Supplementary memorandum submitted by
the NSPCC
YOUNG PEOPLE'S VIEWS ON SOCIAL WORKERS
INTRODUCTION
The NSPCC's submission to the Inquiry into the
training of social workers reflected the knowledge and experience
of our staff and our practice base. As an additional contribution,
we agreed with the Clerk to the Committee to undertake a very
brief consultation with some of the children and young people
involved either with our services or with other parts of the NSPCC.
Their views are presented here. They are not representative of
all children and young people, but they do offer an important
insight into the key qualities and skills that social workers
need if they are to be able to work credibly and effectively with
children and young people.
METHOD
We have a number of young people who are involved
in groups or who we contact by email or text to seek their views
on a range of issues. We asked these young people some open ended
questions using email/text and face to face meetings. We have
collated their responses under each question. The quotes have
not been edited, in order to preserve the voice of the young people.
The young people who responded varied in age from 15 to 18, some
with experience of the care system and others without this experience.
The young people came from a range of backgrounds including African
and Asian communities.
What makes a good social worker?
"A good social worker is someone that listens.
They need to understand that sometimes young people find it difficult,
and have to accept that sometimes things are said, and people
behave in different ways because of how they are feeling. So if
swear and get a bit pissy and leave the room it's because I'm
stressed and that's my way of dealing with what's going on around
me, so don't tell me off about it, let me deal with it in my way.
A good social worker is someone that doesn't just say what you
wanna hear or pretend they know how you feel when they don't because
that more than anything annoys young people, well from what I
know anyway... it's something that irritates me". (Female,
18, left care)
"The ones that are polite in the first three
seconds of seeing them. The ones that help and try to understand
and listen. People that achieve goals and make something happen".
(Female, 15, in care)
"Is someone that is easy to talk to and
approachable. They have to look happy and be positive". (Female,
17, not in care)
"I think a good social worker ...needs
to be interested in young people and not just the case and focused
on the young person". (Female, 17, in care)
"I think a good social worker should be
honest, reliable and someone who you can trust and keeps things
confidential". (male, 17, in care)
"I think a good social worker is understanding
and never patronising, they must be sympathetic. They must always
encourage". (Female 17, not in care)
"I think a good social worker can listen
and understand situations. They must act professionally but also
considerately. They must be prompt and alert to domestic situations;
neglect of these fundamentals means neglect of fulfilling their
role". (Female, 16-year-old, not in care)
What skills/qualities/experience should social
workers have?
"I don't think that there are any certain
qualities or skills social workers should have as such, because
sometimes no amount of training can help them deal with some of
the things they come up against. They just need to be genuine
and a good listener". (Female, 18, left care)
"Just help out and be there and someone who
had good communication and working with people. Manners".
(Female, 15, in care)
"Good people skills, communication with
all ages, honesty, respect". (Female, 17, not in care)
"Social workers most of the time need to
be as excited and loud as a child or young person. Young people
like people who don't seem afraid or anxious when talking to them".
(Female 17, not in care)
"Social workers should have: consideration,
adequate training, sufficient awareness to address situations,
sensitivity, confidence to propose their findings on situations,
calm and collected to deal with a range of people". (16-year-old,
Asian girl, not in care)
"Social workers should have experience
with young people in general ie primary school work, youth clubs,
those with different experiences and working with different social
backgrounds and ages. Having a social worker qualification does
not mean you can or have the experience to work with young people".
(Female, 17, not in care)
"Social Workers should be good at their
jobs and not just brand new to the job". (Male, 17, not in
care)
What are the bad things about social workers?
"I think the bad things about social workers
are quite a few of them fail to understand what it is like to
be a young person in this era. They easily become parents and
start lecturing young people". (Female, 17, not in care)
"I think the bad things about social workers
are their portrayal in the media. They are stereotyped as intervening
but these views are clearly due to ignorance of their roles. In
some circumstances situations are overlooked and these negatives
are what society focus on". (Female 16-year-old, not in care)
"I think the bad things about social workers
are too concerned with paper work and regulations. The bare minimum
is acceptable to social workers ie if need to do two visits a
year that is all they do". (Female, 17, in care)
"A lot of the time young people are made
to feel as if there [sic] not important or as if there not being
listened to. I know that social workers have a lot of young people
to deal with and I understand that but I think they forget that
the young people also have a lot to deal with and it's a lot more
stressful for them because they are actually in the situation
rather that seeing it from an outside point of view, and I think
that social workers need to take a step back sometimes and think
about how others are feeling and not about themselves". (Female,
18, left care)
"A bit intimidating and rude. Think they
are better than you". (Female, 15, in care)
"Negative, dishonesty, disrespectful and
aggressive". (Female, 17, not in care)
"Keeping things private. Some social workers
seem like they can't be bothered and view their role just as a
"job" rather than really wanting to help people".
(Male, 17, in care)
Do you have a view on the age of social workers?
"I personally don't think age matters because
any one can be a good listener. I just think it all comes down
to the person themselves rather than how old they are". (Female,
18, left care)
"Young ones seem to understand more and be more
appropriate whereas 50+ are arrogant". (Female, 15, in care)
"That they can be of any age with the right
communication skills and approach". (Female, 17, not in care)
"Most of the time the age of a social worker
is irrelevant as long as they can relate and understand the youth
that they work with, but I do think it helps to have young social
workers because young people respond better to people more like
them". (Female 17, African, not in care)
"My view about the age of social workers
is I am unaware of it". (16-year-old girl not in care)
"My view about the age of social workers
is... It is not about age it is to do with experience". (Female,
17, in care)
"Social Workers should not be too young.
They need to have experience and this comes with age". (Male,
17, in care)
Anything else you would like to add?
"My advocate always understood that I needed
to let off steam, shout and scream about stuff first, then I could
deal with what the social worker needed me to do. But the social
worker could never understand that; they would refuse to talk
to me and say I couldn't behave like that and I was in the wrong.
They took it personally and I wasn't always angry at them; it
was the situation and the system that made me mad. But they would
just take it personally". (Female, 18, left care)
"Their [sic] always try to hurry and rush people
with the conversation. Not really listen to what you have to say".
(Female, 15, in care)
"Different ages of children and young people
need a different approach and communication". (Female, 17,
not in care)
"There needs to be a BIG change in the
way social workers are changed and the way social workers think".
(Female, 17, in care)
"They should not be pushy.
They should have enough time to listen and solve
problems.
They should be young and you should be able
to trust them and tell them stuff.
They need to know what you're going through.
You should be able to talk to them in confidence.
They need to know how you feel.
They might have been through the same and know
what to do.
They need to understand you". (Male, 14,
experience of care system)
"We want:
Someone who is attentive.
Someone who doesn't rush us.
Someone who helps us find the best way forward.
Someone who listens to how we want things done.
Someone who is real and doesn't act like they
know how we feel, when they don't.
Someone who keeps things confidential where
necessary.
Someone who isn't pushy.
Someone who speaks clearly". (Female, 12,
experience of care system)
"It can be upsetting if you have a worker
who comes and goes because they are training and you have to keep
repeating your life from the past loads of times. Trust is important
and their manner. What you say should stay with them and should
not get told to anyone else". (Female, 15, past experience
of social service involvement)
Trust, should be understanding and professional,
need to know it is safe to talk and they won't blurt everything
out. If there is something serious, they will do something. (Female,
17, no experience of care system or social services)
June 2009
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