Category Archives: Uncategorized

By Richard Devine, Consultant Social Worker for Bath and North East Somerset Council As I was packing up at the end of a long day in the office on a dark, rainy evening, I received an e-mail from the hospital. A child subject to a child protection plan and for whom I was the allocatedContinue reading “4 Essential Questions Every Frontline Social Worker Must Ask”

By Richard Devine, Social Worker for Bath and North East Somerset Council NOTE: If you are receiving this via e-mail it may be cut short by your e-mail programme and/or the graphics may be distorted. You may wish to click the link and view it in full. Personal life In previous years, I have notContinue reading “End of year review 2022”

By Richard Devine, Social Worker for Bath and North East Somerset This is an article I wrote for, GAPS a UK based charity which promotes relationship-based approaches and psychodynamic and systemic thinking in social work. It is my most succinct and concentrated overview of key ideas and the approach I took in my role asContinue reading “Relationship Based Practice in Child Protection: An insurmountable problem?”

I have finally, after many years of researching, published my 1st podcast (yay!). I have spent endless amount of hours looking up various editing programmes, publishing sites and microphones over the past two-three years. The more I researched, the more confused I became. Eventually, I contacted Vicki from Social Work Sorted (who was incredibly kind,Continue reading “Rich Devine’s Social Work Podcast, 1st EVER episode”

By Richard Devine, Social Worker for Bath and North East Somerset Council Introduction A fundamental part of being a child protection social worker is to work with parents who, quite frankly, don’t want to work with us.  There are various reasons for this, and it is important that we seek to understand them while recognizingContinue reading “Coercive Social Work and Parental Resistance”

By Richard Devine, Social Worker for Bath and North East Somerset Council NOTE: If you are receiving this via e-mail it may be cut short by your e-mail programme and/or the graphics may be distorted. You may wish to click the title and view it in full. Several years ago, I read a book thatContinue reading “How cognitive biases derail our decision making in social work, and what we can do about it”

By Richard Devine, Social Worker for Bath and North East Somerset Council NOTE: If you are receiving this via e-mail it may be cut short by your e-mail programme and/or the graphics may be distorted. You may wish to click the title and view it in full. Recently, I had the privilege of connecting withContinue reading “What does ‘direct work’ in social work really mean?”

An exploration of psychological assessments and recommendations: a Local Authority’s perspective By Richard Devine, Social Worker for Bath and North East Somerset Council NOTE: If you are receiving this via e-mail it may be cut short by your e-mail programme and/or the graphics may be distorted. You may wish to click the title and viewContinue reading “‘The mother requires 12-18 months of psychological therapy; unfortunately, this is not consistent with the child’s timescales.’”

By Richard Devine Have you ever had a case where a parent had learning difficulties’ and substitute parenting (or supplemented care by family, friends or professionals, or ‘wrap around care’), in any shape or form, was discussed or considered? PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE do get in touch if so…your contribution will be invaluable. This is aContinue reading “Your help needed! Yes, you (maybe)! Parents with learning difficulties/disabilities and the family court”

By Richard Devine, Social Worker and Bath and North East Somerset Council Introduction  ‘Woke up feeling very scared, was very emotional and anxious for over one hour, then I remembered I had a can of beer, drank that and it receded my fears long enough to get to the chemist to pick up Valium’.  ThisContinue reading “A Summary of Key Ideas from ‘In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts’ by Gabor Mate”

By Richard Devine, Social Worker for Bath and North East Somerset Council and Ian Thomas, Independent Social Worker and Tedx Speaker NOTE: If you are receiving this via e-mail it may be cut short by your e-mail programme and/or the graphics may be distorted. You may wish to click the link and view it inContinue reading “A Compassionate Enquiry into Addiction”

By Richard Devine, Social Worker for Bath and North East Somerset Council and Tim Fisher, Service Manager for Camden Council Parental Advocacy is picking up momentum as an effective, ethically sound approach to supporting children and families, underpinned by an increasing evidence base. The Independent Review of Children’s Social Care Case for Change identify itContinue reading “Parental Advocacy: a FREE webinar”

By Richard Devine, Social Worker for Bath and North East Somerset Council NOTE: If you are receiving this via e-mail it may be cut short by your e-mail programme and/or the graphics may be distorted. You may wish to click the link and view it in full. In Part 1 explored the following: Time Management,Continue reading “How to be a Resilient Social Worker and Flourish in a Complex, Emotionally Demanding and Stressful Role (Part 2)”

By Richard Devine, Social Worker for Bath and North East Somerset Council NOTE: If you are receiving this via e-mail it may be cut short by your e-mail programme and/or the graphics may be distorted. You may wish to click the link and view it in full. Being a children’s social worker can be hugelyContinue reading “How to be a Resilient Social Worker and Flourish in a Complex, Emotionally Demanding and Stressful Role (Part 1)”

By Richard Devine, Social Worker for Bath and North East Somerset Council NOTE: If you are receiving this via e-mail it may be cut short by your e-mail programme and/or the graphics may be distorted. You may wish to click the link and view it in full. Undertaking direct work with children can be theContinue reading “3 Reasons Why Direct Work in Child Protection is Challenging and 10 Principles to Overcome them and Build Effective, Meaningful relationships”

By Richard Devine, Social Worker for Bath and North East Somerset NOTE: If you are receiving this via e-mail it may be cut short by your e-mail programme and/or the graphics may be distorted. You may wish to click the link and view it in full. These are five books that have profoundly influenced myContinue reading “5 books every front-line social worker should read in 2022 to make better decisions, build effective relationships, and improve the lives of children and families.”

By Richard Devine by Bath and North East Somerset Council NOTE: If you are receiving this via e-mail it may be cut short by your e-mail programme and/or the graphics may be distorted. You may wish to click the link and view it in full. These are five books that have profoundly influenced my socialContinue reading “5 books every front-line social worker should read in 2022 to make better decisions, build effective relationships, and improve the lives of children and families.”

By Richard Devine, Social Worker for Bath and North East Somerset Council NOTE: If you are receiving this via e-mail it may be cut short by your e-mail programme and/or the graphics may be distorted. You may wish to click the link and view it in full. These are five books that have profoundly influencedContinue reading “5 books every front-line social worker should read in 2022 to make better decisions, build effective relationships, and improve the lives of children and families.”

By Richard Devine, Social Worker for Bath and North East Somerset Council NOTE: If you are receiving this via e-mail it may be cut short by your e-mail programme and/or the graphics may be distorted. You may wish to click the link and view it in full. These are five books that have profoundly influencedContinue reading “5 books every front-line social worker should read in 2022 to make better decisions, build effective relationships, and improve the lives of children and families.”