Learn on the go: the Community Care podcast

A manually transcribed transcript of this podcast is available here.
Welcome to Learn on the go, the podcast from Community Care Inform, where we discuss the issues affecting social workers and social care practitioners.
This episode looks at county lines and child criminal exploitation. Discussing this is Adam Elliott, founder of The Long Game, a youth-led intervention to reduce young people’s risk of exposure to these forms of modern slavery.
Adam uses his lived experience to highlight how children and young people are groomed, exploited and manipulated into county lines.
At about 1 hour and 20 minutes, this is an extended edition of Learn on the go but we feel it is justified. Adam’s story is hard-hitting and, at times, difficult to listen to but it is full of information and tangible red flags that have to be heard to be understood.
We realise that it’s a commitment on your part to sit with his story to the end but you will find learning points all the way through. If you’re finding it difficult to listen to, you may want to take a break and come back to it. We’d like to remind you to practise self-care and use supervision and peer support if you’ve been affected by this episode.
Questions were asked by Natalie Valios, senior content editor, Community Care Inform Adults.
00:01:45 – Life before county lines
00:03:44 – Stereotypes and vulnerabilities
00:06:52 – Being groomed
00:08:53 – Dropping off the first package
00:13:13 – Early warning signs
00:14:59 – How county lines operate
00:23:13 – A community problem
00:25:52 – Asking for help
00:27:52 – Trap houses
00:34:51 – Hope of escape
00:38:40 – Facing prison
00:42:57 – Knife and chemical attacks
00:48:53 – Victim of modern slavery
00:51:27 – Parents’ suspicions
00:54:39 – Arrest on 18th birthday
01:01:44 – Missing out on life
01:07:51 – Contextual safeguarding
01:10:07 – Family support
01:11:20 – Importance of knowing the slang
01:13:55 – Misconceptions
01:18:08 – Crime and Policing Bill
01:19:18 – Life now
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This episode focuses on welfare benefits and support in England and Wales.

The welfare benefits system is designed to provide financial support to individuals and families in need. However, according to a report published in 2025 by Policy in Practice, over 7 million households in the UK are missing out on benefits and support due to limited awareness, complexity in the benefits system and stigma around claiming. These barriers are found to often overlap and disproportionately affect people already facing other disadvantages, including carers, disabled adults, older people on low incomes, single parents and people without strong social networks.

Discussing this topic is Gary Vaux, the author of Community Care Inform's Benefits A-Z knowledge and practice hub. Gary has been involved in welfare rights for many years and until recently managed a team of local authority benefit and debt advice workers. His background includes training and writing on welfare benefit rules and policies, and he was also chair of the Social Security Advisers Group at the Local Government Association.

Questions are asked by Gemma Balmford, content editor at Community Care Inform Adults.

Subscribe to the Learn on the go series to stay up-to-date with new episodes. Look out for the final episode in Season 2, which will be released at the end of February 2026. 

Links to resources mentioned in this podcast
Advicenow
Age UK
Benefits and Work
CC Inform's benefits A-Z (free for CC Inform subscribers)
Child Poverty Action Group
Citizens Advice
Contact
Disability Rights UK
entitledto
Mencap
MIND
Motor Neurone Disease Association
Policy in Practice
Rightsnet
RNIB
RNID
Scope
Turn2Us
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Welcome to Learn on the go, a Community Care Inform podcast, where we discuss the issues affecting social workers and social care practitioners. This episode focuses on eating disorders in adults and the support that occupational therapists can provide. Beat, the UK's eating disorder charity, estimates that 1.25 million people in the UK have an eating disorder and, contrary to popular belief, about a quarter are male. 

Discussing this subject is Abigail Cardwell, the lead occupational therapist for eating disorders at the South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust. Abigail is also a clinical associate trainer for Beat and co-chair of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists' eating disorders specialist network.  

Eating disorders are complex mental illnesses affecting people of all ages, genders, ethnicities and backgrounds. Behaviours can include limiting the amount of food eaten, eating very large quantities of food at once, getting rid of food eaten through unhealthy means or a mixture of any of these. They can cause serious harm physically, mentally and emotionally and, sadly, in some cases can be fatal. But despite being such serious illnesses, they are treatable and people can make a full recovery with the right support. 

We want to give a warning about the content in this episode. We'd encourage you to look after yourself while listening and use supervision and peer support if it brings up anything difficult for you.

And if you’re worried about your own or someone else’s health, you can contact Beat, the UK's eating disorder charity, on 0808 801 0677 or visit the website beateatingdisorders.org.uk

Questions are asked by Natalie Valios, senior content editor at Community Care Inform Adults.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Philip Heslop, assistant professor of Social Work at Northumbria University, explores the vital topic of engaging fathers within the child protection system. In this discussion, Philip Heslop shares insights from his decades of experience regarding why fathers are often overlooked or excluded in social work practice, despite representing a significant portion of the population.

The conversation explores the consequences of this exclusion for children and families, examines how gendered assumptions and bias influence social work decisions, and discusses practical, relationship-based approaches social workers can use to effectively engage with men, including those perceived as 'resistant'. 

Philip Heslop also addresses the legal and systemic factors, such as legislation and resource constraints, that either help or hinder inclusive practice with diverse family structures, including kinship carers and stepparents.

In this episode, Philip mentions recources for practitioners and parents including the Fatherhood Institute, the Family Rights Group and the North East Young Dads and Lads Group.

Questions are asked by Gillian MacFarlane, content editor, Community Care Inform Children.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode looks at the barriers faced by women who want to exit prostitution. Discussing the issue with us is Carol, who has lived experience of prostitution and whose name we have changed to protect her identity.

Carol was subjected to prostitution for 50 years before successfully exiting in her 60s. She wanted to share her story to highlight the complexities that can result in women being exploited through prostitution and what is needed to help women exit.

The number of people involved in prostitution in the UK is difficult to quantify due to its hidden nature and the absence of any survey on a national level. However, estimates suggest that over 72,000 individuals are exchanging sex for money or other benefit of need, with the overwhelming majority of them being women. Women subjected to prostitution often have extensive experiences of trauma, abuse and male violence, and experience addiction and poor mental and physical health as a consequence.

We want to give a content warning: Carol talks about child sexual abuse, suicide attempts, drug addiction and trauma. We'd encourage you to look after yourself while listening and use supervision and peer support if this episode brings up anything difficult for you.

If you're supporting a woman subjected to prostitution and are interested in contacting nia about its specialist exiting services and refuge provision, visit the prostitution page on its website or call 07880 230 516. Women can access nia's service if they are over 18 and currently involved in prostitution in London. They can refer themselves or be referred by an agency.

Questions are asked by Natalie Valios, senior content editor, Community Care Inform Adults.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.