Social work hero: ‘I’ve met the social worker I want to become’

Jackie Carter from Harrow council is this week’s social work hero.

A social work student on her first placement said she “inspired me to switch my choice of elective in my final placement from adults to children’s” and that when she met her she saw “the kind of social worker I want to become”.

This article is part of Community Care’s Stand up for Social Work campaign. We’re standing up for social work by being honest, offering support and providing inspiration.

Lee Bird, who was not statutorily placed with Jackie but met her in multi-agency meetings, said that she had seen her be “warm, inclusive, authentic and encouraging”.

Inclusive

Despite Lee not directly working with Jackie, she felt the impact of great social work practice.

“I found her very impressive and inclusive with all of her colleagues, which really encouraged effective collaborative working. She encouraged me to speak up in meetings, and took time to explain things.”

She says she was impressed by her inventive ways of working with families, such as making the children the chair of the meetings to help them be involved in the discussion.

“She also helped me to arrange a shadow day within her department, which allowed me to better understand how the statutory teams fit together, what her role involves and again encouraged my input in her team meeting.”

“She went out of her way to encourage my potential, even though I wasn’t statutorily placed with her…Just because that’s the kind of person she is,” Lee said.

Jackie, you are a social work hero and a box of chocolates is on its way to you now.