Welcome to this podcast from Community Care for our campaign Choose Social Work. The purpose of the campaign is to champion the profession, encourage the next generation of social workers, and counteract negative media coverage. As part of this, we’re talking to those with lived experience of care about the impact that good social work can have.

Our guest is Luke Rodgers, founder and now director of strategy for The Care Leaders, a social enterprise that works with children’s services providing training and consultancy to enhance the lives of children in care, care leavers and those with a social worker.

The questions were asked by Natalie Valios, senior content editor, Community Care Inform Adults.

[0:01:26.4] Was there a great social worker you remember because they had a positive impact on your childhood?

[0:08:13.5] Have you got any tips or advice on how social workers can give children the resilience, power and ownership over who they are, so they remember their social worker fondly in later life?

[0:14:15.8] As well as working with practitioners you work with many young people. Have any of them told you positive stories of their social worker that stand out for you?

[0:17:53.1] What do you think social workers should stop to consider when writing reports so that young people have a better experience than you did if they choose to look at their case files in later life?

[0:26:07.2] How would you suggest a social worker goes about building a relationship with a child they are supporting?

[0:31:50.9] What qualities and skills do you think a young person will remember most about their social worker?