Your first experiences in any job can be formative ones. They can send you down a positive path or a negative one.
Often these experiences stick with you through your career afterwards, which was true in Sophie Ayers’ case.
Sophie has spoken in Community Care’s first social work vlog about her experiences during her first week in social work almost 10 years ago, and what that still means for her now.
Sophie is an independent social worker who works with children. She tweets @sophieayers1982. She vlogs on the YouTube channel ‘weneedtotalkaboutsocialwork’.



Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
Hampshire County Council
Oxfordshire County Council
South Gloucestershire Council
Wokingham Borough Council
Webinar: building a practice framework with the influence of practitioner voice
‘They don’t have to retell their story’: building long-lasting relationships with children and young people
Podcast: returning to social work after becoming a first-time parent
How managers are inspiring social workers to progress in their careers
Workforce Insights – showcasing a selection of the sector’s top recruiters 
Facebook
X
LinkedIn
Instagram
I started at manchester in 2009. Got slapped with 38 cases and court proceedings. Your experience of a supportive manager sounds great, but i suspect that is the exception rather than the rule. I also suspect it has got worse. Honestly, the profession is on its as
On my first day as a social worker in 1975 my manager gave me advice on doing home visits. He told me to drink tea or coffee without milk as “the boiling water will sterilise the inside of the cup”.