Why did you come to Kent?
I’d always wanted to work oversees and decided to come to England after I completed my training in Australia, and Kent offered me a job. I began as a social worker assistant and then a social worker when my professional designation came through.
What’s your caseload like?
As a newly qualified social worker your caseload is protected. I have 21 cases which is slightly high but it’s based upon my capacity and what my manager feels I can handle. I enjoy being busy.
How did you feel when Kent children’s services was ranked “good” by Ofsted this summer, bringing it into the top 30% of best performing authorities?
We were all really pleased with the Ofsted report as it’s nice to get the recognition for the hard work that we do for families. Although to be honest I didn’t expect anything less than good. But it was a nice boost and recognition that we are doing what we should be doing and meeting the needs of families and children.
Ofsted praised the council’s effective leadership and said there was a political commitment to children’s services. Is this something that comes across in the workplace?
Yes, 100%. My manager and the senior management team are amazing. It’s an open plan office with an open door policy. I am always at my manager’s desk asking questions. We can also approach the assistant director about our more complex cases – again his door is always open. It makes the job easier when you know there is also the political support at a high level for social work which means the resources are available.
What’s staff turnover been like since you arrived? Are the teams stable?
We’ve just created a new team so we have a number of new staff. And although we have a few agency workers – who have more of a turnover – people aren’t leaving.
The council has just increased its number of team mangers to boost support. Do you feel you get the help you need from colleagues and managers?
We have our own individual supervision every month which is excellent, we can discuss our cases and our own emotional wellbeing. We also have team meetings and group supervision so if somebody is struggling with a difficult case we can discuss that and work together. I feel we can call on people especially if there is a sudden crisis. I don’t feel isolated. It’s a supportive environment and I feel relaxed – it’s like a big family.
Ofsted praised social worker’s “creative direct work”, - do you agree that you are encouraged to think creatively?
I think there is a culture of question-asking here – it’s across the board whether you are newly qualified or a senior practitioner. We are encouraged to ask questions and challenge each other which makes it interesting; we come up with shared solutions. I think we do come up with creative ideas and we share our resources.
Kent prides itself on its collaborative working. How well do you work with other professionals?
In my own district we get on really well with the police’s public protection unit which is really handy if you are struggling with a case – we can talk things through with the police which is useful as we have different assessments of risk. We have group child protection cases and are constantly building new relationships with other professionals which is good for information sharing and I think it makes a difference if you are being open and honest. I feel like we have the respect of other professionals. Sometimes they challenge you but it’s a healthy challenge and I feel you have to earn respect. You do need a good working relationship with other professionals because that benefits the families and children we work with.
Do you feel autonomous?
I do have autonomy in what I do and that grows the longer you work here; as you develop you feel more confident about your decisions. I think it’s important to be able to be autonomous and I feel trusted enough to make those decisions on my own.
What opportunities are there for career development?
I love working here because there is this vibe that you can progress if you want to – you could become a senior practitioner or get involved in mentoring or management. There are also opportunities for secondment.
What do you think makes Kent unique?
Child protection is such an intense job but there is so much support here and it’s a great atmosphere to work in. There’s no office politics – I feel like it’s a family.
What’s the best thing about being a social worker in Kent?
It’s the kids that I work with. They are amazing. I do this job so that I can help families and make their lives better and make kids safer.
