Hi June. Can you tell us a bit about yourself? How long have you been a social worker for?
I qualified as a Social Worker in 2002 and began working in a Community Team in South Bristol remaining there until I transferred to the Children in Care team in September 2007. Through these roles I have gained experience of working with Children in Need and Children subject to a Child Protection Plan and have experience working with children and families. I also have experience of working in the CIC service where my focus and interest has been primarily around achieving placement stability as the starting point to achieving better emotional and educational outcomes.
In the past I have worked in the National Health Service with adults with mental health difficulties both in hospital and community setting. I also have experience of care of the elderly with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. I am a parent and grandparent, I have lost a child through bereavement; therefore have experienced loss and bereavement.
During my time in the Community Team I completed the Post Qualifying 1 Award and am hoping to start the Post Qualifying Specialist Programme in Social Work with Children and Young People in September 2012.
Why did you want to join the Social Work Practice?
I became involved with the setting up of the Social Work Practice because I think it is an exciting opportunity to do things differently with children and young people at the heart of the decision making processes. I visited another Social Work Practice Pilot that showed me that there is scope for embracing changes and also for developing my own professional identity as a worker and being part of the decisions affecting children and young people’s lives as well as using my skills and knowledge in a creative way to achieve positive change.
Do you have any particular areas of interest in terms of the services provided to children and young people in care?
I am particularly interested in the educational needs of children and young people as this is the key to their success in later life. With a good education they would be able to achieve and be a positive member of society.
I am also interested in developing groupwork around facilitating an open dialogue about issues that effect Black and Ethnic children and young people to develop a positive sense of self worth and identify.
