This week is Loneliness Awareness Week and I wanted to thank Phil Holmes, this year’s President of ADASS for challenging us to think about the contribution of adult social care to tackling loneliness. When I think back to my time as a front-line social …
This week is Carers Week and the theme is Building Carer Friendly Communities. To celebrate we have a guest blog from the Nearest Relatives Resources Project team. It focuses on one of the spaces that carers can find really daunting - the mental …
Introduction from Sarah McClinton This blog marks Mental Health Awareness Week 2026 with a thoughtful reflection on what it means to move beyond awareness and towards meaningful action. It explores how mental health social work can help rebalance power, place …
Introduction by Sarah McClinton I was so impressed when I heard about the Live More initiative in Greater Manchester and would like to thank Neil Crowther for this blog, which I am delighted to introduce. It is particularly timely, as …
Practice placements are a core part of qualifying as a social worker. Students must spend at least 200 days in practice over their course. Up to 30 of these days can be allocated to students developing their skills for practice; …
For our fourth blog in celebration of Social Work Week 2026 we welcome Sarah Blackmore who is a registered social worker and the executive director of strategy, policy and engagement at Social Work England (SWE). In this blog, Sarah reflects on …
Robert Lewis, DHSC Mental Health Social Work Lead in conversation with Fazeela Hafejee, Assistant Director for Adults with Disabilities, Bradford – carried out on 25th February 2026. Introduction by Robert Lewis Ahead of Social Work Week, I invited Fazeela Hafejee …
The theme for World Social Work Day 2026 is Co-building hope and harmony: a Harambee call to unite a divided society. In this blog, the Adults Principal Social Worker Network Chair team share their reflections on this theme. Lucy Rush The 2026 World Social Work Day theme, ‘Co‑building hope and …
Harambee “all pull together” feels like a homecoming theme for social work, the belief that people thrive when they are connected, when communities have the power to shape their own futures, and when support is built on trust, relationships and …
It can feel like adult social care is seen nationally by the media and others through the lens of ‘discharge’ and ‘flow’. When I was President of ADASS, I remember waking up to the radio one morning to a story where the lack of social care capacity was blamed for acute pressures. I got in touch with the speaker to set the record straight. Since then, the conversation has shifted. There's a greater …
Introduction by Robert Lewis In this guest blog we hear from a group of mental health social work leaders from the vibrant North East and Yorkshire NHS Trusts’ Social Work Community of Practice. Many remain unaware that social workers are an increasing presence in NHS mental health services. With their values and rights-based approaches, social …