Three years into a career in child protection social work and my love for this job has, if anything, increased. But there’s no denying that the last few years have been an eye opener and a steep learning curve. At times during my first year I sat with my “newly-qualified” status feeling hopeless and ready to give up. I don’t say this to put off those considering the career; quite the opposite. I want to reassure any new starter that these emotions aren’t uncommon, and that as quickly as they arrive you will overcome them and end up a better social worker for it.
Child protection is an incredible job and the successes and positive moments, however small, will more than make up for every bad day and struggle. There are a number of things you can do to help with this. These are my lessons and tips learnt in practice:
Reflection
Those years in university spent loathing the topic of reflection will benefit you more than you ever envisaged. Take advantage of any reflection tips and resources offered in lectures and training; before you know it reflection will be part of your everyday life, even when you don’t consciously plan for it to be.
Emotional intelligence is key
There is no getting around the fact that child protection social work is an emotional minefield. Learning to identify and manage your emotions is vital. Ask for a chat and help when you need it – ignoring your emotions does not make you a stronger person.
Never forget why you chose this career
This is not a job you can do well unless you have a passion for it. Savour the positives – they can be few and far between, but when they happen you’ll fall in love with the job all over again.
You can’t be prepared
A university degree and hours spent trawling through research and writing essays will give you a good starting knowledge base, but nothing can prepare you for the job itself. It’s okay to feel overwhelmed and clueless when you start – we all started somewhere and most of us felt that way too.
Speak up for yourself
Just because you’re newly qualified or less experienced doesn’t make you less able or your opinions less valid.
Write well
Those endless hours spent writing essays and dissertations will benefit far more than just your knowledge base and degree classification. The ability to write well will take you far in this job and relieve a lot of stress when preparing reports, assessments and evidence.
Only you are responsible for your development
Don’t be afraid to ask for support or extra training. In a busy job such as this your managers probably won’t have the time to sit back and try to read your mind as to what your developmental needs are. It’s not that they don’t care; they just have a thousand other things to do. Take control of your own development and you will be respected for it, honestly.
So if you’re contemplating entering this field of work, don’t let its negative reputation or horror stories put you off. Think of what you can offer to children and families and the positive change you can make to people’s lives. What more could you want from a job?
