FINAL EPISODE OF THE SEASON!!!!! 

We've come to the end of another road. Our 6th season goes out with a bang! In this episode, your favourite trio of social workers talk about how Introducing Difference can help to create change. This episode is full of fun, laughter, intrigue and hopefully some helpful knowledge for you.

Thank you for your support this season. We hope you've enjoyed our content. Have a great summer and we'll be back again in the autumn with some brand new conversations for you all!

If you  enjoy this episode then please share with your friends, leave a review and follow The Social Matters Podcast on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The handle is @matterspodcast.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjoTfKwtL-8

In this episode, your favourite trio of social workers are joined by the brilliant Emma Slade Edmondson. Emma is the co-author of a brand new book 'The Half Of It'. Emma is a London-base creative strategist, journalist and recent TEDx speaker - she specialises in social change and sustainability. 

In her debut book, along with co-author Nicole Ocran, Emma explores race and identity through the lens of the mixed race experience. Emma joined us to share her thoughts, reflections and perspective on writing this book. 

Pre-order the book here: https://amzn.eu/d/0GVq0Ws
Learn more about Emma: https://www.emmasladeedmondson.com

Tune in to watch/listen to this powerful and enlightening conversation. If you enjoy then please share with your friends, leave a review and follow The Social Matters Podcast on X, Instagram and Facebook. The handle is @matterspodcast. You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel! Remember to continue these conversations in your networks!
 
 https://www.youtube.com/@thesocialmatterspodcast9342

Informative, powerful, inspirational, fun and an important listen! Just some of the words we’d use to describe this episode.

Nadia, Fran and Eugene were privileged to be joined by Craig Pinkney. Craig Pinkney is a nationally and internationally recognised Criminologist, Urban Youth Specialist, and esteemed CEO of several organisations, including SOLVE: The Centre for Youth Violence and Conflict and SOLVE Housing, a provider of Ofsted-Registered Children's Homes based in the West Midlands. With over two decades of hands-on experience, Craig has carved out a reputation as one of the country's leading experts in tackling youth violence, gang-related issues, and social conflict.

In this episode, Craig shared his wealth of experience and knowledge on Addressing Violence and Conflict with Young People. The challenges for young people are more than ever.  Young people are a part of a wider system created by adults, so adults need to be at the forefront of making the change! 

You can follow Craig and SOLVE via the links below

-          Instagram: @streetacademicsuk and @solve_cyvc

-          Website: craigpinkney.com

-          YouTube: SOLVE: The Centre for Youth Violence and Conflict

If you enjoy this episode then please share with your friends, leave a review and follow The Social Matters Podcast on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The handle is @matterspodcast. You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel! Remember to continue these conversations in your networks!
 
 https://www.youtube.com/@thesocialmatterspodcast9342

Three friends that happen to be social workers discuss current social issues from their front room. In the second of a two part series, Nadia, Eugene and Fran have a discussion about the importance of Endings in social work. Whether it's meeting new families, entering family homes or starting relationships with the professional network, how we end is significant for the people we work with and also for us. How do you do endings in your personal life and professional life? Come and join the discussion, laughter and random singing. Listen until the very end as there is a bonus clip :)

 As always, let them know your thoughts and share with your networks! 

Stay tuned for part 2 where they'll be discussing Endings!

Three friends that happen to be social workers discuss current social issues from their front room. In the first of a two part series, Nadia, Eugene and Fran have a discussion about the importance of beginnings in social work. Whether it's meeting new families, entering family homes or starting relationships with the professional network, how we begin is significant in shaping the future working relationship. Come and join the discussion, laughter and anecdotes! As always, let them know your thoughts and share with your networks! 

Stay tuned for part 2 where they'll be discussing Endings!

Three friends that happen to be social workers discuss current social issues from their front room. In this episode Nadia, Eugene and Fran have a discussion about the power of language in social work and how it contributes to constructing meaning. Join the discussion, laughter and routine singing! Like, share and continue conversation.

Three friends that happen to be social workers discuss current social work issues from their front room. Following on from the diversity discussion in episode 4, Nadia, Eugene and Fran expand the conversation to discuss the notion of Reflexivity in social work. This involves thinking about who they are as people and what they bring to their social work. This all makes for another interesting conversation with laughter and some pretty low quality levels of singing. Sorry in advance! 

Three friends that happen to be social workers discuss current social issues from their front room. In this episode Nadia, Eugene and Fran have a discussion about diversity using the 'Social GGRRAAACCEEESSS' (Gender, Geography, Race, Religion, Age, Ability, Appearance, Class, Culture, Education, Ethnicity, Employment, Sexuality, Sexual Orientation, Spirituality) an acronym developed by John Burnham and Alison Roper-Hall to help us think about aspects of difference. In this episode Nadia, Eugene and Fran discuss the 'Social GGRRAAACCEEEESSS' in relation to themselves and their social work practice. 

Three friends that happen to be social workers discuss current social issues from their front room. In this episode Nadia, Eugene and Fran have a discussion about the notion of Contextual Safeguarding in social work. Contextual Safeguarding is an approach to protecting children and young people from harm which may take place outside of their homes. If you want to find out more then click the link below and look up the work of Dr Carlene Firmin.

https://contextualsafeguarding.org.uk 

Three friends that happen to be social workers discuss current social issues from their front room. In this two-part episode Nadia, Eugene and Fran firstly discuss how social workers are represented in the media and how this may differ from their reality of social work. In the second half Nadia, Eugene and Fran discuss the rise of knife crime in London. These all make for some interesting and intriguing discussions.

Three friends that happen to be social workers discuss current social issues from their front room. In this episode Nadia, Eugene and Fran talk about their journey into social work and how the podcast was created. 

Merry Christmas everyone!

We have a fun and informative new episode for you. In this episode, we have our own little christmas celebration and have a discussion about the Social Graces (again!). We share presents, learn more about the 'Wheel of Discussion' created by Collective Space and continue to discuss about our intersecting identities. This is a fantastic way to end the year! 


If you enjoy this episode the let us know on Instagram and X. Our handle is @matterspodcast.  Like, subscribe and share.

This episode was recorded in November 2023 

It was our pleasure to welcome Lisa Matthews to our podcast.  Lisa works for an organisation called  Young Roots and she is their first ever Policy and Campaigns Manager.

Lisa has worked in the area of migrants’ rights for over 15 years, working across casework, psychosocial support, legal representation, campaigning and legal education. Prior to joining Young Roots, she was Coordinator of Right to Remain from 2011 to 2022, where she worked extensively on immigration detention campaigning, including with people with lived experience.  

 In this episode, Lisa shares her knowledge and wisdom on the government's 'Illegal' Migration Act.

Tune in for this insightful, powerful and sobering episode.

If you enjoyed this episode then please feel free to leave us a review. You can also follow us on youtube, instgram, twitter and Facebook. Our handle is @matterspodcast.

Helpful resources

• https://righttoremain.org.uk/toolkit/
• https://youngasylumguide.org.uk/
• https://www.socialworkerswithoutborders.org/  their briefing about the IMA when it was just a Bill:
• https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Mbt4kLvwKFEuW1R2ux90xwxajddCwnph/view and they are working on an updated version, people could be updated via their newsletters:
• https://socialworkerswithoutborders.us16.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=dca51ae56e6462b81a6b7ff35&id=7257c22ad4

Conversations a meant to be started, continued but not necessarily always finished. 

In this episode, we decided to start a conversation about the war in Gaza. There are many narratives and challenges with having such a conversation. Despite this it's necessary to start a conversation and hopefully it will be continued by many who listen to this. 

If you enjoyed the episode then pass it on. 

You can find us on all podcast platforms and on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The handle is @matterspodcast. You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel!

https://www.youtube.com/@thesocialmatterspodcast9342

We were lucky to be joined by Anna Glinski from the Centre of expertise on child sexual abuse (CSA centre).

Anna was previously the CSA Centre's Practice Improvement Advisor for Social Work and, before that, the practice development lead for CSA within the local authority and contributed to local and regional service and policy development. Anna developed and led a multi-disciplinary specialist sexual abuse team, which provided assessments, interventions, supervision, consultation and training. Anna is an Associate Tutor at the University of Sussex and is currently the Editor of NOTA News, the quarterly magazine for members of the National Organisation for the Treatment of Abuse.

Below are so a few helpful links on harmful sexual behaviour to find out more and access resources:

• CSA Centre website: https://www.csacentre.org.uk/
• Key messages from research on children and young people who display harmful sexual behaviour: https://www.csacentre.org.uk/research-resources/key-messages/harmful-sexual-behaviour/
• Understanding and responding to harmful sexual behaviour training: https://www.csacentre.org.uk/courses/understanding-and-responding-to-harmful-sexual-behaviour/
• Safety planning in education guide, for education professionals responding to harmful sexual behaviour: https://www.csacentre.org.uk/research-resources/practice-resources/helping-education-settings-identify-and-respond-to-concerns/
• Our practice resources: https://www.csacentre.org.uk/research-resources/practice-resources/
• New Key messages paper on harmful sexual behaviour specifically in online contexts: https://www.csacentre.org.uk/research-resources/key-messages/

Tune in to listen to our thoughts and continue these conversations in your groups!

If you  enjoy this episode then please share with your friends, leave a review and follow The Social Matters Podcast on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The handle is @matterspodcast. You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel! :)

https://www.youtube.com/@thesocialmatterspodcast9342

The episodes keep on coming! 

In this second episode of season six,  we explore the notion of Psychological Safety. What does this mean to you? How can we feel Psychologically Safe in work spaces, in relationships and other areas of our lives? What do you think you need to help you to feel Psychologically Safe?

There were so many different questions posed in this episode, which makes a very interesting and informative discussion

Tune in to listen to our thoughts and continue these conversations in your groups!

If you  enjoy this episode then please share with your friends, leave a review and follow The Social Matters Podcast on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The handle is @matterspodcast. You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel! :)

https://www.youtube.com/@thesocialmatterspodcast9342

GUESS WHO'S BACK, BACK AGAIN.....

YES, that's right. After an extended summer break, your favourite trio are back for a brand new season! We are excited to bring you our sixth podcast season. Get ready for some fun, exciting, powerful and important conversations! 

We've also mixed things up a bit so you will be able to watch some of our episodes on our new youtube channel! Click the link below.

https://www.youtube.com/@thesocialmatterspodcast9342

In this episode we ask the question; What does Belonging mean to you? Different people have different understandings of what it means to belong. Especially in an increasingly divisive world! How can people feel their 'authentic selves' in different spaces and feel like they belong?

Tune in to listen to our thoughts, feelings and the start of many ongoing conversations. 

If you  enjoy this episode then please share with your friends, leave a review and follow The Social Matters Podcast on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The handle is @matterspodcast.

It's that timmmeeee. After 8 months of fun and informative conversations about social issues, Nadia, Fran and Eugene sign off another season!

In this episode they chat and reflect on a memorable episode from the season. We also get to hear how they are continuing to act into the word/phrase they chose at the beginning of the year! Tune in for one last time, this season, and join in the laughs and conversation.

Once again thank you to all of you who've listened and stuck with us along way. We appreciate you all and hope you have a lovely summer. See you again in the autumn.

If you  enjoy this episode then please share with your friends, leave a review and follow The Social Matters Podcast on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The handle is @matterspodcast.

In this penultimate episode of the season Nadia, Fran and Eugene have a conversation about organisational culture in social work. What does this actually mean? Who sets the culture? How is it built and maintained? Join your favourite trio of social workers to dicuss these questions and a lot more!

If you  enjoy this episode then please share with your friends, leave a review and follow The Social Matters Podcast on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The handle is @matterspodcast.

Made by Mortals are a arts organisation who work with a diverse range of communities and organisations to bring people's experiences to life through co-creating, podcasts, films and musical theatre shows

In this episode, Nadia, Fran and Eugene speak with Director Andy Smith about the impactful work Made by Mortals are doing. From a children's podcast made by over 60 year olds, to their 'Hidden' project where you are challenged  to take a walk in another person’s shoes and consider what you can do to help. Made by Mortals are another example of how creative arts can contribute to social change.

If you want to find out more about Made by Mortals, follow the links below;

Website: https://www.madebymortals.org/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MadeByMortals

If you enjoy this episode then please share with your friends, leave a review and follow The Social Matters Podcast on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The handle is @matterspodcast.

This episode is an absolute banger!

Your favourite trio of social workers were join by the brilliant Luke Billingham.

Luke is a Youth and Community worker, Research Associate and Author and joined the Social Matters Podcast to discuss his work and perspective on youth violence. In a society where many people hold a narrow understanding of youth violence, Luke shares his experience and wisdom to help reframe perspectives.

There were so many golden nuggets in this episode so we hope you enjoy. Tune in to listen to this  conversation and please share with your friends, leave a review and follow The Social Matters Podcast on X, Instagram and Facebook. The handle is @matterspodcast. You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel! Remember to continue these conversations in your networks!

To learn more about Luke's work, click the links below.

More info about Luke and Keir's book Against Youth Violence at:

https://bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/against-youth-violence

https://www.hackneyquest.org.uk/programmes/hackney-wick (more info about projects Luke has  co-led in Hackney Wick: 

https://www.open.ac.uk/people/lb28572 (Bio & publications list:)

https://changingviolence.org/ (Project Luke is a Research Associate on)

Twitter/X: @lbilli91

Happy Easter to all those who are celebrating! We have another episode for you to listen to over your Easter meal : )

In March 2023, the UK Government set out its plans for the introduction of an 'Illegal Immigration Bill' with the alleged aim of stopping people seeking asylum in the UK. 

In this episode Nadia, Fran and Eugene have a conversation about the impact of this announcement, the challenge from Gary Lineker, the importance of allyship and activism.  

If you  enjoy this episode then please share with your friends, leave a review and follow The Social Matters Podcast on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The handle is @matterspodcast.

For those of you who may not be aware, it is World Social Work Day on the third Tuesday of March (21st March 2023). This annual celebration is the way, as social workers, we focus on highlighting the achievements of social work and shine a bright light on the profession.

In this episode Nadia, Fran and Eugene have a conversation about World Social Work Day, what it means to them and this year's theme; 'Respecting Diversity Through Joint Social Action'.

If you  enjoy this episode then please share with your friends, leave a review and follow The Social Matters Podcast on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The handle is @matterspodcast.

In this brilliant episode, Nadia, Fran and Eugene are joined by  the brilliant Sarah Jordan Verghese and Jasmyn Fisher-Ryner. Sarah and Jasmyn are Producers on the award winning play 'For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy. They join your favourte trio of social workers to talk about the play, it's impact and why you should go and see it!
 
"Inspired by Ntozake Shange’s seminal work For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf.  For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy is located on the threshold of joyful fantasy and brutal reality: a world of music, movement, storytelling and verse – where six men clash and connect in a desperate bid for survival. Father figures and fashion tips. Lost loves and jollof rice. African empires and illicit sex. Good days and bad days. Six young Black men meet for group therapy, and let their hearts – and imaginations – run wild". - Royal Court Theatre

Click the link below to find out more and book your tickets!

Tickets: https://theapollotheatre.co.uk/tickets/for-black-boys-who-have-considered-suicide-when-the-hue-gets-too-heavy/

Sarah Jordan Verghese
Twitter - @sarah_jordanV
Instagram - @sarah.jordan.verghese and @nvrchuk

Jasmyn Fisher-Ryner
Twitter: @itsjustjas__
Instagram: @itsjustjas__

If you  enjoy this episode then please share with your friends and enemies, leave a review and follow The Social Matters Podcast on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The handle is @matterspodcast.

What does it mean to truly be an Ally? 

In a world where more and more minoritised groups are experiencing oppression, discrimination, abuse and violence, what does Allyship mean to you in this current era. 

In this episode, Nadia, Fran and Eugene share their reflections on their understanding of Allyship, its importance in today's context and what being a good ally means to them. Tune in for a thoughtful and reflective conversation in this engaging episode!

If you enjoy this episode then please share with your friends, leave a review and follow The Social Matters Podcast on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The handle is @matterspodcast.

It's the month of February! This means, in the UK, we celebrate LGBT History Month. 

In this episode, Nadia, Fran and Eugene share their reflections on LGBT History Month, why it is important and why there is a need to shine a spotlight on the LGBTQ+ community. 

From discussions of lived experiences, to the impact of legislators, to colonialism and religion, your favourite trio of social workers cover a broad area of discussion, leaving you with a rich and engaging episode.

If you enjoy this episode then please share with your friends, leave a review and follow The Social Matters Podcast on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The handle is @matterspodcast.

What does resilience mean to you? It's time to reframe the dominate narratives of resilience that we have in society. 

In this brilliantly powerful and insightful episode, your favourite trio of social workers are joined by Josh Connolly. Josh is a Resilience Coach, Podcaster and Mental Health Advocate and joins Nadia, Fran and Eugene to share his own perspective on the notion of resilience. Josh draws on a lot of his personal experiences to provide an enlightening perspective on how we think about resilience.  This is one you cannot miss! 

If you want to find out more about Josh's work, you can follow him on Instagram, TikTok @josh_ffw and at www.joshconnolly.co.uk.

If you  enjoy this episode then please share with your friends and enemies, leave a review and follow The Social Matters Podcast on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The handle is @matterspodcast.

Season 5 is in full swing people. Welcome to episode 8!

In this episode, Nadia, Fran and Eugene are joined by the brilliant Shantel Thomas. Shantel is an Anti-Racism lead at the British Association of Social Workers (BASW) and shares her journey and experiences as an Anti-Racism lead.

Shantel has a wealth of experience and knowledge and discusses what brought her into social work, her passion and the path she has taken to combat racism in social work.

If you  enjoy this episode then please share with your friends, leave a review and follow The Social Matters Podcast on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The handle is @matterspodcast.

Happy New Year people!  

This is the first Social Matters episode of the new year so, in Social Matters tradition, Nadia, Fran and Eugene have a conversation about aims and hopes for the new year. To do this, they review the word they chose at the beginning of 2022 and how this word guided them through the year. They also choose new words/phrases to guide them through 2023.

Tune in, have a listen and think about your own words/phrases.

Also, if you are listening to this episode and you continue to listen to our work then we'd like to thank you so much for sticking with us throughout the past year!

If you  enjoy this episode then please share with your friends, leave a review and follow The Social Matters Podcast on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The handle is @matterspodcast.

A conversation about class is long overdue on the Social Matters Podcast so your favourite trio of social workers were really excited about this one!

In this episode, Nadia, Fran and Eugene are joined by the brilliant Sereena Abbassi. Sereena is an Inclusion Practitioner,  Advisor, Coach and CEO of gal-dem magazine to have a conversation about class. In the UK, we do not have enough conversations about class.  Class is not a protected characteristic by law. This means that people can be discriminated against, based on their class, and there is nothing legally to protect them.

In this episode we learn a lot more about the history of class, the different class categories, how class and race conversations link and what an ideal future could look like. This is a truly enlightening episode!

For more on Sereena's work you can check out her website, instagram and linkedIn. Info below.

Website: http://www.sereenaabbassi.com/
Linkedin: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/sereenaabbassi
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sereenaabbassi/?hl=en

If you  enjoy this episode then please share with your friends and enemies, leave a review and follow The Social Matters Podcast on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The handle is @matterspodcast.

In this brilliant, insightful and powerful episode, Nadia, Fran and Eugene are joined by Patrick Sandford. Patrick is an activist and survivor of childhood sexual violence. 

Patrick joins your favourite trio of social workers to share his own personal story of childhood sexual violence, what impact this has had on him and how he has begun to heal. This is an episode that starts off an important conversation about the impact of childhood sexual violence. Through his experience and his work, Patrick created the brilliant short film title 'Groomed'. You can watch this film and find out more about 'the Brave Movement' via the links below.

Groomed: https://stream.sohotheatre.com/show/Groomed
The Brave Movement: https://www.bravemovement.org 

If you enjoy this episode then share with your friends, leave a review and follow The Social Matters Podcast on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The handle is @matterspodcast.

Your favourite trio of social workers are back for their 14th instalment of the season!

In this episode, we explore what is meant by Organisational Trauma. What does this mean? How does trauma show up in your organisation? How can organisations respond to the experience of trauma? 

Tune in to listen to this informative conversation. if you enjoy this episode then please share with your friends, leave a review and follow The Social Matters Podcast on X, Instagram and Facebook. The handle is @matterspodcast. You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel! Remember to continue these conversations in your networks!
 
 https://www.youtube.com/@thesocialmatterspodcast9342

SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!

In this episode, Nadia, Fran and Eugene have a reflective conversation about 'The real Mo Farah' a BBC documentary about Mo Farah's childhood and his experience of being trafficked to the UK.  This documentary did not only provide a revealing insight into Mo Farah's experiences but it has also shone a helpful spotlight on trafficking. So come and join your favourite trio of social workers and continue the conversation. 

You can watch the documentary on BBC iPlayer in the UK.

If you enjoy this episode then please share with your friends, leave a review and follow The Social Matters Podcast on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The handle is @matterspodcast.

With the autumn here and winter approaching, the cost of living crisis is impacting on everyone in different ways. To feed your family, yourself and have access to basic essentials should not be in question in one of the richest countries in the world.
 
In this episode Nadia, Fran and Eugene are joined by John and Amy from the Trussell Trust to have a conversation about their work with food banks across the UK. 

The Trussell Trust believe we should all be free from hunger. We should all have enough money for the essentials. But right now in the UK more and more people don’t have enough money to live on and have no option but to use a food bank. This isn’t right. The Trussell Trust is a network of more than 1,400 food banks and together they provide practical support to people who can’t afford the things we all need in life. 

Find out more about the Trussell Trust at www.trusselltrust.org 

If you enjoy this episode then share with your friends, leave a review and follow The Social Matters Podcast on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The handle is @matterspodcast.

When we hear about Virtual Reality (VR), we picture the year 3000 where not much has changed but they live under water! However, virtual reality is here and active in the social work field. 

In this episode, Nadia, Fran and Eugene are joined by the brilliant Shalene Lemmie  to have a conversation about virtual reality in social work. Shalene is a registered social worker and virtual reality service manager at Antser, the UK's leading provider of transformational solutions for the health, education and social care sectors.  Shalene speaks about the work she does and how virtual reality is becoming a viable tool in helping change the face of children's social care. 

You can find out more about Shalene's work at www.antser.com

If you  enjoy this episode then please share with your friends and enemies, leave a review and follow The Social Matters Podcast on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The handle is @matterspodcast.

As the leaves begin to fall and the autumn sets in, what you have all been craving is upon us. A brand new season of The Social Matters Podcast is back for your fortnightly consumption. 

WELCOME TO SEASON 5!!! 

In this episode, Nadia, Fran and Eugene have a conversation about a number of significant events and social issues that have occurred since they were last on the microphone! From the historic European Championship win for the England Women's team to the ongoing protest in Iran following the murder of Masha Amini. Tune in to listen to their thoughts, feelings and the start of many ongoing conversations. 

If you  enjoy this episode then please share with your friends, leave a review and follow The Social Matters Podcast on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The handle is @matterspodcast.

After 7 months and 18 episodes it's a wrap for another season. Your favourite trio of social workers are here to review and reflect on the past season. 

Nadia, Fran and Eugene have had laughs, singing (sorry!), debate, fantastic guests and hopefully some very helpful conversation. It has been another enjoyable season for the Social Matters Podcast crew. 

Thank you to all of you who've listened and laughed along with us. Do share with your friends and continue these conversations. 

We hope you all have a lovely summer. We'll be back again in the autumn. Bye for now. 

: ) 

If you  enjoy this episode then please share with your friends, leave a review and follow The Social Matters Podcast on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The handle is @matterspodcast.

In this penultimate episode of the season Nadia, Fran and Eugene are joined by Jenni McCabe to have a conversation about Autism and Social Work.

Jenni is an autistic social worker, author and educator. Jenni speaks and writes about her own lived experiences with a focus on the strengths being autistic brings to  herself, her role as a social worker and as a parent to three autistic children.

Jenni joins your favourite trio of social workers to share her knowledge and experiences. This conversation seeks to myth bust and increase listener's knowledge of autism.

If you want to know more then follow the links below;

Jenni's website -  www.autisticsocialworker.co.uk

 
BASW Neurodiversity Special Interests Group pages - https://twitter.com/ND_SWgroup?s=09 and https://www.facebook.com/groups/neurodiversesocialworkgroup/?ref=share_group_link 

If you  enjoy this episode then please share with your friends, leave a review and follow The Social Matters Podcast on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The handle is @matterspodcast.

In this episode Nadia, Fran and Eugene are joined by Professor Claudia Bernard to have a conversation about her exciting new book titled 'Intersectionality in Social Work: A Practical Introduction to Theory and Practice'. 

Intersectionality is a term coined by legal scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw. Crenshaw described Intersectionality as how systems of oppression overlap to create distinct experiences for people with multiple identity categories. 

Professor Bernard shares her view of the importance of an intersectional approach to social work practice. This extremely insightful episode can provide a new lens in the way social workers view their approach to work.  Come and join us and continue the conversation!

You can find out more about Professor Bernard's work via the following links

Book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/INTERSECTIONALITY-SOCIAL-WORKERS-CLAUDIA-BERNARD/dp/1138607215 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrCBernard 

If you  enjoy this episode then please share with your friends, leave a review and follow The Social Matters Podcast on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The handle is @matterspodcast.

In this episode  Nadia, Fran and Eugene sit down to reflect on the case of 'Child Q'. 

'Child Q' was 15 years old when she was subjected to a strip search by police officers because a teacher in her school smelt cannabis on her. Despite searching her and her items, the police were still called. The strip search took place without knowledge of the child's parents and without any appropriate adult present. 

Reports on this incident found no reasonable justification for this child to be stripped searched and states that race was a factor in this approach to policing. 

The aftermath of this incident and subsequent inquiry have caused a further loss of faith in the police and questions about how we safeguard children. 

Tune in to hear our thoughts and reflections on what is a horrific case of abuse by those positioned to protect.

If you  enjoy this episode then please share with your friends, leave a review and follow The Social Matters Podcast on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The handle is @matterspodcast.

In this episode Nadia, Fran and Eugene are joined on the podcast by Kajal Odedra. Kajal is an Author, Activist and Global Communications Director at Change.org.

Through her roles within Change.org, Kajal has supported millions of people in starting campaigns. This has included some of the biggest people led campaigns such as Laura Coryton's campaign to end the tampon tax and the campaign to free Nazanin Zaghari-Radcliffe from an Iranian prison. Kajal is also the author of the brilliantly insightful book 'Do Something: Activism for Everyone'

With a wealth of knowledge in addition to personal and professional experience of activism Kajal joins your favourite three social workers to share her thoughts on the importance of Everyday Activism.

If you  enjoy this episode then please share with your friends, leave a review and follow The Social Matters Podcast on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The handle is @matterspodcast.

Book link

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Do-Something-Activism-Kajal-Odedra/dp/1529355435

This one was fun! Recorded on International Women's Day, in this episode  Nadia, Fran and Eugene have a discussion about some of the women who have inspired them in their lives.

March 8th is a day to shine a spotlight on women so Nadia, Fran and Eugene chose to shine the brightest of spotlights. Whether it's Michelle Obama,  close friends, Lady Phyll or Serena Williams, your favourite trio of social workers start an important conversation about recognising the significant contributions of women to society. Have a listen and continue the conversation.

Which women are inspiring for you ? 

If you  enjoy this episode then please share with your friends, leave a review and follow The Social Matters Podcast on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The handle is @matterspodcast.

The clocks just went forward by an hour, the days are longer and brighter so we thought it will be a good moment to look back at some of our favourite 'check-ins' over the past 6 years. From our very first episode where we bumbled our way through explaining the podcast, to some episodes that left us in fits of laughter and tears.
 
 If you are looking for some joy to pick you up then this is the episode for you. Plus, with April Fool’s Day approaching, this episode really does tick the jokes box!
 
 We hope you enjoy. If you do then please share with your friends, leave a review and follow The Social Matters Podcast on X, Instagram and Facebook. The handle is @matterspodcast. You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Content warning.

In this episode Nadia, Fran and Eugene speak with Lydia Guthrie about her experience of working with sexual abuse. Like with all Social Matters episodes we try to have conversations which are helpful to people but we recognise that an episode about working with sexual abuse can impact people in different ways and can potentially be triggering. This message is to acknowledge this and invite you to stop listening to this episode at any time or to not listen to it at all.  We have our icebreaker and the discussions about Lydia's work starts around 4 minus 30 seconds.

Lydia is a Family and Systemic Psychotherapist, trainer and facilitator with years of experience working in a number of settings in roles related to working with perpetrators, victims and survivors of Sexual Abuse. In this episode Lydia shares her wealth of knowledge in this area and her perspective on the complex nature of being a professional in this context.

If you  enjoy this episode then please share with your friends, leave a review and follow The Social Matters Podcast on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The handle is @matterspodcast.

Links to charity mentioned in the podcast.

https://circlessoutheast.org.uk/the-team/ 

In this episode Nadia, Fran and Eugene have a discussion about a recent BBC documentary presented by reporter Ashley-John Baptiste. Titled Split Up in Care: Life Without Siblings, the documentary explores the impact of separating siblings in foster care. 

Your favourite trio reflect on the documentary, their own perspective on sibling relationship and possible learning for practice.  Have a listen and check out the documentary on the BBC iplayer (UK). You can also find out more about Ashley's work by following him on twitter @ashleyjbaptiste.

If you  enjoy this episode then please share with your friends, leave a review and follow The Social Matters Podcast on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The handle is @matterspodcast.

WOW!!! This is an episode full of knowledge, humour, anecdotes, leather jackets and world domination.

In this episode Nadia, Fran and Eugene are joined by  Professor Carlene Firmin MBE and Ben Lindsay for a thoughtful and important conversation about approaches to safeguarding young people.

Carlene is a Professor of Sociology at Durham University and founder of Contextual Safeguarding. Ben is founder and CEO of charity 'Power the Fight'. Long time friends and colleagues, Carlene's and Ben's work has been focused on safeguarding young people on their communities. Their combined knowledge in this episode is incredibly insightful for anyone working with young people.

Tune in and we promise you will not be disappointed!

If you  enjoy this episode then please share with your friends, leave a review and follow The Social Matters Podcast on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The handle is @matterspodcast.

Also, if you wanted to learn more about Carlene and Ben them follow them on social media, explore their websites and read their brilliant books. Details below : )

Twitter: @carlenefirmin, @BCWlindsay, @PowerTheFightUK
Instagram: @profcarlenefirmin, @BCWlindsay, @PowerTheFightUK

Websites

- www.contextualsafeguarding.org.uk
- www.powerthefight.org.uk

Books

- Contextual Safeguarding and Child Protection: Rewriting the Rules
- We Need to Talk About Race: Understanding the Black Experience in White Majority Churches

Whether in personal life or professional life, Happiness plays a role. But a different role for different people.

In this episode Nadia, Fran and Eugene have a discussion about the role of happiness in their personal and professional lives. What does happiness mean to the trio? What role does happiness play in society and what is the role of happiness in social work? Tune in to hear Nadia, Fran and Eugene's thoughts on these questions and much more!

If you  enjoy this episode then please share with your friends, leave a review and follow The Social Matters Podcast on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The handle is @matterspodcast.

Happy New Year people! 

This is the first Social Matters episode of the new year so Nadia, Fran and Eugene decided to have a conversation about aims and hopes for the new year. To do this, they review the word they chose at the beginning of 2021 to guide their approach to the year and they pick new words/phrases to guide them through 2022.

The words and language we use play a significant role in constructing meaning and how we understand events, relationships, interactions etc. 

Tune in, have a listen and think about your own words/phrases.

If you  enjoy this episode then please share with your friends, leave a review and follow The Social Matters Podcast on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The handle is @matterspodcast.

Merry Christmas people! 

In this Christmas special episode, Nadia, Fran and Eugene have a conversation about what social work means to them. They share positive stories, their passion, the nature of the work and why, after a tough few weeks for the profession, they still remain enthusiastic and committed.

Also, as with any Christmas special there are some surprises to look forward to!

If you  enjoy this episode then please share with your friends, leave a review and follow The Social Matters Podcast on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The handle is @matterspodcast.

A few days after the news broke of the murder of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, Nadia, Fran and Eugene reflect on the tragic death of Arthur and the significance for social work.

If you  enjoy this episode then please share with your friends, leave a review and follow The Social Matters Podcast on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The handle is @matterspodcast.