Social Work Week to focus on personal experience
By Gemma Raw
'Social Work and Me' is the theme of this year's Social Work Week, a programme of events aimed at anyone who works in social care or has lived experience of social work.
Curated by Social Work England, Social Work Week will feature a varied schedule of events, including presentations by renowned speakers, panel discussions and workshops. It takes place from 14-18 March, coinciding with World Social Work Day on Tuesday 15 March, which celebrates the hard work and dedication of social workers across the globe. Alongside the main Social Work Week programme of events, there will also be a series of independent events presented by frontline social workers and organisations involved in social care.
Lived and learned experience
The main focus will be on the first-hand experiences of social workers, as well as service users and their families. It's an opportunity for reflection on the last year, during which social care providers and their clients have faced unprecedented challenges because of the COVID-19 pandemic. There will also be discussion about what's next for social work, including the challenges of raising standards, promoting professional identity and building confidence in the profession.
Who is Social Work Week for?
The content of the various events will be of interest to all kinds of people working in social care, from frontline social workers to those in social care senior leadership roles, as well as people with lived experience of social work, and anyone with a professional interest in social care, such as regulators, educators and policymakers.
A wide variety of topics
Subjects up for discussion range from specialist social work roles to continuing professional development (CPD) and human rights-based practice. Here are just some of the highlights...
On Monday 14 March, the leaders of the UK's four social work regulators will discuss their common experiences of social work regulation and professional identity, and how they can work together to influence policy.
On Wednesday 16 March, you can join a group of social workers as they tell their stories of what it's like to be neurodivergent and what this really means for people working in social care jobs.
On Thursday 17 March, there will be a session co-delivered by the British Association of Social Workers (BASW) with social workers and people with lived experience. It will focus on the key role that social workers play in upholding and safeguarding human rights.
In the final event of the week on Friday 18 March, Curators of Change are inviting you to find out about their approach to co-production, which is grounded in human relationships and connections, and pushes the boundaries of process and systems to create more human experiences for people who draw on care and support.
How to attend
All events are bookable online via Eventbrite. Simply visit the Social Care England website, browse the event calendar and click on 'Book your place' to access the Eventbrite booking portal.
