Introduction by Robert Lewis A National Plan to End Homelessness (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, 2025) provided a welcome focus on the need to work across government departments to help improve outcomes for those people experiencing long-term homelessness …
Introduction from Sarah McClinton I am delighted to share this blog from Professor Jerry Tew and Nick Sinclair, whose expertise and commitment have made an important contribution to the development of Family and Group Conferencing for Adults. It is particularly …
Last Autumn, together with Deborah Sturdy, Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care, we restated the values that underpin social care - Reaffirming Our Values in Adult Social Care – Social care. Those values persist and remain fundamental. But in the …
This week is Loneliness Awareness Week and I wanted to thank Phil Holmes, this year’s President of ADASS for challenging us to think about the contribution of adult social care to tackling loneliness. When I think back to my time as a front-line social …
Introduction from Sarah McClinton This blog marks Mental Health Awareness Week 2026 with a thoughtful reflection on what it means to move beyond awareness and towards meaningful action. It explores how mental health social work can help rebalance power, place …
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 …
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 …
Introduction by Robert Lewis In this guest blog we hear from a group of mental health social work leaders from the vibrant North East and Yorkshire NHS Trusts’ Social Work Community of Practice. Many remain unaware that social workers are an increasing presence in NHS mental health services. With their values and rights-based approaches, social …
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 …
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...
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Social work with adults
Insights, updates and reflections from the Chief Social Worker for Adults and others working in the field.
