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I think when people
ask me why did I go into social work,
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I think for me it was that
I grew up in a single parent household
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in an area of deprivation
and I actually saw the value of support
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and particularly into the home
that I grew up in.
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I think that really imprinted on me
as a child.
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When I look at my role
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and I think about the difference
that social work can make,
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I think apart from
the protection of society's most vulnerable,
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I think also that we can work with families
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so that they can identify
their own strengths.
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Often in times of crisis, families
can struggle to see what they can do well.
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And I think that's the difference social
workers do make for families.
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Why do I feel social work is important?
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I feel it's important
to fight social injustice,
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to challenge discrimination
and oppression,
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but mainly to be working alongside
citizens to find out
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what matters to them and what outcomes
that they want to achieve.
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I think we help families.
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I think we capture what matters
to families and young people and children.
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I think we try
to be a force for good in their lives.
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And when they're struggling,
we try and give them the tools to make
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their lives better
and to help them
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manage without social work.
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Throughout my working life, I've worked
with social workers in a variety
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of different contexts, and I've received
an enormous amount of support,
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guidance and help over the years.
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More than anything
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I just want to say
social workers have my respect
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I just want to say
social workers have my respect
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I just want to say
social workers have my respect
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and admiration and enormous thanks.
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Working alongside
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social workers, it's a very important
relationship between us and them.
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There is an awful lot to do
in a social work environment,
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but the importance is huge.
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Without those individuals
that work in social work,
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it would be near on impossible
for us to do our role delivering care.
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The main challenges for professionals
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has been
how social workers have been viewed,
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and that's a really
difficult thing to change.
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However, I think
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more recent changes
in offering
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a supportive view of social workers
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has to be pushed forward
so that families know
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they can reach out
and ask for help and support.