A manually transcribed transcript of this podcast is available here.

Welcome to Learn on the go, the podcast from Community Care Inform, where we discuss the issues affecting social workers and social care practitioners.

This is a special, one-off edition of Learn on the go, discussing the seismic Supreme Court ruling on 2 June 2026 which overruled its own decision in P v Cheshire West and Chester Council & Anor [2014] UKSC 19 (Cheshire West) on the meaning of deprivation of liberty. In doing so, the Supreme Court held that:

There is no “acid test” when it comes to determining whether a person is deprived of their liberty, and instead a multifactorial assessment must be undertaken, and
A person who lacks capacity within the meaning of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 can still give valid consent to their confinement for the purposes of the subjective element of the Article 5 test.

Discussing this issue is Alex Ruck Keene, an experienced barrister, writer and educator. His practice at 39 Essex Chambers is focused on mental capacity, mental health and healthcare law, in which he has appeared in cases at all levels up to and including The Supreme Court and the European Court of Human Rights. And indeed, Alex was one of the barristers on the Attorney General for Northern Ireland's legal team in this Supreme Court case.

Questions were asked by Natalie Valios, senior content editor, Community Care Inform Adults.

0:01:30 - How the case came about

0:04:08 – Why judges have been uneasy about the acid test

0:08:03 – The parties involved and their arguments to the court

0:14:24 – Who did the Supreme Court rule in favour of?

0:15:38 – Clarifying the correct approach to identifying a deprivation of liberty

0:21:08 – The meaning of multifactorial

0:23:22 – Reassuring anyone worried about removal of safeguards for disabled people

0:26:24 – Can the case be challenged?

0:29:42 – Is a statutory definition needed?

0:32:14 – What happens next?

0:37:01 – What does this mean for Liberty Protection Safeguards?

References

The Supreme Court judgment
Supreme Court summary
Mental Capacity Law and Policy: Attorney General for Northern Ireland resources

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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A manually transcribed transcript of this podcast is available here.

Welcome to Learn on the go, the podcast from Community Care Inform, where we discuss the issues affecting social workers and social care practitioners.

This episode looks at county lines and child criminal exploitation. Discussing this is Adam Elliott, founder of The Long Game, a youth-led intervention to reduce young people’s risk of exposure to these forms of modern slavery.

Adam uses his lived experience to highlight how children and young people are groomed, exploited and manipulated into county lines.

At about 1 hour and 20 minutes, this is an extended edition of Learn on the go but we feel it is justified. Adam’s story is hard-hitting and, at times, difficult to listen to but it is full of information and tangible red flags that have to be heard to be understood.

We realise that it’s a commitment on your part to sit with his story to the end but you will find learning points all the way through. If you’re finding it difficult to listen to, you may want to take a break and come back to it. We’d like to remind you to practise self-care and use supervision and peer support if you’ve been affected by this episode.

Questions were asked by Natalie Valios, senior content editor, Community Care Inform Adults.

00:01:45 – Life before county lines

00:03:44 – Stereotypes and vulnerabilities

00:06:52 – Being groomed

00:08:53 – Dropping off the first package

00:13:13 – Early warning signs

00:14:59 – How county lines operate

00:23:13 – A community problem

00:25:52 – Asking for help

00:27:52 – Trap houses

00:34:51 – Hope of escape

00:38:40 – Facing prison

00:42:57 – Knife and chemical attacks

00:48:53 – Victim of modern slavery

00:51:27 – Parents’ suspicions

00:54:39 – Arrest on 18th birthday

01:01:44 – Missing out on life

01:07:51 – Contextual safeguarding

01:10:07 – Family support

01:11:20 – Importance of knowing the slang

01:13:55 – Misconceptions

01:18:08 – Crime and Policing Bill

01:19:18 – Life now

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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This episode focuses on welfare benefits and support in England and Wales.

The welfare benefits system is designed to provide financial support to individuals and families in need. However, according to a report published in 2025 by Policy in Practice, over 7 million households in the UK are missing out on benefits and support due to limited awareness, complexity in the benefits system and stigma around claiming. These barriers are found to often overlap and disproportionately affect people already facing other disadvantages, including carers, disabled adults, older people on low incomes, single parents and people without strong social networks.

Discussing this topic is Gary Vaux, the author of Community Care Inform's Benefits A-Z knowledge and practice hub. Gary has been involved in welfare rights for many years and until recently managed a team of local authority benefit and debt advice workers. His background includes training and writing on welfare benefit rules and policies, and he was also chair of the Social Security Advisers Group at the Local Government Association.

Questions are asked by Gemma Balmford, content editor at Community Care Inform Adults.

Subscribe to the Learn on the go series to stay up-to-date with new episodes. Look out for the final episode in Season 2, which will be released at the end of February 2026.

Links to resources mentioned in this podcast
* Advicenow * Age UK * Benefits and Work * CC Inform's benefits A-Z (free for CC Inform subscribers) * Child Poverty Action Group * Citizens Advice * Contact * Disability Rights UK * entitledto * Mencap * MIND * Motor Neurone Disease Association * Policy in Practice * Rightsnet * RNIB * RNID * Scope * Turn2Us

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Welcome to Learn on the go, a Community Care Inform podcast, where we discuss the issues affecting social workers and social care practitioners. This episode focuses on eating disorders in adults and the support that occupational therapists can provide. Beat, the UK's eating disorder charity, estimates that 1.25 million people in the UK have an eating disorder and, contrary to popular belief, about a quarter are male.

Discussing this subject is Abigail Cardwell, the lead occupational therapist for eating disorders at the South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust. Abigail is also a clinical associate trainer for Beat and co-chair of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists' eating disorders specialist network.

Eating disorders are complex mental illnesses affecting people of all ages, genders, ethnicities and backgrounds. Behaviours can include limiting the amount of food eaten, eating very large quantities of food at once, getting rid of food eaten through unhealthy means or a mixture of any of these. They can cause serious harm physically, mentally and emotionally and, sadly, in some cases can be fatal. But despite being such serious illnesses, they are treatable and people can make a full recovery with the right support.

We want to give a warning about the content in this episode. We'd encourage you to look after yourself while listening and use supervision and peer support if it brings up anything difficult for you.

And if you’re worried about your own or someone else’s health, you can contact Beat, the UK's eating disorder charity, on 0808 801 0677 or visit the website beateatingdisorders.org.uk

Questions are asked by Natalie Valios, senior content editor at Community Care Inform Adults.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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In this episode, Philip Heslop, assistant professor of Social Work at Northumbria University, explores the vital topic of engaging fathers within the child protection system. In this discussion, Philip Heslop shares insights from his decades of experience regarding why fathers are often overlooked or excluded in social work practice, despite representing a significant portion of the population.

The conversation explores the consequences of this exclusion for children and families, examines how gendered assumptions and bias influence social work decisions, and discusses practical, relationship-based approaches social workers can use to effectively engage with men, including those perceived as 'resistant'.

Philip Heslop also addresses the legal and systemic factors, such as legislation and resource constraints, that either help or hinder inclusive practice with diverse family structures, including kinship carers and stepparents.

In this episode, Philip mentions recources for practitioners and parents including the Fatherhood Institute, the Family Rights Group and the North East Young Dads and Lads Group.

Questions are asked by Gillian MacFarlane, content editor, Community Care Inform Children.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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This episode looks at the barriers faced by women who want to exit prostitution. Discussing the issue with us is Carol, who has lived experience of prostitution and whose name we have changed to protect her identity.

Carol was subjected to prostitution for 50 years before successfully exiting in her 60s. She wanted to share her story to highlight the complexities that can result in women being exploited through prostitution and what is needed to help women exit.

The number of people involved in prostitution in the UK is difficult to quantify due to its hidden nature and the absence of any survey on a national level. However, estimates suggest that over 72,000 individuals are exchanging sex for money or other benefit of need, with the overwhelming majority of them being women. Women subjected to prostitution often have extensive experiences of trauma, abuse and male violence, and experience addiction and poor mental and physical health as a consequence.

We want to give a content warning: Carol talks about child sexual abuse, suicide attempts, drug addiction and trauma. We'd encourage you to look after yourself while listening and use supervision and peer support if this episode brings up anything difficult for you.

If you're supporting a woman subjected to prostitution and are interested in contacting nia about its specialist exiting services and refuge provision, visit the prostitution page on its website or call 07880 230 516. Women can access nia's service if they are over 18 and currently involved in prostitution in London. They can refer themselves or be referred by an agency.

Questions are asked by Natalie Valios, senior content editor, Community Care Inform Adults.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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This episode focuses on working with ‘parental conflict’ (this is the phrase we tend to hear, though we discuss that there may be more helpful language we can use). Terminology aside, it’s clear that professional involvement in the very personal dynamics of a couple’s relationship and how it may be impacting their child or children can be extremely challenging and uncomfortable for both the parents and practitioners.

So we wanted to bring you some practical advice and guidance on doing this type of work with families. Our guest sharing some of her experience and expertise Jude Gordon. Jude has been a practitioner and service manager in local authority and voluntary sector settings, working with children, young people and families. Until earlier this year, she led the Reducing Parental Conflict programme at Relate. This included different forms of relationship support for parents and carers; training for professionals who work with families; and developing AI tools to help couples and co-parents communicate more effectively an understand how their children may be feeling Jude is now a project manager within the child poverty team at the North East Combined Authority, which covers seven local authority areas.

The discussion includes anonymised examples of working with a family, supporting families with the systemic and practical challenges that can contribute to conflict, working with separated couples and co-parents, useful resources and self-care for practitioners. Jude emphasises relational, authentic practice, and keeping in mind cultural and family structure differences.

Links to resources Jude mentions:
* Relate's 'Sounding board' bot that can help parents (partners or co-parents) who are having disagreements to write texts and emails or prepare for conversations * 'In the middle' bot (also from Relate) helps parents understand how their child/ren of different ages may understand their parents' relationship and how they may feel. * Tool to find local services * The Reducing Parental Conflict online community on Knowledge Hub (requires initial free registration with Knowledge Hub, a digital platform for public service professionals) * One Plus One: offers free and paid for online resources, and training packages * Race Equality Foundation parental conflict toolkit

Related resources on CC Inform

All our podcast episodes
Benefits A-Z (includes information about eligibility and how to apply for all major social security benefit in the UK)
Housing knowledge and practice hub (includes information on rights in relation to housing conditions and tenancy)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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This episode focuses on leadership skills and style - in particular the crucial role of feedback which can sometimes be seen as mainly about staff performance and a less comfortable or even fear-inducing aspect of any kind of leadership or supervisory role.

Our guests today are keen to discuss and demonstrate how feedback is a much broader part of developing your own leadership style and something that can help build trust, transparency and supportive culture in your team or particular context.

They share examples from their own experience to help practitioners, supervisors and managers at all stages think about developing their own leadership skills and style.

This epsisode is part of our leadership knowledge and practice hub on CC Inform Children which has been produced with Frontline, that charity that is perhaps most known for its fast-track local-authority based training programme for new child protection social workers, but also runs leadership development programmes for managers and those aspiring to be managers in children’s services.

The speakers are:
Anjuli Obaro, curriculum lead at Frontline
Delin Dixon, independent social worker, experienced foster carer, consultant and trainer
Yinka Olaniran, service manager for a local authority independent reviewing and child protection conference service, and facilitator

Further links:
Radical Candor In 6 Minutes With Kim Scott (YouTube video)
Radical Candor (book)
CC Inform leadership knowledge and practice hub
CC Inform Management knowledge and practice hub
CC Inform Supervision knowledge and practice hub

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Season 1, episode 5.

This episode is about how to safeguard children with special educational needs and disabilities from sexual exploitation. We’ll be discussing recent research and findings related to modern slavery and the heightened risk that children with SEND are at across England and Wales, as well as the importance of early identification and working with the whole family.

Our expert guest is Sarah Goff – associate researcher at Manchester Metropolitan university.

Questions are asked by Gillian MacFarlane, content editor, Community Care Inform Childrens.

Community Care Inform subscribers can access additional resources and a written transcript of the podcast.

Subscribe to the Learn on the go series to stay up-to-date with new episodes. Look out for the next episode in Season 1, which will be released at the end of June.

Meanwhile, you can join Community Care's Social Work Community for careers guidance, private discussion rooms with fellow social workers and even more podcast episodes.

Resources
Research study - Internal trafficking of children with SEND
Research stufy - Early identification of exploitation of children with SEND

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Season 1, episode 4

This episode focuses on dealing with change and loss as a result of becoming physically disabled as an adult, and how practitioners can support individuals who are coming to terms with the impact of disability on their body and their lives.

The guest is Rebecca Regler, a lived experience worker. Rebecca qualified as a social worker 10 years ago but didn’t get the chance to put her training into practice because soon after graduating she was diagnosed with the connective tissue disorder Ehlers Danlos syndrome, which left her unable to work.

Rebecca discusses the emotional impact that can occur from unexpectedly becoming disabled as an adult; how it can affect mental health; the loss of identity, including professional identity and how someone perceives themselves within relationships; the financial implications; and how social care professionals can provide support and advocacy to help adults at such a difficult time.

Questions are asked by Natalie Valios, senior content editor, Community Care Inform Adults.

Community Care Inform subscribers can access additional resources and a written transcript of the podcast.

Subscribe to the Learn on the go series to stay up-to-date with new episodes. Look out for the next episode in Season 1, which will be released at the end of May.

Meanwhile, you can join Community Care's Social Work Community for careers guidance, private discussion rooms with fellow social workers and even more podcast episodes.

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This episode discusses perinatal mental health. Approximately one in five women in the UK experience mental health issues during pregnancy and up to one year after birth, and if left untreated they can lead to long-lasting effects on mothers, infants and the wider family.

In recent years, significant funding has been invested in specialist perinatal mental health services but there are disparities in access to these services and experiences with health and social care professionals.

This episode explores the role of social workers in perinatal mental health, the risk factors of developing perinatal mental illness and the red flags to look out for that may indicate a new or expectant mother is struggling with perinatal mental health issues.

The guests are Tara Mitchell, a registered social worker and operations manager of the perinatal mental health service at Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, and Wan Abdullah, a mother with lived experience of perinatal mental illness.

Asking the questions is Gemma Balmford, assistant content editor, Community Care Inform Adults.

Subscribe to the Learn on the go series to stay up-to-date with new episodes. Look out for the next episode in Season 1, which will be released at the end of April.

Links

Royal College of Psychiatrists
MBRRACE-UK
Tavistock and Portman
The perinatal mental health elearning programme
Maternal Mental Health Alliance

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This episode discusses domestic abuse within young people's relationships. It explores the intricicies around age and statutory and voluntary support services available for young people. This episode provides practical tips on how practitioners can address risks with young people and their parents/carers - such as how to structure conversations, and the key indicators of risks that shoud be considered when working with young people who are at risk of, or who have experienced abuse. Multiple assessment tools are discussed, along with various specialist services.

The guest is Jenifer Lamadrid, an experienced social worker, who has been trianed within domestic violence and abuse services. Jenifer has previously worked as an IDVA (independent domestic violence advocate), and has a key interest in working with young people at risk of, or who have experienced, abuse.

Asking the questions is Gillian MacFarlane, content editor, Community Care Inform Childrens.

Assessment tools and specialist services mentioned:

Safe Lives

Brook Sexual Behaviours Traffic Light Tool

BAMBUUU

Respect Young People's Service

Women's Aid

Victim Support - Support Space

Subscribe to the Learn on the Go series to stay up-to-date with new episodes. Look out for the next episode in Season 1, which will be released at the end of April.

Join Community Care's 'Social Work Community' for careers guidance, private discussion rooms with fellow social workers and even more podcast episodes.

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This episode discusses the issues around mental capacity and suicide, and what has been called the ‘you’ve got capacity to choose to kill yourself phenomenon’.

The guest is Alex Ruck Keene, an experienced barrister, writer and educator. His practice at 39 Essex Chambers is focused on mental capacity, mental health and healthcare law, in which he has appeared in cases at all levels up to and including The Supreme Court and the European Court of Human Rights.Alex is the creator of the website Mental Capacity Law and Policy, which provides resources and expert commentary on some of the most difficult mental capacity issues.In March 2022, Alex was made an honorary KC, reflecting his contributions to mental capacity and mental health law outside the court room.

NB: Any views expressed by Alex are his alone and not those of any organisations he is associated with.

Asking the questions is Natalie Valios, senior content editor, Community Care Inform Adults.

We’d encourage you to look after yourself while listening and use supervision and peer support if this brings up anything difficult for you.And if you’ve been affected by this episode, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123.

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This episode of Learn on the go is about domestic violence and abuse. It covers what domestic violence and abuse is; the various forms it can take, and how to risk assess and make referrals. This episode explores a domestic violence risk assessment tool called the CAADA DASH, as well as the purpose and importance of multi-agency risk assessment conferences known as MARAC, and how these are used to bring professionals together to support victims of domestic abuse. The expert guest is Jenifer Lamadrid, a senior social worker for a London borough where she also serves as a MARAC representative for children’s social services. Jen mentions she has worked as an IDVA. This is an independent domestic violence advocate, someone who supports victims and is separate from police and social services. The questions were asked by Gillian MacFarlane, content editor at Community Care Inform.

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Ethan’s in his early 30s now. He was in foster care from the age of five and then in children’s homes from the age of 11. In this conversation we speak about staying in touch with and seeing family members while in care.

You'll hear the word ‘contact’ quite a bit - the word that was very much in use when Ethan was young. We hope this makes sense when you listen, while we know practitioners today increasingly recognise the importance of using language that suits the individual child, whether that’s 'family time' or something else.

Ethan speaks about his experiences of different types of ‘contact’ – including visiting his parents in jail, supervised sessions with his grandparents and siblings, goodbye meetings with other siblings who were adopted, and unsupervised time with his parents as he got older.

He shares his thoughts on how professionals can support children and young people with the complexity of wanting and valuing connection with family, while dealing with what can be its extremely challenging emotional impact.

Community Care Inform subscribers can access additional resources and a written transcript of the podcast here: https://www.ccinform.co.uk/practice-guidance/podcast-transcript-the-emotional-impact-of-contact-ethans-experience/

You can watch the video interview Ethan did with Jenny Molloy spoke about his experience of being taken into care, and the social workers who made the biggest difference to his life here: https://www.communitycare.co.uk/2023/10/26/choose-social-work-they-helped-me-escape-the-life-i-was-living-as-a-teenager/

Ethan believes strongly in the importance of sharing lived experience of different aspects of being a child in care with professionals to help improve practice with young people today. If you would like to get in touch with Ethan, please email ccinformhelpdesk@markallengroup.com and we can pass a message on.

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Welcome to Learn On The Go, the podcast from Community Care Inform where we discuss research, theories and practice issues and look at what they mean for social care practitioners.

In this episode we talk to Jenny Molloy, motivational speaker, trainer, care leaver and bestselling author of three books with a fourth about to be published.

Her first book, Hackney Child, written under the pen name Hope Daniels, describes Jenny’s childhood and how at the age of nine she walked into Stoke Newington police station with her two younger brothers and asked that they be taken into care. Both their parents were addicted to alcohol, their mother was a sex worker, and they’d experienced neglect, malnourishment and poverty.

When she was 19, Jenny decided to read her social services files, where she discovered that both her parents had also been in care and had experienced traumatic childhoods. So it is testament to Jenny’s strength of character that she not only conquered her own alcohol addiction, but achieved her childhood dream for her future: that her children be raised in a safe, loving, family home and have a "normal life", breaking the cycle of children in care having their children go into care.

Ordinarily, Jenny talks and trains about life as a child in care, and issues around care leavers and childhood trauma. On this occasion, Jenny is talking about how childhood trauma can play out in adulthood, and how she relapsed and then recovered when it happened to her.

We do want to give a content warning: Jenny talks about her attempted suicide, being sectioned, and time in a psychiatric hospital.

We know it can be difficult to hear about people’s trauma so we’d like to remind you to practise self-care and use supervision and peer support if this has brought up anything difficult for you.

And if you’ve been affected by this episode, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123.

During the interview, Jenny references the Lambeth Children's Homes Redress Scheme, which you can read about here. And she also mentions the National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS).

The questions were asked by Natalie Valios, senior content editor at Community Care Inform Adults.

0:02:37.3 - The three triggers

0:10:10 - The psychiatric hospital

0:17:49.8 - Recovery

0:20:53.1 - Adult mental health services

0:27:36.9 - Healing

0:31:23.7 - Advice for social workers

0:33:41.4 - The future

0:37:05.8 - Hope

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In this episode, Helen, a facilitator of The Freedom Programme which supports victms and survivors of domestic abuse, and two other mothers with lived experience spoke to Jenny Molloy, bestselling author, motivational speaker and care leaver about their experiences with children's services and what support is most helpful for people in abusive relationships. The conversation was recorded on location at Trevi, the charity that supports women and children.

As well as community support for women and children, Trevi runs Jasmine's Recovery Centre, a residential drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre exclusively for mothers and their children. We recorded a separate episode about mothers experiences of social work connected to substance use. You'll find the episode in the podcast feed.

Full transcripts of both episodes and supporting materials are available to Community Care Inform subscribers at ccinform.co.uk.

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In this episode, Helen, Vicky and Hannah, spoke to Jenny Molloy, bestselling author, motivational speaker and care leaver about their experiences of children's services as mothers using, and in recovery from, drugs and alcohol. They share what did and didn't help them, and what they would like social workers to understans.

The conversation was recorded on location at Jasmine Mother's Recovery Centre, part of Trevi, the charity that supports women and children.

Find out more about the centre and Trevi's work here: https://trevi.org.uk/services/jasmine-mothers-recovery/

Some of the women touch on the fact that many women who have experienced trauma and drug and acohol addiction have been in abusive relationships. We recorded a separate episode about mothers experiences of social work connected to domestic abuse. You'll find the episode in the podcast feed.

Full transcripts of both episodes and supporting materials are available to Community Care Inform subscribers at ccinform.co.uk.

Content warnings. While these are stories with positive outcomes, there are brief mentions of attempted suicide, domestic abuse, difficult childbirth, and women also speak about their older children being removed.

We’d encourage you to use supervision and peer support if this episode brings up anything difficult for you, and generally to look after yourself while listening.

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In this episode, two expert guests discuss media coverage, blame and shame of social workers.

The guests are Dr Liz Frost, associate professor of social work at the University of the West of England, and Dr Maria Leedham, senior lecturer in applied linguistics at the Open University.

They discuss Maria’s research into mentions of social workers in UK newspapers and TV dramas, why media coverage almost entirely focuses on child protection, and whether there are signs that this negative bias might be changing.

The questions were asked by Ruth Hardy-Mullings, head of content at Community Care.

Links
* Community Care story, including podcast transcript: * How negative perceptions of social work are reinforced in the media: https://www.communitycare.co.uk/2023/10/12/how-negative-perceptions-of-social-workers-are-reinforced-in-the-media/ * Sharon Shoesmith interview: https://www.communitycare.co.uk/2023/07/05/sharon-shoesmith-how-social-workers-can-get-their-professional-pride-back/ * 'You can literally change a young person's life': podcast episode with Dan, an 18-year-old with care experience: https://www.communitycare.co.uk/2023/08/08/you-can-literally-change-a-young-persons-life-an-18-year-olds-message-for-social-workers/

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In this episode, we discuss the social work role in working with girls and women affected by female genital mutilation (FGM) and safeguarding children at risk. Our two guests bring their perspectives from both practice and research to try and help increase practitioners’ knowledge and confidence.

You’ll hear about ways to keep anti-oppressive and anti-racist practice, personal reflection and supervision central to your work – both to avoid stigmatising and causing further harm to affectees, and to build trust and relationships with individuals and communities to reduce risk.

The guests are: Maureen Mguni, a senior lecturer and researcher in social work at the University of West London (UWL) who has worked with women and girls affected by gender-based violence for most of her practice and research career, currently researching the experiences of people affected by FGM and their engagement with social workers in the UK; and Zelia Camelo. During one of her placements while studying social work at UWL, Zelia worked with a young person who had experienced FGM and she discusses what she did and what she learned.

The questions were asked by Joanna Silman, senior content editor at Community Care Inform Children.

Areas covered:
02.03: Addressing common misconceptions and myths about FGM

06.31: Use of language with affectees and children at risk and their families – examples of anti-oppressive questions to ask instead

12.50: Zelia’s experience working with a 16-year-old Somalian female during her placement, and the direct work she carried out. The girl had undergone FGM at a young age. The law and interactions with health services are also discussed

24:37: Why social workers need to reflect on FGM as a political issue – the role of racism, understanding the mandatory reporting duty, working with male expectations in communities as well as with women

31:15: Concluding messages for practice

Links
* Community Care Inform practice guide: https://www.ccinform.co.uk/guides/guide-to-female-genital-mutilation-for-social-work-professionals/ * Maureen’s PhD research that she discusses in the episode is not yet published. You can find her published works and a fuller biography here: https://www.uwl.ac.uk/staff/maureen-mguni * Maureen’s 2022 webinar as part of Siobhan MacLean’s Student Connect series is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIzOlmLG8A4&t=3286s * British Association of Social Workers (BASW) FGM direct work toolkit: https://www.basw.co.uk/resources/fgm-direct-work-toolkit (BASW membership required to access) * United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child: https://www.unicef.org/child-rights-convention/convention-text * United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights: https://www.un.org/en/about-us/universal-declaration-of-human-rights

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Welcome to Learn on the go, a Community Care Inform podcast where we discuss the latest research, practice models and policy guidance and what they mean to your practice.

This episode looks at the Care Quality Commission's new duty, under the Health and Care Act 2022, to assess how local authorities are meeting their Care Act duties. The assessment framework has nine quality statements mapped across four overall themes: working with people; providing support; how the local authority ensures safety within the system; and leadership.

Discussing this CQC role in more depth are Mary Cridge, director of adult social care at the CQC, and Amanda Stride, the CQC’s deputy director for delivery of local authority assessments.

The questions were asked by Natalie Valios, senior content editor for Community Care Inform Adults.

0:01:19.6 - the testing process.

0:02:55.7 - when will the assessments start?

0:03:36.0 - what will happen once the two-year period has finished? Will there be a rolling programme with a certain number of authorities assessed every year or will you only assess those which receive a ‘requires improvement’ or ‘inadequate’ rating?

0:04:26.3 - how much advance notice will a local authority be given that they’re going to be assessed?

0:05:12.9 - it’s easier to envisage what leaders will need to do to prepare for an assessment, but will there be anything that frontline practitioners will need to do?

0:06:07.8 - what will be the ratio of in-person inspection versus reviewing evidence and data? And will you be observing social workers in practice as Ofsted does in its assessment of children’s services?

0:07:40.9 - what reassurance can you give about the single word grading system?

0:08:58.3 - will the CQC speak to frontline staff without managers present, or let them give their views anonymously during assessments?

0:09:39.8 - with councils under such tremendous pressure in social care, and that pressure affecting each authority differently, how will the CQC take this into account in its judgments?

0:10:33.8 - the assessment framework says that the CQC will be looking at whether councils have arrangements for ensuring timely assessments, care planning and care reviews. How will timeliness be judged?

0:11:22.7 - how far will the CQC be able to judge a council’s level of compliance with the sections of the Care Act it's assessing?

0:11:56.6 - does the Department of Health and Social Care have plans to bring in a system of intervention in authorities found to be failing by CQC?

0:12:36.6 - what professional expertise or expertise by experience will your inspectors bring to bear in assessing local authorities?

0:13:24.7 - how will adult social care benefit from these CQC assessments?

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Welcome to this podcast from Community Care for our campaign Choose Social Work. The purpose of the campaign is to champion the profession, encourage the next generation of social workers, and counteract negative media coverage. As part of this, we’re talking to those with lived experience of care about the impact that good social work can have.

Our guest is Luke Rodgers, founder and now director of strategy for The Care Leaders, a social enterprise that works with children’s services providing training and consultancy to enhance the lives of children in care, care leavers and those with a social worker.

The questions were asked by Natalie Valios, senior content editor, Community Care Inform Adults.

[0:01:26.4] Was there a great social worker you remember because they had a positive impact on your childhood?

[0:08:13.5] Have you got any tips or advice on how social workers can give children the resilience, power and ownership over who they are, so they remember their social worker fondly in later life?

[0:14:15.8] As well as working with practitioners you work with many young people. Have any of them told you positive stories of their social worker that stand out for you?

[0:17:53.1] What do you think social workers should stop to consider when writing reports so that young people have a better experience than you did if they choose to look at their case files in later life?

[0:26:07.2] How would you suggest a social worker goes about building a relationship with a child they are supporting?

[0:31:50.9] What qualities and skills do you think a young person will remember most about their social worker?

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In this episode, we spoke to Dan about his experience of the care system and transition to adulthood. He gives his perspective on what being 'ambitious' for children in care should look like, reflections on use of language and practical support for young people going into adulthood. He also shares his thoughts to how professionals view supported accommodation and 'independence' and changes that he feels could make a big difference.

Dan spoke too about his positive experiences of social work and what made those important for him. You will also hear his powerful take on the impact of social worker stress on young people and how he'd like to see social work championed and valued.

If you have a Community Care Inform licence, you can access additional resources and a written transcript of the podcast: https://www.ccinform.co.uk/learning-tools/leaving-care-podcast-an-18-year-olds-perspective-on-independence-supported-accommodation-and-good-social-work/

You can also read Laura Hanbury's guide to professional curiousity (as mentioned by Dan here) here: https://www.ccinform.co.uk/practice-guidance/how-to-use-professional-curiosity-to-understand-social-and-emotional-responses/

You might also be interested in our guide to the 2023 legislation affecting supported accommodation: https://www.ccinform.co.uk/practice-guidance/quick-guide-to-the-supported-accommodation-england-regulations-2023/

Find out more about Community Care's #choosesocialwork campaign here: https://view.ceros.com/bonhill/community-care-choose-social-work/p/1 or follow the hashtag on social media

Other sources Dan mentions:
* A Community Care article about the charity Become's report on 'ambitions' for children in care: https://www.communitycare.co.uk/2017/07/27/children-care-urge-social-workers-ambitious/ * The full report (Perceptions of Care, 2017) is available here: https://becomecharity.org.uk/content/uploads/2022/01/perceptions-of-care_final-1.pdf * Newsnight segment on 'Britain's hidden children homes': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LB2x-bfrDxM * An article on the Newsnight episode was also published on BBC News: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-50392297 * The personal advisor duties are contained in 19B and 19C of schedule 2 of the Children Act 1989 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1989/41/schedule/2), read alongside the Care Planning regulations 2010 (as amended) (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2010/959/contents) * This summary on Coram's Child Law Advice website sets out entitlements to personal advisors, pathway plans and needs assessments for children who fall into different categories: https://childlawadvice.org.uk/information-pages/services-for-children-leaving-care/ * 'Social worker took own life after stress caused by work arrangements, coroner rules', Community Care, 2018: https://www.communitycare.co.uk/2018/08/15/social-worker-took-life-stress-caused-work-arrangements-coroner-rules/

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Welcome to Learn on the go, a Community Care Inform podcast where we discuss research, theories and practice issues, and look at what they mean for social care practitioners.

This episode is about personality disorder, in itself a controversial term because many people find it stigmatising. Guests are Keir Harding and Hollie Berrigan from Beam Consultancy which provides training, consultancy and intervention for those living with complex mental health issues.

They discuss why personality disorder is such a messy diagnosis. how and why practitioners need to think in a different way when working with this client group; the role of social workers, occupational therapists and those with lived experience; and the importance of building supportive, containing relationships. The questions were asked by Natalie Valios, senior content editor, Community Care Inform Adults.

1:38 - what is meant by personality disorder?

5:50 - how and why practitioners need to think in a different way rather than see everything through a lens of personality disorder

8:21 - understanding the function of particular behaviours

8:58 - the stigma associated with the diagnosis

11:36 - what is the social worker's role?

15: 50 - what is the occupational therapist's role?

18:02 - what is the consultant lived experience practitioner's role?

21: 48 - recognising strengths

24:48 - the importance of building relationships

26:42 - what training is available?

29:13 - personality disorder diagnosis in children

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Welcome to Learn on the Go, a podcast from Community Care Inform, where we discuss research, theories and practice issues, and look at what they mean for practitioners in social care. This episode is about the menopause and the discussion focuses on some of the less well-known symptoms and the impact they can have on women at work; why understanding the menopause and supporting women through it is particularly relevant for the social care sector; and the difference between a statement of intent and a menopause workplace policy, with suggestions for what to include in both.

Our podcast guest is Catherine Pestano, a social worker who set up a project addressing issues around the menopause in the workplace at the local authority where she worked, who now acts as a menopause consultant. Questions are asked by Natalie Valios, senior content editor for Community Care Inform Adults.

02:36 - What are the less well-known symptoms of the menopause?

06:30 - Why is understanding the menopause and supporting women at work particularly relevant for local authorities as employers of the social care practitioners?

08:49 - How to set up a project supporting women in the workplace.

13:35 - What should be included in a workplace menopause policy?

21:00 - How is knowledge of the menopause relevant for social work practice itself?

Community Care Inform subscribers can access additional resources and a written transcript of the podcast here.

References

Brewis, J; Beck, V; Davies, A and Matheson, J (2017)
The effects of menopause transition on women's economic participation in the UK
Department for Education

Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and Bupa (2021)
A guide to managing menopause at work: guidance for line managers

50Plus Choices Employer Taskforce (2021)
Menopause and employment: how to enable fulfilling working lives

Department for Work & Pensions (2022)
Menopause and employment: how to enable fulfilling working lives: government response

KnowYourMenopause: the Pausitivity poster

Local Government Association (2019)
Managing the menopause at work: the menopause and the local government workforce

Maclean, S (2021)
Social work and the menopause: social work student connect webinar

Unison (2019)
The menopause is a workplace issue: guidance and model policy

Workplace resources

Acas
Menopause at work

balance app (founded by Dr Newson)

Pestano, C (2018)
'An unmentionable change'
Public Sector Focus, Issue 17, pp40-41

Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development
Menopause in the workplace

TUC
Menopause at work

Useful organisations

British Menopause Society

Newson Health

Talking Menopause

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Welcome to Learn on the go, a Community Care Inform podcast where we discuss what the latest research, practice models and policy guidance mean to your practice.

This episode is about restorative practice in children's social work. It covers what restorative practice is, what it looks like in practice with children and families and in an organisational culture, and what it might mean to implement it as an individual practitioner as well as at a service-wide level. The guests are Mark Finnis, founder and director of L30 Relational Systems (https://l30relationalsystems.co.uk/childrens-services/) and speaker, author and coach, and Mike Hayward, service manager for professional practice at Dudley Children's Services. The questions were asked by Joanna Silman, senior content editor at Community Care Inform Children.

3.35 – What is restorative practice?

9.42 – How does practice change when an organisation becomes restorative?

17.55 - How can individual practitioners implement restorative ideas?

26.15 - How does restorative practice fit into the current landscape of approaches and models such as relationship-based practice, strengths-based, trauma-informed, Signs of safety etc

Community Care Inform subscribers can access additional resources and a written transcript of the podcast: https://www.ccinform.co.uk/learning-tools/restorative-practice-podcast/

You can watch a video where Mark discusses the social discipline window (high challenge, high support and 'working with') here: https://youtu.be/34XUCoI-xu4

You might also be interested in our episodes on children's networks: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/49103861

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Welcome to Learn on the Go, a podcast from Community Care Inform, where we discuss the latest research, theories and practice issues, and look at what they mean for social workers.

This episode is about safeguarding and homelessness. It covers key lessons from safeguarding adults reviews and gives practice advice for social workers working with people who are homeless and have complex needs, experience multiple exclusions, and/or are self-neglecting. Discussing these questions are Michael Preston-Shoot, emeritus professor of social work at the University of Bedfordshire, and Gill Taylor, strategic lead for single homelessness and vulnerable adults at Haringey Council. The questions were asked by Radha Smith, assistant content editor at Community Care Inform Adults.

Learning points:
- When and how social workers should carry out needs assessments under the Care Act for people who are homeless.
- The foundations for positive social care practice in safeguarding people experiencing homelessness.
- Strategies for supporting people who are homeless and self-neglecting.

Community Care Inform Adults subscribers can access additional resources and a written transcript of the podcast: https://adults.ccinform.co.uk/practice-guidance/homelessness-and-safeguarding-podcast-transcript/

In this episode:
0.31 – Introduction
2.00 – Defining homelessness
4.50 – Duty to conduct a needs assessment
16.47 – Wrongful assumptions
24.44 – Foundations for positive practice
32.12 – Multiple exclusion homelessness
43.04 – Self-neglect
48.08 – Making a real difference

References and useful links
Bramley, G and Fitzpatrick, S with Edwards, J; Ford, D; Johnsen, S; Sosenko, F and Watkins, D (2015)
Hard Edges: mapping severe and multiple disadvantage
https://lankellychase.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Hard-Edges-Mapping-SMD-2015.pdf?msclkid=e3c74440a6ae11ecb96b228237e6f1d6
LankellyChase Foundation

Cooper, A and Preston-Shoot, M (2022)
Adult Safeguarding and Homelessness: Understanding Good Practice
https://www.bookdepository.com/Adult-Safeguarding-Homelessness-Adi-Cooper/9781787757868
Jessica Kingsley Publishers

Local Government Association (2021)
Making every adult matter and every contact count: safeguarding people experiencing homelessness
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfR32HKXHfk
(webinar including presentations by people with lived experience referred to in the podcast)

Martineau, S J; Cornes, M; Manthorpe, J; Ornelas, B and Fuller, J (2019)
Safeguarding, homelessness and rough sleeping: an analysis of safeguarding adults reviews
https://kclpure.kcl.ac.uk/portal/files/116649790/SARs_and_Homelessness_HSCWRU_Report_2019.pdf
NIHR Policy Research Unit in Health and Social Care Workforce, The Policy Institute, King’s College London

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (2018)
The rough sleeping strategy
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-rough-sleeping-strategy

Preston-Shoot, M (2020)
Adult safeguarding and homelessness: a briefing on positive practice
https://www.local.gov.uk/sites/default/files/documents/25.158%20Briefing%20on%20Adult%20Safeguarding%20and%20Homelessness_03_1.pdf
Local Government Association/Association of Directors of Adult Social Services

Preston-Shoot, M (2021)
Adult safeguarding and homelessness: experience-informed practice
https://www.local.gov.uk/publications/adult-safeguarding-and-homelessness-experience-informed-practice
Local Government Association/Association of Directors of Adult Social Services
(evidence base referred to in the podcast)

The Care Act multiple needs toolkit
https://www.voicesofstoke.org.uk/care-act-toolkit/
VOICES of Stoke

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Welcome to Learn on the go, a Community Care Inform podcast where we discuss what the latest research, practice models and policy guidance mean for your practice.

This is our second episode looking at approaches to practice around children’s networks. We discuss the Lifelong Links model with: Pam Ledward, principal social work advisor at Family Rights Group (the charity that developed the model); Eathan, a young person who has built relationships with his uncle, cousins, sister and other family members after spending five of his six years in care without any family connections; Becky, a social worker and Lifelong Links coordinator at Birmingham Children’s Trust who carried out the work with Eathan to start meeting his family; and Emma, team manager for the family group conferencing service at Birmingham Children’s Trust. The questions were asked by Joanna Silman, senior content editor at Community Care Inform.

Community Care Inform subscribers can access additional resources and a written transcript of the podcast: https://www.ccinform.co.uk/learning-tools/childrens-networks-part-2-lifelong-links-podcast-episode/

For more information about Lifelong Links or to contact Family Rights Group, see https://frg.org.uk/lifelong-links/

If you want to ask Eathan anything, you can contact him at speakout.acorn2oak@gmail.com. Also he explains on the episode, he does public speaking and mentoring. As Becky says, he 'is truly inspirational and is really passionate about his story and how what he has been through in his life may help other care experienced young people.'

In this episode:
2:14 – What is Lifelong Links?
4.11 – A social worker's experience of carrying out Lifelong Links work with a young person
12.10 – Eathan’s experience of finding his family
14.26 – Implementing the approach in a children’s service17.50 – The co-ordinator role
25.58 – The experience of other local authorities
29.49 – Dealing with challenges that come up when doing this work
41.26 – Evidence and evaluations
43.33 – What can social workers elsewhere take from this, even if their service isn’t implementing the model?

You can also listen to episode 1 about children’s networks where we spoke to Family Finding, Family Seeing: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/49103861

And our 2020 episode on siblings, placement and contact: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/23506960

References

Lifelong Links: Embedding practice. Briefing paper by Rees Centre, University of Oxford, April 2022 (the longitudinal evaluation that Pam refers to): https://frg.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Lifelong-Links-Embedding-Practice.pdf
Lifelong Links, Evaluation report. Department for Education, November 2020 (review of the 2017-2020 pilot): https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/955953/Lifelong_Links_evaluation_report.pdf

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Welcome to Learn on the go, a Community Care Inform podcast where we discuss what the latest research, practice models and policy guidance mean for your practice.

This episode, which follows subscribers' requests for resources around children's networks and connections, is about the Family Finding/Family Seeing model which hails from the US but is now being used in other countries, including by several local authorities in the UK. We spoke to Kevin Campbell, the model's author who has over 30 years' experience of social services leadership, and Elizabeth Wendel, co-author of the model and a social worker by background. It covers the roots and scientific underpinning of the approach, including the impact of family separation across the life course, and how the concepts of 'healing' and 'positioning' might be used in social work. Our guests discuss the changes individual practitioners can make in their own work that will make a difference for children and families, whatever imperfect system they are practising in and without waiting for reform. The questions were asked by Joanna Silman, senior content editor at Community Care Inform.

Community Care Inform subscribers can access additional resources and a written transcript of the podcast: https://www.ccinform.co.uk/learning-tools/family-finding-family-seeing/

References and further reading (websites and article titles are hyperlinks)

Familyseeing.org (https://www.familyseeing.org)

Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University (https://developingchild.harvard.edu/)

Bruce D Perry MD (2004) Maltreatment and the Developing Child: How Early Childhood Experience Shapes Child and Culture (https://www.lfcc.on.ca/mccain/perry.pdf)

Jack P. Shonkoff MD and Andrew S. Garner MD PhD (2012), The Lifelong Effects of Early Childhood Adversity and Toxic Stress Pediatrics, 129 (1): e232–e246 (https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/129/1/e232/31628/The-Lifelong-Effects-of-Early-Childhood-Adversity)

This is the Nuffield report by Amanda Sacker et al that looked at the health and social outcomes in adulthood of 5,700 people who spent time in care as children, compared to those of their age who were not in care: The lifelong health and wellbeing trajectories of people who have been in care: Findings from the Looked-after Children Grown-up Project (https://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/The-lifelong-health-and-wellbeing-trajectories-of-people-who-have-been-in-care.pdf)

The study on transitions is discussed in 'Behind the Stats: Mark Courtney on His Newest Study on Transition Aged Foster Youth in California' The Imprint, 6 August 2018 (https://imprintnews.org/analysis/behind-the-stats-mark-courtney-on-his-newest-study-on-transition-age-foster-youth-in-california/3183)

Lemn Sissay's 1995 Internal Flight documentary is in three parts on You Tube. His webinar with CC Inform is here: https://www.ccinform.co.uk/learning-tools/webinar-lemn-sissay-reflects-on-transitions-during-world-social-work-day/

You can read about the Corrymeela community here: https://www.corrymeela.org/about

The JAMA article about DSM mental health dianoses Kevin references is by Kennth S Kendler: Potential Lessons for DSM From Contemporary Philosophy of Science, JAMA Psychiatry, 2022;79(2):99-10. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/article-abstract/2786972
You can read an open access brief discussion of the article here: https://www.madinamerica.com/2021/12/kenneth-kendler-implausible-psychiatric-diagnoses-even-approximately-true

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Welcome to Learn on the go, a Community Care Inform podcast where we discuss what the latest research, practice models and policy guidance mean to your practice.

This episode is about attachment-based trauma and parenting. Dr Alice Loving, an independent parenting assessment and intervention practitioner, interviews two practitioners, one local authority team manager and one children's social worker about their professional experience of working with parents who have experienced childhood trauma, and the impact this has had on their own parenting.

Community Care Inform subscribers can access additional resources and a written transcript of the podcast: https://www.ccinform.co.uk/learning-tools/attachment-based-trauma-and-parenting-podcast/

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Welcome to Learn on the go, a Community Care Inform podcast where we discuss what the latest research, practice models and policy guidance mean for your practice.

This episode is about sibling sexual abuse. We spoke to Anna Glinski, deputy director, knowledge and practice development, at the Centre of expertise on child sexual abuse (the CSA Centre, for short) and Stuart Allardyce, a director of the Lucy Faithfull Foundation with responsibilities for Stop It Now! Scotland, who is one of the authors of a report the CSA Centre published in January: Sibling sexual abuse: a knowledge and practice overview. https://www.csacentre.org.uk/knowledge-in-practice/practice-improvement/sibling-sexual-abuse/

The discussion explores key themes from the report, including why sibling sexual abuse can be particularly challenging for social workers to work with, how practice can deal with the fact that both the child who has been harmed and the child who has harmed are children, supporting parents who often feel a 'grenade' has gone off in the family and struggle with shame, denial and blame, and working with the family as a whole. Anna and Stuart explain how work in these cases can actually be very hopeful in providing a window to make a significant positive difference in the lives and longer term outcomes for children and the family.

Stuart mentions the confidential Stop It Now! helpline. As well as supporting anyone concerned about their own or another adult or child's sexual behaviours towards children, or about a child who may have been abused, professionals can call the helpline for case advice. UK: 0808 1000 900 Ireland: +44 1372 847 161 https://www.stopitnow.org.uk/helpline/

You may also be interested in:

Community Care Inform's knowledge and practice on child sexual abuse - written guides, videos and group activities to support social workers with different aspects of CSA. https://www.ccinform.co.uk/knowledge-hubs/child-sexual-abuse-knowledge-and-practice-hub/

The CSA Centre's key messages from research on child sexual abuse - an accessible overview of the latest research to support those responding to child sexual abuse. https://www.csacentre.org.uk/resources/key-messages/

Community Care Inform subscribers can access additional resources and a written transcript of the podcast: https://www.ccinform.co.uk/learning-tools/sibling-sexual-abuse-podcast/

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Join Community Care Inform's head of content and UNISON's national secretary as they discuss the social work impact of Covid-19, and launch a new resource to support social workers' mental health.

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In this episode, we discuss anti-racist social work in the context of the Black Lives Matter protests that have swept the US and the UK in response to the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis at the end of May. In the UK over the past ten years black people have accounted for 8% of those who have died in police custody, while accounting for only 3% of the UK population as a whole. Black people are four times as likely to be detained under the Mental Health Act as white people. And research has found that there are significant inequalities in the proportions of children from different ethnic groups in the care system.

Our expert guest today is Dr Kish Bhatti-Sinclair, Reader in Social Policy and Social Work at the University of Chichester. Kish is known for her work on social work, race and racism. Towards the end of the episode, we also hear from Sarah Blackmore, executive director of strategy, policy and engagement at Social Work England.

The episode covers:
- What anti-racist practice is, and how it differs from anti-oppressive practice.
- How anti-racist practice has developed in social work and where we are now.
- How social workers, team managers and leaders can take action in the context of their own practice.

Community Care Inform subscribers can access additional resources and a written transcript on the Inform website.

References
George Floyd death: How many black people die in police custody in England and Wales? - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/52890363
Discrimination in mental health services - https://www.mind.org.uk/news-campaigns/legal-news/legal-newsletter-june-2019/discrimination-in-mental-health-services/
Care system ethnic inequalities - https://www.mind.org.uk/news-campaigns/legal-news/legal-newsletter-june-2019/discrimination-in-mental-health-services/

Community Care Inform resources
Contextual safeguarding: podcast - https://www.ccinform.co.uk/learning-tools/contextual-safeguarding-podcast/
Initial meetings with young people: a systemic and intersectional approach - https://www.ccinform.co.uk/practice-guidance/initial-meetings-with-young-people-an-intersectional-and-systemic-approach/
Cultural competence: lessons from research - https://www.ccinform.co.uk/research/cultural-competence-lessons-from-research/
Safeguarding Black girls from child sexual abuse: messages from research - https://www.ccinform.co.uk/research/child-sexual-abuse-and-safeguarding-black-girls-messages-from-research/
Anti-oppressive and anti-discriminatory practice education - https://www.ccinform.co.uk/practice-guidance/anti-discriminatory-and-anti-oppressive-practice-education/

Black Lives Matter reading
Black Lives Matter: social work must respond with action - not platitudes - https://www.communitycare.co.uk/2020/06/12/black-lives-matter-social-work-must-respond-action-platitudes/
Resources and tools regarding racism and anti-Blackness - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1bUJrgX8vspyy7YttiEC2vD0DawrpPYiZs94V0ov7qZQ/htmlview
Anti-racism resources for social workers and therapists - https://www.socialwork.career/2020/06/anti-racism-resources-for-social-workers-and-therapists.html
A guide to anti-racism - https://simmons.libguides.com/anti-oppression/anti-racism

FGM resources
Protecting children from FGM - https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/child-abuse-and-neglect/fgm
Multi-agency statutory guidance on FGM - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/multi-agency-statutory-guidance-on-female-genital-mutilation

Social Work England resources
Social work reflections on racism and inequality - https://www.socialworkengland.org.uk/news/willing-to-listen-learn-and-understand/
Regional engagement lead Kate discusses her experiences as a gay woman and how she draws upon these experiences as a social worker - https://www.socialworkengland.org.uk/news/fighting-for-social-justice-and-a-fairer-society/

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Welcome to Learn on the go, a Community Care Inform podcast where we discuss what the latest research, practice models and policy guidance mean to your practice.

This episode in our mini series about practice during the coronavirus pandemic is about fear and social work. It covers how fear can impact on practice, what helps social workers maintain concerns at a manageable level, support from managers and particular sources of fear during the pandemic such as lack of PPE, whether vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and the impact on people with mental health problems. The expert guest is Brian Littlechild, professor of social work at the University of Hertfordshire. The questions were asked by Joanna Silman, content editor at Community Care Inform.

2:01 – What is ‘fear’ in the context of social work?

6.03 – Causes of fear during the pandemic

8.34 - Getting support for fear-inducing situations

14.17 - Being assertive

20:32 - The SAFE approach (Support, Assertiveness, Fit, Empathy)

Community Care Inform subscribers can access additional resources and a written transcript of the podcast here on Inform Children https://www.ccinform.co.uk/learning-tools/fear-and-social-work-podcast/ and here on Inform Adults: https://adults.ccinform.co.uk/learning-tools/fear-and-social-work-podcast/

Law and guidance referred to:
Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1974/37/contents
The High Court judgment in Walker v Northumberland County Council (1994): https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/QB/1994/2.html

Social Work England guidance on applying the professional standards
https://www.socialworkengland.org.uk/standards/professional-standards/
Social Care Wales code of professional practice and practice guidance
https://socialcare.wales/fitness-to-practise/codes-of-practice-and-guidance

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We know social workers are working harder than ever in the challenging conditions brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic. To help meet your need for information and guidance we’re developing a mini-series of podcasts and webinars about coronavirus and how it’s affecting social work practice.

Our expert guest was Claudia Megele, chair of the Principal Child and Family Social Worker Network.

The episode covers:
- When it's appropriate to conduct an online visit, rather than a home visit.
- Best practice in conducting online visits, including different ideas for virtual direct work.
- How social workers can keep themselves and families safe when carrying out home visits.

Community Care Inform subscribers can access additional resources and a written transcript on the Inform website.

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Welcome to Learn on the go, a Community Care Inform podcast where we discuss what the latest research, practice models and policy guidance mean for your practice.

This episode is on contextual safeguarding. We talk about what the approach entails, what it looks like in practice, and also discuss how work with young people been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Discussing these questions are Dr Carlene Firmin who developed the contextual safeguarding framework and leads the contextual safeguarding and peer-on-peer abuse research programmes at the University of Bedfordshire, and Samantha Roper, team manager for the multi-agency safeguarding hub (MASH) at Knowsley Council.

2:19 – What is contextual safeguarding?
4.42 – Implementing contextual safeguarding in a local authority
12.15 - Applying contextual safeguarding as an individual practitioner or team
24.20 – Legal questions around working with groups of peers, locations and child protection processes applied to extra-familial harm
27.57 - The impact of Covid-19 and lockdown on contextual safeguarding work

Community Care Inform subscribers can access additional resources and a written transcript of the podcast: https://www.ccinform.co.uk/learning-tools/contextual-safeguarding-podcast/

And if you want to hear more, in 2018 we published an episode of the podcast on county lines with a practitioner and parent: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/16966347

Read more about the Contextual Safeguarding Network and find the resources mentioned here: https://contextualsafeguarding.org.uk/

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Our expert guest was Dr David Wilkins, senior lecturer at Cardiff University with a research focus on good supervision in child and family social work.

The episode covers:
- How supervision can be effective when it's carried out remotely rather than in person.
- The importance of talking about emotions during supervision.
- Different ideas for holding group supervision sessions online.

Community Care Inform subscribers can access additional resources and a written transcript on the Inform website.

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Our expert guest was Tim Spencer-Lane, a lawyer who specialises in mental capacity, mental health and social care law. He is also Community Care Inform Adults’ legal editor and a senior lecturer at Kingston University.

The episode covers:
- How the Coronavirus Act applies to both new and existing service users.
- How to ensure individuals’ human rights, under the European Convention on Human Rights, aren’t breached if stage 4 of the Care Act easements are introduced.
- The implications for practice of the Care Act easements on the Care Act’s duty to promote wellbeing.

Community Care Inform subscribers can access additional resources and a written transcript on the Inform website.

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Our expert guest was Dr Sue Cook, lecturer in social work at the University of Plymouth.

The episode covers:
- How loneliness and isolation have been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic.
- Supporting service users who are experiencing loneliness or isolation, whatever stage of life they're at.
- How to be creative to find solutions when working with service users online or in person.

Community Care Inform subscribers can access additional resources and a written transcript on the Inform website.

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Our expert guest was Sass Boucher, research director of training provider Self Care Psychology, and a counsellor and psychotherapist in private practice.

The episode covers:
- Quick ways that social workers can practice self-care during the pandemic.
- How to create boundaries between work and home.
- Supporting colleagues when you're not seeing each other in person.

You can access free resources on self-care from Self Care Psychology: https://www.selfcarepsychology.com/free-covid-19-resources

Community Care Inform subscribers can access additional resources and a written transcript on the Inform website.

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In this episode, we discuss how social workers can best protect clients experiencing domestic abuse during the lockdown period. Sadly the facts speak for themselves. Calls to the National Domestic Abuse Helpline went up by 49% after three weeks of lockdown, and the Metropolitan Police alone has made over 4,000 arrests for domestic abuse since 9th March.

Our expert guest was Donna Covey, director of domestic abuse charity AVA.

The episode covers:
- How social workers can continue to support vulnerable children and adults during the lockdown.
- Services and resources that are still operating during the pandemic.
- What to do if you think a client is in imminent danger.

Community Care Inform subscribers can access additional resources and a written transcript on the Inform website.

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Welcome to Learn on the go, a Community Care Inform podcast where we discuss what the latest research, practice models and policy guidance mean to your practice.

This episode is about siblings. It covers some of the issues for practitioners making decisions when placing brothers and sisters who come into care, and contact for siblings who - whether in the short- or long-term - have different living arrangements. The expert guest is Shelagh Beckett, an independent social worker and consultant specialising in this area, and author of Coram BAAF’s Beyond together or apart: planning for, assessing and placing sibling groups (https://corambaaf.org.uk/books/beyond-together-or-apart-sibling-adoption-fostering). The questions were asked by Joanna Silman, content editor at Community Care Inform.

1.59 – What are the key challenges for practitioners when siblings come into care?

3:48 – How should social workers approach assessments and evidence, especially when siblings are initially placed in separate arrangements, for pragmatic or other reasons? Examples of difficult decisions regarding long-term separation.
12.14 – How can practitioners explain to children why they are living separately from siblings?
15.14 – What do research and practice experience say is important when arranging sibling contact if children are separated?
20.52 - How can social workers best support children and carers when siblings are placed together?

27.35 – How should introducing multiple siblings into the same family be approached?

Community Care Inform subscribers can access additional resources and a written transcript of the podcast: https://www.ccinform.co.uk/learning-tools/siblings-placements-and-contact-podcast/

And if you want to hear more, in 2019 we published an episode of the podcast on child to parent violence, with Helen Bonnick and Jane Griffiths https://www.spreaker.com/user/communitycare/child-parent-violence-edit and in 2017 we spoke to Julie Selwyn and Elaine Dibben about adoption disruption https://www.spreaker.com/user/communitycare/adoption-disruption

References
Beckett, S (2018)
Beyond together or apart: planning for, assessing and placing sibling groups.
Coram BAAF, London

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Welcome to Learn on the go, a Community Care Inform podcast where we discuss what the latest research, practice models and policy mean to your practice.

This episode is about the forced marriage of adults with learning disabilities and discusses, among other things, the signs to look out for that suggest someone might be at risk of forced marriage and the social work role in safeguarding against it.

Answering questions are Rachael Clawson, assistant professor of social work at Nottingham university, and Luthfa Khan, forced marriage service lead at Respond. The questions were asked by Natalie Valios, senior content editor for Community Care Inform Adults.

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Welcome to Learn on the go, a Community Care Inform podcast where we discuss what the latest research, practice models and policy guidance mean to your practice.

This episode is about child and adolescent to parent abuse. It covers how this form of abuse is defined, what is known about when and why it occurs, how social workers can support families, both when there are specific programmes in place and what they can do themselves. We also explore the links and differences with domestic abuse. Discussing these questions are Helen Bonnick, social worker specialising in this area and Jane Griffiths, parent-child therapist, consultant and trainer. The questions were asked by Joanna Silman content editor at Community Care Inform.

Helen Bonnick’s website is holesinthewall.co.uk and her book is Child to Parent Violence and Abuse: a practitioners guide to working with families, Pavilion Publishing, 2019.
Jane’s Facebook page for families and professionals is Capauk (https://www.facebook.com/Capauk-1232850886885882/)

2:31 – What is child to parent violence and abuse and what do we know about when and why it takes place?

9.37 – How can you identify if a family is experiencing ‘normal’ behaviour and boundary pushing. or abuse?

13.58 - How should social workers respond and work with families?

26.01 – What research says

29.55 – Working with different ages

Community Care Inform subscribers can access additional resources and a written transcript of the podcast: https://www.ccinform.co.uk/learning-tools/child-or-adolescent-to-parent-abuse-podcast

And if you want to hear more, in 2017 we published an episode of the podcast discussing adoption disruption, with researcher Julie Selwyn and Elaine Dibben from CoramBAAF https://www.spreaker.com/episode/16966372

References

BBC (2019)
Domestic violence: Child-parent abuse doubles in three years
BBC News, 7th August 2019

Condry R, & Miles C (2014) ‘Adolescent to parent violence: Framing and mapping a hidden problem‘. Criminology & Criminal Justice, 14(3), 257–275.

Holt A & Shon P (2016) ‘Exploring Fatal and Non-Fatal Violence Against Parents: Challenging the Orthodoxy of Abused Adolescent Perpetrators‘. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology. 62. 1

Holt, A (2015) ‘Adolescent-to-Parent Abuse as a Form of “Domestic Violence”: A Conceptual Review‘. Trauma, violence & abuse. 17

Northumberland LSCB (2018)
APVA: Briefing note for professionals

Wilcox P et al (2015)
Responding to Child to Parent Violence
RCPV, Brighton

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Welcome to Learn on the go, a Community Care Inform podcast where we discuss what the latest research, practice models, legislation and policy guidance mean to your practice. This episode is about the Liberty Protection Safeguards which will replace Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards.

Questions were sent in by Inform Adults' subscribers and they cover a variety of issues, including which professionals will be required to carry out assessments and the pre-authorisation review under the LPS; the requirements of care homes; and the role of approved mental capacity professionals. The questions are answered by Tim Spencer-Lane, a lawyer specialising in mental capacity and mental health law, and they are asked by Natalie Valios, senior content editor of Community Care Inform Adults.

We apologise for some issues with the sound quality during this podcast.

1:40 - Level of training, status in an organisation and/or professional registration for the assessors for each assessment or those making determinations, pre-authorisers, and authorisers.

5:26 - Is the pre-authoriser anticipated to be a different person than the person giving the authorisation, or could this be the same person?

7:32 - How will managers of care homes who are able to authorise depriving someone of their liberty, if it is indeed the case, be regulated and monitored?

9:14 - Will social care staff be expected to monitor every application and countersign before authorisation is granted? And if so, will this role fall to senior staff and managers or any qualified worker involved?

10:01 - Who will determine if the person subject to the LPS is objecting?

13:22 - Are local authorities expected to hold a pool of AMCPs that other responsible bodies access?

16:11 - The mental health assessment requires evidence of mental disorder. How is that going to be evidenced?

18:07 - Will there be guidance to the precise capacity question being assessed? At present there appears a gap between consenting to the accommodation for purpose of care compared to the wider decision care managers often assess, which looks at a person’s ability to choose between the available options.

20:12 - Will the length of authorisation differ between DoLS and LPS?

22:15 - Will the LPS apply in hospices and if so, will this be the responsibility of the responsible body of where the individual normally resides or the location of the hospice, if they’re different?

23:54 - What’s going to happen to the relevant person’s representative role?

25:50 - Are there any plans to refine the definition of deprivation of liberty?

27:23 - How will the backlog be managed under the LPS?

28:59 - What will the role of the Care Quality Commission be in relation to LPS?

Community Care Inform subscribers can access additional resources and a written transcript of the podcast: https://adults.ccinform.co.uk/practice-guidance/liberty-protection-safeguards-podcast-transcript/

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Welcome to Learn on the go, a Community Care Inform podcast where we discuss what the latest research, practice models and policy guidance mean to your practice.

This episode is about neglect, poverty and affluence. It covers what neglect is, how it might manifest differently depending on the socioeconomic status of a family, and how social work practice can avoid penalising families in poverty for factors beyond their control. Discussing these questions are Claudia Bernard, professor of social work At Goldsmiths, University of London, and Brigid Featherstone, professor of social work at Huddersfield University. The questions were asked by Ruth Hardy, content editor at Community Care Inform.

2:04 – What is neglect?

3:20 – Are there any links between neglect and the socioeconomic status of a family?

6:58 - What assumptions or unconscious biases might social workers have when working with either families who are in poverty or families who are affluent?

15:25 - How can social workers avoid penalising families living in poverty for factors beyond their control?

20:32 - When social workers are working with affluent families, how can social workers manage that relationship and balance of power?

Community Care Inform subscribers can access additional resources and a written transcript of the podcast: https://www.ccinform.co.uk/learning-tools/neglect-poverty-and-affluence-podcast/

And if you want to hear more, in 2018 we published an episode of the podcast on poverty, child protection and the care system, with Professor Paul Bywaters and Professor Andy Bilson https://www.spreaker.com/user/communitycare/poverty-child-protection-and-the-care-sy

References
Bernard, C (2017)
An exploration of how social workers engage neglectful parents from affluent backgrounds in the child protection system
Goldsmiths, University of London

Bywaters, P; Bunting, L; Davidson, G; Hanratty, J; Mason, W; McCartan, C and Steils, N (2016)
The relationship between poverty, child abuse and neglect: an evidence review
York: Joseph Rowntree Foundation

Department of Health (2000)
Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families
London: The Stationery Office

Featherstone, B et al (2019)
‘Poverty, inequality, child abuse and neglect: Changing the conversation across the UK in child protection?
Children and Youth Services Review, Volume 97, pp127-133

HM Government (2018)
Working Together to Safeguard Children

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Welcome to Learn on the go, a Community Care Inform podcast where we discuss what the latest research, practice models and policy guidance mean to your practice.

This episode is about social work supervision. It covers why supervision is important, what good supervision can do, and if supervision can and does make a difference to children and families. Discussing these questions are David Wilkins, senior lecturer in social work at the Cascade Research Centre at Cardiff University, and Tom Stibbs, principal social worker for children and families for Brighton and Hove City Council. The questions were asked by Ruth Hardy, content editor at Community Care Inform.

Community Care Inform Children subscribers can access a full written transcript of the episode, plus key learning points and messages from research: https://www.ccinform.co.uk/learning-tools/learn-on-the-go-podcast-social-work-supervision

2:38: Why is supervision important and what should good supervision do?

9:07: Does supervision need to be reflective?

15:52: What makes for good supervision?

28:18: How can supervision help children and families?

30:55: Final thoughts

Due to poor audio quality we had to remove Tom’s answer to the question on whether supervision can help the people social workers work with. Instead we’ve transcribed this:

Tom Stibbs:Yes, certainly I think it should and it can help the people that social workers work with. I think, as David has said as well, that doesn’t mean that it always does. I think in terms of how it does, I think it goes back to those ideas we’ve been talking about, about how workers reflecting on their practice and their feelings about working with families can actually lead to purposeful planning that makes a difference for families. So actually it’s about reflection that leads to action that does make a difference for families. So that’s something that supervision should be providing.

I think as well just picking up on David’s quote there from Donald Forrester, or a phrase from Donald Forrester, it made me think of another phrase from Donald Forrester, or a phrase that he helped us think about in terms of our model, which is that actually what supervision is trying to do is to help social workers be the best that they can be. And if we do that, that might actually mean that they can help families to be the best that they can be. So actually about us providing that emotional containment to social workers actually means that they can make a difference in terms of working with families.

I think that obviously we do have examples about how that sort of approach in supervision and that kind of curiosity that David was talking about does make a difference in terms of what social workers then go and do in terms of their work with families. And you know, just simple questions as well. You know, things like social workers talking about how they’re working with families in group supervision and then planning, rehearsing, practising how they might talk to families in group supervision. Or even taking back to families that, ‘I’m talking about the work that I’m doing with you in my group supervision and this is what some of my colleagues said we might need to think about.’ So there’s very practical ways that group supervision or other forms of supervision might affect how social workers support families.

Some of the evaluation that we’ve done around our different forms of supervision through our social work health check, which we call Your Voice survey, the feedback we get from social workers is positive in terms of the impact of especially one-to-one supervision but also reflective practice groups and group supervision. And they are positive in their feedback not just about the emotional aspect and the support they get but they do also give positive feedback in terms of it making a difference to their practice.

But I recognise that that’s based on self-report, and I know David’s been working on this with colleagues as well, that there’s more work we could do around actually looking at the detail of how supervision then makes a difference to practice. But I think obviously it’s really important that we recognise that the purpose of supervision is about making a difference for the families that social workers are supporting.

References
Bogo, M and McKnight, K (2006)
‘Clinical supervision in social work‘
The Clinical Supervisor, Volume 24, Issue 1/2, pp49–67

Bogo, M; Regehr, C; Logie, C; Katz, E; Mylopoulos, M and Regehr, G (2011)
‘Adapting objective structured clinical examinations to assess social work students’ performance and reflections‘
Journal of Social Work Education, Volume 47, Issue 1, pp5-18

Bogo, M; Regehr, C; Power, R and Regehr, G (2007)
‘When values collide‘
The Clinical Supervisor, Volume 26, Issue1/2, pp99–117

Jones, J (2014)
A Report for the Centre for Social Work Practice on Reflective Practice Group Models in Social Work
Centre for Social Work Practice

Wilkins, D and Antonopoulou, V (2019)
What Does Supervision Help With? A Survey of 315 Social Workers in the UK’
Practice, Volume 31, Issue 1, pp21-40

Wilkins, D; Forrester, D and Grant, L (2017)
‘What happens in child and family social work supervision?’
Child and Family Social Work, Volume 22, Issue 2, pp942–951

Wilkins, D and Jones, R (2018)
‘Simulation supervision: How do managers respond to a crisis?‘
European Journal of Social Work, Volume 21,Issue 3, pp454–466

Wilkins, D; Khan, M; Stabler, L et al (2018)
‘Evaluating the Quality of Social Work Supervision in UK Children’s Services: Comparing Self-Report and Independent Observations’
Clinical Social Work Journal, Volume 46, Issue 4, pp350-360

Wilkins, D; Lynch, A and Antonopoulou, V (2018)
‘A golden thread? The relationship between supervision, practice and family engagement in child and family social work’
Child and Family Social Work, Volume 23, Issue 3, pp494–503

Wilkins, D and Whittaker, C (2017)
‘Doing child-protection social work with parents: What are the barriers in practice?’
British Journal of Social Work, Volume 48, Issue 7, pp2003-2019

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Trigger warning

This content discusses issues of self-harm, mental health and suicide. Please take the time to consider your own mental health, and seek support if you need it. In the UK, the Samaritans can be reached for free on 116 123.

Welcome to Learn on the go, a Community Care Inform podcast where we discuss what the latest research, practice models and policy guidance mean to your practice.

This episode is about looked-after children and self-harm. It covers what self-harm is, why looked-after children are more at risk of self-harming, and how social workers can support young people and carers. Discussing these questions are Judith Furnivall, lecturer and consultancy lead at the Centre for Excellence for Children’s Care and Protection at the University of Strathclyde, and Dr Eileen Harkness-Murphy, lecturer at the School of Health and Life Sciences in the University of the West of Scotland. The questions were asked by Ruth Hardy, content editor at Community Care Inform.

2:34: What is self-harm and what behaviours can it include?

7:30: Research suggests that about half of looked-after children meet the criteria for a mental health disorder, which is a much higher figure than the general population. Why is this?

12:44: What are the risk factors for self-harm?

22:59: How can social workers support young people waiting for a mental health referral?

27:40: General good practice principles when working with young people who self-harm.

This content covers some difficult and sensitive issues, so please take the time to consider your own mental health, and seek support if you need it. In the UK, the Samaritans can be reached for free on 116 123.

References
Beautrais, A L (2000)
'Risk factors for suicide and attempted suicide among young people'
Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, Volume 34, pp236–420

Brophy, M; Holmstrom, R and Flynn, K (2006)
Truth Hurts
Report of the National Inquiry into Self-harm among Young People

Cukrowicz, K; Wingate, L; Driscoll, K and Joiner, T (2004)
'A standard of care for the assessment of suicide risk and associated treatment: The Florida State University Psychology Clinic as an example'
Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy, Volume 34, pp87-100

Hales, H; Davison, S; Misch, P and Taylor, P J (2003)
'Young male prisoners in a young offenders’ institution: their contact with suicidal behaviour by others'
Journal of Adolescence, Volume 26, pp667-685

Harkess-Murphy, E (2011)
'Self-harm and psychosocial risk characteristics : a study of three student cohorts within West Central Scotland'
PhD Thesis, University of the West of Scotland

Harkness-Murphy, E; Macdonald, J and Ramsay, J (2013)
'Self-harm and psychosocial characteristics of looked after and looked after and accommodated young people'
Psychology, Health and Medicine, Volume 18, Issue 3, pp289-99

Hasking, P; Momeni, R; Swannell, S and Chia, S (2008)
'The Nature and Extent of Non-Suicidal Self-Injury in a Non-Clinical Sample of Young Adults'
Archives of Suicide Research, Volume 12, pp208-218

Hawton, K; Rodham, K; Evans, E and Weatherall, R (2002)
'Deliberate self harm in adolescents: self report survey in schools in England'
British Medical Journal, Volume 325, pp1207-1211

House of Commons Education Committee (2016)
Mental health and wellbeing of looked-after children
London, House of Commons

Meltzer, H; Lader, D; Corbin, T; Goodman, R and Ford, T (2004)
The mental health of young people looked after by local authorities in Scotland
Edinburgh: The Stationery Office

Mental Health Foundation (undated)
The Truth About Self-harm
London, Mental Health Foundation

Mind (2016)
Understanding Self-harm
London, Mind

Muehlenkamp, J J; Hoff, E R; Licht, J-G; Azure, J A and Hasenzahl, S J (2008)
'Rates of non-suicidal self-injury: A cross-sectional analysis of exposure'
Current Psychology: A Journal for Diverse Perspectives on Diverse Psychological Issues, Volume 27, Issue 4, pp234-241

NICE (2014)
Self-harm: Summary
NICE Clinical Knowledge Summaries

O’Connor, R C and Nock, M K (2014)
'The psychology of suicidal behaviour'
The Lancet. Psychiatry, Volume 1, Issue 1, pp73–85

O’Connor, R; Rasmussen, S; Miles, J and Hawton, K (2009a)
'Deliberate self-harm in adolescents: self-report survey in schools in Scotland'
British Journal of Psychiatry, Volume 194, pp68-72

Prinstein, M J; Heilbron, N; Guerry, J D; Franklin, J C; Rancourt, D; Simon, V and Spirito, A (2010)
'Peer Influence and Nonsuicidal Self-Injury: Longitudinal Results in Community and Clinically-Referred Adolescent Samples'
Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, Volume 38, pp669-682

Scottish Government (2011)
Responding to Self Harm in Scotland: final report
Edinburgh, The Scottish Government

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Welcome to Learn on the go, a Community Care Inform podcast where we discuss what the latest research, practice models and policy guidance mean to your practice.

This episode is about using strengths-based practice in action. What skills do social workers need for strengths-based practice? How can social workers carry out strengths-based assessments? And how can social work supervisors use a strengths-based approach? Discussing these questions are Tricia Pereira, principal social worker, practitioner development lead for London ADASS and chair of the principal social workers' network; Carmen Colomina, social worker and practice development manager in SCIE, and Samantha Baron, professor of social work at Manchester Metropolitan University.

Community Care Inform subscribers can access a written transcript, key points and learning resources on Inform Adullts: https://adults.ccinform.co.uk/learning-tools/learn-on-the-go-podcast-strengths-based-practice-in-action/

References
Department of Health and Social Care (2019)
Strengths-based approach: practice framework and practice handbook
London, DHSC

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Welcome to Learn on the go, a Community Care Inform podcast where we discuss what the latest research, practice models and theories mean to your practice.
In this episode, we discuss intrafamilial child sexual abuse and how social workers can use techniques from family therapy ("family work") to work with the family together and help with the crisis in the family and issues around communication and family dynamics that a disclosure of sexual abuse is likely to precipitate.
The experts are Anna Glinski, deputy director for knowledge and practice development at the Centre for expertise on child sexual abuse, and Peter Bishop, a family therapist who worked with Anna in her previous role as local authority social worker and multi-disciplinary team manager in East Sussex.
1:33 – 06.09: Peter and Anna discuss what is meant by ‘family work’ and how social workers might be able to use key concepts from it in their work generally
6.10 – 18.59: Peter explains why these ideas are particularly relevant to intrafamilial child sexual abuse and shares case examples of challenging situations and how family work can help
19.00 – 27.07: Peter and Anna discuss how sibling sexual abuse may be different and ways that practitioners can support parents deal with conflicting feelings they may have and meet the needs of both the victim and perpetrator
27.08 – end: They conclude with discussion of how professionals can position themselves as facilitators of relationships between family members and the family as a whole, rather than the professional relationship being the primary driver of change.
Detailed case studies by Peter and resources by Anna and colleagues on different aspects of social work and child sexual abuse can be found at https://www.ccinform.co.uk/knowledge-hubs/child-sexual-abuse-knowledge-and-practice-hub/

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Welcome to Learn on the go, a Community Care Inform podcast where we discuss what the latest research, practice models and policy guidance mean to your practice.

In this episode, we discuss fabricated or induced illness.

The experts are Gretchen Precey, independent social worker, trainer and consultant, and Dr Paul Davis, consultant paediatrician.

2:28: Gretchen and Paul talk about what FII is and the kinds of behaviours it can include.

8:21: Why are mothers typically the perpetrators of FII? Gretchen and Paul give their opinions.

12:04: The experts talk about the signs that FII might be taking place, and why it can be difficult to identify.

23:17: Paul discusses how social workers can work with doctors and other professionals.

References
Davis, P; Murtagh, U and Glaser, D (2019)
‘40 years of fabricated or induced illness (FII): where next for paediatricians? Paper 1: epidemiology and definition of FII‘
Archives of Disease in Childhood, Volume 104, No 2, pp110-114

Department for Children, Schools and Families (2008)
Safeguarding children in whom illness is fabricated or induced
HM Government

Glaser, D and Davis, P (2019)
‘Forty years of fabricated or induced illness (FII): where next for paediatricians? Paper 2: Management of perplexing presentations including FII’
Archives of Disease in Childhood, Volume 104, pp7-11

Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (2009)
Fabricated or Induced Illness by Carers (FII): a practical guide for paediatricians
RCPCH

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Welcome to Learn on the go, a Community Care Inform podcast where we discuss what the latest research, practice models and policy guidance mean to your practice.

In this episode, we discuss working with parents with learning disabilities.
As part of the episode, we went to a peer support group for parents run by the Elfrida Society, a charity which provides a specialist advocacy service for people with learning disabilities. There are excerpts from the discussion among parents with learning disabilities and learning difficulties about their experiences with social workers and how services can improve. And the episode also includes a discussion between Nadine Tilbury, policy officer at Bristol University’s Norah Fry Centre for Disability Studies, and Kate Theodore, lecturer at Royal Holloway and a clinical psychologist who has worked with people with learning disabilities. The questions were asked by Ruth Hardy, content editor at Community Care Inform.

1:36 – 8:50: The parents, Nadine and Kate discuss what negative beliefs and stereotypes there are about parents with learning disabilities.

10:21 – 21:35: How can social workers build good relationships with parents? The group discuss this, and then Nadine and Kate offer their thoughts.

21:49 – 33:30: The peer support group talk about their experience of parenting assessments. Nadine and Kate discuss best practice for social workers undertaking assessments with parents.

33:40 – end: The final question is around what support parents with learning disabilities might need from social workers.

References
Parents' peer support group
Elfrida Society

Tarleton, B; Turney, D; Merchant, W and Tilbury, N (2018)
Getting Things Changed: Successful professional practice when working with parents with learning difficulties
University of Bristol

Working Together with Parents Network (2016)
Good practice guidance on working with parents with a learning disability
University of Bristol / Esmée Fairbairn Foundation

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Welcome to Learn on the go, a Community Care Inform podcast where we discuss what the latest research, practice models and policy guidance mean to your practice.

In this episode, we discuss criminal exploitation and county lines.

The experts are Dave, a parent whose son, Mark, became involved with gangs, and Catherine, a youth justice manager who worked with Dave and Mark and has expertise in gangs and county lines.

Dave and Mark are pseudonyms, and we haven’t given full names or a specific local authority in order to protect Mark’s identity.

02:56 - 05:25: Catherine explains what terms like ‘criminal exploitation’ and ‘county lines’ mean.

07:44 - 10:20: Dave and Catherine talk about some of the signs that a young person is being exploited.

14:23 - 23:30: What does good social work with young people and parents look like? Catherine talks about the importance of social workers taking the time to get to know young people and building a trusting relationship. And Dave talks about his own experience and needing to be listened to, not judged, and talked to honestly.

References
Turner, A (2018)
'We weren't set up to deal with this': how councils have responded to county lines
Community Care

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Welcome to Learn on the go, a Community Care Inform podcast where we discuss what the latest research, practice models and policy guidance mean to your practice.

In this episode, we discuss social work and social media.

The experts are Claudia Megele, chair of the principal social worker network, and Jenny Simpson, head of social work (England) at the Open University.

2:49 – 8:00: Jenny and Claudia define the key social media networks and who they appeal to, including Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram.

8:24 – 27:00: Jenny and Claudia discuss the ethical and legal issues of accessing service users’ social media, relationship-based working and the importance of consent.

Read the Community Care investigation into social workers using social media to find evidence on service users: https://www.communitycare.co.uk/2018/11/28/social-workers-using-social-media-find-evidence-service-users-lack-guidance-leaves-knowledge-gaps/

References
Boyd, D (2007)
'Why Youth (Heart) Social Network Sites: The Role of Networking Publics in Teenage Social Life'
In Buckingham, D (ed) MacArthur Foundation Series on Digital Learning – Youth, Identity and Digital Media Volume
Cambridge MA: MIT Press

Breyette, S K and Hill, K (2015)
'The impact of electronic communication and social media on child welfare practice'
Journal of Technology in Human Services, Volume 33, Issue 4, pp283-303

Congress, E P (2000)
'What social workers should know about ethics: Understanding and resolving ethical dilemmas'
Advances in Social Work, Volume 1, Issue 1, pp1–25

Doel, M; Allmark, P; Conway, P; Cowburn, M; Flynn, M; Nelson, P and Tod, A (2010)
'Professional boundaries: Crossing a Line or Entering The Shadows'
British Journal of Social Work, Volume 40, pp1866-1889

McLuhan, M (1964)
Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man
MIT Press

Megele, C and Buzzi, P (2019)
Social Media and Social Work: Implications and Opportunities for Practice
Policy Press

Sage, T and Sage, M (2016)
'Social Media Use in Child Welfare Practice'
Advances in Social Work, Volume 17, Issue 1, pp93-112

Simpson, J (2016)
'A divergence of opinion: how those involved in child and family social work are responding to the challenges of the Internet and social media'
Child and Family Social Work, Volume 21, Issue 1, pp94–102

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Welcome to Learn on the go, a Community Care Inform podcast where we discuss what the latest research, practice models and policy guidance mean to your practice.

In this episode, we discuss social work with transgender people.
The experts are Julie Fish, chair of social work and health inequalities at De Montfort University, Leicester, and Matty Donaldson, youth work and peer support coordinator at The Proud Trust, a charity that supports LGBT+ young people.

1:03 - 7:45: Julie and Matty discuss the definitions of key terms, including transgender, gender fluid and gender expression.

7:52 - 12:40: Julie and Matty explain some common misconceptions about what it means to be trans – eg that transition necessarily means changing the physical body to match one’s sense of gender.

12:53 - 26:30: The experts discuss types of discrimination trans people can face from social workers and social care services, whether the type of discrimination can depend on what age you are, and specific types of discrimination people can face in residential care services.

26:44 - end of the podcast: What does good social work with trans people look like? Julie and Matty provide some key practical tips.

References
Fish, J (2012)
Social work and lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people: Making a difference
Bristol: The Policy Press

Fish, J and Karban, K (eds) (2015)
Lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans health inequalities: International perspectives in Social Work
Bristol: The Policy Press

Hudson-Sharp, N (2018)
Transgender awareness in child and family social work education: research report
National Institute of Economic and Social Research

Pullen Sansfaçon, A; Robichaud, M J and Dumais-Michaud, A A (2015)
'The Experience of Parents Who Support Their Children's Gender Variance'
Journal of LGBT Youth, Volume 12, Issue 1

Resources (accessed 2018)
The Proud Trust

Trans Youth in Care (accessed 2018)
LGBT Youth in Care

Willis, P and Raithby, M
Trans* Ageing and Care
University of Swansea

Youth group finder tool (accessed 2018)
The Proud Trust

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Welcome to Learn on the go, a Community Care Inform podcast where we discuss what the latest research, practice models and policy guidance mean to your practice.

In this episode, we discuss the complicated and sometimes controversial topic of parental alienation.

The experts are Sarah Parsons, principal social worker and assistant director at Cafcass, the Child and Family Court Advisory and Support Service in England, and Julie Doughty, lecturer in law at Cardiff University. Julie, along with Nina Maxwell and Thomas Slater, conducted a review of research and case law on parental alienation for Cafcass Cymru in 2018.

1:27 – 4:30 on the podcast: Sarah and Julie discuss what parental alienation is, different definitions in the research literature and how it differs from other terms like implacable hostility.

12:53 – 18:31 on the podcast: Sarah considers the signs that parental alienation might be taking place, such as a child’s use of language or one parent constantly badmouthing the other.

“The law in England and Wales is quite clear that it’s in children’s welfare to have continuing relationships with both parents. That is what the court will expect. So if contact with the non-resident parent is safe, that is what the court will expect to happen, and therefore the reasons for a child rejecting that would need to be looked into.” Julie Doughty

22:23 – end of podcast: Sarah and Julie give the key messages social workers should take into their practice.

References
Baker, A (accessed 2018)
amyjlbaker.com

Doughty, J; Maxwell, M and Slater, T (2018)
Review of research and case law on parental alienation
Cardiff: Welsh Government

Re J [2018] EWCA Civ 115, paras 83-84, Court of Appeal, Lord Justice McFarlane, Lady Justice King

Re L & Ors (Children) [2000] EWCA Civ 194, Court of Appeal, Dame Elizabeth Butler-Sloss, Lord Justice Thorpe, Lord Justice Waller

Women’s Aid and Queen Mary (2018)
‘What about my right not to be abused?’ Domestic abuse, human rights and the family courts

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Welcome to Learn on the go, a Community Care Inform podcast where we discuss what the latest research, practice models and policy guidance mean to your practice.

In this episode – the second of two on motivational interviewing – our expert guests improvise two scenarios; one showing a non-MI approach, the other showing MI in action. They then talk about the 'nuts and bolts' of motivational interviewing.

The experts

Lydia Guthrie
Co-director of training organisation Change Point Learning and Development, and a qualified social worker who has worked in the probation service and in the voluntary sector.

David Wilkins
Social work lecturer at the University of Cardiff, with previous roles including principal child and family social worker for the London borough of Enfield.

01:25 - 06:32 on the podcast
In this scenario, David and Lydia give a demonstration of how not to have a conversation with someone who might need help. David plays the part of a manager and Lydia plays the part of a social worker who is struggling to keep up-to-date with the work she has been allocated.

06:35 - 32:58 on the podcast
In this scenario, Lydia and David give an example of using some motivational interviewing skills in a social work context. Lydia is playing the role of a social worker, while David plays a father. The father in this situation has contact with his children every weekend, they come and stay at his house, and one of the issues of concern is that he’s regularly using cannabis when the children are in his company. It’s agreed by both the worker and the dad and everybody else involved in supporting this family that this is an appropriate goal for him to work on changing.

33:05 - end of podcast
Four of the key nuts and bolts of the motivational interviewing approach are known by the OARS acronym. Lydia goes through what these are and how to use them in practice.

If you’re a Community Care Inform subscriber, you can access supporting materials for the podcast, including a written transcription, the key points covered in the episode, and learning activities you can do by yourself or in a group. Just go on the Inform Children or Inform Adults site and search for ‘podcast’.

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Welcome to Learn on the go, a Community Care Inform podcast where we discuss what the latest research, practice models and policy guidance mean to your practice.

In this episode, we discuss motivational interviewing: what it is, the research behind it and some of the possible risks and drawbacks.

The experts

Lydia Guthrie
Co-director of training organisation Change Point Learning and Development, and a qualified social worker who has worked in the probation service and in the voluntary sector.

David Wilkins
Social work lecturer at the University of Cardiff, with previous roles including principal child and family social worker for the London borough of Enfield.

01:01 – 05:20
Lydia and David discuss their definitions of motivational interviewing.

05:27 - 14:05
What’s the research base behind MI? Lydia and David talk about what the evidence says about how effective MI is at creating behavioural change.

14:05 - end
Are there any risks or drackbacks with using MI? Lydia talks about the potential risks of sounding patronising if you use MI with a low level of skill, and David discusses how many of the problems we encounter in social work are not amenable to behaviour change.

This is the first episode of two on motivational interviewing – in the next episode, David and Lydia improvise scenarios showing an MI approach in action.

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Welcome to Learn on the go, a Community Care Inform podcast where we discuss what the latest research, practice models and policy guidance mean to your practice.

In the episode, we discuss poverty, child protection and the care system. This episode was recorded in April 2017.

The experts
Paul Bywaters
Professor of social work at the University of Huddersfield and emeritus professor at Coventry University.

Andy Bilson
Professor of social work at the University of Central Lancashire and adjunct professor at the University of Western Australia.

The podcast
Start – 16:30
Paul Bywaters discusses his research into deprivation and child welfare intervention rates.

16:31 – 43:30
Andy Bilson discusses research looking at child protection referalls and investigations, which found that before their fifth birthday, one in five of all children in England have been referred to children’s services.

34:31 – end
Andy Bilson discusses trends in adoption and special guardianship.

References
Bilson, A (2017)
Written submission to BASW’s Adoption Enquiry
Unpublished

Bilson, A and Martin, K E C (2016)
‘Referrals and Child Protection in England: One in Five Children Referred to Children’s Services and One in Nineteen Investigated before the Age of Five’
British Journal of Social Work (online)

Bilson, A; Featherstone, B and Martin, K.(2017)
‘How child protection’s ‘investigative turn’ impacts on poor and deprived communities’
Family Law, Volume 47, pp316-319

Bywaters, P (2017)
Identifying and Understanding Inequalities in Child Welfare Intervention Rates: comparative studies in four UK countries. Briefing paper 1: England
Nuffield Foundation

Bywaters, P; Brady, G; Sparks, T; Bos, E; Bunting, L; Daniel, B; Featherstone, B; Morris, K and Scourfield, J (2015)
‘Exploring inequities in child welfare and child protection services: Explaining the “inverse intervention law.”’
Children and Youth Services Review, Volume 57, pp98-105

Bywaters, P; Bunting, L; Davidson, G; Hanratty, J; Mason, W; McCartan, C; Steils, N (2016)
The relationship between poverty, child abuse and neglect: an evidence review
Joseph Rowntree Foundation

Harries, M; Cant, R L; Bilson, A and Thorpe, D (2014)
‘Responding to information about children in adversity: Ten years of a differential response model in Western Australia’
Child Abuse and Neglect (online)

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Welcome to Learn on the go, a Community Care Inform podcast where we discuss what the latest research, practice models and policy guidance mean to your practice.

In this episode, we discuss strengths-based practice: what it is, how it can be used in social work and some of the criticisms of it.

The experts
Lyn Romeo
Chief social worker for adults.

Elaine Aspinwall-Roberts
Senior lecturer in social work at Liverpool John Moores University.

The podcast is presented by Ruth Hardy, assistant content editor at Community Care Inform.

0.00 – 05:19
Lyn and Elaine discuss what strengths-based practice is and whether it is different to asset-based practice.

14:40 – 20:50
Is strengths-based practice just a way for local authorities to save money? Lyn and Elaine discuss whether it could lead to restricted access to services.

20:59 – 23:59
Using a strengths-based approach in your practice: what questions to ask and what skills you need.

References
Cole, A (2016)
The 'three conversations' model: turning away from long-term care
The Guardian

Department of Health (2017)
Strengths-based social work practice with adults

Gray, M (2011)
'Back to Basics: A Critique of the Strengths Perspective in Social Work'
Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Services, Volume 92, Issue 1, pp5-11

Graybeal, C (2001)
'Strengths-Based Social Work Assessment: Transforming the Dominant Paradigm'
Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Services, Volume 82, Issue 3, pp233-242

Graybeal, C (2007)
'Evidence for the Art of Social Work'
Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Services, Volume 88, Issue 4, pp513-524

McGovern, J (2015)
"Living Better With Dementia: Strengths-Based Social Work Practice and Dementia Care"
Social Work in Health Care, Volume 54, Issue 5, pp408-421

Oliver, C and Charles, G (2016)
'Enacting Firm, Fair and Friendly Practice: A Model for Strengths-Based Child Protection Relationships?'
The British Journal of Social Work, Volume 46, Issue 4, pp1009-1026

Pattoni, L (2012)
Strengths-based approaches for working with individuals
Iriss

Saleebey, D (ed) (2012, 6th edn)
The Strengths Perspective in Social Work Practice
London: Pearson

Slasberg, C and Beresford, P (2017)
'Strengths-based practice: social care’s Elixir or the next false dawn?'
Disability and Society, Volume 32, Issue 2, pp269-273

Smith, S; Dressel, J and Brannan, J (2018)
'The Solution-Focused Approach'
In: Lishman, J; Yuill, C; Brannan, J and Gibson, A (eds) Social Work: An Introduction (2018, 2nd edn)

Song, L and Shih, C (2010)
'Recovery from partner abuse: the application of the strengths perspective'
International Journal of Social Welfare, Volume 19, Issue 1, pp23-32

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Welcome to Learn on the go, a Community Care Inform podcast where we discuss what the latest research findings mean to your practice.

In this episode, we asked two experts to summarise their research into safeguarding adults reviews, and explain what social workers can learn from it.

The experts
Jill Manthorpe is professor of social work at King's College London and director of the Social Care Workforce Research Unit. To contact Jill about the research mentioned, email jill.manthorpe@kcl.ac.uk.

Michael Preston-Shoot is professor emeritus of social work at the University of Bedfordshire.

The podcast is presented by Ruth Hardy, assistant content editor at Community Care Inform.

00:58 – 11:10
Jill Manthorpe discusses her research into serious case reviews and safeguarding adults reviews that have involved care homes for older people.

11:11 – 15:30
Jill Manthorpe talks more widely about how safeguarding adults reviews can inform practice and what social workers can learn from them.

15:40 – end
Michael Preston-Shoot discusses his research into safeguarding adults reviews that cover self-neglect cases, what the most common recommendations are and what the most effective interventions are.

References
Manthorpe, J and Martineau, S (2016)
'Engaging with the New System of Safeguarding Adults Reviews Concerning Care Homes for Older People'
British Journal of Social Work: doi: 10.1093/bjsw/bcw102

Manthorpe, J and Martineau, S (2017)
'Safeguarding Adults Reviews: Prompting practice and policy'
Social Work and Social Sciences Review, Volume 18, Issue 3, p23-32

Braye, S; Orr, D and Preston-Shoot, M (2015)
‘Learning lessons about self-neglect? An analysis of serious case reviews’
Journal of Adult Protection, Volume 17, Issue 1, p3-18

Braye, S; Orr, D and Preston-Shoot, M (2015)
‘Serious case review findings on the challenges of self-neglect: indicators for good practice’
Journal of Adult Protection, Volume 17, Issue 2, p75-87

Preston-Shoot, M (2016)
‘Towards explanations for the findings of serious case reviews: understanding what happens in self-neglect work’
Journal of Adult Protection, Volume 18, Issue 3, p131-148

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Welcome to Learn on the go, a Community Care Inform podcast where we discuss what the latest research findings mean to your practice.

In this episode, we asked two experts to talk about their research into burnout among child protection and learning disability social workers.

The experts
Paula McFadden is senior lecturer in social work at Ulster University.

Jill Manthorpe is professor of social work at King's College London, director of the Social Care Workforce Research Unit and NIHR senior investigator emeritus.

The podcast is presented by Ruth Hardy, assistant content editor at Community Care Inform.

0.00 – 10:30
Paula McFadden gives a summary of her research into the burnout experienced by child protection and learning disability social workers, based on a Community Care survey of our readers.

10:31 – 14:40
Jill Manthorpe discusses what their research has found on supervision, caseload weighting and stress experienced by learning disability social workers.

17:00 – 19:40
Jill Manthorpe discusses the possibility of there being named social workers for adults with learning disabilities, and how this might affect practice.

19:30 – end
Jill Manthorpe and Paula McFadden discuss why the learning disability workforce is aging and how to futureproof the workforce. They summarise the research and thank everyone who took part.

References
McFadden, P; Manthorpe, J and Mallett, J (2017)
'Commonalities and Differences in Social Work with Learning Disability and Child Protection: findings from a UK ‘Burnout’ national survey'
British Journal of Social Work

McFadden, P (2015)
Measuring burnout among UK social workers: a Community Care study
Reed Business Information: Community Care

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Welcome to Learn on the go, a Community Care Inform podcast where we discuss what the latest research findings mean to your practice.

In this episode, we asked two experts to summarise the research on female genital mutilation (FGM), and explain what social workers can learn from it.

The experts
Sonita Pobi is head of training at the National FGM Centre, a partnership between Barnardo’s and the Local Government Association funded by the Department for Education. She has developed and delivers the CPD advanced level training "Multi-agency safeguarding against female genital mutilation" which is available nationally.

Dr Comfort Momoh is an FGM and public health specialist with extensive experience of holistic, women-centred care. She established and runs the African Well Woman’s Clinic at Guy’s and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust. Comfort has been working on women and girls’ rights issues for more than 30 years, and is a strong campaigner against domestic violence and for the eradication of FGM.

The podcast is presented by Ruth Hardy, assistant content editor at Community Care Inform.

0.00 – 06:11
Sonita Pobi discusses the research ‘Prevalence of Female Genital Mutilation in England and Wales: National and local estimates’.

06:12 - 19:58
Sonita Pobi discusses the research "Between Two Cultures". This found that the majority of those interviewed were opposed to FGM, but that more traditional families, people from rural communities and people with a lower level of education are more likely to support FGM.

19:59 - 23:18
Comfort Momoh discusses tackling FGM and why FGM must be seen as a safeguarding issue.

References
Macfarlane, A and Dorkenoo, E (2014)
Prevalence of Female Genital Mutilation in England and Wales: National and local estimates
City University London and Equality Now

Mandatory reporting of female genital mutilation: procedural information (2015)
Department for Education and Home Office

Norman, K; Gegzabher, SB and Otoo-Oyortey, N (2016)
"Between Two Cultures": A Rapid PEER Study Exploring Migrant Communities' Views on Female Genital Mutilation in Essex and Norfolk, UK
National FGM Centre and Forward

Tackling FGM in the UK: Views of People From Communities Affected By FGM (2015)
Tackling Female Genital Mutilation Initiative and Options

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Welcome to Learn on the go, a Community Care Inform podcast where we discuss what the latest research findings mean to your practice.

In the second episode of the series, we asked two experts to summarise the research on adult attachment, dementia and older people, and explain what social workers can learn from it.

The experts
David Shemmings is professor of child protection research at the University of Kent, co-director of the university's Centre for Child Protection and visiting professor of child protection research at Royal Holloway College, University of London.

Lydia Guthrie is a trainer, group facilitator and supervisor and co-director of training organisation Change Point Learning.

The podcast is presented by Ruth Hardy, assistant content editor at Community Care Inform.

00:00 - 09:40
David Shemmings discusses the principles of attachment theory and how this relates to adults. He discusses research on family carers, called ‘'The Secure Base Script and the Task of Caring for Elderly Parents: Implications for Attachment Theory and Clinical Practice'.

09:40 – 18:30
David Shemmings summarises and discusses the paper ‘Attachment and coping of dementia care staff: The role of staff attachment style, geriatric nursing self-efficacy, and approaches to dementia in burnout', and what the findings mean for social workers and home care staff.

18:33 – end
Lydia Guthrie talks about the paper 'Bowlby and attachment theory: lessons for dementia care', and discusses how social workers can use attachment theory as a different tool to work with families and understand behaviour.

References
Chen, CK; Salatas Waters, H; Hartman, M; Zimmerman, S; Miklowitz, D J and Waters, E (2013)
'The Secure Base Script and the Task of Caring for Elderly Parents: Implications for Attachment Theory and Clinical Practice'
Attachment and Human Development, Volume 15, Issue 3, pp332-348

Jackman, LG and Hambleton, S (2011)
'Bowlby and attachment theory: lessons for dementia care'
Journal of Dementia Care, Volume 19, Issue 4, pp28-31

Kokkonen, T M; Cheston, R; Dallos, R and Smart, C (2014)
'Attachment and coping of dementia care staff: The role of staff attachment style, geriatric nursing self-efficacy, and approaches to dementia in burnout'
Dementia, Volume 13, Issue 4, pp544-568

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Welcome to Learn on the go, a Community Care Inform podcast where we discuss what the latest research findings mean to your practice.

In the first episode of the series, we asked two experts to summarise the research on adoption disruption, and explain what social workers can learn from it.

Community Care Inform subscribers can visit Inform Children and Inform Adults for more detailed information and guidance.

The experts
Julie Selwyn is professor and director at the Hadley Centre for Adoption and Foster Care Studies at the University of Bristol, and author of the research discussed in this podcast.

Elaine Dibben is consultant for adoption and fostering charity CoramBAAF.
The podcast is presented by Ruth Hardy, assistant content editor at Community Care Inform.

0.00 – 7:35
Julie Selwyn discusses her research ‘Beyond the adoption order’, which looked at adoption disruption rates in England and Wales.

7:35 – 16:50
Julie Selwyn talks about her paper on adolescent to parent violence, which emerged as a common factor in families who have experienced adoption disruption. Elaine Dibben discusses how social workers should approach adoption cases.

16:50 – 28:30
Julie Selwyn summarises her paper on the foster care experiences of children who later struggle with adoptive family life. Elaine Dibben talks about the importance of the transition process between foster care and adoption placement.

28:30 – end
Conclusion, thank you to our panellists, and a final word from Julie Selwyn.

References
Meakings, S J and Selwyn, J (2016)
‘‘She was a foster mother who said she didn’t give cuddles’: The adverse early foster care experiences of children who later struggled with adoptive family life’
Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, Volume 21, pp509-519

Selwyn, J and Meakings, S (2016)
‘Adolescent to parent violence in adoptive families’
British Journal of Social Work, Volume 46, pp1224-1240

Wijedasa, D and Selwyn, J (2014)
Beyond the adoption order: an investigation of adoption disruption in Wales
University of Bristol

Selwyn, J and Meakings, S (2015)
Beyond the adoption order (Wales): Discord and disruption in adoptive families
University of Bristol

Selwyn, J; Wijedasa, D and Meakings, S (2014)
Beyond the adoption order: challenges, interventions and adoption disruption
Department for Education

Selwyn, J; Meakings, S and Wijedasa, D (2015)
Beyond the Adoption Order: challenges, interventions and disruptions
London: BAAF

Learn on the go: the Community Care podcast: Recent Episodes

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