Social Work Radio

Social Work Radio brings you interviews and discussions on the issues that matter to social workers in the real world. From politics and policies to dating and ethical dilemmas, there’s something for everyone.

The Social Worker of the Year Awards 2024

This week on Social Work Radio  our hosts, Vince Peart and Cara Davis, chat all things Social Worker of the Year Awards. Don't miss it...= Created for social workers, by social workers. Join the conversation, every Friday.

11-15
39:56

Trump triumphs: What does this mean for social workers?

This week, our hosts discuss the historic US election result, as well as delving into the state of UK politics right now. How much do politics really matter to social workers? Is there a duty on social workers to be political? What shifts have politics caused to social workers during our time in the profession, and what impact have political changes had upon clients in our time as practitioners?   Join the conversation, every Friday morning with Social Work Radio - created by social workers, for social workers.

11-08
54:01

Dating as a social worker

This week, our hosts discuss dating as a social worker - does being a social worker throw up additional complications when dating? Would you date a fellow social worker? Would you 'swipe right' on someone connected to a client? And if you're already in a relationship, does being a social worker affect it? Join the conversation, every Friday morning with Social Work Radio - created by social workers, for social workers.

11-01
42:33

Will AI completely change the way we do social work?

This week, our hosts discuss the benefits of AI in social work, as well as the problems they feel it could cause. What are the concerns about the ethical and practical applications of AI, and do we risk some people getting left behind?   Join the conversation, every Friday morning with Social Work Radio - created by social workers, for social workers.

10-18
46:34

Could you be a social worker AND a foster carer?

Could you be a foster carer? What are the rewards and challenges? And what unique skills do social workers bring to fostering? This week on Social Work Radio, our host Vince chats with social worker Claire Nelson about how she combines her busy job with being a foster carer. Does being a social worker make her a better foster carer? What skills are interchangeable? And how does she find it working with social workers, when she's in her foster carer role? Join the conversation, every Friday morning. Created by social workers, for social workers.

10-11
53:13

What’s going wrong with Social Work England?

On this week's episode, our hosts discuss their views on Social Work England as a regulator, the changes to CPD as announced this week, and what they think is next for the regulator. Join the conversation, every Friday morning. Created by social workers, for social workers.

10-04
01:01:56

How to find the perfect social work job for you

On this week's episode, inspired by THIS article, our hosts explore how social workers can find their ideal role. What are the signs you've found the perfect social work job for you? How can you balance autonomy and support? And does burnout necessarily mean you're in the wrong job? Join the conversation, every Friday morning. Created by social workers, for social workers.

09-27
46:45

Expecting social workers to walk through water and not get wet...

On this week's episode, our hosts ask, are social workers being asked to manage extreme emotional and professional demands without enough support? Are social workers able to identify our breaking points? What is the impact of emotional labour on social workers and our practice - and what needs to change? Join the conversation every Friday morning. Created by social workers, for social workers.

09-20
48:28

Is hybrid working helping or hindering social workers?

On this week's episode, inspired by this recent article, our social work hosts discuss both the the benefits and potential downsides of hybrid working for social workers. How does hybrid working impact team dynamics, peer support, and communication? How does it impact social work practice and clients? Has it created a gap in the social services delivered, or if it has led to innovation in approaches to client care? Join the conversation every Friday morning. Created by social workers, for social workers.

09-13
54:49

Ofsted

As Ofsted announced plans this week to eliminate single-word judgments from their evaluation framework for children’s social care, our hosts Vince and Cara discuss their experiences with Ofsted inspections to date, their reactions to the news of this "landmark overhaul," and their hopes for the future of inspections. Created by social workers, for social workers. Join the conversation every Friday morning.

09-06
55:01

The 10 biggest stereotypes about social workers

On this week's episode, inspired by this article, our hosts Vince and Cara discuss stereotypes in social work, examining portrayals in the media, TV, movies, and books. Is there anything harmful about these stereotypes? And do they each consider themselves to be 'typical' social workers?   Join the conversation every Friday morning. Created by social workers, for social workers.

08-23
52:15

Can you ever really switch off from being a social worker?

Where do we draw the line on being a social worker and being a person? On this week's episode, our hosts Vince and Cara discuss whether being a social worker restricts your freedoms - online and in the real world? How do we define ‘bringing the profession into disrepute?' Does being a social worker change the way you see the world? Are you more likely to intervene and involve yourself with members of the public? Should we be able to make a ‘citizens intervention’? Join the conversation, every Friday morning. Created by social workers, for social workers.

08-16
53:43

The UK anti-immigration riots

On this week's episode, our hosts Vince and Cara delve into the difficult subject of the recent riots that have impacted communities across the country for the past week. Created by social workers, for social workers. Join the conversation every Friday morning.

08-09
55:53

The Leeds social work riot

* Please note: this episode was recorded earlier this week, before the judge ruled that the children involved in the case be returned to the care of extended family.   On this week's episode, our hosts Vince and Cara discuss how they felt watching the news of the riots in Leeds unfold this week, and their own experiences of working with people who’ve had their children removed. Where is the line between accepting the anger of grief and not allowing it to escalate? Can police presence inflame situations like this? How do the social workers managing this case now cope, and do events like this place additional scrutiny and threat on our entire profession? Created by social workers, for social workers. Join the conversation every Friday morning.

07-26
01:02:51

The prison system is broken - how can we fix it?

On this week's podcast, inspired by this opinion column, Vince and Cara discuss  their experiences of working with people in prison - the good, and the bad. They explore different prison systems around the world, and ask: how do you balance deferral with rehabilitation and reform?   Created by social workers, for social workers. Join the conversation every Friday morning.

07-19
52:38

The rise of the far-right should terrify social workers

On this week's podcast, inspired by this opinion column, Vince and Cara discuss Trump, Reform, and the National Rally - and ask the question: has there ever been a scarier time, politically, in their lifetime?   Do they see this issue going away? What will the Tories do now? And what is our duty as social workers here, in the face of all that is going on?   Created by social workers, for social workers. Join the conversation every Friday morning.

07-12
51:32

It's a Labour win: what next for social workers?

What do we want to see from a Labour government?   On this week's podcast, Vince and Cara discuss the results of yesterday's general election, and what they'd like to see from Labour, after 14 years of Tory rule. Join them as they break down the Labour manifesto, and discuss exactly what this new government may mean for social workers.   Created by social workers, for social workers. Join the conversation every Friday morning.

07-05
56:01

How to find healthier coping strategies for social workers

On this week's podcast - inspired by this article on mysocialworknews.com - our hosts Vince and Cara discuss healthy vs unhealthy coping strategies, the potential benefits and impacts of keeping stimulated, and whether there should be a duty of care from social work employers when it comes to dealing with the stress of the job.   Created by social workers, for social workers. Join the conversation every Friday morning.

06-28
57:48

Should we bring back the national service?

On this week's podcast, our hosts Vince and Cara discuss their take on PM Rishi Sunak's proposal to bring back national service. What are their issues with this? How do they think young people will react, and how would they have reacted when they were younger? And is there a better way to engage the young people of this country?   Created by social workers, for social workers. Join the conversation every Friday morning.

06-21
50:52

How to give excellent supervision to social workers

On this week's podcast, our hosts Vince and Cara discuss whether they feel therapy is necessary for social workers, explore their own experiences with supervision - both as social workers and managers - and each share their top tips for giving and receiving quality supervision.   Created by social workers, for social workers. Join the conversation every Friday morning.

06-07
01:04:04

Megan Dawn

I've been waiting for Cara to be on the show again, will she ever be back???

05-31 Reply

Yoni Ejo

I liked the discussion about the fostering worker. I do think the agency has some culpability as they clearly didn't give her clear guidance about boundaries.

05-03 Reply

Laura Coburn

Loved the first episode. Made me giggle during the grey morning dog walk whilst I pondered on what time I was going to write a SW report on a Sunday night! Looking forward to the next one.

04-07 Reply

Yoni Ejo

How come you don't advertise this on your Facebook group? I stumbled on it, and think much more would listen if they knew about it!

03-17 Reply

Recommend Channels