The 10 biggest stereotypes about social workers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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