Social worker Nasreen: “Helping children was my destiny — it could be yours, too"

Nasreen Arif, along with children's social workers from across the region, has come forward to share how she has been able to make a positive difference to the lives of local vulnerable children and families.

The children’s social worker for Rotherham Council also opened up about some of the challenges, misconceptions and immense rewards that come with the job.

She aims to raise awareness about the profession, including some of the more diverse, less well known aspects of the role.  

Speaking to mark Social Work Week, which runs until Friday, Nasreen said: “From the age of 16, I’d been working for a local charity to support children with additional needs and their families and knew from that point on that I wanted to be a children’s social worker.

“My route into the profession wasn’t straightforward — at school, I was bullied and left without any qualifications.

“But I wasn’t prepared to give up and felt that it was my destiny to become a children's social worker.

“After completing a BTech in health and social care, I went on to graduate with a degree in social work.

“In the nine years since leaving school, I’d gone from having no qualifications, to achieving the highest grade in my year — proof of what you can accomplish if you're determined enough.”

Nasreen said her day-to-day job varied but was centred around protecting vulnerable children from harm.

“For example, a school might contact me if they have concerns that a child might be at risk from, say, neglect, domestic violence or sexual exploitation,” she said.

“My job is to assess those potential risks and decide what level of intervention, if any, is needed.

“We often work alongside other agencies, such as local health services, schools or the police and any intervention on our part is continually reviewed with those agencies, as well as with the families themselves.

“In Rotherham, we also have a specialist Sexual Abuse Risk Assessment panel for where there are concerns about individuals who pose a risk of sexual abuse against a child.

“Their level of professionalism and breadth of knowledge has really helped me to learn and to grow in my job.  

“I spend a lot of time with every child I work with, listening to them and taking on board their views.

“I always try to find a connection to help build up trust and get them to open up to me, whether it’s through play, music or taking them out for the afternoon.

“We take a very person-centred approach. What works for one child doesn’t always work for another.”

Nasreen said the job took its toll but was worthwhile.

“Children's social work can be stressful because when you see the effect a situation can have on a child, you feel that, too,” she said.

“But the way I see it, the rewards of being able to help keep a child safe from harm, or being able to stop a destructive patten of behaviour in a family, mean that the good days far outweigh the bad.

“My colleagues are always there to provide that extra little bit of support if ever I need it, which helps me to be the best I can be in my job.

“My head of service, for example, thinks nothing of coming with me on a home visit and getting involved with the children and families I work with.

“While there’s an understanding and recognition of the work we do, I feel there's also some stigma attached to it.

“I think it’s important that more people know about the kind of work we do, so that more people can take up the role and help achieve those positive outcomes.

“There are families who, having initially been reluctant to work with me, tell me they’re grateful for my help.

“Many of the children tell me they’re glad I’m there for them and one child recently told me they would never forget me.

“Conversations like these make me feel honoured to be a part of a child's journey and remind me of why I chose to do this as a career.

“For me, the job I do is the best job and I find it extremely rewarding.

“To be a children's social worker, you need to be a caring, compassionate person who wants to make a positive change in young people's lives.

“If this is you, then children's social work could also be the job for you.”

Monica Green, assistant director at Rotherham Council’s children services added: “Few would argue with the importance of protecting society’s most vulnerable at a time when they need it most.

“But attracting, recruiting and retaining CSWs remains one of the biggest challenges, something that is not unique to our region.

“Nasreen provides an honest, yet valuable insight into what is arguably one of the most rewarding of professions, which we hope will help raise awareness about the role and break down some of the barriers that exist.

“I would encourage anyone with an interest in helping to make a positive difference to the lives of vulnerable children and families, to become a children’s social worker.

“Aside from being a great place to live, practitioners in our region also have access to a unique support system through the CSWM programme, which is making a positive difference to their working lives and ultimately, the lives of those they serve to protect.”

Visit https://www.childrenssocialworkmatters.org/ for more information.