Welcome to Let’s Talk Social Work, the podcast from the British Association of Social Workers. This is a space for conversation—discussion with social workers, the individuals they support, and colleagues working in related professions. We consider the key matters affecting social workers as we explore contemporary issues with a focus at both the local and global levels.
The views expressed in this podcast are not necessarily those of the Association.
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Welcome to Let’s Talk Social Work, the podcast from the British Association of Social Workers. This is a space for conversation—discussion with social workers, the individuals they support, and colleagues working in related professions. We consider the key matters affecting social workers as we explore contemporary issues with a focus at both the local and global levels.
The views expressed in this podcast are not necessarily those of the Association.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Social workers frequently come into contact with dogs in their practice. Yet until now, it hasn't featured in social work research, education, training and guidance.
A recent study published in the British Journal of Social Work entitled ‘We’re not professionals when it comes to dogs:’ Social work encounters with dogs and their implications for education and practice sets out to address this omission. The research examines the risks and complexities that social workers might be faced with when encountering dogs, making a compelling case for greater attention on this subject area.
In this episode, Jonny Adamson is joined by the author of the research, Professor Denise Turner, social worker Sarah Long, who participated in the study and experienced aggressive dog behaviour while on a visit, and Certified Animal Behaviourist, Andrew Hale who specialises in complex animal behaviour cases.
They discuss how professionals can assess and minimise risk to themselves and others when encountering dogs, improvements and adjustments that employers could make to working practices, training and support needs for the profession, and the cultural, religious and health considerations which are being overlooked.
Our thanks to James Ede at BeHeard for producing the episode.
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After 93 episodes, Andy McClenaghan is moving on from hosting Let’s Talk Social Work. Following a short break, the podcast will return in the autumn and will be hosted by BASW’s Jonny Adamson.
In this episode, Andy is joined by Jonny to discuss the past four and a half years making Let’s Talk Social Work. They explore standout episodes, key learning points, topics that Andy didn’t get to cover, and what big issues might feature on the podcast over the coming years.
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This special episode has been made to celebrate World Social Work Day 2025, the theme of which is ‘Strengthening Intergenerational Solidarity for Enduring Wellbeing’.
Andy McClenaghan is joined by Professor Cecilia Bailliet, United Nations Independent Expert on human rights and international solidarity, and friend of the podcast Janet Walker, Professor Emeritus of International Social Work at the University of Lincoln and Chair of the British Association of Social Workers International Committee.
During their conversation they explore what international solidarity means and it’s place in the context of human rights. The discussion examines threats to international solidarity and opportunities for its promotion, and looks at the role of social work in advancing international solidarity as key component of efforts to uphold human rights and work towards social justice.
In the episode Celia refers to the International Solidarity Map for Peace and Human Rights. This article from the UN Chronicle explains more about why the map was created.
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In episode 91 Andy McClenaghan is joined by Abigail Gagen, Emily Hindle and Angie Button to discuss how dementia affects people’s lives and explore how social workers and social care workers can meet the needs of people with dementia and their families.
Emily is Policy Manager with the Alzheimer’s Society and Abi is a social worker who works as a Team Manager at North Yorkshire Council and is also a member of BASW England’s Adults Social Work Thematic Group. Angie is Operational Social Work Lead at Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust and Chair of the BASW England Social Workers in Health Group.
During the conversation reference is made to the Alzheimer’s Society report Because we’re human too and the blog Someone to Safeguard by social worker, Rob Mitchell.
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In the first episode of Let’s Talk Social Work of 2025 Andy McClenaghan is joined by Chair of the British Association of Social Workers, Julia Ross, Chair of BASW’s Policy Ethics and Human Rights Committee, Annie Ho and Co-Chair of the Association of Palliative Care Social Workers, Glynis Berry to discuss the potential change in the law for England and Wales which would legally permit people to seek assistance to end their own lives.
On 16 October 2024, the Labour MP Kim Leadbeater presented the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill to Parliament. On 29 November MPs debated the legislation and the outcome was 330 MPs voted in favour of the Bill and 275 MPs opposed it, allowing the legislation to proceed to the next parliamentary stage.
The conversation doesn’t explore arguments for and against allowing terminally ill people to end their own lives. What it does is examine the implications for social work practice that would arise if the legislation, in its current form were to become law.
The discussion also examines the state of palliative care services in the UK as this is an issue closely linked to the debate around assisted dying.
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In this episode, made to mark Human Rights Day 2024, Andy and his guests explore the issue of brain injury and how social workers can best support people with a brain injury to ensure their rights are upheld.
Social workers who work with individuals affected by brain injury need to have a clear understanding of the condition in order to provide effective support. This includes recognising the medical, psychological, social, and legal implications of brain injury, as well as the ways in which it can impact daily life.
Joining Andy to discuss social work and brain injury are Dr Caroline Bald, Kate Mellor and Steph Grant.
Caroline is Lecturer in Social Work at the University of Essex and is Research Fellow on the Heads Together project. Heads Together is National Institute for Health and Care Research funded collaboration across universities in the UK, exploring brain injury social work education.
Along with Caroline, Kate is also a social worker. Kate splits her time between practicing as an Independent Social Worker and Case Manager and working as a Hospital Liaison Facilitator with Headway Sussex, an organisation which offers reablement and support opportunities for people with an acquired brain injury, and their family carers. An expert by experience, Kate has an acquired brain injury.
Steph is also an expert by experience and lives with an acquired brain injury. He is a member of the Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust lived experience research partnership and is Chair of the Head Injury and Homelessness Research Group.
For further information on brain injury and social work please register with biswg.co.uk for news on the launch of the first UK brain injury e-learning platform including teaching resources, lived experience stories and resources for working with families.
The Brainkind report, Too Many To Count, mentioned in the discussion is available here.
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The UK is a richly diverse society and social workers will frequently work with children, families and individuals whose cultural heritage differs from their own. As we have discussed many times on the podcast, social work is a relationship-based profession and it is difficult to form good relationships without being open to understand the values and traditions which shape another person’s worldview and approach to life.
It's also important to recognise that social workers and social work students arriving in the UK from overseas may face barriers and may benefit from support to adjust to some things which people who are born in the UK take for granted.
With all this in mind, this episode explores the concept of cultural capability in social work, examining what the concept means and the extent to which cultural capability is attainable.
Joining Andy to discuss cultural capability are social workers Michael Nwoye, Chloe Hubert and Uche Odunze.
Michael and Chloe work for the organisation, Children and Families Across Borders—CFAB for short. Michael is an Inter-Country Social Worker and Chloe works in CFAB’s Post Placement Support Project. Uche is a newly qualified social worker who during her time studying at the University of Chichester, co-wrote a guide for other international students on adjusting to life in the UK.
Children and Families Across Borders have developed a Cultural Family Life Library, a suite of guides for social workers introducing them to the history and culture of families from Romanian, Jamaican and Nigerian heritage. The Library can be accessed here and further guides will be published in the months to come.
CFAB is also offering online training on Culturally Inclusive Practice: Essential Skills for Social Workers on Tuesday, January 28, 2025. Click here to find out more about the half day event.
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In this episode, Andy and his guests discuss Artificial Intelligence in social work. They explore the concept from three angles—how might AI play a role in social care in terms of direct support for people who use services, how might it assist social workers in their practice and finally, how is AI being used in the education of social workers.
The discussion focuses on how AI is already helping, how it may help further, and what issues must be considered in terms of the ethics and risks associated with the use of Artificial Intelligence.
Joining Andy are social workers Tommy Henderson-Reay, Digital Engagement Programme Manager at NHS England’s Digitising Social Care Programme, Julia Ross, Chair of BASW UK and author of the novel, The Laughing Robot, and Dr Paul Best, Director of the Centre for Technological Innovation in Mental Health and Education at Queen’s University Belfast.
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In our first episode back after the summer break we discuss the experiences of Indigenous People, exploring issues of resilience and social justice and examining lessons for social work. Helping Andy to explore this incredibly important issue are Professor Hilary Weaver and Professor Janet Walker.
Hilary is Professor Emeritus of Social Work at the University at Buffalo School of Social Work, the Indigenous Commissioner for the International Federation of Social Workers, and the Board Chair of the United States Council on Social Work Education. She is has written on a variety of issues impacting Indigenous Peoples, including social policy, health and well-being, intergenerational trauma, education and environmental justice. Hilary is Lakota and has lived much of her adult life in Haudenosaunee territory in Western New York.
Janet is Professor Emeritus of International Social Work at the University of Lincoln and Chair of the British Association of Social Workers International Committee.
During the conversation several documents are referred to. They are:
The International Federation of Social Work statement on International Indigenous Peoples’ Day 2024
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In the last episode of the podcast before we take a break for the summer, Andy and guests have an opportunity to reflect on the outcome of the UK general election and explore what the changed political landscape will mean for adult social care in England, reflecting on potential impacts for social workers and people who use services.
Andy is joined by Vice Chair of BASW England and Co-Chair of its Adult Thematic Group, Jackie Mahoney, BASW UK Council member and Expert by Experience, Mark Lynes, and BASW England’s Policy & Campaigns Officer, Josh Dixon.
The episode begins with reflections on the changed political landscape and touches on BASW’s campaign to remove the Universal Credit two-child limit. The conversation then switches to focus on priority issues in adult social care in England and the importance of coproduction and meaningful involvement of experts by experience in the design of adult social care services. Mark’s contribution to the discussion on coproduction was itself coproduced and he wishes to thank his colleague, Omar Mohammed for his support.
The conversation concludes with a discussion about the need for investment in increasing the amount of good-quality social housing in the UK and BASW’s call for on-going investment in specialist and supported housing.
The BASW 2024 general election manifesto referenced in the discussion is available here.
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In this episode, number 84 in our series, Andy McClenaghan and guests discuss Operation Encompass—a police and education early information safeguarding partnership enabling schools to offer immediate support to children experiencing domestic abuse.
Andy is joined by founders of Operation Encompass, David Carney-Haworth OBE and Elisabeth Carney-Haworth OBE, and social worker James Draper. James is Designated Officer for Child Protection at the Northern Ireland Education Authority. Together they explore the benefits of the project along with the merits and challenges of multi-agency working.
Operation Encompass launched in February 2011 and it is conservatively estimated that over 1.5million children have been supported as a result.
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In this episode we explore reflective supervision—what it is, how it can benefit social workers by improving their wellbeing and job satisfaction, and ultimately, how it can improve practice.
The Social Workers Union, in partnership with Buckinghamshire New University has recently published a best practice guide on reflective supervision which you can access here.
John McGowan, General Secretary of the Social Workers Union, Professor Jermaine Ravalier from Buckinghamshire New University, and Social Worker Chrissie Beatty who works for BCP Council join Andy McClenaghan for an in-depth discussion about reflective supervision.
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Andy is joined by Bekah Pierre and Alice Spencer to discuss the wonderful anthology—Free Loaves on Fridays.
Free Loaves on Fridays is a collection of stories and essays, poems, reflections and open letters, detailing the lives of care experienced people. It is a special work—bursting with humanity. As diverse as the experiences of its contributors, the anthology viscerally details pain and trauma, while celebrating the life changing impacts of love and acceptance in foster and adoptive families, and the transformative potential of child-centred, relationship-based, trauma-informed social work.
Both Bekah and Alice have experience of living in care and contributed chapters to the book. Bekah also edited the anthology.
It is available now, published by Unbound. You can buy a copy here.
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School social work is long established in the USA but in its infancy in Northern Ireland. This episode examines the nature of school social work with a view to learning from the discipline in the United States and exploring how this understanding can be applied to the emerging practice in Northern Ireland.
Andy is joined by Robert Lucio, Associate Professor and Online Program Director at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, College of Social Work, Chair of the NASW School Social Work Section Committee and a Board Member of the School Social Work Association of America, Orlaith McGibbon, Independent social worker and Chair of the British Association of Social Workers Northern Ireland, and school social worker Charlene Hill based at St Ronan's College in Lurgan.
During discussion about approaches to assessing the impact of school social work, reference is made to the Social Workers in Schools (SWIS) Trial conducted in England between September 2020 and July 2022. The project report and evaluation can be accessed here.
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Following our last episode exploring the BASW UK General Election Manifesto, we examine the issue of poverty and what needs to change to improve the circumstances of millions of people across the UK.
Comprising two sections, first Andy is joined by friend of the podcast, social worker and anti-poverty campaigner, Dominic Watters, and Director of Policy, Research and Impact at the Trussell Trust, Helen Barnard. They discuss the scale of foodbank use across the UK and consider the specific challenges facing unpaid carers and care experienced people.
In the second section, Andy speaks with BASW UK Chair, Julia Ross about why she has placed campaigning to challenge the impacts of poverty and the factors which cause poverty at the heart of her priorities as she leads the Association.
During the discussion Dominic refers to the Food Foundation report, Food insecurity among single parent families. You can access it here
BASW’s General Election Manifesto outlines the Association’s anti-poverty, housing and mental health asks mentioned by Julia.
You can access the Trussell’s Trust’s various briefing papers here (the papers are at the bottom of the page).
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A general election is coming. When it will be, no one is quite sure, but what we do know is what needs to change to improve situations for social workers and the people who use social work services. This is the focus of this episode of Let’s Talk Social Work as Andy McClenaghan and guests discuss the asks outlined in the British Association of Social Workers 2024 General Election Manifesto.
Joining Andy are Kerri Prince, BASW’s Public and Political Affairs Lead, and Martin Sexton, outgoing Chair of BASW’s Policy Ethics and Human Rights Committee.
The conversation centres around the five manifesto asks BASW is prioritising. They are:
There are forty asks in total in the manifesto. You can read them all here.
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With independence comes opportunities as well as risks. Andy McClenaghan is joined by Independent social workers Michelle Strain, Jo Fox and Gareth McGibbon to explore the benefits as well as the costs of stepping out and practicing as an Independent social worker.
They discuss the variety of roles Independent social workers undertake, how to maintain a healthy work life balance when you are your own boss, the challenges of marketing yourself, how to ensure sufficient peer support, and keeping up to date with developments in practice and regulatory requirements.
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A first for Let’s Talk Social Work, Andy McClenaghan and guests discuss the benefits of coaching in social work. The conversation explores what coaching is and how engaging in coaching can be an opportunity to receive support and guidance, develop skills and navigate career paths, and how it is a helpful way to engage in self-reflection.
As well as looking at what coaching is, the discussion examines what it isn’t, exploring how it differs from counselling or psychotherapy. The episode also explores who can benefit from coaching and how to get involved.
Joining Andy are professional coaches Tinu Ashaye, Keith Dyer and Kate Cuthbertson. Tinu, Keith and Kate are all social workers who between them have a wealth of practice experience. Kate also oversees BASW’s Social Work Professional Support Service, which is discussed in detail during the episode.
For more information on BASW’s Social Work Professional Support Service, please visit the BASW website.
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“If health has stopped improving it is a sign that society has stopped improving.”
These are the words of Professor Sir Michael Marmot in the report Health Equity in England: The Marmot Review 10 Years on.
In this special episode of Let’s Talk Social Work, made to celebrate World Social Work Day 2024, Andy McClenaghan and guests, Sir Michael Marmot and Dr Ruth Allen, explore how poverty, inequality and social disadvantage impact health outcomes, life expectancy and quality of life.
Sir Michael is a world-renowned expert on public health, Director of the Institute for Health Equity and author of The Health Gap: the challenge of an unequal world, and Status Syndrome: how your place on the social gradient directly affects your health.
Ruth is the Chief Executive of the British Association of Social Workers. Ruth has had a long career in the field of mental health social work and prior to joining BASW was Director of Social Work at South West London & St Georges' Mental Health NHS Trust.
Although poverty is an issue that has been discussed a number of times on the podcast, as so many of the problems which social workers support people to address are rooted in or exacerbated by poverty, we haven’t previously looked at the social determinants of health and the extent to which inequality affects health outcomes. There are no guests better placed to discuss the social determinants of health and their relevance to social work policy and practice.
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Dignity, respect, empowerment: adult safeguarding explored with Dr Jeremy Dixon
Episode 75 of Let’s Talk Social Work explores adult safeguarding—the policies, procedures, and practices aimed at protecting adults who may be at risk of abuse, neglect, or exploitation.
This is work guided by principles of dignity, respect, and empowerment and social workers play a crucial role in identifying, assessing, and responding to concerns about the safety and well-being of adults who may be experiencing harm, or who are at risk of harm.
For the conversation, Andy McClenaghan is joined by Dr Jeremy Dixon, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Social & Policy Sciences at the University of Bath.
They discuss the findings of Jeremy’s research which examined understandings of—and approaches to—adult safeguarding, as detailed in his recent book, Adult Safeguarding Observed. The book is available now, published by Policy Press.
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