Starting Social Work: Reflections of a Newly Qualified Social Worker [Paperback]

Rebecca Joy Novell is a Newly Qualified Social Worker working for a charity in Sheffield which works with homeless young people. She graduated from The University of Sheffield in 2012 with a Masters in Social Work. Rebecca has been involved with Youth Justice for five years in a variety of voluntary and paid roles and is currently undertaking a PHD in Youth Justice. She was recently elected to the Professional Assembly for The College of Social Work and regularly blogs for The Guardians Social Care Network.

A Newly Qualified Social Workers experience, reflections and gentle advice on the training process and early years of a Social Work career.

1. Introduction. 2. Discovering you can get paid to help people. 3. Starting the course and meeting Spider Man. 4. Single-handedly saving the world. 5. The Riots. 6. The key to being a good Social Worker is good rum and a great friend. 7. Red-tape. 8. The Fear. 9. So are you a Social Worker or not? 10. The Assessed and Supported Year in Employment. 11. Conclusion: Idealism Lost?

Social Work often receives a bad press but it is an intellectually, emotionally and practically challenging profession which, in order to help people effectively, needs to attract the best candidates. This book takes a personal and human approach and presents a Newly Qualified Social Workers experience, reflections and gentle advice on the training process and early years of a Social Work career.

Written in an accessible and honest style, it gives a fresh perspective at a time when there is a national turning-point in Social Service reform. It highlights the positive and negative aspects of becoming a Social Worker and is grounded in real service user cases. For those embarking on or thinking about a career in social work, this book will be an invaluable read.

It is so refreshing to see a newly qualified social worker producing a book about l“,