Episodes

  • Christmas special🎄

    Christmas special🎄
    Dec 18 2024
    It's that time of year🎄! And to celebrate we recorded a Christmas special for The Social Work Community Podcast!

    The social work sector and face of Community Care, have both changed a lot over the last 50 years. As it is Community Care's 50th birthday year it made sense to discuss all this and more with some of the longest-standing members of the Community Care team.

    In this episode Sharmeen Ziauddin, careers editor, sat down with three people, who combined, have been at Community Care for over a whopping 80 years. All three were fairly resistant to the idea of recording an episode but with some sweet-talking I managed to persuade Mithran Samuel, editor of Community Care, Nicky Davies, head of partnerships and events and Natalie Valios, content editor on Inform Adults, to come to our London office one morning and have a good old natter.

    Mithran started at Community Care 20 years ago as a reporter, and moved up the ranks to his current role as editor. Nicky joined in the late 80s in a sales job and has progressed to her current role. Natalie also started over 30 years ago, left Community Care for bit and then came back - because she simply could not stay away.

    Listen now for this special behind the scenes episode.
    Read the transcript here.
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    30 mins
  • The legacy and impact of life story from a parent’s perspective

    The legacy and impact of life story from a parent’s perspective
    Dec 5 2024
    This is a special episode which was recorded live at Community Care Live 2024.

    In this thought-provoking and session, you will hear about the importance of a parent’s journey while considering their own child’s life story.

    You will hear first-hand the experiences some parents have had and how practitioners can gain a better understanding of the impact positive life stories can have on both parents and children.Social worker Rachel Thomas and Pause practitioner Julia Williams, both in Wiltshire Council, narrate Laura's story to a live audience. Laura, who gave up her baby up for adoption, went through a tough time and her story shows how she was supported by professionals every step of the way.

    Callum, a father, and someone who spent some of his childhood in care, talks about how is key worker, Ceri Evans, through the Dads Matter Too project, helped him overcome his personal challenges and become the dad he wanted to be.

    Remember, most of our podcast episodes count as CPD.

    If you want to get in touch, then you can via our Instagram, which is @thesocialworkcommunity, and if you haven’t joined the community site then you can register for free - you will be able to talk to like-minded professionals about work, your career and a lot more.
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    57 mins
  • Ask The Experts: Why don’t I get invited for interviews?

    Ask The Experts: Why don’t I get invited for interviews?
    Nov 11 2024
    Welcome to our new mini-series : ‘Ask The Experts’ where we put your career questions to three social work experts.

    In this episode, hear from Dame Lorna Boreland-Kelly, Claire Barcham and Kayleigh Rose Evans respond to a question we received asking how to tailor a job application to get the best results and secure that new role.

    This episode is hosted by Ruth Hardy-Mullings, head of content at Community Care. If you have a question you’d like our experts to answer or if you felt the advice has helped you secure your next social work role, we want to hear from you.

    Send us an email at: careersadvice@markallengroup.com You can follow all the Ask The Expert questions and responses on: www.thesocialworkcommunity.com

    Read past questions from social workers with a career question and read the responses here.
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    20 mins
  • Returning to social work after becoming a new parent

    Returning to social work after becoming a new parent
    Nov 4 2024
    Two social workers share their experience of returning to social work from maternity leave and highlight how Essex County Council has supported their transition.

    How much support did you have when you returned to social work after becoming a first-time parent?

    In three episodes of the Social Work Community Podcast, social workers at Essex County Council discuss the various ways the local authority supports its workforce and promotes their wellbeing.

    In this episode, Amy, a team manager in a Care Quality Commission service improvement team in adult services, and Brooke, who works in a family support and protection team in children’s services, share their experiences.

    Both first-time mothers highlight that being a parent is no barrier to career progression at the local authority and show how supportive management structures have helped them achieve a work-life balance.

    Access the transcript here.

    About the podcast
    The Social Work Community Podcast explores the issues that matter to social work practitioners in their working lives.

    You will hear direct from social workers in your community about their successes and their challenges.

    Our first season was nominated in this year’s British Association of Social Workers (BASW) Social Work Journalism Awards.

    So sign up to the Social Work Community to be among the first to catch each episode and to connect with fellow practitioners in a safe space.

    Otherwise, check out the Social Work Community Podcast on the following:
    • Spotify
    • Apple Podcasts
    • Spreaker
    • Audible (Amazon)
    Click ‘follow’ or ‘subscribe’ on your podcast app so you know when a new episode is published.And don’t forget to follow us on Instagram.
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    14 mins
  • Locum v Perm - what works for you?

    Locum v Perm - what works for you?
    Oct 29 2024
    Podcast: locum v perm – what works for you?We ask two social workers from each side of the agency-permanent divide what has driven their career choices and if they would ever change their minds.

    In this episode of the Social Work Community Podcast, senior careers editor Kirsty Ayakwah asks two social workers (Le'Siran Edwards and Kayleigh Rose Evans) from either side of the divide about what has driven their career choices.

    Le’Siran has 25 years' experience working with children and families, and over a decade in children’s social work. She has spent the last 10 years building up her coaching service, Social Work Coaching Hub, and stepped away from locum work last year to focus on it full time. She also runs her own podcast, called Dear Social Worker Pod.

    Kayleigh has spent her career working in permanent roles. Alongside her social work practice, Kayleigh works as an independent trainer and also shares reflections on social work through her YouTube channel, @KayleighRoseEvans.

    Since this podcast was produced, there have been changes to rules curbing English councils’ use of agency social workers in children’s services. You can read more about the changes here.

    Read a transcript here

    About the podcast

    The Social Work Community Podcast explores the issues that matter to social work practitioners in their working lives.Kirsty and fellow host, careers editor Sharmeen Ziauddin, interview experienced and inspiring guests, including frontline social workers who speak from the heart about their jobs, the sector and society.Our first season went down a storm and was nominated in this year’s British Association of Social Workers (BASW) Social Work Journalism Awards.
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    36 mins
  • Would you work for an inadequate-rated service?

    Would you work for an inadequate-rated service?
    Oct 14 2024
    Would you work for an inadequate-rated children's services?

    This episode is in collaboration with Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council (BCP).

    In this episode Sharmeen Ziauddin, careers editor at Community Care, speaks to a number of social workers at BCP Council about its improvement journey and why working for an inadequate-rated children's services is not all bad!

    Sharmeen speaks to Steph, Riauri, Jamie, Cyra and Monique talk about their experiences. Steph and Cyra talk about taking the leap from agency to becoming permanent members of staff and how that has allowed them more flexibility as well as career progression. Monique shares how she left to take a job in London but why she returned to BCP Council.
    Jamie talks about his experience from ASYE to present day and all the brilliant support he's got. And Riauri explains why he has stuck around for five years and plans to stay put.

    If you are interested in a career at BCP Council then take a look at their employer profile or check out their current vacancies.

    If you want to get in touch, then you can via our Instagram, which is @thesocialworkcommunity, and if you haven’t joined the community site then you can register for free - you will be able to talk to like-minded professionals about work, your career and a lot more.
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    40 mins
  • Celebrating a longstanding career in social work

    Celebrating a longstanding career in social work
    Oct 1 2024
    As Community Care marks its 50th anniversary this year, we wanted to find out what the social work landscape was like through those decades and how that shaped the career of a social worker.

    Community Care’s senior careers editor Kirsty Ayakwah, spoke to Gretchen Precey, an independent social worker, who celebrates 47 years in children’s services this year - almost as long as Community Care has been around – to find out.

    Gretchen qualified as a social worker in 1977 and spent over 20 years working directly for local authorities before establishing herself as an independent social worker.In her role, she combines direct assessment work with children and families and consultancy to practitioners.

    In the latest of our Social Work Community Podcast, Gretchen tells us what keeps her in the sector so many years on and what advice she would offer to the next generation of social workers.

    The Social Work Community Podcast explores the issues that matter to social work practitioners in their working lives.Kirsty and fellow host and careers editor Sharmeen Ziauddin, interview experienced and inspiring guests, including frontline social workers who speak from the heart about their jobs, the sector and society.

    Our first Season went down a storm and was nominated in this year’s British Association of Social Workers (BASW) Social Work Journalism Awards. You can listen to all of the episodes on the leading podcast platforms, including Spotify , Audible (Amazon) and Apple podcasts.

    Read the transcript here.

    Carry on the discussion on the Social Work Community.
    You can follow us on Instagram: @thesocialworkcommunity
    On X, Facebook & LinkedIn.
    For all the latest news go to visit www.communitycare.co.uk
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    34 mins
  • Do we need more male social workers?

    Do we need more male social workers?
    Aug 28 2024

    Welcome to Season Two of The Social Work Community Podcast!

    In this episode we'll be discussing whether we need more male social workers. The social work profession is female dominated – recent figures show women make up about 80-85% of the workforce in the United Kingdom. Why is this and what can be done to change this? Does it need changing?

    Sharmeen Ziauddin, careers editor at Community Care, speaks to social workers Curtis Powell and Jason Barnes about their experience of the sector, why they choose the social work profession and what they, as men, bring to the table.

    Read the transcript here.

    Carry on the discussion on the Social Work Community.
    You can follow us on Instagram: @thesocialworkcommunity
    On X, Facebook & LinkedIn.
    For all the latest news go to visit www.communitycare.co.uk
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    34 mins