It can feel like adult social care is seen nationally by the media and others through the lens of ‘discharge’ and ‘flow’. When I was President of ADASS, I remember waking up to the radio one morning to a story where the lack of social care capacity was blamed for acute pressures. I got in touch with the speaker to set the record straight. Since then, the conversation has shifted. There's a greater …
Right now, it’s a good time to be a social worker. In these times of austerity and uncertainty, I’ll concede, this might seem like a slightly incongruous statement to make, but bear with me. This year, I’m attending the National …
Even before I became Chief Social Worker for Adults in England, I had long recognised the importance and value of research in social work practice. Then, as now, I believed we must demonstrate professionalism, insight and continuous improvement as we …
Regular readers of my blog will know how keen I am to have a focus on relational strengths based social work practice at the heart of adult social care. The Care Act has provided us with the legislative architecture to …
A very warm welcome to all new students beginning their social work journey this month. I can still remember the first week of my social work degree at university. If you want to find out when that was, here’s a clue: …
My first ever job as a qualified social worker was in a large inner city teaching hospital. It was an excellent start to my career. It was fast paced, demanding and a great opportunity to develop skills and confidence working …
In December 2015, a new offence of controlling and coercive behaviour in an intimate or family relationship was brought into law under the Serious Crime Act (2015). The law recognises that a pattern of coercive control lies at the root …
Social work is a constantly evolving profession, with new challenges arising every day. As social workers we adapt to these changes, using our knowledge and practice wisdom to help families and individuals tackle the complexities and stresses of modern life. …
Harold Bodmer 1955 – 2016 I was shocked and deeply saddened by the news last week of the sudden death of Harold Bodmer, the ADASS president and Director of Norfolk Adults Social Services. I felt very privileged to work with …
In praise of 'access to named social worker' pilots As social workers our job is to support, empower and protect the most vulnerable individuals and families in our communities. As well as being able to challenge decisions about a person’s care …
Whatever your personal views on the referendum and its outcome, many of us will be reflecting on the impact it will have on our communities, families and those we work alongside every day. I’m thinking about people and their carers, our …