Bradford based Social Worker. Blogger, co-author & podcaster of all things Social Work, Cats & Rocket Science.
Sometimes found hiding in Sweden. #LUFC#GAIS
In a world where advocating the burning of innocent people is seen by some as heroic, our adult social workers in Bradford donate toys for the children of those staying in hotels awaiting their asylum claim, so that they feel welcomed, valued and loved.
Brilliant to see my friend, colleague, social worker and inspirational collaborator @elaineljames.bsky.social from Bradford Council awarded an MBE today from King Charles. Her work on promote the vote and her impact on social care & social work is utterly remarkable. A very well deserved honour.
Our Practice Model training today. Lots about reflection and risk. The risk of us. Of our intervention. Of our restrictions, lawful and otherwise. Of our dominant perspective. Of our bias. Of our influence. Of our systems and of our ‘need’ for conformity.
We should all be exceptionally concerned that #Reform are running councils, including children’s and adults services. Mentioning the age of the elected councillors is ageist and unhelpful. And surely their vile, divisive politics is enough reason to be worried sick anyway?
I think the thing ultimately about AI and social work is whether we believe in humanity, with every single one of its flaws, over highly intelligent process. Despite seemingly everyone telling me that AI is to be welcomed, embraced and championed, I’m sort of wedded to the humanity stuff.
If we continue to believe that we have a duty to safeguard people, rather than safeguard their fundamental rights, we wont help keep people safe, we will merely continue to embed a culture of othering. Every person who requires residential support should have access to advocacy.
Surgery courtesy of good people at Manchester Eye Hospital. Another reminder of how grateful we should be that skilled practitioners come to the UK to use their skills. Immigration is vital & welcomed. Always love how technical identifying the right eye to operate on is too!
This man lived in the same care home for 4 years. Thats 1460 days. 35,000 hours. What relationship did they have with him that it got to this? www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
The end of an amazing stay in Berlin today. A very sobering reminder of Europes appalling & ongoing recent history, and with the backdrop of our own Prime Minister (and a Labour one at that) feeling it necessary to warn us of an ‘island of strangers’. He should be utterly ashamed of himself.
I’m 53. I joined the Labour Party Young Socialists at 14. Every bit of help I have had raising my family, having an education & a career is due to Labour. But enough is enough. I’m not interested in appeasing racists in return for their votes. If that’s where we’re at, I’m done.
Huge thanks to all who supported our 2nd book launch. Thanks to those who provided videos, reviews, tech, food & to our beautiful friends at SORM in Bradford. Special thanks to my co-editor @elaineljames.bsky.social who is the driving force behind so much of this.
#socialworkcatsandrocketscience
A brilliant day for our Adult Social Workers in Bradford today hosting 16 wonderful social work students (and two fab lecturers) from Bielefeld University in Germany. Sharing ideas, experiences & best practice. Bielefeld does exist and we can’t wait for the return leg!
Viel Glück!
Norman Kirk was right. In just about every referral I’ve seen in over the years, and dressed up in a number of different ways, we all tend to want “someone to love, somewhere to live, something to do, and something to hope for”. A starting point for Casey, perhaps?
Shout out to those council workers who find themselves under worrying new political leadership. Your courage, compassion, decency, values and commitment to every single person in your communities will win out. We stand in solidarity.
Our Adult Social Workers in Bradford continue to collect clothes & toys etc for people housed in hotels who are seeking asylum. We are at our best when we are compassionate, understanding & welcoming. If you are in the Yorkshire region & can donate, please message.
🩵🩷🧡💚💛❤️
Shout out to ADs and DASSs at ADASS conference. Please don’t pass on your PSWs email address as a way of politely swerving consultants trying to sell you things! This turns into proper work for us several weeks down the line!
I know we need to stay positive, but a commission to improve adult social care that immediately jumps to protecting hospital beds (from pesky, unproductive & costly older people?) is not the start of a recovery of social care, it’s the underlying culture and ethos behind its demise.
🩷🖤Well this is first review I’ve seen of our new Social Work, Cats & Rocket Science book (An A-Z of Rights Based Practice) and it’s made this tired out social worker very happy tonight! All author profits to Stay Up Late. Please order a copy if you can afford one. #NoBedTimes
“Risk assessments are about the likely probabilities, not the endless possibilities. Our obsession with risk is eroding the fundamental rights of those we are supposedly seeking to protect”.
Last nights crappy sleep was brought to me courtesy of Leeds United FC. Ruining my equilibrium for over 50 years. ://youtu.be/OkcoCka5fuQ?si=PUbEjIgbNRMKtyzb
I’m reluctantly at the gym. Big blokes either side of me are both listening to techno. I’ve just listened to Malta’s Eurovision entry from 2004, now I’m listening to Piece of the Action by Bucks Fizz and next up I’ve got The Lonely Goatherd from The Sound of Music. It’s really their loss.
We’ve had CQC inspecting us this week & I got to work closely with this fab lot & all our other brilliant staff across Bradford. CQC were very respectful & they really listened to us. Report out in the summer but regardless of the outcome, I am so proud of all our colleagues.
#TeamBradford
Another utterly disgusting scandal with a national care provider on the news today. But just as it was here with Wholton Hall, this is on us. All of us. socialworkcatsandrocketscience.com/2019/05/26/n...
🩷🖤Our Social Work, Cats & Rocket Science A-Z of Rights Based Practice podcast is here. Countdown to the launch of the difficult second book. 🩷🖤
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/s...
Just messaged my wife with the line ‘got man here fixing washer’ before I noticed it had autocorrected to ‘hot man here fixing washer’. That’ll take some explaining.
If we were to dare do safeguarding ethically, the states failure to respect the autonomy of people with health or care needs would be the singular, most significant type of adult abuse.
Eid Mubarak everyone, and especially our brilliant colleagues across Bradford, who are celebrating today and on Monday. Thank you for all your hard work over Ramadan, and for your humility and resilience. #EidMubarak
🩷🖤🩷🖤All author profits for our new book (& book one too) go to the brilliant @gigbuddies.bsky.social who work to erode social isolation & campaign to challenge limiting social care practices. In these tough times, if you can afford, please do order a copy. Thank you. 🩷🖤🩷🖤
