A Call for Support
Social Worker Health, Well-being and Working Conditions
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 10898201 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Jermaine Ravalier (0000-0002-8418-4841, Bath Spa University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2023 |
| Volume | 53 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 1-4 |
| Publication date | 2023-01-20 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | The British Journal of Social Work (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0045-3102 • E-ISSN: 1468-263X |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1093/bjsw/bcac246 |
| OpenAlex | W4317747923 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 11 |
| References cited | 6 |
A Call for Support: Social Worker Health, Well-being and Working Conditions Social workers love doing. ..social work.Making a difference and providing support to some of the most vulnerable people in the country.However, the UK social work workforce is under increasing pressure.Since 2018, researchers have been warning that the social work workforce is on the verge of huge numbers leaving the profession (Ravalier, 2019).Indeed, these dire warnings have come true-the children's social work sector has the highest level of attrition (i.e.social workers leaving the profession altogether-and this is not to mention those who migrate from one role within children's social care to another) and the highest number of vacancies in five years (gov.uk,2022).This undoubtedly has an impact on the service users that social workers work most closely with, who can be some of the most vulnerable people in this country.All of this whilst working through a once-in-a-generation pandemic, under ongoing and chronically poor working conditions, with little in terms of support for their health and wellbeing.In this editorial, I make a case-and an overall plea for support-for the social work workforce to have emergent and ongoing support at a governmental, organisational and team level for their psychological health, well-being and working conditions.During the height of COVID-19 pandemic-induced national lockdowns in the UK, social workers were one of a number of professions in the UK deemed as 'Key Workers'.They continued to provide support for those that they work with and for, and their 'Key Worker' status meant that their children had the opportunity for in-person education when many others could not do so.Indeed, the weekly 'Clap for the NHS' gesture of appreciation for health care workers (Rimmer, 2020) was later changed to 'Clap for Carers' to include all of those employed within the Health and Social Care sectors.
Business · Economic growth · Economics · Political science · Public relations · Social support · Employment and Welfare Studies · Health, psychology, and well-being · Psychology · Social Psychology · Workplace Health and Well-being · Social Work
How does work support influence the relationship between stress and job satisfaction? (A Quantitative Study of Social Workers in the UK)
Exploring the contrasting sources of stress and job satisfaction across three different areas of UK statutory social work
What do child protection social workers consider to be the systemic factors driving workforce instability within the English child protection system, and what are the implications for the UK Government’s reform strategy
I Wouldn't Be Here Without Them’
The Importance of Reflective Spaces When Navigating the Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) Role
Psychological distress, work–family conflict and family life satisfaction
Five pillars of well-being for social work in times of local and global challenges
Does qualifying route inform preparedness for child protection practice? An appraisal of the testimonies of 201 ‘early career’ social workers
Perceptions of Safe Staffing, Self-Reported Mental Well-being and Intentions to Leave the Profession among UK Social Workers
Finding a Path to Social Justice within Fractured Belonging in Pressurised Environments, Facing Circumstances That No Longer Feel ‘Exceptional’
What is the nature and impact of workplace friendships within child protection social work? Implications for emotional support, professional learning, job satisfaction and worker wellbeing
| Unique citing works | 11 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 3,67 |
| Citation span | 2023 - 2026 (4) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 11 |