Social work involves a careful balancing act and often involves social workers putting themselves in vulnerable positions to risk assess a child’s household.
An Open University-BBC co-produced documentary series which goes behind the work of child protection social workers began on 30th January (Episode 3/3 9pm Monday Feb 13, BBC 2).
Protecting Our Children follows social workers from Bristol City Council and the life-changing decisions they make daily.
The three-part series was filmed over 18 months with OU Senior Social Work Lecturer Dr Lucy Rai and Social Work Lecturer Dr Barry Cooper providing expert input to the BBC.
It documents the trials of a social worker’s job and the complex decisions they have to make, focusing on social work’s most critical dilemma; when it is right to remove a child and when it is safe for them to be reunited.
Find out if you are up to the job facing some of the challenges that confront social workers by trying out the interactive video A Day in the Life of a Social Worker via OpenLearn.
You'll have to manage your time, avoid getting pulled off track and take part in a case conference and home visit.
Devised by Barry and Lucy and with extracts from the BBC/OU programme Protecting Our Children, A Day in the Life... provides you with the opportunity to step into a social worker's shoes and to experience a 'typical day in the office’.
Find out more:
- Go to the interactive video A Day in the Life...
- Study Social Work with the OU
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