This is my farewell post before I step down as Chief Social Worker for Adults. It was a privilege and an honour to take on this role over 10 years ago, the first of its kind in England. I am so very grateful for all the support I have received from so many people...
Social workers are playing an increasingly vital role in the use of technology within adult social care. They offer a unique perspective, one that holds technology to account to the standards, ethics and practices they themselves adhere to. Find out more in this week's guest blog...
Meet Carmen Colomina, social worker and Practice Development Manager at the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE). In this guest blog, Carmen reflects upon the pandemic's effect on her life and work, the wider profession's adaptability, including the technological adjustments many of us have had to make to keep delivering for those who need our help.
Jo Barnicoat works for a small charity, Oxfordshire Family Support Network (OXFSN), supporting families with learning disabilities. Like everyone else, she and her colleagues have had to develop a totally new way of working. However, this enforced change has actually enabled professionals and families to communicate much more efficiently and speedily.
Social distancing during the current pandemic is pushing social work practice online, but is it possible to maintain relational approaches through smartphones, tablets and laptops? Tanya Moore, Principal Social Worker at Hertfordshire Adult Care Services, believes 'hi tech' shouldn’t mean 'low connection' and asks us to consider how we can maintain sensitive and purposeful relationships in these unusual times.
I am pleased to welcome Tommy Reay as my guest blogger this week. Tommy is a qualified and registered social worker with NHS Digital. Having worked in a wide range of front line settings, he is now part of NHS …
Pilot expansion and extra funding strengthens the voice of people with learning disabilities, autism and mental health conditions Delegates attending the National Children and Adults Services Conference (NCAS) in Bournemouth last week might have heard our Minister for Care and …
Last year's pilot scheme prepares to roll out further. Deadline for expressions of interest is 25 August 2017! Earlier this year, I wrote a blog applauding the early success of an initiative in which people with learning disabilities, mental health challenges …
The opportunity to develop new degree apprenticeship routes into social work is to be welcomed, so long as these additional pathways do not minimise the profession's academic and research base – a concern expressed by some commentators. Importantly, such a …
Social academics Laurel Hitchcock and Amanda Taylor - Laurel based in Birmingham Alabama in the US, Amanda in Lancashire in the UK - met over a year ago on Twitter. Since that time they have been meeting regularly using Skype …