World Social Work Day is taking place today, Tuesday 21 March. It was founded by the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW), which is the global body for social workers.

This year’s theme is ‘respecting diversity through joint social action’ and is an opportunity for social workers, and others working in the social service sector, to celebrate their achievements, as well as to raise awareness of the important role that social workers play to help improve the lives of vulnerable families and communities.

Cllr Paul Warburton said: “World Social Work Day is a day where we can recognise and celebrate the valuable contribution of all social workers. I would like to thank each of our social workers who make a positive difference and improve the lives of children, adults, families, and our communities every day in Warrington.  

“Social work is a varied, challenging and a greatly rewarding career where no two days are ever the same. Warrington has an excellent and supportive social work team that is recognised for its innovation and collaboration. This World Social Work Day, I’d like to ask others to consider the great opportunities and benefits of pursuing a rewarding career in social work and social care, and the opportunities that are currently available in Warrington.”

To mark World Social Work Day, social workers at Warrington Borough Council have shared what a career in social work means to them:

Rachael Parrott, social worker, said: “Being a social worker can be challenging at times, but being able to support people to be as independent as possible and having a positive impact on their lives is really rewarding. I support people to integrate back into the community, access accommodation, gain employment, and avoid hospital admissions. Every day comes with different challenges but also positive rewards. The council provides lots of training opportunities to support social workers to learn new skills and develop as practitioners.”

Phillip Woodward, social worker, said: “In Warrington, the infrastructure around being a social worker is there to support you in your role on a daily basis, with extended services in and around the borough too. The most rewarding part of my role in social work is being able to provide an individual, and their family or carer, with life options that they may never have known existed, so that they can live a happier, connected, healthier, and safer life for themselves moving forwards.”

Gareth Timmins, apprentice social worker, said: “It was a natural move into social care for me, as I had always been brought up with values of respecting and helping others, which helps me to do my job effectively and challenge injustices. The council is supportive of internal staff development and it’s great to see my colleagues accessing opportunities to progress and grow in the workplace.”

Neil Atherton, team manager, said: “There is nothing as rewarding, as challenging, as thought-provoking, and as stimulating as working with people and providing the care and support they need.”

Tim Bindin, social worker, said: “I love working in Warrington and the team I work in is really friendly. My main advice for those considering a career in social work is to be well organised, but at the same time, expect that things can change without notice, so always be prepared for change.”

Nikki Allen, senior practitioner, said: “The most rewarding part of my career is being able to play a minor yet important part in helping children to reach their full potential and letting them know that people care and are here to support them.”

There are also various social work training opportunities available in Warrington that are currently open to applications, including:

• Frontline social work training programme
• Think Ahead mental health social worker training programme
• Step up to social work training programme