In this episode I'm back after a quieter month, off Instagram, in therapy, having acupuncture, and thinking about a lot of things. This one covers the personal and the professional in equal measure.
I'm talking about the naming of social workers in the media following the Preston Davey case, why the way decisions in social work are actually made is so consistently misrepresented, and what I think our response as a profession needs to look like. I'm also getting into the social workers are superheroes narrative and why it worries me, what's been happening with BASW and the International Federation of Social Workers and why I think members should be paying attention, and what starting therapy taught me about the connection between body and mind in a job like ours.
It's a long one. But I think it's worth it.
If you're interested in training for your local authority, organisation or team, I work with a range of organisations across the UK delivering skills-focused safeguarding and social work training. Get in touch at vicki@socialworksorted.com or find the link to book a conversation in the show notes.
This podcast is hosted by Vicki Shevlin, an independent social worker and safeguarding consultant with over ten years of experience. The content is intended to support your professional development and reflective practice. It is not a substitute for good quality supervision, statutory guidance, legislation, or your organisation's policies and procedures. Always refer to your local authority guidance and relevant statutory frameworks when making practice decisions. Nothing in this podcast constitutes formal legal or professional advice.
[00:00] Welcome back and what's in this episode
[02:00] Families First: what senior leaders are saying vs what social workers are actually experiencing
[04:30] Taking care of yourself: what your body is trying to tell you
[06:00] Why I said goodbye to my VA to invest in myself instead
[08:00] Starting therapy as a social worker and what happened after my first session
[12:00] What my acupuncturist said about my cough that stopped me in my tracks
[15:00] The mind body connection and why social workers ignore it
[18:00] Should social workers be named in the media? The Preston Davey case
[21:00] How decisions in social work actually get made and why the media gets it wrong
[24:00] What's missing from our profession's response to irresponsible journalism
[26:00] Social workers are not superheroes and why that narrative worries me
[29:00] The fear of being named in an inquiry for a decision you made ten years ago
[31:00] BASW, the International Federation of Social Workers and what I think members should know
[35:00] Practice Pause
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