What does good leadership in social work look like? Lessons from the field
- Location
- Edgbaston Park Hotel and Conference Centre 53 Edgbaston Park Road Birmingham B15 2RS, Lloyd Room, University of Birmingham
- Dates
- Monday 24 June 2019 (09:30-16:00)
Leadership is a key enabler of good professional practice through providing peer support and challenge, and creating an enabling organisational environment for social workers and teams.
Both Chief Social Workers in England have emphasised the importance of leadership and the Knowledge & Skills Frameworks contain leadership as a central component of professional practice. Those working at a more senior level must provide leadership within the context of integrated care systems and front line practitioners must display it on a daily basis with professionals from other agencies and services.
Social work leadership is defined as ‘the use of professional credibility, competence and connections to positively influence others in response to the interests and aspirations of people and families. Achieved through coproduction with communities, collaboration with other professionals, and constructive conflict of injustice and inequality, it can be demonstrated through formal roles and informal encouragement of colleagues’ (Haworth et al 2018). Whilst there are excellent examples of social work leadership being demonstrated in practice, many social workers and those within more senior positions are not always confidence about what leadership looks like within this professional and context.
This interactive event will provide an opportunity to learn from and debate with those who have experience of providing and developing leadership within social work. This includes those working with children and/or adults, and those from practice, policy and academic settings. It has been organised by the Centre for Health and Social Care Leadership at the University of Birmingham and the Social Care Institute for Excellence with support from the West Midlands Social Work Teaching Partnership.
Speakers
The event will be chaired by Rt Hon Paul Burstow, Chair of the Social Care Institute of Excellence. Confirmed speakers include Chief Social Worker for Norther Ireland, National Development Team for Inclusion, British Association of Social Workers, ADASS West Midlands, and the Centre for Systemic Social Work.
There will be refreshments from 9.30am - 10am.
Cost: no charge
To register, please contact: hsclead@contacts.bham.ac.uk