BASW England Peer Support Forum for Social Workers in Health Organisations 2024

If you would like to come together with peers working in a wide variety of settings outside of statutory local authority social care, this forum is for you. The forum will provide opportunities to explore the strengths and challenges this poses and identify ways of maintaining social work identity and promote parity of esteem for career progression and CPD.

This open forum is being supported by the Social Work in Health Thematic Group. Forums may have guest speakers focusing on specific themes for the first half hour with the second half of the session opening out for general discussion, peer support and reflection. See individual dates for details. (NOTE: You must register for each session individually). 

Mental Health - 20th May

This session, led again by Soyeb Aswat, will cover: 

• Early Intervention/First Episode Psychosis 

• Religious/cultural/spiritual considerations: Month of fasting and what to consider around mental health 

• Spiritual v medical model  

Soyeb is a Social Work Lead within an NHS Trust and has worked within a Health Safeguarding team and has been involved with  Safeguarding Forums within health settings as well as being a MARAC link within his organisation.

Technology and social work: who's leading the conversation? - 10th July 

Social workers use technology all the time, we use it in our own lives and we increasingly use it as part of our working life. Whether it’s for recording case notes, for communication or to support people with their care and support needs technology is increasingly part of a social worker’s every day life. Yet, how much are we taught about technology as social workers and how much on going training do we receive about social work and technology? If we get it right it can advocate for and amplify the voice of those we support, if we get it wrong it could be quite damaging. Hear from social workers working in the Digitising Social Care Programme within DHSC/NHSE as to their response to Social Work England’s readiness to practice consultation and how awareness of digital technology must play a central role in every social worker’s toolkit of skills. 

This session will be led by Tommy Henderson-Reay, a social worker in the NHS England Digitising Social Care Programme. 

August - Topic & Date TBC

October - Topic & Date TBC

Social Work Identity - 21st November 

There is an increasing focus on what does it mean to be a social worker particularly for those working in the NHS and the importance of understanding your own professional identity.  The session, again led by Paula Swift, will look at the use of reflective models to understand professional identity, professional confidence and role within a multidisciplinary setting.

Paula has been a qualified social worker for 27-years and has worked both in Local Authorities and in Mental Health Trusts. Her current role is trustwide Professional Head of Social Work.

BASW members who are unable to view a personalised message above are encouraged to log-in prior to booking for this event to ensure professional development is recorded within your membership record & to ensure you are able to attend for free.

Taster session available for non-members of BASW.* Non-members of BASW keen to learn more on the benefits of membership and receive updates on the valuable work we do are welcome to sign-up to our communication updates here. When you sign-up, you’ll automatically receive a registration code that can be used to waive the admin fee. 

*Subject to availability. Terms and conditions apply.