January is always a good time to sort your ‘stuff’ out and before starting my new role, I took the opportunity to clear out my cupboard. It was interesting to see what I had kept over the years from the …
‘No voice unheard, no right ignored’ may have been the title and intent of the government’s consultation for people with learning disabilities, autism and mental health conditions, but it’s not a bad summation of our approach as social workers too. …
Being a social worker involves working with complexity, taking difficult decisions and making a positive difference in challenging circumstances. Hardly surprisingly, these skills are at a premium in a range of roles and sectors – and social workers contribute above …
These resources provide practice and curriculum guidance for social workers specialising in dementia, autism and mental capacity. They were commissioned by me in my capacity as Chief Social Worker for Adults in the Department of Health, in partnership with the …
Sometimes, being proud of your profession is not enough. Whilst we have every right and reason to proclaim our professionalism and leadership from the rooftops, we still need to demonstrate our effectiveness and value each and every day. It’s an …
We are nothing if we are not experts in the human condition. As social workers we are among the few health and care professionals who can claim to see peoples’ problems in the full context of their day to day …
As social workers working in all settings, we know how important our role is in supporting people to live happier and healthier lives – but sometimes it’s good to know that others appreciate and understand our work too. So, I …
I know that social workers are very busy and often feel they don’t have the time to keep up with - let alone contribute to – research. However, this is one area where we really do have to step up …
Social workers from other counties often comment upon the narrow understanding of social work that appears to exist in England. This perception could be due in part to the prominent statutory role social workers undertake within local authorities. This could …
Blog post updated 20 July 2015 We can talk endlessly about the need for more effective integration of health and social care services and wax lyrical about our collective wish for better health outcomes, but sometimes it’s just better to …
It has been a very difficult time for staff and members of the College of Social Work and for all of us in social work over the last few days and I have been thinking and reflecting on the consequences both for …