Hi all.
I post here occasionally but I could do with some advice.
As of, ooooh, 2 weeks time, I'll be 1 year post-qualified. Got a job straight away with an adult LD team, and I started off loving the job. After 6 months they asked me to take on the vacant Transitions post within the team while at the same time maintaining my care management caseload. I'm running at 27 at the moment, 12 standard, 15 transition. For months now I've been running around like a madman trying to keep up with everything. The previous transitions social worker was full time. I'm having to split my job role.
I know that my caseload is pathetically small compared to some other social workers on here.
2 weeks ago, I nearly snapped at work (not to put too fine a point on it) but managed to remain professional, bite my tongue, cover it all up, and just about got home in one piece. Since then I've been struggling to keep up with everything even more. Had supervision, manager was relatively supportive but struggled to see what he could do.
Last Friday I broke down in floods of tears during a quick update session with the boss. And I mean, I really fuckin' broke down. I haven't cried like that since my old man died 3 years ago. Same thing happened on Monday. Boss's advice: see your GP. Went there yesterday evening after work, GP has signed me off on sick for 2 weeks. Told me to access CBT through Mood Gym website, which seems like a trivial place to condemn yourself to.
Manager has told me to go through the council's employee assistance programme to access counselling, which might actually be useful. When I'm in work I can't keep up with everything, when I'm at home I'm a social worker to my friends (my ex- (amicable break-up) has serious mental health issues and is looking to me to help cos she's got no-one else she trusts; a good friend was sectioned recently and his parents looked to me to help and support, even though he scared the living sh*t into me while it was all happening). I've got massive money problems, car is fucked, need to move house in 6 weeks but no money so potentially homeless. I'm not sleeping much, can't afford to eat well (if at all), and now I'm coming down with some virus which is making me sweat buckets.
Sorry about the ramble but need to give some context to this question: how likely is it that these 2 weeks will impact on future job applications? Will I have to mention it? Will my current employer tell prospective new authorities? This is my first day of 2 weeks off and I'm feeling guilty about calling in sick. I've left colleagues, families and service users potentially in the lurch. People (GP, colleagues, friends etc) are telling me to put myself first; that I cannot hope to help others if I can't help myself.
Has anyone else felt like this? Have others gone off sick and faced reprisals when they return to the office? I'm genuinely worried abut future job prospects, which isn't helping my current state of mind.
Also, I know full well that this is a minor hiccup. I'm not stupid, but I have been ignorant to my own health. A little way down the line I'll re-read this post and think, 'WTF? Pull yourself together you were being pathetic'.
I've lost my point. Again.
'He that is taught only by himself has a fool for a master' - HST.
It might well be a hiccup. However you should try to use the time off effectively. That might mean chilling for a while or it might be getting sorted what can be sorted. Talk to the bank/BS/ whatever. If things are really bad talk to a debt counsellor (CAB will have details).
I think the advice of accessing your employee assistance scheme is well worth doing. It might be worth considering occupational health too. I know they have a perceived poor reputation but their job is to help. I've referred a couple of my team in recent years (with their permission). This was pre emptive, as in both cases they were likely to trip the sickness procedure; getting there first meant that nothing happened from a sickness/disciplinary perspective. In one case it did lead to a referral on which was helpful.
I would have alook at the Mood Gym site. It works for some people.
How will it impact job applications? It shouldn't if you are honest about what is /has happened. I've employed people who have had time off with stress and I've worked with people who have been in patients in psychiatric units. I came close to sectioning a colleague once, but managed to 'persuade' him to go into hospital. He's had several SW jobs since then including setting up a new MH service, so it doesn't appear to have had a negative impact.
Lastly, learn to say no. If you are under too much pressure you can't function effectively. Remember you are still a new SW and being able to deal with a large caseload is not something that comes just like that, if at all. Just because you have x cases and someone else has x plus 10 doesn't mean you have less work.
Look after yourself first then you can think of other people.
well u are under intense pressure. it should not effect future employment and when u return to work you need to be assertive in telling managment that you can not manage. the whole SW side of things really do need a shake up, its obious that there are hundreds if not thousands of social workers that are under a great deal of pressure and this needs to be solved.
Firstly by opening up more placements in the universities for SW. They are advertising for SW but not training them. 400 applicants to 30 spaces.
look after you self. As a social worker u will be advising that to ur service users practice what you preach xx
AOGT i really feel for you. I cant believe that in spite of everything you're worrying about letting people down, future job prospects etc you're clearly a very dedicated and conscientious worker. Those are fantastic qualities and you should be really proud of them but you must put them asside until you have recovered. You must but i know its easier said than done, i have recently left my post for similar reasons and it takes time to mentally get off the treadmill if you know what i mean.
If its any consolation one of my friends came back off 3 months sick leave as i was about to leave the team, everyone from managers to the cleaner rallied round him and made him feel like he was the most valued person in the office. He was full of anxiety about "sory you had to pick that case up in proceedings.. and oh my god look at all the cases you picked up for me" but everyones attitude was so positive, nobody resented the situation he left behind. Unfortunately this is just part and parcel of social work. You mustn't feel guilty for taking time out to get yourself well. Good luck. xx
I agree with thinkpink
I am fortunate to currently work in a very supportive environment but I know what it is like not to. People have sick leave for all kinds of reasons and it sounds like your manager has been relatively supportive.
This is going to sound a bit sexist but it is on these kind of occasions that I am glad I am a woman. I have only broken down in tears once at work (as anyone who actually knows me would tell you, it was an occasion that will go down in history), but when it came to it I was greeted with sympathy and understanding, I'm not sure a male colleague would have been treated the same in that no-one would have known what to have said to them. I could also get away with being 'a bit emotional' without anyone reading anything else into it.
It sounds like you need a good rant and rave at someone, so pick who and go for it. Get it out of your system and then evaluate your options from there.
Hi AOGT; what you have described is so common to SW, that it's almost to be expected-that does not mean it's to be accepted. You are not to blame for your situation. It is not your fault you have had unrealistic pressures placed on you. You and your employer both have a responsibility to your health, so must both take a role in addressing your over-burndened caseload.
You owe it to yourself and your employer to take the time you need to recover from the burn out. You might also need to be kind, but assertive with those that value your SW skills in your personal life...relationships that are this one way are not healthy.
You may not feel motivated, but force yourself, in the time you have off sick, without guilt, to do things you enjoy, for yourself, that make you feel good about yourself and life in general. That is the most helpful thing for you, your employer, your clients and those around you-as you will come back stronger. This should not affect your employment in the future, you might wish to mention it and how you addressed it at future interviews as a learning point in your career-it should not be seen as a weakness. we learn from adversity.
i think it's important to be very clear about the reasons why things have got too much e.g. workload but it's also important to consider how to put this across in any return to work interview. if the original poster hasn't already, it might be useful seeking union advice and support (if in one). when you do return to work, you want to make sure you don't get fobbed off in the return to work after sickness interview - it might be too easy if managers/HR are not suportive for it to be turned round into a personal thing - you can't cope, it's you that's the problem not the workload etc. don't want to sound overly cynical but just think it's important to have additional support to protect you as a worker.
also, am not sure what opening up more placements would do to reduce pressures, but that's purely from a worker's perspective. practice teachers in my experience we are promised reduced caseloads so we can give enough time to supervising students but realistically??? prob varies from team to team but when you factor in impending redundancies/vacant posts not being filled due to budget cuts, rise in referrals, covering for colleagues leave/sickness leave, it starts to get difficult some of my colleagues won't take on students purely for this reason, to protect their own sanity and stress levels. i do wonder whether the massive expansion of s/w training is part of the problem - does it reflect the actual amount of vacancies out there??? sorry for going off topic a bit...
When it comes to workload, you have to draw a reasonable line, and stick to it -- if you don't, you'll be taken advantage of, walked all over, you'll breakdown mentally and physically, and you''ll be no good to yourself or anyone else.
AOGT,
brave of you to post! Definitely on the right track to improve the situation though. Trust me covert coping and hiding the damage from others does not work, so good on you for sharing your pain which sadly far too many will be familiar with. I was previousy managing a team in a pretty toxic organisation which had silly levels of sickness largely stress related. I was fed up of staff coming to me in tears on a daily basis due to the excess pressure on them as a result of excessive caseloads and the endemic silly volume of paperwork.
The only useful thing that I found worked for any of the team suffering this was to get them to fill out an Individual Stress Risk Assesment (see HSE website). Do this in conjunction with your manager and insist HR are present when an action plan is formulated to minimise stressors. HR will ensure that employment law and your conditions of service are suppprted whereas managers dont like to document caps to caseloads etc when they know it will affect the smooth running of the team etc.
Hope this is of use. Be very selfish and look after your health first dont let the needs of the organisation damage you. Easier said than done I know I have been there myself sadly. I didnt want to join the informal huddles of staff at courses who spent the time discussing their anti anxiety meds which were keeping them together. Adult social care not looking good in the future in my opinion. I have jumped ship rather than suffer the pain. I have seen too many good people wrecked by stress. Good luck, take care!
I totally sympathise and empathise. I too am newly qualified and have been in post just over a year. It's a living nightmare. If I had known before taking this job (adult LD team) I would NEVER have applied for it. I have come close to going off sick too. I am having trouble sleeping, home life is suffering, work life balance is out the window.
You need to think about the present, take time off and try to ease some of the pressure - your home life/personal life has to take priority, otherwise how will you be able to do your job? As another poster stated, just be honest about your time off and explain the reasons why. As long as you have a valid sick paper from the GP then it should not be an issue. If you broke your leg then you would not worry about taking time off, you would have no choice and that would be that! You might worry about the workload you are leaving behind, but you wouldn't worry about the stigma of taking this time off and the impact it would have on future employment. Look after your mental health. I cannot emphasis this enough.
I just want to say thanks to y'all for the support. Read this thread regularly while I was off. Been back for a bit now, feeling more relaxed and taking it easier. Having 2 weeks off gave me the space to reflect on my own priorities in life, which evenings and weekends just don't allow. I've had a serious discussion with management about the situation, been referred to Occupational Health, and used the time off to do the sensible thing: long talks with friends and family about the sh*t I've been through.
It's still a bit of a mess, but at least now I'm not sat in the car for fifteen minutes before work, chain smoking 'cos I'm petrified to go in and open my emails. One thing at a time. House? Still not sorted, but fall-back plans arranged. Car? Still fucked - but mechanic has it sorta working, which is an improvement. Mates? All informed of what has happened. No guilt trip sent their way, just an update to let them know that I can't do everything. Ironically I've signposted them to voluntary agencies to support. Ha.
Still no escape from my own brain, but there's always solutions for that.
So thanks all. Muchly appreciated.
AOGT glad to hear you ok. I chose to leave toxic work environment and was lucky to be able to do so instead of going down the occ health/ sickness route which is useful to many at least in the short term. Please be selfish and look after yourself! Sharing really helped me cope after hiding the pain and thinking I was useless and acopic for along time ( those feelings are still with me sadly). I have seen so many good people damaged by the toxic work environments and silly working conditions that social work operates under. Not nice for me when I woke up early on a Monday morning vomitting with anxiety, taking it out on partner and kids.Would spend lunch hour if I got one driving towards home to feel good away from sh*t workplace. Mixed XS alcohol with over the counter sleep aids to nock myself out so as to limit time feeling anxious and awake! Like many lots of other sh*t and negative behaviour and actions not telling you or partner as too painful and embarissing to admit to as so called professional Bit pissed writing this but at least trying to be open and honest which I am not good at given feelings of being an acopic failure even though logically I think the workplace failed rather than me. Feel free to PM me as I dont think people that havent been there can empathise with what it is really like. Like many I have been in some reallly bad places as a result of my reactions to my working environment and processes that needed to jump through. House and car dont fuckin worry about them not a big deal if you feel like sh*t trust me.
Please PM me if you want to unburden i wish I did before leaving the profession feeling like a basket case!
Take care, best wishes genuinely to you! You are doing the right thing, nice start!
Go off sick immediately. I really don't think you should be in work coping with all you have going on in your personal life. You need help and support to get yourself back on track - and you will - but you must be kind to yourself.
Don't worry about taking time from work due to stress. I have known many workers go off with stress, including me as a team manager, and never experienced difficulties finding work. It is those that stay who end up burnt out prestending that because we are social workers we're somehow super human. We're not.
As a manager, if you came to me and mentioned the above, I would be extremely concerned - for you, about your welfare - and would support you taking time out. The rest of the time would manage. Stop worrying about work. Get your life sorted and into perspective then go back to work - perhaps gradually to build up your emotional strength.
take care
Good to have a managerial response to this, thanks RoseA.
Escapee, hope you're not too hungover. Thanks for the support.
I'm not a SW but I can relate to your story, having worked in an intense environment where I was being constantly called into the office for apparently not working as hard as my colleagues, although this was something that management were unable to substantiate.
The nature of the job meant that if other staff were off, the remaining staff were supposed to cover.
The day I cracked came at the end of a long week where the normal complement of 6 staff had reduced to 2, covering one of the UKs largest cities. Management then decided in a state of panic to unleash upon us the most humongous pile of work. I couldn't cope and went home in fits of tears (not to mention guilt at leaving my remaining colleague to pick up the pieces).
During my two weeks signed off with stress I received a call from my manager, who had just developed a tool to provide information about our respective workloads. He apologised profusely for the situation I had been in. For months I had been given the biggest workload, as I always suspected.
Sometimes incidents like this can serve as a prompt for management to establish new working relationships with staff members, as well as highlight just how far removed management can be from the real world of getting things done.
Good luck with your recovery, two weeks may be time enough to get a bit of perspective back into your life, but it takes a little longer to turn things round. Try to avoid drowning in a bottle, it may seem like an escape for a short while but it doesn't resolve the underlying problem.