In this episode, hear Dame Lorna Boreland-Kelly, Claire Barcham and Kayleigh Rose Evans respond to a question we received asking how an adults’ social worker can secure a role working with refugees or co-ordinating disaster relief.

This episode is hosted by Kirsty Ayakwah, senior careers editor at Community Care. If you have a question you’d like our experts to answer or if you felt their advice has helped you secure your next social work role, we want to hear from you.

Click here to read the transcript.

Listen to “#5 Ask The Experts: How do I secure a role working with refugees or co-ordinating disaster relief?” on Spreaker.

Send us an email at: careersadvice@markallengroup.com You can follow all the Ask The Experts questions and responses on: www.thesocialworkcommunity.com

Read past questions from social workers with a career question and read the responses here.

In this episode, hear Dame Lorna Boreland-Kelly, Claire Barcham and Kayleigh Rose Evans respond to a question we received asking what the pros and cons were of working in a local authority versus a trust?

This episode is hosted by Kirsty Ayakwah, senior careers editor at Community Care. If you have a question you’d like our experts to answer or if you felt the advice has helped you secure your next social work role, we want to hear from you.

Listen to “#4 Ask The Experts: What are the pros and cons of working in a local authority versus a trust?” on Spreaker.

Click here to read the transcript.

Send us an email at: careersadvice@markallengroup.com You can follow all the Ask The Experts questions and responses on: www.thesocialworkcommunity.com Read past questions from social workers with a career question and read the responses here.

From the Front Line is a new series where social workers share their experiences on various topics and running issues within the sector. To express an interest in taking part, email us at anastasia.koutsounia@markallengroup.com

Frontline social workers operate within hierarchical organisations under the guidance and direction of managers at various levels.

Yet, the relationships with managers are complex; the inherent power imbalance can blur the line between advice and instruction, making open dialogue difficult.

Mentors can serve as an impartial guide – a trusted sounding board who offers wisdom, support and space for professional growth.

But what defines a good mentor? And how do you find one?

Three experienced social work professionals described how mentorship influenced the course of their careers, and provided advice on where to find one and what it takes to be one.

Tiffany Green, practice development lead, 22 years’ experience

I’ve always pushed myself to try different things, but that also goes back to my mentor. I got my mentor through the College of Social Work because, back then, I wanted to be a director of social services.

I didn’t know what that looked like or what steps I needed to take to get there, so I was allocated a mentor who had been in that role.

She’d have me write out actions I needed to take and taught me how to use the resources I already had to get the skills I needed and create opportunities.

For example, if you want to be a director, you need management experience. One way is to become a practice educator, where you can learn your threshold around balancing your daily work while managing someone else’s.

She also had me do one-year, three-year and five-year projections as to where I wanted to go and look at job descriptions for directors to see what skills I needed. Then we’d work backwards – what roles in the local authority could give me those skills?

She also made me think about what was good and bad about the managers I had. How do I avoid becoming the bad manager? And could I integrate the skills and the practice of the good ones?

It was an enlightening, insightful, and challenging experience, but in a good way. It challenged me to think about who I wanted to be.

It was the first time someone showed me that I get to choose how I do things.”

Your supervisor or manager will talk to you about opportunities for training, but you’ll rarely get a manager who’s comfortable if you say, “I want to be a manager”.

Having that separate person, who was just focused on me and what I wanted professionally, was really helpful.

Andrew Gambrill, independent practice educator and trainer, qualified in 2007

All my mentors were informal. I’ve always had at least one or two at any time and some of them stayed with me throughout my career. I guess it’s about, when things are going wrong, who do you call?

I might not speak to them for months but they’re your go-to people who can help you make sense of things.

As you progress, you leave one job for another, but you retain some people – it’s friendship slash mentorship. I think the difference here is that a friend would say you’re brilliant no matter what, while a mentor would go, “Actually maybe that’s not the right approach. These are your strengths but this is what you need to work on as well.”

It’s also good to have someone outside the organisation because, otherwise, you can get a corporate answer, even from a mentor. From the outside, they might be a little more critical and look at it from a different point of view.

At one point, I was going through a bad spell, a bad relationship with a manager, and when I spoke to a mentor outside of that organisation they offered a good balance of “Yes, that’s not fair how they’ve been treating you,”, but also, “Be a good professional. The reaction you described wasn’t good either. Avoid getting petulant and stick to your values.”

So having that balance was great.

You need mentors who can be positive and encouraging but equally have the courage to be critical.

You need someone saying, “Here’s your strength, build that strength, but you’ll hit a ceiling with certain elements. Don’t try to be that version of you because that’s not where your skills lie.”

On a practical level, I’ve always struggled with comprehensive writing. I’ve always been quite succinct in my writing, when sometimes more elaboration was needed, and having someone help me was really encouraging.

I’ve also had good mentors who didn’t wait for me to say, “I’m struggling”. When you start to struggle you’ll always wait and think, “Oh maybe I’ll get better and is it a weakness to say it?”

There is a relief of somebody else saying, “Listen, you’re struggling,” and offering support. Those are the good mentors. I’ve had one tell me, “I’ve been through these situations as well and I wanted to be the person I needed then.”

Managers can double as mentors, but it’s incredibly difficult because the ideal mentor is almost separate from this corporate process.

I’ve had some who have been good mentors for a lot of the time but sometimes it was a challenge because of the balance of the role.

What I’ve learned is that you’ve got to reach out and recognise who is able and willing to be your mentor. It is tricky because, as newly qualified staff, you get a lot of formal mentors, like managers and leads, but sometimes the informal ones are those who count. They are the ones who sit in the corner and tell you the stuff you need to know that no one else tells you.

But it’s about being appreciative as well. You could send back some love and say, “I really appreciate you, thank you”.

That can be a good reward for the mentor and encourage them to keep going, because we all need the feedback. We all need the positive strokes.

Jane Mathew-Byrne, national professional lead, over 30 years of experience

Eight years ago, Farrukh Akhtar, my colleague at Kingston University, where I was a lecturer, became the BA course lead so I worked closely with her.

She got to know me and pushed me to try new opportunities. She’d say, “Oh Jane why don’t you take up the mentoring scheme? You’re already mentoring students.”

She recognised that my strengths and skills were in building relationships with people, mentoring and championing them, not telling them what to do.”

I was able to go to her and chew things over. I don’t think it matters how experienced you are. It’s always good to have a sounding board. She wasn’t my supervisor or manager, but even if she had been, that wouldn’t have been a problem because of her style of work. We built up that relationship.

She inspired me to encourage other team members to do that as well. Her mentoring was an excellent example that helped me further my skills.

Looking back, she supported me to realise it was time to move on. Part of me knew that, but I left it right at the back of my mind.

As a mentor, you don’t tell people what to do. You don’t have that authoritarian aspect, what you want to do is develop the individual.

It’s very much being with the person. You can give them the space they need and reflect together and they don’t fear saying something wrong.

I would advise new mentors to always listen. Don’t direct and be supportive. And if it’s too much, then go speak to your senior.

In this episode of the Social Work Community Podcast, senior careers editor Kirsty Ayakwah speaks to two social workers who started their careers in a different profession altogether.

Monisola Osibogun and Pam Shodeinde are both social workers in children’s services who both began their working lives in law.

We find out why they made the move, what core skills they’ve been able to take from their former profession into social work and what keeps them in the sector.

Listen to “Career transitions: From law to social work – the experiences of two practitioners” on Spreaker.

Read the transcript of the interview here.

About the podcast

The Social Work Community Podcast explores the issues that matter to social work practitioners in their working lives.

Kirsty and fellow host, careers editor Sharmeen Ziauddin, interview experienced and inspiring guests, including frontline social workers who speak from the heart about their jobs, the sector and society.

The first season went down a storm and was nominated in the 2024 British Association of Social Workers (BASW) Social Work Journalism Awards.

We have since launched season two, during which we have covered whether we need more men in social work and interviewed a practitioner with 47 years’ experience about what keeps her in the profession.

Although the podcast is available on major podcast platforms, Social Work Community members will get special early access to each episode.

So sign up to the Social Work Community to be among the first to catch each episode and to connect with fellow practitioners in a safe space.

Otherwise, check out the Social Work Community Podcast on the following :

• Spotify
• Apple Podcasts
• Spreaker
• Audible (Amazon)

Click ‘follow’ or ‘subscribe’ on your podcast app so you know when a new episode is published.

And don’t forget to follow us on Instagram.

by Sophie Baker

This is the second installment in Sophie Baker’s ‘What I wish I had known…’ series, where she reflects on her approach to practice when she started out – and what she would tell her younger self now.

As I perched on the edge of the two-seater sofa in the lounge, facing Vicki*, I knew I had made a big mistake.

Not because I was intimidated by her, but because I was frightened of her boyfriend, Danny*. He stood leaning against the doorway of the lounge, blocking the only exit, with his arms crossed and his anger palpable.

Neighbours had reported incidents of suspected domestic abuse after hearing Vicki and her two young children screaming and crying.

I was freshly qualified and had been told that the police had asked Danny to leave the home, so I hadn’t been expecting him to be there.

He was immediately angry that a social worker was visiting and did not feel it was necessary. He denied that the children had been impacted by the arguments and described the neighbour who had referred them as nosy and interfering.

His eyes were bulging and he kept pointing his finger at me as he spoke.

In social work, we often visit families alone; many of these families are experiencing crises or challenges that can evoke strong emotions, like anger or fear. These situations make safety a crucial part of our practice.

Here are the lessons I wish I had known before I knocked on that door.

Making sure my supervisor knew where I was

It seems obvious, but it’s vital to let someone from your office know where you are at all times.

In this instance, I hadn’t told my supervisor where I was heading. This left me especially vulnerable.

I should have provided my supervisor with the details of whom I was visiting, the address and my estimated return time. We should have also agreed on a plan if I didn’t return as expected.

If I could go back, I’d also make sure to discuss the home visiting policy with my supervisor early on, so I was clear on how best I could be kept safe.

Better preparing my journey

Sophie Baker has over 20 years of experience working in children’s social care

I hadn’t thought through my journey to the family’s home. It was dark, it was raining and I had to park far away and walk through a poorly lit area.

By the time I reached the door, I already felt uneasy – not the best mindset for a home visit.

In hindsight, I should have parked my car as close as possible, ensuring it faced the exit and was in a space where it couldn’t be blocked in. I’d also avoid parking in a family’s driveway to ensure I could leave quickly if needed.

Before leaving my car, I’d take a moment to get my bearings so I wouldn’t feel disoriented. A great tip I’ve learned over the years is to keep your car keys in hand as you leave so you’re ready to unlock your car quickly.

Thinking about where I positioned myself 

During my visit, I unknowingly positioned myself with my back to the lounge door while speaking with Vicki.

This meant I didn’t notice Danny’s presence until he started speaking. His positioning against the doorway meant I was trapped in the lounge.  He could have easily stopped me from leaving had he wanted to.

At that moment, I felt incredibly vulnerable and unsettled. It made me realise just how important it is to be aware of my surroundings.

From that day forward, I made a conscious effort to choose a seat where I could clearly see both the exit and the entire room, ensuring that I always had a sense of security and control over my environment.

Trusting my instincts

Reflecting on that day, I think I sensed something was wrong as soon as Vicki answered the door.

She looked worried, but instead of pausing to ask if everything was okay, I pushed ahead with my introductions. I didn’t give her the chance to tell me that Danny was in the home.

If I could advise my younger self, I’d say to listen to those nagging feelings.

It’s perfectly acceptable to make an excuse and leave if something feels off. You can always return later with additional support, or, if you’re worried about someone’s safety, you can call your office or the police for assistance.

I’d also recommend asking directly who is in the property or if they’re expecting any visitors. This simple question can provide clarity and help you prepare for unexpected situations.

Being brave enough to ask a colleague to join me

Early in my career, I did not feel I could ask for someone to accompany me to visits. I felt that, by seeking help, I was admitting that I lacked the courage to be a social worker.

I think it’s completely normal to feel this way, especially in a profession like social work, where staff strength and resilience are celebrated. However, I now know that asking for help is actually a sign of self-awareness, not weakness.

Visiting in pairs can prove vital. Not only does it provide added safety, but it’s also a great opportunity to observe and learn from others.

On a subsequent joint visit, I remember witnessing a colleague’s compassion as she sat beside a mother experiencing postnatal depression and held her hand.

That moment profoundly influenced my practice and taught me the importance of empathy and human connection.

The impact of fear

When people are angry, it can feel very scary.

During my conversation with Danny, my fear affected my ability to respond effectively.

I became flustered, interrupted him and struggled to find the right words, desperate to help him see how his alleged behaviour could be affecting his wife and children.

Unsurprisingly, this only escalated his frustration.

He started speaking louder. His tone became sharper and more aggressive, his body posture stiffened and his jaw was clenched. He was also muttering under his breath and scoffing at my efforts to explain why I was worried.

Learning to listen

In that moment, I felt unsure as to how I was going to calm the situation, but, over time, I’ve learned techniques to help de-escalate tense situations.

The most valuable lesson? Stop talking and listen. Let people express their feelings without interruption.

I learnt how to use a calm, steady voice and have open body language. Reflecting peoples’ emotions back to them can help too with phrases like, ‘I can see this is really upsetting for you’ or ‘I understand how frustrating this must be’.

Sometimes, just giving someone space to vent can help them feel heard and ease their tension.

Being mindful of language

I should have given more thought as to how Danny and Vicki were feeling about my visit. Home visits by social workers can feel intrusive, so building rapport and trust from the start is crucial.

Additionally, I fear the language I used felt accusatory and critical. This has made me mindful of ensuring families feel heard and supported before diving into the gritty details.

By focusing on building partnerships and genuine connections early, I found parents were more likely to co-operate and accept help.

Trust cannot be built immediately, but we can help move things along by proving early on that we are collaborative, reliable and consistent.

Fear can distort priorities

Looking back, this visit taught me the danger of fear unconsciously distorting our priorities.

If the children had been present, I might have overlooked their needs due to feeling so intimidated. Fear could have led me to rush the visit or avoid direct interactions with them.

It’s important to ensure our safety so we can think clearly and offer the best possible support to the family we’re working with.

I’d remind my younger self to pause, take a breath and remain focused on the children’s wellbeing, even in challenging situations.

*Names have been changed for anonymity.

In this episode of our ‘Ask The Experts’ series, Dame Lorna Boreland-Kelly, Claire Barcham and Kayleigh Rose Evans respond to a question on how to secure a new job after receiving a negative reference.

This episode is hosted by Ruth Hardy-Mullings, head of content at Community Care. If you have a question you’d like our experts to answer, or if you felt the advice has helped you secure your next social work role, we want to hear from you.

Listen to “#3 Ask The Experts: How to secure a new job after receiving a negative reference” on Spreaker.

Click here to read the transcript.

Send us an email at: careersadvice@markallengroup.com

You can catch up on past episodes of ‘Ask The Experts’ on The Social Work Community.

The Department for Education (DfE) is to give an update on its policy on early career support for children’s social workers next month.

DfE officials are delivering a session on the issue as part of Social Work Week, Social Work England’s annual programme of online learning for professionals.

James O’Donoghue and Jim Magee, respectively, deputy director and assistant director, social work workforce, will share the department’s plans to improve training and support for children’s practitioners early in their career, and beyond, in the context of wider children’s social care reform.

Clarity on future of early career framework

This will likely clarify the future of the early career framework (ECF), the system of learning and development for council children’s social workers in their first five years of practice proposed by the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care, in its 2022 report.

The last Conservative government took up the idea in its 2023 Stable Homes, Built on Love strategy and selected eight local authorities or children’s trusts as “early adopters” to help develop and then test the idea.

It also appointed an expert writing group to produce the knowledge and skills framework underlying the ECF.

End of ECF early adopters programme 

In March 2024, the DfE issued a callout for a second group of early adopters, but did not report back on whether any had been selected.

East Sussex County Council, which was selected to test the model in 2023, said it finished doing so in September 2024, “when the early adopter funding ceased following the change in government”.

Despite the current Labour government having taken forward many of the policies in Stable Homes, Built on Love, and set out further reforms of its own to children’s services, it has not provided any update on the ECF since taking power in July 2024.

‘A very positive process’

A spokesperson for East Sussex said: “We understand that the work achieved through the early adopter initiative is being used to inform the DfE’s programme going forward.

“We found being part of the ECF early adopter programme to be a very positive process. In particular it enabled us to develop an emotional informed support framework, focused on working with newly qualified social workers about the emotional impact of their work with children and families. This has improved individual wellbeing and resilience and created safer practice.”

Social Work Week

Social Work Week, which runs from 17 to 21 March 2025, is a free programme of events on social work, with other sessions this year covering topics including the future of the profession, artificial intelligence, retention, fitness to practise and social work’s public image.

You can book tickets for individual sessions now.

By Michael Simms

What should your CV look like when applying for a social care role in adults’ services? There are plenty of guides from recruiters, HR professionals and the like, but really, there are no hard and fast rules.

That said, there are some basics that you should cover off to make sure you are ticking all the relevant boxes and giving yourself the best possible chance of your application succeeding.

The introduction

• Name – include your pronouns here if you would like to.
• Address – you do not need to give your complete address, just the town, area or postcode. This can be handy for the recruiter as they can match you to the most suitable location if they have multiple roles available.
• Contact details – include your mobile number and email (make sure your email address is suitable for professional use).
• Social work registration number.
• Driving licence – if you have one, make sure you include this information, as being able to travel around the community is important for many roles.

Your professional summary or career aims

• This is your chance to grab the reader’s attention and make them want to find out more.
• Keep it short and sweet – your opening gambit should not be a wall of text.
• Think about how you would quickly and positively introduce yourself to someone on a professional basis.
• Be sure to include your key experience, qualifications and career aims – where you see your future and what do you want to achieve.

Career history

• Your career history should be given in reverse chronological order, with the details of your current or last job given first.
• If you have an extensive work history, only list those roles that are relevant to your current career.
• All the roles that you do list should include the following details:
  • Company/employer.
  • Position(s).
  • Dates from and to (try to be as detailed as possible, in line with safer recruitment requirements).
  • Explain any gaps in your career history – if you don’t explain them now, you will have to explain them later in the process.
• You should also explain some of your key responsibilities, but just give the highlights. How much you put into this section will depend on the recentness and level of your role – as your career and experience progress, so should the level of detail you give about your roles.
• List what you have achieved in each role. These could be personal achievements, organisational achievements or both. As above, the level of detail should vary depending on your experience. Bullet points are good to use here but do not give any more than six.
• Consider the language that you use. Keep it plain and simple, and avoid acronyms (where possible) and organisational terms. It is worth remembering that not everyone that reads your CV will be a professional in your field, so make it easy to pick up on the key points.
• Avoid buzzwords but do consider key search words and terms relating to titles, responsibilities or skills, for examples ‘strengths based’, ‘budget management’, ‘safeguarding’, ‘mental health’, ‘discharge to assess’ or ‘AMHP’. These are what recruiters will word match to and also what the algorithms on search sites will use to pick out your profile.

Education

• List this in reverse chronological order or by level. Unless you are applying for your first role in social work, GCSEs or equivalent do not need to be listed.
• Include the details of any CPD or other professional courses that you have undertaken.

Overall

• Keep it all as concise as possible – anything longer than three pages is overkill and most likely will not be read.
• Remember to double check your spelling and grammar.
• Check your formatting. The font should be the same throughout, although differing size, and use of bold and italics is fine, and paragraphs and bullet points should all line up.
• Remember, in a lot of cases you will be asked to produce a covering letter with your CV. So, your CV should highlight the very best of you and the covering letter is where you will go into detail about your suitability for that particular role.

Michael Simms is senior talent and resourcing advisor – adult care & community wellbeing for a local authority

by Sophie Baker

When I announced my decision to study social work, the reactions from my family and friends were a mixture of disbelief and concern.

I was the child who clung to my mum’s coattails, shied away from meeting new people and flatly refused to try anything remotely out of the ordinary. For me to step into a field that demanded courage, resilience and confronting the unknown? It seemed unthinkable.

And yet, in 2001, aged 22, I found myself freshly qualified and wide-eyed in a children and families’ team.

Those first years were undoubtedly the most challenging of my career. But they taught me so much.

The whirlwind of the first few post-qualification months

Sophie Baker has over 20 years of experience working in children’s social care

In my first months as a young newly qualified social worker, I wasn’t just learning the intricacies of my new profession; I was also learning how to navigate the complexities of adulthood.

Moving out of my family home, figuring out how to pay bills, negotiating the ups and downs of a relationship with a demanding boyfriend and carving out time to laugh, dance, and drink cheap wine with friends – it was a lot.

Meanwhile, my professional world introduced me to different realities.

I worked with a teenager who had abused his younger sister, assessed a family living in constant fear of an abusive stepfather and supported a mother with bipolar disorder to create a safe and happy life for her children.

My personal and professional lives couldn’t have felt more different. By day, I was immersed in helping vulnerable families to make difficult changes. By night, I was a young adult trying to figure out my own path, laughing too loud and making mistakes.

During this time, I suffered from terrible imposter syndrome.  I was certain it wouldn’t be long until someone exposed me as a fraud.

I wish I had realised that somehow it would all balance out over time.

I wish I had known the value I brought

Naturally, one of my biggest fears was that families would see me as too young and inexperienced to help them.

It wasn’t uncommon for parents to question whether I could understand their struggles when I didn’t have children of my own. At the time, these challenges felt deeply personal.

“It isn’t me we are here to talk about,” I often responded, defensively.

Looking back, I cringe at those words because they shut down a real opportunity to connect. Families needed reassurance that they were in capable hands.

Behind my defensive response was my own insecurity – an uncertainty about the value I could bring so early in my career.

I wish I had known that my perspective, authenticity and willingness to learn were powerful tools.

Instead of rushing to prove myself, I should have leaned into the parents’ questions with empathy and curiosity.

I should have said, “Can you tell me what you’re worried about?”, or, “It’s clear how much you care about getting this right for your children.” Such responses acknowledge their concern and invite conversation.

I would tell my younger self, and newly qualified practitioners today, that families don’t need perfection or years of experience. They need someone who shows up, listens and works with them to find the best way forward.

I wish I hadn’t obsessed over theory

In my early days of practice, I often found myself overthinking every conversation and intervention, second-guessing whether I was applying the “right” theory or tool.

This focus on “getting it right” was in danger of distracting me from what mattered most.

My understanding of theories, models and tools developed as I grew, but now I recognise that it’s okay not to have all the answers.

Families don’t care what theory you’re drawing from or which framework guides your practice. They care about whether you treat them with honesty, respect and genuine care.

They value your ability to listen and follow through on your promises far more than the technicalities of your approach.

So, I wish I had let go of the pressure to name every model or approach.

What matters in the beginning is your willingness to learn and focus on what the family needs.

Celebrate those who’ve inspired you

Photo by Daniel Laflor/peopleimages.com/ AdobeStock

For our My Brilliant Colleague series you can write about anyone who has inspired you in your career – whether current or former colleagues, managers, students, lecturers, mentors or prominent past or present sector figures whom you have admired from afar.

Nominate your colleague or social work inspiration by filling in our nominations form with a letter or a few paragraphs (100-250 words) explaining how and why the person has inspired you.

If you have any questions, email our community journalist, Anastasia Koutsounia, at anastasia.koutsounia@markallengroup.com

I wish I had known supervision is a lifeline, not a test

I wish I had considered supervision an opportunity to grow professionally, rather than a test of my calibre.

I remember working hard to build what I thought was a trusting relationship with a mother until she requested a new social worker during a period of deteriorating mental health.

I felt hurt because we had always worked so well together, and I spent a long time worrying that I had done something wrong.

Sadly, I didn’t feel confident enough to explore my feelings, or how my experiences were affecting my practice, with my manager. I didn’t want to seem incompetent, overly anxious or incapable.

I wish I had opened myself up more meaningfully to emotional support and trusted myself to have those critical conversations that I came to rely upon as a more experienced practitioner.

I wish I had trusted that parents are the experts of their children

My lack of confidence led me to focus too much on risk and harm, rather than taking time to explore the strengths and aspirations of families.

I struggled to trust that parents were the experts in their own children and, although it is hard to confess, I wanted to be the author of their plans to gain control over the uncertainty.

An example was when I worked with a family where the father was arrested for viewing indecent images of children.

Despite the mother making excellent safeguarding decisions, including separating from him and supervising contact, I struggled to trust she would maintain this. This likely prolonged my involvement with the family, unnecessarily.

Managing risk is one of the most difficult aspects of social work. It is not an exact science and can feel like a heavy burden of responsibility.

However, I wish someone had reassured me that, while I shouldn’t be blindly optimistic, the best outcomes would happen when I worked with families, not against them.

I wish I had known that the time when I would be most successful in practice would be when I realised that social work wasn’t about eliminating risk. It’s about empowering people to manage and navigate risks independently, to become their own agents of change.

Share your story

Picture: daliu/fotolia

Would you like to write about a day in your life as a social worker? Do you have any stories, reflections or experiences from working in social work that you’d like to share or write about?

If so, email our community journalist, Anastasia Koutsounia, at anastasia.koutsounia@markallengroup.com

Hello, everyone! We’re Elizabeth Opeche and Veronica John-Sdiri, social workers reflecting on our journey so far. We’d like to share some insights and tips that could benefit fellow social workers, especially those starting their assessed and supported year in employment (ASYE) programme.

A journey of resilience

Elizabeth Opeche, social worker, Essex County Council

We have been engaging with newly qualified colleagues in Essex, who have shared some truly inspiring stories. We hope to contribute to this collective wisdom.

However, we would like to begin by reminding our readers that social work consistently tests your resilience, stamina and determination – qualities that are essential for success in this field.

The demands of case management, crisis intervention and various other responsibilities can challenge your ability to remain focused and proactive in high-pressure environments. Nonetheless, rest assured that you will not be undertaking this journey alone.

What has our experience been like?

Veronica John-Sdiri, social worker, Essex County Council

Overall, our time in social work has been overwhelmingly positive. We’ve been fortunate to be part of a supportive team where everyone is approachable and willing to help. This has made a significant difference as we transitioned from being students to professionals.

Here are some factors that facilitated a positive transition in our journey:

Good induction. One key factor in our smooth start was the thorough induction we received. If you’re new to your role and haven’t had an induction, we would highly recommend it!

Access to relevant training opportunities. Nurture a commitment to lifelong learning! Your employer’s intranet is likely a treasure trove of training opportunities. If you’re on the ASYE programme, make sure to explore these resources! Additionally, (and this will depend on the organisation you work for), we had a six-week training package titled  Embedding Professionalism for NQSWs. This course was a game-changer for us. It helped bridge our academic knowledge with practical application in our current work, enhancing both our confidence and effectiveness. You may want to check if this is available to you; your employer may have titled the programme differently, though it serves the same purpose.

Use of intranet resources. We found a wealth of information on the intranet, and we are sure you will too! Take the time to familiarise yourself with the intranet of the organisation you work for. Here are examples of what we found: up-to-date information on organisational policies, ethical guidelines, best practice information, resources for effective documentation, assessment and intervention strategies, links to peer support groups and supervision resources to promote collaboration and wellbeing. It is a valuable tool that can enhance your practice and support your professional development.

Be resourceful. Social work is a dynamic and multifaceted profession that often requires practitioners to pull information from a diverse range of sources. Therefore, we must be resourceful. Keep notes on everything you learn, whether digitally or in hard copy. Here are a couple of suggestions:

• Acronyms list: compile a list of acronyms used in your area. While minimising their use is encouraged, they often crop up in practice.
• Contact information: maintain a directory of organisations, including local services, with their contact details for quick reference.

Connect with peers. Make the most of the NQSW peer support group. It’s a fantastic platform for sharing your ASYE experiences, asking questions and benefiting from the collective support of your colleagues. Check with your peers to see if you’ve missed anything vital.

Collaboration is key. Our profession thrives on collaboration, with the people we support, their friends and family, and with other professionals. This helps us better understand the complexities of the situation and provides more effective support.

Reflect! Reflect!! Reflect!!! Engage in reflection regularly. Journaling is an excellent way to document your thoughts and experiences. It can be easy to forget the great work you do when you’re busy, so setting aside time for this will aid your reflections. To deepen your understanding and enhance your practice, consider asking yourself:

• What am I doing?
• Why am I doing it this way?
• How does the adult feel about it?
• What outcomes are they seeking?

Prioritise self-care. Social work is demanding, so it’s essential to prioritise self-care. We’re still working on this, but taking time for yourself – whether during lunchbreaks or designated wellbeing hours – can help recharge your spirit.

Take charge of your ASYE programme. Remember, you are on a fast-paced journey, and you are in the driving seat! Staying organised is essential. Here are some tips:

• Track deadlines: keep a calendar for supervisions, visits, observations and reflections. Aim to complete at least 85% on time while remaining flexible with the rest.
• Seek support: don’t hesitate to ask questions – there are no silly queries! Engage with your peers, attend team meetings and participate in ASYE forums. Our local authority has a practice forum, which has been particularly beneficial for us.
• Seek shadowing opportunities: be proactive about shadowing experienced colleagues to gain valuable learning experiences.
• Be proactive: everyone is busy, so you will need to be proactive in, for example, seeking shadowing opportunities, scheduling relevant meetings within your remit, including your supervision meetings, and asking questions if you are unsure.

Celebrate those who’ve inspired you

Photo by Daniel Laflor/peopleimages.com/ AdobeStock

We’re expanding our My Brilliant Colleague series to include anyone who has inspired you in your career – whether current or former colleagues, managers, students, lecturers, mentors or prominent past or present sector figures whom you have admired from afar.

Nominate your colleague or social work inspiration by filling in our nominations form with a letter or a few paragraphs (100-250 words) explaining how and why the person has inspired you.

If you have any questions, email our community journalist, Anastasia Koutsounia, at anastasia.koutsounia@markallengroup.com

What we wish we’d known: time flies in the ASYE year

One of the first lessons we learned was how quickly the ASYE year moves! Organisation is crucial, so be more organised than we were!

Plan the progression stages of the ASYE programme well in advance, just as you would have done during your placements. Submission dates can sneak up on you, and balancing team demands, casework and assignments can be quite challenging.

Conclusion

There’s so much more we could share, but these key points are a great starting place.

Remember, you’re not alone on this journey, and utilising your resources and support network is vital. Thank you for reading, and we wish you all the best in your social work endeavours!

Elizabeth Opeche and Veronica John-Sdiri both work as social workers in adult social care for Essex County Council.