The national shortage of qualified social workers continues, scared off by being under fire in the media when a case ends in tragedy, hence the Baby P and Brandon Muir cases, social workers are finding quieter areas to work where they are not as exposed.

With children’s social work all over the news, it is harder than ever to recruit social workers for this specialised area. In total there are 1.2 million social workers in the UK but another 13,000 social workers are needed urgently; the demand is higher than ever for people that are willing to take on this challenging but rewarding job.

Despite the bad press in recent years, children’s social work is a fulfilling career, making a difference in a child life is priceless.

Perhaps the most exciting aspect about social work is that every day is different, social workers face different challenges day in and day out, the unpredictability of this field and not knowing what social workers may face in the day ahead can be an exciting task.

If you ask any qualified social worker working in child protection what is the highest point of their career, I can guarantee 100% will say being able to see a child’s life change for the better before their eyes.

Little things like a child telling you they feel safe and happy, their confidence and self esteem is growing and feeling they are important enough for someone to care about them is extremely rewarding, no money in the world can buy this feeling of accomplishment from knowing you made a difference in a child’s life.

If you are a qualified social worker who has worked in the child protection area before, please consider working in the area again – there are thousands of children in need of your assistance. For more information contact Restart Resources.

Social work services in North Lanarkshire are among the best in Scotland, according to inspectors.

The Social Work Inspection Agency (SWIA) looked at 10 key areas. Three were rated as ‘very good’, and the other seven as ‘good’.

Inspectors said social workers were improving the lives of many of the people they were dealing with.

Leadership within the social work department was singled out for praise, as were the brilliant partnerships with the NHS and other agencies.

Inspectors also commended staff for seeking ‘highly personalised’ outcomes for people.

The inspection took place over a 6 month period last year and involved 1,500 questionnaires being sent out to staff, carers and those who use the authority’s social work services.

Executive director of housing and social work services, Mary Castles said:

‘This positive inspection report reaffirms the high priority we place on delivering essential services to the most vulnerable people in our society.’

‘SWIA singled out our ‘highly motivated staff’ who like working for this council and who had a real vision for social work services in North Lanarkshire.’

‘It is extremely pleasing that they feel supported by managers and acknowledged the opportunities available to them for professional and career development.’

Restart Resources provides assessment and front line social work resources for Childcare and Mental Health Services, for more information please click here.