Ask the expert: careers advice for social workers and students

Are you a student struggling to decide which area of social work practice to go into? Or perhaps you have a few years of experience under your belt, and want to progress without moving into management?

If so, you could benefit from our new, free careers advice column. This is open to social work students and qualified social workers at any stage of their career.

Every fortnight, we will publish answers to the questions you send in.

Our expert on board is Dame Lorna Boreland-Kelly. Dame Lorna has over 30 years’ experience of leading and developing social care services. In 2010, she was tasked with setting up one of the first social work academies at the London Borough of Croydon, and has since gone on to set up or advise on the creation of several other academies.

For the last two years, she has delivered careers clinics to social workers at Community Care Live. Dame Lorna has an unparalleled level of insight into frontline social work and is well-versed in the issues that affect practitioners today.

Social workers and those training to become one can ask for advice, guidance or tips around any challenges they are facing in their career.

Questions can be sent to careersadvice@markallengroup.com.