Social work is a diverse profession, spanning almost every example of the human experience and supporting people at some of their most vulnerable moments. It’s also incredibly rewarding – social workers have the chance to make a positive impact, empowering families and their communities in a job that involves great variety on a daily basis.
To coincide with Social Work Week (20-24 March), we asked five social workers across England what attracted them to their profession, what they enjoyed most about the job and the advice they’d give to someone at the start of their career. Here’s what they said:
‘It can be a stressful job but I love what I do’
Kirsty Thomson works with children in long-term foster care
Kirsty Thomson had a whole other career in the Prison Service before she switched to social work. Her career change also inspired a move to Cornwall, where she now lives close enough to the sea to occasionally go cold-water swimming. “I thought I’d go into substance misuse social work, but while at university [after leaving the Prison Service] I did a placement in children’s social care and decided that was what I wanted to do. I get to work with some amazing people who’ve been through some really tough times but are doing their best to make changes.”
Thomson started off in the child protection team but has recently changed to work with children up to the age of 16 who are in long-term foster care. On a typical day, she might work with children being reunified with parents or other relatives, visit them on placements, or meet with other professionals such as psychotherapists. “I love seeing children achieve and start to believe in themselves,” she adds. “The other day I sat painting nails with a young person because that’s what she enjoys doing.”
She says the support of the team is really important, particularly if you have a challenging day. “They give you that safety net and somewhere to bounce ideas off. Having a manager who has your back and listens to you is really key as well.”
Out of hours, she spends time with her partner and two young children. “I make sure I don’t work weekends unless I absolutely have to. Switching off is a hard thing for social workers to do but if we don’t look after ourselves we can’t be there for other people. It can be a stressful job and you’ll have days when you cry. But I wouldn’t change it. I love what I do and I love the children I work with.”
‘You’re supporting some of the most vulnerable people in society’
Lily Hopkins is a deputy team manager in adult social care for Essex county council
As a child, Lily Hopkins vowed she’d never become a social worker. Her older sister worked as one and she didn’t want to be accused of following in her footsteps. But fast forward several decades and she’s a deputy team manager in adult social care for Essex county council. “I’ve definitely always been someone who’s fighting for justice,” she says. “That’s the sort of attitude you need in this profession.”
Over the past nine years, she’s moved from a frontline position to a role overseeing a team of 21 practitioners made up of social workers, occupational therapists and community support workers. They work with people aged over 18 – including those with learning disabilities, those experiencing mental health issues and homelessness, and older people. In 2017 she was part of a small group that was lauded at the Social Worker of the Year awards for their work on the Virtual Dementia Tour, a training programme to help staff gain a greater understanding of dementia. More recently, she’s been involved in an LGBTQIA+ training initiative with the council, and says she particularly enjoys working with students and newly qualified practitioners at the start of their journey.
Hopkins has found it helps to have a passion outside the office to unwind after difficult days – she’s the singer and guitar player in a local punk band. “There are real struggles but also daily successes, particularly with a good team. Social work can be full on and if you don’t have a good hobby, you can ruminate over your day.” It’s also the kind of profession where it pays to bring your personality to work, she adds. “We’re supporting some of the most vulnerable people in our society. Bring your full self so that you can make the biggest difference you possibly can.”
‘I love how social workers can be agents of change for families’
Lakeisha Hicks is assistant head of service, for the assessment, intervention and planning team at the London Borough of Barnet
Originally from Texas, Lakeisha Hicks says getting into social work “was kind of accidental” after she decided healthcare wasn’t for her. She soon became fascinated with social development, studying courses in India and Germany before coming to the UK for six months’ work experience in child, youth and family social work. Fourteen years later, she’s still here. “I really love it. I love how social workers can be agents of change for families.”
She’s trained in systemic practice – exploring, for example, how a family’s difficulties exist within the context of the wider family and relationships, rather than with an individual – and is now the assistant head of service for the assessment, intervention and planning team at the London Borough of Barnet. At times, she’s been tempted to return to the US to study for her PhD in social work, but says “there’s something about child, youth and family social work that keeps pulling me back in”.
About two years ago, she reconnected, through a service called Lifelong Links, with a girl she’d placed into foster care as a child. “That was one of the most profound experiences of my career. We don’t always get to know 10 years on if our children are OK and that we made the right decisions. It was an emotional reunion but I’m so glad I get to still be a part of her journey.”
Asked for her advice for someone coming into the profession, she says: “The challenges we face build resilience. And it’s important to be open and never stop reflecting on the thoughts, feelings and experiences that are driving you and your practice.”
‘You just need passion, commitment and drive’
Georgina Thornton works with adults with learning disabilities
In Manchester, Georgina Thornton says social work found her rather than the other way round. She’d spent a decade in a variety of roles – working in nursing homes, with people with dementia, and supporting children and adults who had learning disabilities or mental health issues – and found she loved advocating for people. “But I wanted something more. A few people suggested social work and the idea appealed to me.”
Thornton qualified in 2019, having completed a degree at Manchester Metropolitan University, and joined the integrated neighbourhood team at Manchester city council. She now works with adults with learning disabilities. “I love working with people through direct work. There are lots of challenges but I have had many more highlights, especially when you build a trusting relationship with someone and you see how their life changes. Being able to show them where their strengths are and helping them find that path … it’s really fulfilling.”
She likes the variety of the job and says she does a lot of gratitude writing and mindfulness to help her unwind. “Social work is different every day. What keeps me going is reflection. There are challenges but there will always be a solution to any problem you face. It’s about reaching out for support when you need it. I’ve definitely grown personally and professionally in terms of my overall resilience.”
She believes there’s a social work job to suit everyone because of how diverse it is as a profession. “I was surprised at how many different remits and opportunities there are. You just need passion, commitment and drive.”
‘It’s a uniquely rewarding profession’
Rachel Okuna is a team manager for Essex county council
Rachel Okuna grew up in Uganda but moved to the UK 14 years ago to work as a social worker.
She’s now a team manager for Essex county council, overseeing an assessment and intervention team, which evaluates what support a family needs when it first comes into contact with the service. “It’s almost like being a doctor, diagnosing an issue and then prescribing a treatment,” she says. “You have to be courageous enough to make decisions.”
Okuna now oversees two senior practitioners and six social workers but still has some direct contact with children and families, attending safeguarding meetings, obtaining feedback when auditing cases, or supporting members of the team on complex cases. She says there are still a lot of misconceptions about social workers, such as that they have the power to autonomously remove children. “It’s not true and it impacts how people see us, or view our support,” she says. “The majority of families that come into contact with social care have positive outcomes.”
On challenging days, Okuna says she gets a lot of strength from the emotional support of colleagues. She would advise anyone thinking about a career in social work to go for it. “It’s a uniquely rewarding profession. Walking the journey with a family, where you go into their homes and you’re aware of their most difficult challenges, before supporting them through to the other side … it’s a real privilege.”
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