City’s social workers - valued and vital Covid front-line heroes
On World Social Work Day (16 March) we remember the vital and valuable role our social workers have on the front line.
While the NHS has been rightly recognised during the pandemic, our city’s social workers have also been tirelessly working to support families, children, and young adults in care.
Councillor Elaine Hills, said: “Thank you to all our social workers who are valued and vital front-line heroes who have continued to work in difficult and sensitive circumstances throughout the pandemic supporting some of the most vulnerable people in the city.”
Hiba Nour a council social worker who herself suffered from Covid last year said that the pandemic had created an element of anxiety in the role. She explained: “Covid added an extra layer of work, involving more risk assessments for home visits and making difficult decisions about prioritising resources.
“It is stressful at times, but still a very rewarding job and on a positive note I developed more resilience towards life adversities and uncertainties. I recognised the importance of positive relationships in my life especially with friends, work colleagues and peers. I learned to manage my expectations from the families I work with in my social work practice and to recognise the effect COVID19 has on the world. This was especially important to me as a BME worker due to the disproportionate impact of COVID for BME people."
While social workers have throughout the last year continued to work directly with families, only offering virtual visits when the Covid risk outweigh the safeguarding risks, for social work students Covid has thrown up other challenges.
Erin Waller-Langridge is a final year social worker student on a work placement with the council. She was due to start her first placement in January 2020, but this was postponed due to the pandemic. When it resumed, she said, “The first three months of my placement, I had a mixture of in office working and working from home. I was able to work directly with families, children and parents in their homes, schools and out and about in the community. In January 2021 this was not a possibility anymore due to the national lockdown. All work undertaken on my placement moved to virtual work.”
Erin continued: “Aspects of my practice as a student social worker became more difficult throughout this time. It was more challenging to build relationships with families and undertake certain work entirely in a virtual manner.
“I feel incredibly lucky though to have had my final placement in a Brighton and Hove Children’s Services Social Work Pod. It has been a positive experience and I have enjoyed working as part of a team that is very supportive of each other. Through this support I have been able to develop and adapt to new ways of working and building relationships with children and families in a more creative way.”
If you would like to find out more about becoming a social worker or returning to the sector, please visit Working in children's social work at the council (brighton-hove.gov.uk).
