Does anyone work under a professional name and what are the implications of this?
I live very close to my office and my children attend a school I often have to visit. I have a fear of someone finding out details of my family and causing us harm/harrassment.
If I were to change my professional name would I have to change it with GSCC? What about giving evidence in court?
Another option woud be to change my name outside of work but that seems even more complicated.
Any advice/experience would be welcome.
Francesca
You could perhaps use your maiden name if you are married? Or changed your name when you got married? Just a thought, but I haven't heard of a social worker with a stage name. Have you got a new name in mind?
There are a couple of profiled people who are qualified, registered social workers that I can think of who are registered in a different name to the one they use for work (all done above board, just not sure how you would go about doing it).
'A12ext' a married woman does not have to assume the name of her husband!
Many people, particularly but not only women, use more than one name. It is quite common to use one name at work and another at home. And it is common to change one's name buty more usually surname than first name. Obviously there must be no intention to deceive. I would work out what name you would like to use, discuss it with your managers and ensure that there is an appropriate note on your personnel file. You also need to consider whether you want to use the other name for your bank account, passport and so on, and if so, comply with the formailities there. You then put a simple announcement round the office that you are now known by the new name and make sure that all files and other documents are either changed or pointed to the new name. How you handle current cases is more difficult and would need discussing with your manager.
Stephen Barber
The GSCC requirement is that the name used whilst working as social worker is the same as the name registered on the Social Care Register, otherwise the Public cannot check the registration or make a complaint against an unregistered name
Potentially an equalities issue in that one...
Look for HILTON DAWSON on the GSCC Register - No Trace!!! Have to trace using DAWSON and then one finds that 'HILTON' is his middle name!!!
I have known a few female social workers who have worked under their maiden name (although I've never asked if they qualified before they married or what was their reason behind it.
I would be more concerned that you have genuine fear of harm/harrassment but you still choose to work in a geographical area which means it is highly likely you will come into contact with service users out side of work hours. I know there are benefits working near your home, but in this case I would be cautious of taking cases that involve your childrens school, and if possible speak with your manager so you can avoid them. I think it goes much further than people finding out your name, if people see your face at the school gates/parents evenings etc they will know you live near by. Plus children often share with classmates/friends what their parents do for a living, then there is also the instance when friends come over for tea or for birthdays, what if the friend is a child you are working with?
I dont think it is uncommon to work under a professional name, but it hink the circumstances you are describing for your reason why need more thought.
Tell me his first name isn't Paris?
Or Les!!!
Seriously though, I do think a time may come when we have to do this because of the scurity and family implications. I know Social Workers who have had to have extra security and cameras placed around their houses ( paid for by the employer) because of credible threat by service users.
The police use a shoulder number.
I don't think there is anything wrong with registering a professional name, so that any professional misconduct or complaint is identified to you.
However, against that day I lay first claim on "Juan Case" (its plenty )
I vaguely remember in one of BASWs magazines, someone writing uder the pseudoname of " Max Caseload" ..or am I mistaken?
Might be easier for long term to move house or switch jobs to another authority. Changing your name will not stop people recognising you or bumping into you at your children's schools etc.
I would never work in the authority I live in for this very reason.
Police officers used to not be able to serve the area they lived in, is this still the case? Seems very sensible to me and something social workers should follow.
Yummy: Might be easier for long term to move house or switch jobs to another authority. Changing your name will not stop people recognising you or bumping into you at your children's schools etc. I would never work in the authority I live in for this very reason.
OK you dont bump into people you work with in Greggs if you commute 50 miles each day to work. However, If you get the service user who wants to find you because the want to blame you for their outcomes and take revenge, it doesn't matter where yu live. Google doest linit its search results to people in walking distance.
I have known prison officers who live 40 miles away from where they work get threats at home on behalf of a prisoner, from someone who has traveelled from that prisoners home area on the other side of the county.
I have bumped into service users on holiday abroad!
It is also a long commute to the Isle of Man/Wight/Anglesey/Skye from the nearest mainland city each day!!
Well obviously if a service user wants to find you they will regardless of where u live, how is changing a name going to make this any different though which is what the OP was asking about.
Rather than using a different first name - which is a bit drastic, why don't you work in another area in the district, a different post code perhaps where you wouldn't have to visit your children's schools? I work in the same authority where I live but cover a different part of the authority which doesn't involve my children's schools or Health Visitor. It's never a good idea to mix the professional and personal, especially in social work ,the job is hard enough as it is and this is additional stress which you do not need. Hope this helps. I can't think of anything worse than going in to school as a mum and then as a Social Worker on a different day - it's just wrong and bad for your mental health!
I work in a very small LA and have limited opportunity to work outside of the area due to responsibility as a carer.
To me it would be far more drastic to change job than to assume another name.
The problem is Francesca, even if you change your name this will not stop people from recognising you.
I changed my name when I got married, one year after qualifying. I still use my maiden name at work as all my certificates are in that name. I also quite like anonymity at home and I cannot be traced in the phone book.
I live in a small town within the large rural catchment area of my department but I avoid cases that are too close to home, as do my colleagues.
Hi
I recently changed my name at work to my maiden name and it hasn't been too stressful, you will have to contact the GSCC and let them know if you do practice under another name, it took a letter and birth certificate.They will amend the GSCC register and send another certificate. It took me two weeks.
Outside of work I use my married name
Many doctors use an alias too.
If you practice near your home town changing you name may shield your children from unwanted attention especially if you work in CP.
Well, I worked in c.p in a neighbouring authority initially, for this very reason. Unfortunately, this didn't quite work the way I thought, as children in foster care were placed in the town I live in, outside of that l.a and then went to schools in my town.
When then working for the same authority, if cases came up that were too close to home, I didn't take them...it's not right to. Not fair to the service users or your own children.
We did have to move house, but partly as a combination of both our jobs....living in a cul-de-sac became a problem. We now live in a more anonymous road and have no problems at all. Took us a while ourselves to work out which house was ours.
Growing a beard an option?
Silver Sage: Growing a beard an option?
Please don't give up the day job.
I don't know where I would be without your ministry of encouragement!
I dread to think where you would be with encouragement.
Now I'm getting confused.
According to Skinner, I must be getting some kind of positive reinforcement otherwise this behaviour would have become redundant and extinguished.....are you sure you are not encouraging me?