Messy Social Work

Messy Social Work

By Rich and TimScienceSocial Sciences
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Messy Social Work episodes

  • Practice lessons from the tragic death of Sara Shariff

    Relational Activism: https://www.relationalactivism.com/

    Rich's BASW Child Protection sessions: https://basw.co.uk/social-work-child-protection-professional-practice-programme

    Rich Devine's blog: https://richarddevinesocialwork.com/about/

    Tim Fisher LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/timfisher101/

    1 hr 16 min
  • Ethan St Pierre on trauma tourism, alongside a news roundup from Mithran Samuel (CC)

    Connect with Ethan here: 

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/ethan-st-pierre-bb58403ab/

    Relational Activism: https://www.relationalactivism.com/

    Rich's BASW Child Protection sessions: https://basw.co.uk/social-work-child-protection-professional-practice-programme

    Rich Devine's blog: https://richarddevinesocialwork.com/about/

    Tim Fisher LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/timfisher101/

    1 hr 6 min
  • Ethan St Pierre on growing up in care, addiction and being reborn in a cemetery


    Connect with Ethan here: 

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/ethan-st-pierre-bb58403ab/

    Relational Activism: https://www.relationalactivism.com/

    Rich's BASW Child Protection sessions: https://basw.co.uk/social-work-child-protection-professional-practice-programme

    Rich Devine's blog: https://richarddevinesocialwork.com/about/

    Tim Fisher LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/timfisher101/

    1 hr 6 min
  • Mark Hopfenbeck about the transformative possibilities of Open Dialogue.

    In this conversation, Rich and Tim and Mark Hopfenbeck explore the concept of Open Dialogue, its origins, and its application in mental health and social work. They discuss the importance of community involvement, the need for continuity in care, and the training required to develop relational skills. Mark emphasizes the significance of peer support and the challenges faced in implementing Open Dialogue in various settings. The conversation also touches on the role of evidence in validating Open Dialogue practices and the future of this approach in mental health care.


    Mark's presentation at the Thrive conference

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EAegtEWsi4&t=2s

    Professor Russell Razzaque on Radio 4 

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUVXKrFqaqE

     takeaways

    Open Dialogue originated from a need for better mental health support.
    The approach emphasizes community involvement and transparency.
    Continuity of care is crucial for building trust and relationships.
    Training in relational skills is essential for effective practice.
    Open Dialogue can be adapted to diverse cultural contexts.
    Peer support plays a vital role in the Open Dialogue framework.
    The approach encourages flexibility in meeting arrangements.
    Evidence-based practice is important for validating Open Dialogue.
    Radical transparency can improve client-professional relationships.
    Open Dialogue reflects the values of excellent social work.


     sound bites

    "It's a very human way of being."
    "We can do it better, and we can do it for less."
    "We can show that everyone seems to be better."


    Chapters

    00:00 The Origins of Open Dialogue
    04:21 The Evolution of Open Dialogue Practices
    08:47 The Role of Community and Relationships
    13:23 Open Dialogue in Diverse Settings
    17:35 Comparing Traditional and Open Dialogue Approaches
    26:23 Understanding Moral Injury in Healthcare Professionals
    28:44 The Impact of Open Dialogue Training
    30:25 Relational Skills in Social Work
    32:49 The Essence of Open Dialogue
    35:28 Navigating Difficult Decisions in Mental Health
    39:41 Radical Transparency and Compassion in Care
    41:38 The Need for Evidence in Compassionate Care
    45:21 Global Perspectives on Open Dialogue


    Relational Activism: https://www.relationalactivism.com/

    Rich's BASW Child Protection sessions: https://basw.co.uk/social-work-child-protection-professional-practice-programme

    Rich Devine's blog: https://richarddevinesocialwork.com/about/

    Tim Fisher LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/timfisher101/

    1 hr 3 min
  • Connecting Research: Why young people don't access mental health support

    In this episode, we speak with Dr Mina Fazel, a British psychiatrist who is Professor and Chair of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Oxford. Her research considers the mental health of children and young people, and how to design effective mental health interventions.


    We talk to her about a recent paper: Adolescent consent and Generation Alpha: bridging policy, practice and empirical evidence in healthcare, you can download it here: 

    https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/the-british-journal-of-psychiatry/article/adolescent-consent-and-generation-alpha-bridging-policy-practice-and-empirical-evidence-in-healthcare/1773C8B49A361BB55747FF7BD80F0730

    Relational Activism: https://www.relationalactivism.com/

    Rich's BASW Child Protection sessions: https://basw.co.uk/social-work-child-protection-professional-practice-programme

    Rich Devine's blog: https://richarddevinesocialwork.com/about/

    Tim Fisher LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/timfisher101/

    34 min
  • Seana McDermott (Social Worker for Children in Care) about relational practice and moral injury

    This week, we speak to Seana, a social worker in a Child in Care Team. 

    We explore what her role involves, how she builds relationships with young people, carers, and families, and the challenges she faces—as well as what helps her keep going. 

    We’re really grateful to Seana for taking the time to talk with us, especially given how busy the role is. We hope you enjoy her passion, child‑centred practice, and commitment to the work as much as we did.

    Relational Activism: https://www.relationalactivism.com/

    Rich's BASW Child Protection sessions: https://basw.co.uk/social-work-child-protection-professional-practice-programme

    Rich Devine's blog: https://richarddevinesocialwork.com/about/

    Tim Fisher LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/timfisher101/

    48 min
  • Dr Anna Harvey on handstands, breakdance battles, and the unconscious

    In this two-part episode of Messy Social Work, hosts Richard Devine and Tim Fisher speak with Dr Anna Harvey about the realities of child protection practice, reflective supervision, and the emotional weight of decision-making. Using a selection of Anna’s vivid LinkedIn posts and readings as a jumping-off point, the conversation moves from psychoanalytic ideas like organisational mindlessness, fear, guilt, and compassion, into leadership and workplace culture, challenging the “hero narrative” and calling for learning cultures and belonging in teams. The episode then widens out into ecology, community, and power, touching on what it means to “think global, act local,” and how social work can hold a wider lens on inequality, politics, and care.


    Anna's LinkedIn account 

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-anna-harvey-sfhea-5220563b/

    and a link to her Linkedin posts 

    https://docs.google.com/document/d/17rJmo2bvYNpm_Bj2zT6xOuI3PreHoSm-_D4UND9R6m8/edit?tab=t.0


    Relational Activism: https://www.relationalactivism.com/

    Rich's BASW Child Protection sessions: https://basw.co.uk/social-work-child-protection-professional-practice-programme

    Rich Devine's blog: https://richarddevinesocialwork.com/about/

    Tim Fisher LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/timfisher101/

    52 min
  • Dr Anna Harvey on fear, loneliness, and joy in social work

    In this two-part episode of Messy Social Work, hosts Richard Devine and Tim Fisher speak with Dr Anna Harvey about the realities of child protection practice, reflective supervision, and the emotional weight of decision-making. Using a selection of Anna’s vivid LinkedIn posts and readings as a jumping-off point, the conversation moves from psychoanalytic ideas like organisational mindlessness, fear, guilt, and compassion, into leadership and workplace culture, challenging the “hero narrative” and calling for learning cultures and belonging in teams. The episode then widens out into ecology, community, and power, touching on what it means to “think global, act local,” and how social work can hold a wider lens on inequality, politics, and care.


    Anna's LinkedIn account 

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-anna-harvey-sfhea-5220563b/

    and a link to her Linkedin posts 

    https://docs.google.com/document/d/17rJmo2bvYNpm_Bj2zT6xOuI3PreHoSm-_D4UND9R6m8/edit?tab=t.0


    Relational Activism: https://www.relationalactivism.com/

    Rich's BASW Child Protection sessions: https://basw.co.uk/social-work-child-protection-professional-practice-programme

    Rich Devine's blog: https://richarddevinesocialwork.com/about/

    Tim Fisher LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/timfisher101/

    1 hr
  • Rich and Tim return to talk boundaries, creating space and big changes ahead

    Rich and Tim are back in the studio of the Messy Social Work Podcast, shaking off the holiday cobwebs and diving straight into the age-old tradition of New Year’s resolutions. Tim’s on a mission to set some firm boundaries, while Rich is dreaming of carving out a little breathing space—because who doesn’t need that in social work?

    But that’s not all. We’ve got our roving news correspondent and Community Care editor, Mithran Samuels, joining us to give the lowdown on what’s changing across children’s social care and what’s on the horizon for the year ahead. 

    Relational Activism: https://www.relationalactivism.com/

    Rich's BASW Child Protection sessions: https://basw.co.uk/social-work-child-protection-professional-practice-programme

    Rich Devine's blog: https://richarddevinesocialwork.com/about/

    Tim Fisher LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/timfisher101/



    46 min

About Messy Social Work

From the publisher's feed

Messy Social Work is a podcast for social workers, leaders, students and anyone interested in helping people navigate life's toughest challenges.


Hosted by Rich Devine and…