Let's Talk Social Work

The UK is a richly diverse society and social workers will frequently work with children, families and individuals whose cultural heritage differs from their own. As we have discussed many times on the podcast, social work is a relationship-based profession and it is difficult to form good relationships without being open to understand the values and traditions which shape another person’s worldview and approach to life. It's also important to recognise that social workers and social work students arriving in the UK from overseas may face barriers and may benefit from support to adjust to some things which people who are born in the UK take for granted. With all this in mind, this episode explores the concept of cultural capability in social work, examining what the concept means and the extent to which cultural capability is attainable. Joining Andy to discuss cultural capability are social workers Michael Nwoye, Chloe Hubert and Uche Odunze.Michael and Chloe work for the organisation, Children and Families Across Borders—CFAB for short. Michael is an Inter-Country Social Worker and Chloe works in CFAB’s Post Placement Support Project. Uche is a newly qualified social worker who during her time studying at the University of Chichester, co-wrote a guide for other international students on adjusting to life in the UK.Children and Families Across Borders have developed a Cultural Family Life Library, a suite of guides for social workers introducing them to the history and culture of families from Romanian, Jamaican and Nigerian heritage. The Library can be accessed here and further guides will be published in the months to come.CFAB is also offering online training on Culturally Inclusive Practice: Essential Skills for Social Workers on Tuesday, January 28, 2025. Click here to find out more about the half day event.

In this episode, Andy and his guests discuss Artificial Intelligence in social work. They explore the concept from three angles—how might AI play a role in social care in terms of direct support for people who use services, how might it assist social workers in their practice and finally, how is AI being used in the education of social workers. The discussion focuses on how AI is already helping, how it may help further, and what issues must be considered in terms of the ethics and risks associated with the use of Artificial Intelligence.Joining Andy are social workers Tommy Henderson-Reay, Digital Engagement Programme Manager at NHS England’s Digitising Social Care Programme, Julia Ross, Chair of BASW UK and author of the novel, The Laughing Robot, and Dr Paul Best, Director of the Centre for Technological Innovation in Mental Health and Education at Queen’s University Belfast.

In our first episode back after the summer break we discuss the experiences of Indigenous People, exploring issues of resilience and social justice and examining lessons for social work. Helping Andy to explore this incredibly important issue are Professor Hilary Weaver and Professor Janet Walker. Hilary is Professor Emeritus of Social Work at the University at Buffalo School of Social Work, the Indigenous Commissioner for the International Federation of Social Workers, and the Board Chair of the United States Council on Social Work Education. She is has written on a variety of issues impacting Indigenous Peoples, including social policy, health and well-being, intergenerational trauma, education and environmental justice. Hilary is Lakota and has lived much of her adult life in Haudenosaunee territory in Western New York. Janet is Professor Emeritus of International Social Work at the University of Lincoln and Chair of the British Association of Social Workers International Committee. During the conversation several documents are referred to. They are:The International Federation of Social Work statement on International Indigenous Peoples’ Day 2024The Council on Social Work Education Statement of Accountability and Reconciliation for Harms Done to Indigenous and Tribal PeoplesThe Council on Social Work Education Teaching Guide: Repairing Harms Done to Indigenous and Tribal Peoples

In the last episode of the podcast before we take a break for the summer, Andy and guests have an opportunity to reflect on the outcome of the UK general election and explore what the changed political landscape will mean for adult social care in England, reflecting on potential impacts for social workers and people who use services. Andy is joined by Vice Chair of BASW England and Co-Chair of its Adult Thematic Group, Jackie Mahoney, BASW UK Council member and Expert by Experience, Mark Lynes, and BASW England’s Policy & Campaigns Officer, Josh Dixon.The episode begins with reflections on the changed political landscape and touches on BASW’s campaign to remove the Universal Credit two-child limit. The conversation then switches to focus on priority issues in adult social care in England and the importance of coproduction and meaningful involvement of experts by experience in the design of adult social care services. Mark’s contribution to the discussion on coproduction was itself coproduced and he wishes to thank his colleague, Omar Mohammed for his support.The conversation concludes with a discussion about the need for investment in increasing the amount of good-quality social housing in the UK and BASW’s call for on-going investment in specialist and supported housing.The BASW 2024 general election manifesto referenced in the discussion is available here.

In this episode, number 84 in our series, Andy McClenaghan and guests discuss Operation Encompass—a police and education early information safeguarding partnership enabling schools to offer immediate support to children experiencing domestic abuse.Andy is joined by founders of Operation Encompass, David Carney-Haworth OBE and Elisabeth Carney-Haworth OBE, and social worker James Draper. James is Designated Officer for Child Protection at the Northern Ireland Education Authority. Together they explore the benefits of the project along with the merits and challenges of multi-agency working.Operation Encompass launched in February 2011 and it is conservatively estimated that over 1.5million children have been supported as a result.

In this episode we explore reflective supervision—what it is, how it can benefit social workers by improving their wellbeing and job satisfaction, and ultimately, how it can improve practice.The Social Workers Union, in partnership with Buckinghamshire New University has recently published a best practice guide on reflective supervision which you can access here. John McGowan, General Secretary of the Social Workers Union, Professor Jermaine Ravalier from Buckinghamshire New University, and Social Worker Chrissie Beatty who works for BCP Council join Andy McClenaghan for an in-depth discussion about reflective supervision.

Andy is joined by Bekah Pierre and Alice Spencer to discuss the wonderful anthology—Free Loaves on Fridays. Free Loaves on Fridays is a collection of stories and essays, poems, reflections and open letters, detailing the lives of care experienced people. It is a special work—bursting with humanity. As diverse as the experiences of its contributors, the anthology viscerally details pain and trauma, while celebrating the life changing impacts of love and acceptance in foster and adoptive families, and the transformative potential of child-centred, relationship-based, trauma-informed social work.Both Bekah and Alice have experience of living in care and contributed chapters to the book. Bekah also edited the anthology.It is available now, published by Unbound. You can buy a copy here. 

School social work is long established in the USA but in its infancy in Northern Ireland. This episode examines the nature of school social work with a view to learning from the discipline in the United States and exploring how this understanding can be applied to the emerging practice in Northern Ireland. Andy is joined by Robert Lucio, Associate Professor and Online Program Director at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, College of Social Work, Chair of the NASW School Social Work Section Committee and a Board Member of the School Social Work Association of America, Orlaith McGibbon, Independent social worker and Chair of the British Association of Social Workers Northern Ireland, and school social worker Charlene Hill based at St Ronan's College in Lurgan.During discussion about approaches to assessing the impact of school social work, reference is made to the Social Workers in Schools (SWIS) Trial conducted in England between September 2020 and July 2022. The project report and evaluation can be accessed here.

Following our last episode exploring the BASW UK General Election Manifesto, we examine the issue of poverty and what needs to change to improve the circumstances of millions of people across the UK. Comprising two sections, first Andy is joined by friend of the podcast, social worker and anti-poverty campaigner, Dominic Watters, and Director of Policy, Research and Impact at the Trussell Trust, Helen Barnard. They discuss the scale of foodbank use across the UK and consider the specific challenges facing unpaid carers and care experienced people. In the second section, Andy speaks with BASW UK Chair, Julia Ross about why she has placed campaigning to challenge the impacts of poverty and the factors which cause poverty at the heart of her priorities as she leads the Association.During the discussion Dominic refers to the Food Foundation report, Food insecurity among single parent families. You can access it hereBASW’s General Election Manifesto outlines the Association’s anti-poverty, housing and mental health asks mentioned by Julia.You can access the Trussell’s Trust’s various briefing papers here (the papers are at the bottom of the page).