Helpful Social Work Podcast

In our final podcast of series 8, we do our annual review of the year in social work. We are joined by Sylvia and Shantel from the Anti-Racism Movement, who are taking over as hosts. We reflect on the way social workers have responded to events over the last year and share our hopes for the future.

In this final episode about sustaining yourself as a social worker, we explore the need for recognition and respect for social work. This enables good working conditions and supports social workers to offer trusted expertise to children, adults and families.

We continue our series on sustainable social work by looking at how social workers can practise authentic self-care. We discuss how self-care is really a shared endeavour with peers, and the importance of seeing it as activism for good social work. We are excited to be joined by Shantel Thomas and Sylvia Smith, who will be taking over as hosts in April.

We continue our series on sustainable social work by looking at how organisations provide relational support to enable social workers to thrive. We discuss how everyone can work together with a shared purpose. And we consider the importance of building a sense of belonging and equity within the organisation.

We continue our series on sustainable social work by discussing how good managerial support can help social workers to thrive. We look at how to build relationships of trust, including through the use of intersectionality.

We continue our series on sustainable social work by discussing the vital topic of supervision. We talk about why it matters, and how to secure sound professional supervision to enable you to practice well and to thrive.

We continue our series on sustainable social work by discussing the importance of wider support from the social work profession. We talk about how being part of a national and global community of social workers inspires us, encourages us and makes us think about what we stand for.

We continue our series on sustainable social work by discussing the importance of peer support. We look at how this helps social workers to manage stress, develop practice and be inspired.

We continue our series on sustainable social work by exploring how professional development helps us to thrive as social workers. We talk about how learning can bring joy and growth, and how to get the most out of continual professional development.

Heute ist der Podcast auf Deutsch. Ich spreche über die Soziale Arbeit in Großbritannien. Ich erkläre, wie sie funktioniert, und rede über die Schwierigkeiten und das Potenzial für die Zukunft. Ich hoffe, dass deutschsprachige Zuhörer diesen Podcast interessant finden.

The second podcast in our series on sustainable social work explores how we can empower ourselves as social workers. We look at the importance of taking control and influencing our working environment, and how we can ally with others in our profession to call for the support we need to be able to practise well.

In this podcast we talk to Paul Bridgewater about the experience of being a social worker in a range of communities, including on small islands. Paul talks about how a social worker can get to know a context and people, and build a relationship that offers a way to help someone make sense of their experiences and uphold their rights.

In our first podcast of Series 8, we give an overview of how we look after ourselves, keep going and thrive in this vital work. We explore evidence of the pressures on social workers and consider a framework to help us maintain ourselves in this tricky context.

Series 8 runs from 2023 to 2024. In this series we explore how we can keep doing social work in tricky contexts. In each podcast, we look at a difference aspect of the evidence about what helps social workers to thrive.

At the end of each series, we do a review of the year. We look back at the events and themes, and take stock of what is happening in social work.

We continue our exploration of the use of self in social work. In this final episode, we talk about the situations and moments when we need to be still and do nothing. We consider the importance of stillness, silence and waiting. And how we can create space for people when they need this.

In this podcast, we talk with John Scadden about what helpful social work means to him. John talks about how you can make a difference through being the person who doesn't give up and who inspires hope.

We continue our exploration of the use of self in social work. In this episode we talk about neurodiversity in social work, and the importance of acknowledging and learning about diverse ways of experiencing the world. And, particularly, the importance of hearing the growing voice of the neurodivergent community, including in social work.

In this podcast, we talk with Gladys Mante-Nyadu about what helpful social work means to her. Gladys talks about meaningful relationships that allow people the space to be heard and to explore worries, and the importance of honest conversations.

We continue our exploration of the use of self in social work by looking at the entwined senses of taste and smell. Though often overlooked in practice, these strongly influence our perceptions and our emotions. In this podcast, we explore how social workers can notice and respond to taste and smell, and all that they evoke.

We continue our exploration of the use of self in social work. In this podcast, we look at how touch impacts on social work practice. We discuss the meaning of touch and consider the importance of being aware of the space we inhabit.

In this podcast, we talk with Monalesia Earle about what helpful social work means to her. Monalesia highlights the relational partnership that enables people to tell and to change the arc of their stories. And the importance of giving up power in order to empower people whose voices are unheard.

We continue our exploration of the use of self in social work. In this podcast, we consider observation. We discuss the purpose, ethics and practice of noticing what is around us, and how we impact on what we observe.

Throughout Series 7 we are exploring some of the central elements of social work practice and use of self. In this opening podcast, we explore listening and speaking. We consider the expertise that lies behind sensitive and thoughtful communication.

Our traditional end of series podcast is the review of the year. This review comes slightly later than usual so covers April 2021 to August 2022. We discuss some of the main events and themes, and consider the implications for social work.

In this last episode of the series, we look at the Equality Act protected characteristic of gender reassignment, and consider how social workers promote equality and challenge discrimination relating to gender identity.

In this podcast, we consider how social workers promote equality and challenge discrimination relating to pregnancy and parenthood. We look at why the Equality Act has a protected characteristic of pregnancy and maternity, and consider how social workers empower people during pregnancy and as new parents.

In this podcast, we consider how social workers promote equality and challenge discrimination relating to people's relationships. We look at rights and social work ethics, and consider how we can actively promote choice and respect.

In this podcast, we consider how social workers promote equality and challenge discrimination relating to sexual orientation. We consider the importance of sexual identity, and look at how we can actively support people to be able to access and live out their rights.

In this podcast, we consider how social workers can challenge discrimination on the grounds of sex. We consider the impact of sex on experiences and how this intersects with other aspects of identity. We explore the importance for everyone of calling out sexism and upholding rights.

In this podcast, we consider how social workers engage with religion and belief. We discuss how our personal and professional values interact and how we engage with other people's beliefs. We also look at how social workers can help to overcome discrimination in this area.

In this podcast we talk about the impact for social workers of working from home. We consider the benefits and drawbacks around connection, accessibility and time, and we look at what the future might hold.

In this podcast, we consider oppression relating to race and ethnicity, the importance of anti-racism in social work, and how social workers can enhance their role in challenging racism.

In this podcast, we consider the social model of disability and how social workers can work alongside people with disabilities to challenge and overcome barriers to inclusion.

In this podcast, we explore the evidence of inequality relating to age and how age is considered in social work practice. We consider how social workers can change the narrative around age and challenge ageism.

Throughout Series 6 we are looking at equality and anti-oppressive practice. In this podcast we revisit the ethics and social work role around fighting discrimination, and the theories that support this.

The last podcast of our series is always the review of the year. We look back on twelve months dominated by the Covid 19 pandemic and consider the impact this has had on social workers and our practice. We look at what has been helpful and hopeful, and how we can build on this for the year ahead.

Our next podcast looking at the ingredients of a social worker explores the Professional leadership domain of the Professional Capabilities Framework. We consider how social workers can act as leaders and role models wherever they are situated, and the importance of collaborative leadership. We also consider how social workers challenge and shape social work for the future.

Our next podcast looking at the ingredients of a social worker explores the Contexts and organisations domain of the Professional Capabilities Framework. We look at how we understand our context and respond to our environment. And we explore how social workers act, collaborate and ally to change the social and political context.

Our next podcast looking at the ingredients of a social worker explores the Professionalism domain of the Professional Capabilities Framework. We explore how social workers align personal and professional integrity, and how we maintain our motivation and commitment to social work.

This Helpful Social Work podcast explores the impact of politics on social work and how social workers act as political agents. We discuss how individual and collective actions can influence the political system that we work and live in.

Our next podcast looking at the ingredients of a social worker explores the Skills and Interventions domain of the Professional Capabilities Framework. We consider the ethics, evidence and theory that underpin social work approaches. And we look at how we offer interventions which uphold people's dignity.

Our next podcast looking at the ingredients of a social worker explores the Critical Reflection and Analyais domain of the Professional Capabilities Framework. We discuss how social workers apply reasoned discernment and maintain professional curiosity. We consider the importance of moving beyond individual reflection to critical analysis of the social context we work in.

This Helpful Social Work podcast considers how we can best look after and sustain ourselves as we continue to face Covid-19. We look at individual actions we can take, and the importance of peer and organisational support.

Our next podcast looking at the ingredients of a social worker explores the knowledge domain of the Professional Capabilities Framework. We look at the purpose of knowledge and the range of knowledge that underpins social work. We consider the need to be critical of where knowledge comes from and how it is used.

In this podcast, we are joined by guests Fareena Shaheed and Ann Shaheed to discuss the essential topic of Black Lives Matter. We have a difficult conversation about anti-racism in social work, why we are so slow to change and what we can do to be anti-racist.

We continue our look at the ingredients of a social worker by exploring the rights, justice and economic wellbeing domain of the Professional Capabilities Framework. We consider the links between social and economic disadvantage, and loss of rights. And we discuss how social workers can enable people to exercise their rights.

We continue our look at the ingredients of a social worker by exploring the equality and diversity domain of the Professional Capabilities Framework. We look at principles and practice, and consider our own power. We explore how social workers can individually and collectively challenge inequality and oppression.