Care to chat? A podcast from the Northern Ireland Social Care Council

• How social work is supporting diverse communities in Northern Ireland

  The 2025 ‘Care to chat?’ podcast concludes with a very special story. One area of social work practice we don’t often hear about is community development.  We hear in the news about ethnic minorities, people seeking asylum and migrants in our communities – but there are real people behind these stories and it’s important to hear and really listen to what they have to say. Host Dr Wendy Austin MBE is joined by Megan who from Iran and seeking asylum in Northern Ireland whose named has been anonymised to protect her identify, supported by interpreter Mehdi Hooshmand, Clare McGrath, Principal Practitioner for Ethnic Minorities and New Entrants, Northern Health and Social Care Trust, and Christine Dunlop, a community volunteer from the Presbyterian church, who helped to welcome Megan to Northern Ireland. In this emotional final episode, our panel together explain how we need to greet people seeking asylum with compassion rather than fear, and the real people who together support people seeking safety, whilst challenging the misinformation and perceptions of people seeking asylum in our community – and instead see the talents and diversity they bring. An episode not to be missed! An end to another great season of Care to chat!  A big thank you to all the Social Care Council ‘Care to chat?’ podcast listeners for your continued support We will return with lots more important conversations in social care and social work in 2026. Have an idea for a future episode? Contact us on [email protected] with your suggestions.    Download, subscribe and listen to this episode and previous Episodes today here, or by searching ‘Care to chat’ in your podcast player. 

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• Embrace the stretch - Professional in Practice (PiP) - Supporting social workers to learn and develop

  The nature of social work practice is challenging and complex, therefore it is important to support professional development. So what does this look like in Northern Ireland? One of the reasons the Care to chat podcast began was to make content that helps inform, educate and develop social workers and social care practitioners. This episode focusses on social workers and their learning and development and one core tenant of this – the Professional in Practice Framework, otherwise known as the PiP Framework.  This internationally unique Framework has been supporting post-qualifying training for social workers in Northern Ireland for over 20 years and this episode explains what it is and why it is such a major priority for the profession. Podcast host Dr Wendy Austin MBE is joined by Gillian McAuley, Professional Advisor, Northern Ireland Social Care Council, who helps support the PiP Framework, Annie McAnallen, Probation Officer, Probation Board for Northern Ireland, who has completed a number of PiP programmes and Marita Magennis, Assistant Director, Southern Health and Social Care Trust, a senior experienced social work, and who is passionate about PiP from the employer perspective. Guests take us through their understanding about the PiP Framework’s management, the importance of an employer’s commitment to making it work, what can support candidates through it and the overall benefits of participating in a PiP programme intended (additional skills and practice development) and not intended (friendship, networking, career long support and increasing resilience).

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• Research into practice in social work and social care

  Would you like to do something that makes a difference? Research is certainly one option you could consider. But what is social work and social care research and why is it important? In this episode in the ‘Care to chat’ 2025 podcast series, a panel of experts have a lively conversation about how social workers and social care practitioners can build and maintain an evidence base to support their work. Our host Dr Wendy Austin MBE speaks to experienced academics and professional voices, Anne McGlade, Social Care Research Lead, Northern Ireland Social Care Council, Professor Paula McFadden, Professor of Social Work, School of Applied Social and Policy Sciences, Ulster University, Maria Flannagan, Senior Social Work Practitioner, South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust and Lisa Morrison, Lisa Morrison Consultancy.Ideal for students, practitioners, researchers or anyone interested in social work and social care, it looks at the importance of an evidence-based approach for people who access services and how evidence plays an important role in social work and social care practice, how evidenced-based practice can improve outcomes for services and communities and the resources and opportunities available to potential students, including people with lived experience and professionals to start their research journey.

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• Learning and development – getting to know your Learning Zone

  Continuous professional learning and development is crucial in social work and social care to ensure practitioners maintain competency, adapt to evolving knowledge and best practices, progress in their careers and deliver effective services and better outcomes for individuals, families, and communities.  This podcast focusses on the Northern Ireland Social Care Council’s Learning Zone, which is one of the biggest things it provides to those who register with them as the regulator for social workers and social care practitioners.  A panel of experts discuss the Learning Zone as host Dr Wendy Austin MBE sits down with, Laura Moffett, Manager, Mental Health and Learning Disability, Northern Health and Social Trust, Suzanne Cunningham, Assistant Director, Children’s Services, RQIA and Mairead Harkin, Workforce Development Officer who leads digital Learning for the Social Care Council. Hearing from Mairead who manages the Learning Zone, Suzanne who has been involved in using and developing resources for it and Laura who encourages her staff to access and use in to improve them practice, this discussion is an opportunity to bring depth to the conversation around why he Learning Zone as an innovative learning experience for the social work and social care workforce.  The Learning Zone is packed full of tools, inspiration, stories advice, and resources for the social work and social care workforce – check it out now and continue your own learning journey: learningzone.niscc.info.  

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• Wellbeing and support for social workers – Taking care of yourself, to take care of others

  Maintaining physical, mental, and emotional health is vital for everyone, but it’s particularly important for those working in caring professions, like social workers, who are often called upon to be resilient. Developing mindfulness, accessing support and selfcare practice is essential for preventing professional burnout for social workers. Does there need to be a cultural change in the social work profession? Many in practice are used to getting into hero mode to help other people, but the question is are they looking after themselves. There are several ways they can do this, and interventions and supports available to ensure they can take care of themselves so they can take care of others. Want to hear more? In this episode Dr Wendy Austin MBE sits down with Dr Alan Maddock, Lecturer, Dept of Health Psychology, School of Population Health, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), Jeananne Jackson, Senior Social Worker, Southern Health and Social Care Trust, Carolyn Ewart, National Director, BASW NI and Janine Gordon, Divisional Social Worker, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust.Remember it’s okay not to feel okay. Taking care of yourself isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity.

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About Care to chat? A podcast from the Northern Ireland Social Care Council