Social Work Recap: #CareDay, campaign for neurodivergent staff and recruiting from overseas

In our new series, Social Work Recap, we present key social work news, events, conversations, tweets and campaigns from the preceding week.

From a celebration of care experienced people to a campaign highlighting neurodivergent social workers’ voices, here’s this week’s selection:

Councils to recruit overseas social workers through £15m fund

Photo: Kiattisak/ AdobeStock

Councils will be able to tap into a £15m government fund to recruit social workers from overseas to work in adults’ services.

The fund, which will become available in 2023-24, is one of the Department of Health and Social Care’s responses to the worsening staff shortages in adult social care.

You can read more in our article on the fund.

Neurodivergent Social Work Voices Campaign

Social worker Florence Smith has just concluded a 19-day campaign on her blog, The Neurodivergent Social Worker, highlighting the voices of fellow neurodivergent practitioners to increase awareness and promote inclusion.

The campaign included video interviews with ‘neurosparkly’ social workers, students and academics about their experiences in the sector, their strengths and any lessons they’ve picked up along the way.

In the first episode, Florence speaks with Kerry, a dyslexic child and families social worker, who explores the impact of working in a fast-paced statutory environment, different tools which have helped her cope, and how being neurodivergent has helped her form relationships with young people.

Poll results: The impact of proposed agency social work rules

Following the Department for Education’s proposals to regulate the use of agency staff in children’s services, Community Care ran a poll to assess social workers’ opinions on the likely impact.

The poll, which drew 759 responses, found that 81% of readers thought locums would be pushed to leave children’s services as a result, while 13% said more agency staff would take up permanent posts.

You can find out more in our upcoming series, Readers’ Take.

The Amazing Social Workers 2023 nominations are open!

Photo: pauchi/ AdobeStock

The British Association of Social Workers (BASW) is preparing for a month of activities to celebrate World Social Work Day (21 March) by opening up nominations for its Amazing Social Workers awards.

The organisation has invited social workers to nominate inspiring colleagues, whether frontline practitioners, team managers, students or practice educators, to recognise their work.

Winners will be featured on the association’s website and across its social media channels from March 20 to April 4, and will also receive a BASW Amazing Social Worker certificate.

Nominations are open until 28 February.

Coram Voice’s New Belongings project for care leavers

Children’s charity Coram Voice has just published the results of a three-year project, New Belongings, in which local authorities worked with care leavers to design better services for young people on leaving the care system.

A survey at the start of the project found that a third (32%) of care leavers did not feel safe where they lived and a similar proportion (34%) experienced high levels of anxiety.

On the back of this, councils and young people have developed services including providing care leavers with specialist personal advisers with a background in mental health and offering support beyond the age of 25 for those who needed it.

#CareDay

Photo: Adobe Stock/ sewcream

This week is coming to a close with #CareDay, the international day dedicated to celebrating children and young people with care experience.

Children’s charity Become has been commemorating the day on Twitter by sharing messages from young care-experienced people on what they want others to know about being in care, to challenge common misconceptions.

? “I’m still care-experienced on AND after my 25th birthday.”

? It’s #CareDay!

? This year, we’re sharing what #CareExperienced young people want friends, neighbours, colleagues and others to #KnowAboutCare

➡️ For more information: https://t.co/PmoIe8BfAA pic.twitter.com/pHfKIKMWhF

— Become (@Become1992) February 17, 2023

Must watch: ‘Why I Became a Social Worker’

 

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A post shared by Community Care Careers (@communitycarecareers)

Our ‘Why I Became a Social Worker’ video series on Instagram is coming to a close! This week, social work influencer Kayleigh Rose Evans shared her reasons for joining the profession and what has given her most fulfilment about studying and working in social work.

Previous speakers in our series include England’s first anti-racism practitioner, Millie Kerr.

Tweet of the Week

Today I met with my PE and we had an honest chat about how I’m coping.

I cried. She supported.

Then we made a plan.

As a #socialworkstudent I’m still learning when vulnerability is a strength. I’m still learning how to balance my values and boundaries.

I’m tired but grateful.

— Danielle (@butwhydanielle) February 16, 2023

A social work student was flooded with messages of support when she took to Twitter to share her experience of seeking help from her practice educator upon becoming overwhelmed, and the reassuring response she received.

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