In this episode, Soyeb and Siobhan explore anti-oppressive practice and what it means in contemporary social work. The conversation reflects on how understandings of anti-oppressive practice have changed across their careers and considers the difference between practice that is actively anti-oppressive and practice that is simply non-oppressive.

They discuss the oppression faced by people who use services, as well as the experiences of students, newly qualified workers, and social workers whose identities and experiences are too often marginalised within the profession. This includes social workers from the Global Majority, care-experienced social workers, and neurodivergent social workers, while also naming racism within social work and the wider systems that shape practice.

The conversation considers how oppression can become normalised in organisations and practice cultures, particularly when it is not challenged by colleagues, managers, or leaders. Soyeb and Siobhan reflect on whether social workers challenge enough, what it means to understand different perspectives without excusing harm, and how the current political climate influences the conditions in which social work takes place.

The episode also explores the role of social workers as disruptors, asking how practitioners can challenge oppressive systems while remaining thoughtful about relationships, power, and accountability. The discussion considers the difference between calling out and calling in and the responsibility of leadership to address oppression rather than allowing it to be minimised, avoided, or left to those most affected.

It is an episode about courage, reflection, and the ongoing work required to make anti-oppressive practice more than a value statement. It asks what social workers can do, individually and collectively, to notice oppression, challenge it, and create safer and more just spaces within practice.