Let's hear it for the hidden success stories of social work

BASW England Patron and care leaver Jenny Molloy described social workers as “the most important people in my life” during her childhood.

Speaking at BASW England’s Conference and Annual Meeting, she spoke of the vast number of hidden successes of the profession that never got heard.

Ms Molloy, whose second book Tainted Love about the stories of children she met in care is reviewed in the next issue of PSW magazine, said: “I still have my social worker from when I was a child in my life. She is 81 now. She is the most beautiful spirit I have ever known. I remember my social workers as activists. As fighters, as protestors, as people who would go out there and fight for justice… I loved my social workers and they loved me.”

Ms Molloy added: “I could fill this room time and time again with care workers who will give you a significant person who is a social worker who changed their lives.

“You will only hear about the kids and the care leavers who feel social workers failed them. I hear every day from the kids and the adults that feel social work saved them. We have to remember those children and adults to get up every day and do the work we are doing. We have to remember that vulnerable children need social workers.”

Ms Molloy added social work was a profession under attack and needed people to stand up for it. “We have to fight for social work… We cannot allow what is going on out there to take us down because the children and vulnerable adults need us.”