safety awareness, teamwork and organisational support within the modern-day context. This book is available now from criticalpublishing.com priced at £16.99. LEADING WITH EMPATHY

Focusing on empathy as a key tool, this book, by Carolyn Reily, examines the impact of hybrid working on staff mental health and explores how managers can create a positive and Social workers and health professionals motivated hybrid workforce. It is for are often placed in situations where anyone who is managing remote they are verbally or physically workers, whether individuals or teams. threatened by service users and others. The second edition of this book, written Published on 03/01/24, pre-order from criticalpublishing.com for £18.99. by Brian Atkins, helps them recognise KEEPING SAFE AND WORKING EFFECTIVELY, FOR SOCIAL WORKERS AND HEALTH PROFESSIONALS

Adult social care manager and best interests assessor

Social work trainer, writer, and podcast host

Content editor and independent social worker

As someone guilty of being a workaholic (certainly nothing Tilly Baden to be proud of I’m working on it), I’m probably not the best person to advise on this matter. Perhaps it’s wiser to listen to Vince and Matt, or at least “do as I say and not as I do”!

You are working too hard when you are tired, irritable, shouty, angry, Matt Bee teary, morose, moribund, and very many other things besides. However, if you are working too hard for too long, you (and others around you) can start to mistake this for your natural personality.

For me, the signs are pretty obvious, although I spent many years Vince Peart ignoring them and telling myself I was weak for feeling overwhelmed.

NO SOCIAL WORKER SHOULD HAVE TO WORK MORE HOURS THAN THEY ARE PAID TO DO.

This is not a good thing. Your relationships suffer. Your nearest and dearest wonder why you seem so fragile and intolerant and forget that you aren’t really like this at all.

No social worker should have to work more hours than they are paid to do. There will be occasions when you might have to stay late in an emergency or complete a visit outside of usual working hours to accommodate the routine of the person you are supporting, but when this happens, you should be able to take flexitime back. Therefore, I suppose an obvious sign that you’re working too hard is when you regularly work more hours than you are paid for. ANOTHER REVEALING SIGN IS WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT WORK EXCESSIVELY OUTSIDE OF WORK. IT’S NORMAL TO HAVE THE OCCASIONAL THOUGHTS ABOUT HOW YOU MIGHT TACKLE A WORK PROBLEM, OR CONTEMPLATE THE TASKS YOU HAVE DURING THE NEXT WEEK, BUT IT BECOMES A PROBLEM WHEN THOSE THOUGHTS PREOCCUPY YOUR ENERGY AND CAUSE YOU STRESS. When it starts impacting your mental health and taking away your resilience to deal with things in your personal life, this is a warning sign that you need to re-evaluate your work-life balance.

TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THE EFFECT YOUR WORK IS HAVING ON YOUR PERSONAL WELL-BEING, THE ANSWER IS SIMPLE. STOP WORKING FOR A BIT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS. You should see what happens to me when I get a prolonged break. Within a few days, I take on the demeanour of a Buddhist monk. Nothing is too much trouble. I am as zen as a yoga instructor, as still as a millpond, as chilled as a pair of sunglasses. You could do anything you like to me – cut me up in your car, spill my drink, leave me on hold for eternity on the phone before cutting me off– and I will accept it all with good grace and a smile. When I eventually return to work, this magical aura will last right up until the moment I open Microsoft Outlook and watch the unread emails cascade down the screen. Then it’s back to business as normal. Of course, the answer is to work less hard but to do that, you need less work. If anyone figures out how to do that, please write to me. Everyone in my life would be grateful. 49

I feel tense in my shoulders and arms, I clench my jaw, I have stomach cramps, I feel tightness in my chest. I struggle to maintain a healthy routine, find myself going to bed and getting up later, waking in the night, becoming more irritable, wasting my time on social media and other petty distractions, and pushing away those who dare ask me ‘Are you okay?’. For many years I tended to downplay these symptoms as signs of physical health issues, blaming them mostly on my hiatus hernia or food intolerances. OVER THE PAST THREE-AND-A-HALF YEARS (LOCKDOWN WAS KIND TO ME), I HAVE GOTTEN A LOT BETTER AT BEING KINDER TO MYSELF AND ACCEPTING WHEN TO SAY NOW. THAT IS NOT TO SAY THAT I NEVER FEEL SIGNS OF OVERWORKED STRESS THESE DAYS, MORE THAT I CAN RECOGNISE THEM AND ACKNOWLEDGE THEM FOR WHAT THEY ARE AT THE EARLY STAGES. Being able to do that, share my feelings with my friends and family, and then dial back the effort a little, has made a world of difference to me. Previously I would have ignored that little voice telling me to take it easy and sending physical symptoms as warning signs. Now I listen to it and see my ability to take better care of myself as a strength, not a weakness. I am a better social worker and a far nicer person for it.

IF WE AREN’T HELD UP BY OUR TEAM, WE ARE ALONE. IF WE ARE ALONE, OUR PRACTICE IS NO LONGER SAFE. SOCIAL WORK IS NOT - AND SHOULD NEVER BE - A ONE-MAN BAND. If supervision is simply a tick list of jobs we haven’t done yet, then our isolation deepens. The council bosses will scratch their hands wondering why they have so many social workers off on the sick, wondering why more and more burn out, why workers not long qualified quickly decide the job is not for them after all.

inding a good team in social work is as fortunate as finding the proverbial needle in the haystack. Kimberley Martinez We’ve all lived or heard the horror stories of overbearing managers, of colleagues frightened to put their head above the parapet, of fragmented ever-changing teams, the expectations of untenable workloads, and unrealistic targets.

Teams like this exist, but fortunately the other kind does too. The ones where you quickly realise you’ve found your tribe. There can be no deeper bond than the ones formed in social work. We’ve either lived it, had a glimpse of it, or comforted others going through it. Toxic teams like this are sadly rife in social work. They will take and squeeze every bit of goodness out of a person and, if you’re not careful, they may well put you off the profession for life. It doesn’t need to be this way. It shouldn’t be this way. The job is hard enough as it is. Navigating the crises and emotions of the people we work with can be incredibly difficult. Try as we might to retain a professional distance, we are

emotional sponges sucking up the pain, the tears, the anger of those we support. But what happens when we don’t have support? What happens if we have nowhere safe to explore those difficult emotions and their direct impact on our lives? What happens when we don’t have supportive management, or colleagues cheering on our successes, getting down and dirty with us in the midst of a crisis, helping us explore our feelings, and letting us know that it is perfectly okay to feel really shitty sometimes?

WHEN TEAMS WORK WELL TOGETHER, THEY HAVE THE CAPACITY TO GENUINELY TRANSFORM THE LIVES OF PEOPLE WE WORK WITH. Nothing can link people more intrinsically than the things that you go through together on a daily basis. In a stable, consistent team, you share each other’s joys and triumphs over years. You learn about pets, children, spouses, tea choices, smelly lunches. You laugh at their ‘posh’ voice on

the phone, you share memories of many home visits where surprising and unusual events occurred. You just need to look at each other a certain way to know what the other is thinking. You’ve found them crying in the bathroom, and they’ve found you fumbling for cigarettes even after you’ve quit. There have been many nights out, many celebrations of births, marriages, engagements. And when people actually do move on, it feels like a heartbreak, a love lost, a camaraderie rarely to be experienced again. But it’s not just the deep individual friendships formed. It’s knowing that the team is there to support you, and offering that same support in return. It’s having space and time to work things out. It’s being nurtured and valued and truly encouraged to give the best of yourself. These teams are so far removed from the toxic teams as to be on separate planets. Good, effective, safe social work is completed on a daily basis; because the social workers feel as if they are good, effective, safe social workers. So how do we change these toxic teams? If you are unfortunate enough to find yourself in such a place, there are options open to you, although it may not feel like it when you are living it on a daily basis. Your own mental and physical health is far more important than anything else. If this is your first

experience of social work, please know that this isn’t ALL social work. There are other teams out there. You have a qualification that is desirable and sought after, you have the choice and the ability to move on. But wouldn’t it be amazing if these teams changed from the inside? If there were enough of us in the team to band together and point out the unacceptability of it all? If you are in a team like this, look around you. There will be others feeling like you. There will be others that are frightened to speak up and that isn’t right. Especially in a supportive profession like ours. Find those others. Let people know that you hear and share their concerns. Meet with that unapproachable manager, raise your concerns, request supervision, ask for supervision notes, ask for guidance, document everything, challenge. We have a responsibility under our registering body to challenge poor practice. Poor practice is rarely the actions of one rogue social worker, poor practice is often a culture of toxicity. I believe change is possible. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be a social worker. We are advocates of social change and justice. Let’s advocate for the change within our own profession that we need to see. Toxic teams need to be a thing of the past. This job is hard enough.

If social workers would like help with or advice on how to deal with inquests, outside of the advice provided by their employers, Ridouts can help. Please contact our specialist team of solicitors on 0207 317 0340 or ask for a call back via the website.

ocial workers are involved in various investigations as a part of their role and sometimes Anna-Maria Lemmer this includes in relation to investigations undertaken by a coroner. This can be a daunting prospect but this article aims to shed light on the inquest process and explain what a social worker should do if they are called to attend an inquest. WHAT IS AN INQUEST?

• When the deceased person died

• The cause of the death is unknown

• Where the deceased person died

• The person died whilst in custody or state detention (Article 2 ECHR)

• How the deceased person came by their death In some specific cases, namely those engaged under Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), in addition to the four queries listed above, a coroner sometimes needs to carry out an enhanced investigation into a person’s death and consider the wider circumstances. An example of this might be in relation to a deceased person who was detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 and who died in custody of the state.

An inquest is a public judicial inquiry into a person’s death. It is a factfinding inquiry which does not seek to apportion blame nor suggest criminal or civil liability. The purpose of an inquest is to establish answers to the following questions:

WHEN WILL AN INQUEST BE HELD?

• Who the deceased person was

• An unnatural death

A coroner is required to investigate a death if there is reasonable cause to suspect that the death was as a result of the following: • A violent death

Not all coronial investigations will result in an inquest hearing. If a coroner is able to determine from their investigation that a person’s cause of death was due to natural causes, the matter will not need to proceed to a full inquest hearing. WITNESSES AT AN INQUEST A coroner decides who they wish to provide evidence regarding a person’s death. Often a coroner will write to a social worker and request a written witness statement. The coroner will then review the witness statement and decide whether or not the witness should be called to attend the inquest hearing to give live oral evidence. IF A CORONER REQUESTS A WRITTEN WITNESS STATEMENT, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE

STATEMENT PROVIDED IS CLEAR AND CONCISE. The statement should refer to the key facts surrounding a person’s death and include dates, times and action taken. If a witness refers to any documentation within their statement, this documentation should be attached as an exhibit to the statement. These things will help to assist the coroner. THE INQUEST HEARING If a witness is called to attend an inquest hearing to give live evidence, it is helpful for them to re-read their written statement a few days beforehand in order to familiarise themselves with it. It is also advised that witnesses bring a hard copy of their statement with them so that they can refer to it during the hearing. It is also advisable for witnesses to arrive at a hearing dressed smartly and on time. At the start of a hearing, the coroner

will explain the purpose of the inquest and refer to any other relevant matters. Once a witness is called to give their evidence, they will be asked to swear a religious oath or provide an affirmation which is essentially a promise to tell the truth. Once all of the evidence has been heard, the coroner will adjourn, usually for a short period of time to consider the evidence. The coroner will then return to deliver their conclusion and will provide answers to the four key questions – Who? When? Where? and How? Sometimes a jury will be involved and they will consider the four key questions instead. INQUEST CONCLUSIONS Coroner’s conclusions (previously known as verdicts) can either be short form conclusions or narrative conclusions. Examples of short form conclusions are a finding of Natural Causes, Accident, Unlawful Killing,

Suicide or Open. An open short form conclusion will be provided by a coroner if there is insufficient evidence to determine the person’s cause of death. Narrative conclusions are longer sentences provided by the coroner which describe the circumstances of a person’s death. In June 2023, Social Work News published an article on the inquest into the death of toddler Asiah Kudi who was found dead at her mother’s supported accommodation in December 2019. In this case, the coroner’s conclusion was that of Unlawful Killing. The coroner considered Asiah’s mother’s actions in leaving her unattended for nearly six days in her flat could not have been foreseen by social services and that there was nothing more that could have been done to prevent Asiah’s death. This case demonstrates how a social worker might become involved in the inquest process.

here’s a reason Fairytale of New York is such a favourite at this time of year. As much as we all Social Work Sorted want to embrace the Christmas spirit and cheer, we’re also collectively drawn to a bit of doom and gloom. That’s human nature for you; we’re inclined towards negativity because we need to know what can go wrong in order to prepare and protect ourselves. Although the end of the year might seem a good time to reflect on all that has gone wrong in 2023, I am calling for a change in perspective. I already know how easy it will be for you to focus on the negative. I know that you won’t find any difficulty in recalling the worst work days you have experienced this year, the toughest meetings, the longest phone calls, the numerous and creative expletive names you have been called, because that’s just how the brain works. I know it’s been hard - in many ways, social work always will be - but for the next few minutes I want you to gently push that aside and, instead, choose to focus on some of the good days

you have had this year. To function, to progress, and to continue in our thankless jobs, sometimes we have to be the ones to focus on the positives, big or small, in order to keep moving forwards. So stay with me, let’s take a moment to reflect (because social workers love a bit of reflection…) either by yourself or with your team, and focus on some of the good parts of the year. 1. YOUR FUNNIEST MOMENT If there’s one thing we social workers know how to do, it’s laugh. We can even do it whilst crying. Whether it’s your own funny story, an unbelievable tale that ends with a wry ‘only in social work,’ or something shared by a colleague that left the office in stitches, hold on to that joy. 2. YOUR PROFESSIONAL PROGRESS Even if you spend 90% of your time complaining about it, you studied hard to qualify as a social worker. You sacrificed and worked and now you are doing the job you set out to do. You might have certificates, training, new job roles and responsibilities to celebrate, but even if your progress doesn’t have formalities attached to it, your skills and abilities will no doubt have developed over this past year. 55

3. YOUR BEST DAY Can you think back to the best (work) day you had this year? Maybe you finally closed a case because things went well for a family? Perhaps you made a major breakthrough in a working relationship? It might have been a day you got a thank you, or even just a smile. In this job, it’s sometimes the smallest moments that are the biggest and brightest. Hold on to yours. 4. YOUR BIGGEST LESSON Social workers never stop learning, it helps us grow and develop. Think back to how much you have achieved this year, the lives you have impacted, the care you have shown, and the empathy you have shared. What have you learnt? If you could give one piece of advice to yourself 365 days ago, what would it be? Celebrating social work is hard going, and not something we are naturally inclined to do. Social work is not easy, because life is not easy. But just because there are negatives, it doesn’t mean we can’t balance them with strengths, celebration, and little moments of joy. Happy new year social workers, you are doing an amazing job.

Order a Letter from Santa Make sure your little one receives their personally addressed sleigh mail from the man himself, filled with festive tales from the North Pole and personalised details that only Santa knows! You can also help children feel safer this Christmas by including a donation to NSPCC when you order your letter.

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