Practice placements are a core part of qualifying as a social worker. Students must spend at least 200 days in practice over their course. Up to 30 of these days can be allocated to students developing their skills for practice; …
For our fourth blog in celebration of Social Work Week 2026 we welcome Sarah Blackmore who is a registered social worker and the executive director of strategy, policy and engagement at Social Work England (SWE). In this blog, Sarah reflects on …
Robert Lewis, DHSC Mental Health Social Work Lead in conversation with Fazeela Hafejee, Assistant Director for Adults with Disabilities, Bradford – carried out on 25th February 2026. Introduction by Robert Lewis Ahead of Social Work Week, I invited Fazeela Hafejee …
The theme for World Social Work Day 2026 is Co-building hope and harmony: a Harambee call to unite a divided society. In this blog, the Adults Principal Social Worker Network Chair team share their reflections on this theme. Lucy Rush The 2026 World Social Work Day theme, ‘Co‑building hope and …
Harambee “all pull together” feels like a homecoming theme for social work, the belief that people thrive when they are connected, when communities have the power to shape their own futures, and when support is built on trust, relationships and …
I hope the new year started well and everyone had a good break over the holidays. This time last year I started as the Chief Social Worker at the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and much has happened …
Introduction by Sarah McClinton, Chief Social Worker for Adults As we welcome the start of Safeguarding Adults Week, I am delighted that Adi Cooper has accepted our invitation to write this blog and share some of her valuable reflections on one …
As we mark the seventy-fifth anniversary of the NHS, it is worth remembering how Clement Attlee's 1945 government embarked on implementing William Beveridge's report recommendations which set the framework for the welfare state.
It’s Mental Health Awareness Week, which this year takes a theme we can all relate to: anxiety (#ToHelpMyAnxiety). It's not only a chance to shine a light on our psychological wellbeing (and how to maintain it) but also take stock on mental health service provision and the evolution of societal attitudes to an issue which …
The most important week in the social work calendar has arrived. National Social Work Week, incorporating World Social Work Day, gives us an extended opportunity to reflect on recent history, assess the current state of our practice and ask the question ‘What next for modern, progressive, person-centred social work?’