Transcript

SPEAKER 1

In everyday practical ways, how does social work make a difference?

SPEAKER 2

Well, someone can take control of their support and commission it themselves. And then, it could also be seen as another arm of the state in terms of we have statutory duties to abide by and comply with. So for example, in The Adult Support and Protection Act 2007, we have a statutory duty to undertake inquiries, investigations, case conferences if we feel that an adult is at risk of harm. There's obviously the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) Act as well, where mental health officers would have a statutory duty to assess and agree to interventions and compulsory measures to protect someone's well-being.

SPEAKER 3

We usually enter the life of people when they are the most difficult and fragile moment. And I think that being the calm figure that they want to guide them through the difficulty and offer the support that they need or they might-- they can't-- they don't have it is the best way that will describe that-- the role of social worker and why we're making a difference.

SPEAKER 4

I think even just those roles of advocating, supporting, and sometimes even just a practical support that social workers give, it's all the unseen things that are probably the most valuable to the most vulnerable in society.

SPEAKER 5

You're going to have social workers who are going in and doing really supportive and empowering work with face-to-face with people and empowering them to make a change and a difference to their own lives and to use their own strengths to do that. And if that is with parenting skills, for example, or on the ground with skills in terms of managing with a child with tantrum behaviors and really help them support them with that. But then you come the whole way through the spectrum to the social workers who are in a much more managerial kind of role. And I don't mean that they're social worker managers, but I mean, that actually they've got a lot of power behind them in terms of their role is to fulfill whatever part of the legislation is talking about.