I write this blog at the end of a week that, fittingly as Chair of the ADCS Workforce Policy Committee, has encompassed World Social Work Day - reminding us to take a moment to recognise the ongoing commitment of those who do a very difficult job day in and day out, supporting the most vulnerable children in our system. In Rotherham, as I know in many other local authorities across the country, we hosted a day of activities led by our Principal Social Worker that celebrated our social workers in all their many roles. We particularly reflected on the impact that great quality life story work can have for our children and young people, especially when we are often trying to support our care experienced young people to re-establish relationships with extended family, local culture and community.

We know the difference a dedicated social worker can make to the long-term future of a child, but also how important it is to draw on the support of the wider service and leaders at all levels to create and maintain the environment in which such work is possible. Over the last few years, the social work task has been significantly influenced by the impact of Covid-19, increasing child poverty, and the long-term reduction in public sector funding. It is arguably made increasingly more complex as other services have become less available or targeted to the children and families that we work with. The government’s National Working Action Group has been leading on a valuable project around worker case and workloads in this context; we are looking forward to their findings and recommendations being published in late spring.

But while we acknowledge the serious ongoing national shortages in frontline social workers, it is wonderful to see the real improvement in retention rates for workers and, as noted in the latest DfE statistics, over 27% of qualified posts are filled by Black and global majority staff. Critically, the agency worker rules are now showing a real impact in terms of increases in permanent post holders. There is obviously more to do. The consultation published yesterday, in relation to the new Early Career Support arrangements (previously called the Early Career Framework), gives us an opportunity to comment on whether we feel these further puzzle pieces of proposed government redesign will appropriately bolster the critical learning and development and support pathway for social workers. It is vital that newly qualified staff feel appropriately supported and challenged as they develop their skills, but also that we develop and promote our more experienced colleagues as they feel their way into first line management roles and ultimately to the giddy heights of the DCS world! Our core values of care, social justice, inclusion and empowerment run through all these roles, and remind me of why, even on the most difficult days, being a social worker is the best job in the world.

The final exercise of our local celebration event was to think back and consider the advice that you might give to your younger social worker self. This was harder than you might think for some of us who have been practising for the best part of 30 years – we have seen a lot of change, and some real improvements in the system as well as some challenging dead ends – but one of the great things about social work is that no two days are never the same. In the end, though, my reflection back to my younger self boiled down to “listening more carefully and being kinder”. Over time, I have come to appreciate that children and young people will usually tell you, very clearly, what they need to improve their lived experience…if you can take the time to really listen to them. Above all, however, it is so important to be kind as we start out (and continue) as social workers – to children and young people, to their parents and carers, to other professionals also doing really challenging jobs, but critically to ourselves as well. We all make mistakes, but as ever, it is the willingness to learn from them that improves our practice, our connection with children and their families, and ultimately the value of the whole profession as we move forward.