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Social work by its very nature is challenging and demanding work. But, in the current social, economic and political climate, it can prove extraordinarily difficult to keep your head above water. Written by two highly experienced social work professionals, this important book explores the significance of that context, offers guidance on how to survive despite it and even to aim for thriving within it. There are no easy answers, but there is much we can do to make sure that we are able to fulfil the potential and value of social work as a force for making our society a humane one without sacrificing our own health and well-being. Available for purchase here or here

We all see the world in different ways, so my perspective may be different from yours. But what also happens is that people become comfortable with their way of seeing the world and can be reluctant to change it, even if such a change could actually improve their situation. ‘Reframing’ is the highly skilled process of helping someone see their situation from a different, more positive and empowering perspective. For example, if someone applies for a job, is interviewed but does not get the job, they may come to the conclusion that they were not good enough for that job and may be dissuaded from applying for similar jobs in future. However, helping them to see the situation differently (that…

It can feel like there’s little to be grateful for these days. Many of us are stressed about our health, our finances, and our jobs and these worries can create a vicious downward spiral, impacting our physical and mental health, hurting our performance at work, and straining our relationships. When we lose sight of the positive and focus on the negative, we’re more likely treat our colleagues poorly; we might insult them, talk about them behind their backs, and ignore or exclude them. These uncivil behaviors are a widespread and expensive problem for organizations. Unfortunately, research offers few practical solutions to reduce mistreatment in organizations and most of those that do exist are pricey, time-consuming, and have shown limited effectiveness.…

National bereavement charity Sue Ryder and a coalition of MPs, charities, businesses, faith leaders and healthcare professionals are calling on the Government to introduce a minimum of two weeks statutory paid bereavement leave for all UK employees grieving the loss of a close relative or partner. Currently, in the UK there is no legal requirement for employers to grant bereavement leave, except for parents who have lost a child under 18 years old. It is otherwise entirely at the employer’s discretion. Research conducted in October found that in the past 12 months, 7.9 million people in employment (24% of all employees (1)) experienced a bereavement. Economic research conducted by Sue Ryder has found that grief experienced by employees who have…

The Government has published promising new proposals to change mental health law in England and Wales which could result in fewer autistic people being wrongly sent to mental health hospitals. This is a huge step forward. We and hundreds of thousands of campaigners have been calling for changes to mental health law for years, so it respects autistic people’s rights. At the moment, it allows people to be sectioned because they’re autistic – even though autism isn’t a mental health problem. The proposals will change this in some really important ways. Click here to read more

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Values are at the heart of best practice. This important manual offers a successful blend of theoretical understanding with very helpful practice guidance to enable readers to make sense of the complex but vitally important issues. This is an ideal resource for anyone involved in types of work where success depends on effective engagement with people. Available for purchase here or here

There are some obvious signs of aggression and potential violence, such as reddening of the face, threatening gestures and so on. However, it is important to realize that there are many other, more subtle clues that can alert us to the potential for aggression and violence. In situations where we anticipate someone may become aggressive (where we have to deny their request, for example), we need to be using our nonverbal communication skills and watching carefully for signs that tension is growing. There is often an escalation. For example, it may start with something quite minor and normally imperceptible (drumming of fingers, moving about uneasily in their seat and so on). There are things we can do to minimize the…