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Get Up Stand Up

Like most people we often revisit tunes, albums and songs that seem almost part of my DNA. They make me smile, laugh, or cry. Songs can take us to a definite place and time. Certain songs remind us of significant moments in our lives and others bring close people that we love. Mason (2021) suggests […]

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What next for the Liberty Protection Safeguards

Honestly, we can’t begin to predict now what will happen. The Liberty Protection Safeguards are on hold, in the longest of the long grass. Will they ever happen or is that it now? If not the Liberty Protection Safeguards, might something else energe? Or will others in the future build on the work done so […]

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I Knew Love

For such a long time I didn’t see it. I knew people. I loved working with people. I understood social work the best I could. Understanding what Jennifer and Holly both knew nearly 40 years ago, the power of love, dawned on me very slowly in social work and from an unexpected source. I had […]

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The Social Prescription We Need – Freedom

About 20 years ago, I worked with an older person called Florence. Florence was in her early 80s and had been known to social services for many years. Each November Florence would, much to the concern of her family and the plethora of community social workers, nurses and carers who supported her, take herself off […]

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Traffic Lights

The first snow of the season arrived as the last of the year’s leaves still clung to the nearly naked trees. Their golden yellow autumn hue finally giving way to brown. The blue skies of late September and early October were now hidden behind a thick covering of dark, murky grey.  As Jay, the social […]

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Why Social Work?

I have faced the question “why Social work?” from friends and family many times, because I had gotten up to a managerial level whilst working in a different field and they always believe that to be a sign of excellence and growth. Especially, because, studying again as a mature student can be very stressful and […]

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Strengths Approach means never having to ask someone what they’re good at

A blog by Tanya Moore @tanya_tavi Strengths practitioners focus on what people can do. This doesn’t mean we skirt over difficulties or risk. It doesn’t mean we ignore sorrows, challenges or pain. Strengths practitioners see the full picture and work with the reality and messiness of life. Strengths isn’t a naïve approach to practice, it’s […]

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Grief and the Healing Power of Music

I find myself in the rather weird position of having listened to three Genesis albums in the last week. I am not complaining, however they are not normally a band I would listen to. As a grown man and consenting adult it would appear I gave myself permission to exercise this rather ‘unwise’ choice. Autonomy […]

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I’m gonna get the vote

Alice Cooper’s ‘Elected’ is just great. Turn it up LOUD. Join in with the joy of a perfect rock anthem. It was released in 1972 in the run up to the US presidential election that saw Nixon become President. Ringo Star was present at the studio when it was recorded. It’s living history. The establishment […]

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Social Work and the Ambiguity of Hope

a blog in parts Love and Hope Part 1 – by @briantheroomie Just what makes that little old antThink he’ll move that rubber tree plantAnyone knows an ant, can’tMove a rubber tree plantBut he’s got high hopesHe’s got high hopesHe’s got high apple pieIn the sky hopes(Van Heusen, Khan 1959) When Sinatra sang these lines […]