Working as a Social Worker can be challenging and you may have to help families and children in some difficult situations. Beth at Suffolk County Council shares the difficult decisions she’s had to make during her career so far and the rewards of working within the sector.

What was the challenge or opportunity that you had seen or overcome?

I supported a Mum and her two young daughters as they were returned back to her care following a period of them being cared for by family members. The intervention was extended to ensure an appropriate amount of support could be provided. A Student Social Worker and I supported them for 24 weeks, and we focused on having boundaries to ensure a safe and stable home, having a consistent routine, and obtaining new accommodation that is spacious enough and appropriate for the whole family.

I have also supported a family for 12-weeks where there were concerns regarding the parents’ strong views and labelling of their children. This intervention was successful and prevented the children from entering the care system. Shortly after the intervention the family stepped down to Child In Need, and shortly after this, closed to Social Care completely. The use of direct work and resources for this family were effective, and each session was incredibly meaningful and there were visible changes being made.

How did you approach this as a team, or in collaboration with other authorities?

Myself and the Student Social Worker worked positively together to create an effective intervention, by using visual tools and resources, and ensuring each session was beneficial and meaningful for the family. We worked with outside agencies such as housing professionals, and charities to help provide the family with furniture and furnishings for their new home. We worked closely with the Allocated Social Worker of the family, ensuring that any new information that needed to be shared was, and any concerns she had were passed on to us so that we could include these within our intervention. We worked with the school and shared any resources that were implemented so that there was a sense of continuity for the children.

For the other family, it was essential that when out intervention came to an end, that they still had support and a point of contact aside from their Allocated Social Worker. Different agencies were explored and researched, to establish which would be most appropriate and beneficial for the family, this also allowed for a smooth transition and handover.

What was the outcome of this?

The outcome from this intervention was positive for the family. They scaled each of their goals higher showing that they feel progression had been made. A short while after the intervention ended, the family closed to Social Care, which evidences that not only me, but other professionals as well as the family had worked well together to make positive changes and create a safe and happy environment for the children to live in.

What lessons learned did you take from this? How can these be used by the other authorities?

Lessons I took from this intervention, included how beneficial it is to work closely with other professionals, and always ensuring there is good communication. I used supervision to monitor the length of the intervention, and constantly reviewed progress and plans for the intervention so that I felt prepared and had an agenda for the family, whilst still being flexible for them and their needs. I also learnt the importance of endings, and establishing the best way to end an intervention, ensuring that all support is not withdrawn, and if appropriate, other agencies are explored for the families.

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