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I hold a small, complex case load and supervise six staff. I didn't (and still don't) want to be a team manager because, despite my managerial experience, I am a practitioner at heart.

The team is based in Leominster and our office is in the Old Priory, a beautiful listed building. Our desks are in the 11th century Chapel Infirmary. It has a great atmosphere, even without any hot water to wash our cups.

My colleagues are one of the reasons I love my job - they're friendly, interested and skilled, with a wealth of experience. Another reason is that we are a stable, fully staffed team. My manager treats the team with respect and the upper echelons of management are accessible. It feels safe working here - the department is small enough for people to retain information and share responsibility.

I love the flexibility and freedom of my job. As it involves a lot of driving I get to enjoy the wonderful countryside. But the fact that it's a beautiful part of the country does not mean we have a quiet life - the work can be extremely challenging.

One frustration is the inability to do any preventive work - our departmental threshold is very high so, by the time cases come from the duty team, we are usually dealing with child protection or court cases.

The last time I cried was three weeks ago when an adoption placement broke down. I cried with anger that the people who had been so carefully introduced decided they didn't want him and I cried with despair about the chances of finding him someone new.

I would advise anyone who is thinking about becoming an assistant team manager to gather experience and get over the "high anxiety" stage of social work before taking on a similar post. I am the middle of the sandwich between practice and management, and you need to be able to accept that and act as an honest broker.