Social Work Sorted with Vicki Shevlin

Home visits are the main site where social work happens. And yet they are barely mentioned in Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026 or any version of Working Together before it.
In this episode I'm exploring why this matters, what Harry Ferguson's research tells us about children being invisible on home visits, and why statutory invisibility leads to practice invisibility. I also wonder, in an increasingly virtual world, what happens to the home visit as a skill if we never name it as one?
If you are a social worker wanting practical strategies for home visit confidence, The Social Work Collective Academy on Patreon has a full Home Visit Masterclass, a new podcast episode on six things to do before every home visit, and the Practice Pause Library guided audios specifically for before and after visits.
This podcast is hosted by Vicki Shevlin, an independent social worker and safeguarding consultant. Content is intended to support professional development and reflective practice. It is not a substitute for supervision, statutory guidance or your organisation's policies and procedures.
Lets connect!

To book in a free 15 minute chat with me, to talk about training, development, courses or membership email [email protected]

Sign up to my free newsletter

Listen to The Collective Podcast  

The Social Work Collective Academy 

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: Vicki Shevlin

Instagram.com/@vickishevlin_

Youtube.com/@socialworksorted

Facebook.com/socialworksorted

Disclaimer

Thank you so much for listening. 

Please rate, review and share with one other person - it makes such a difference and I really appreciate your support.

ACEs - adverse childhood experiences - is one of the most referenced phrases in social work and safeguarding. But how many of us have actually questioned whether we are using it correctly?
In this episode Vicki Shevlin explores why the research behind ACEs is weaker than most people realise, why correlation is not causation and what this means practically for your assessments, your reports and your conversations with other professionals.
If you have referenced ACEs recently in your practice - this episode is worth your time.
For a full deep dive into the research, the 2020 Foundations review and three practical strategies to update your practice, the extended episode is available on The Social Work Collective Academy on Patreon.
patreon.com/thesocialworkcollectiveacademy
This podcast is hosted by Vicki Shevlin, an independent social worker and safeguarding consultant. Content is intended to support professional development and reflective practice. It is not a substitute for supervision, statutory guidance or your organisation's policies and procedures.
Lets connect!

To book in a free 15 minute chat with me, to talk about training, development, courses or membership email [email protected]

Sign up to my free newsletter

Listen to The Collective Podcast  

The Social Work Collective Academy 

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: Vicki Shevlin

Instagram.com/@vickishevlin_

Youtube.com/@socialworksorted

Facebook.com/socialworksorted

Disclaimer

Thank you so much for listening. 

Please rate, review and share with one other person - it makes such a difference and I really appreciate your support.

In this episode I explore one of the most persistent and unhelpful narratives in social work; that there is a hierarchy of practice, and that unless you have done your time in child protection you have not done real social work.
Drawing on my own experience moving from family facing practice to conference chair to independent social worker and trainer, I reflect on the guilt that comes with changing direction, the false divide between academia and practice, the overlooked contribution of adult social work, and why social work needs to see itself as an ecosystem rather than a ranking system.
Professional identity is fluid. Your version of social work matters. This episode is for anyone who has ever questioned whether what they do counts.
Disclaimer: This podcast is hosted by Vicki Shevlin, an independent social worker and safeguarding consultant. Content is intended to support professional development and reflective practice. It is not a substitute for supervision, statutory guidance or your organisation's policies and procedures.
Lets connect!

To book in a free 15 minute chat with me, to talk about training, development, courses or membership email [email protected]

Sign up to my free newsletter

Listen to The Collective Podcast  

The Social Work Collective Academy 

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: Vicki Shevlin

Instagram.com/@vickishevlin_

Youtube.com/@socialworksorted

Facebook.com/socialworksorted

Disclaimer

Thank you so much for listening. 

Please rate, review and share with one other person - it makes such a difference and I really appreciate your support.

In this episode I'm talking about one of the most consistent findings across serious case reviews; the invisible child and giving you one practical thing you can take into your next home visit immediately. Inspired by Harry Ferguson's new book Making Child Protection Work, I'm focusing specifically on direct work with infants and why greeting a child first, even a sleeping baby, matters more than you might think. This isn't about blame or shame. It's about small shifts that make a real difference. When considering whether to wake a sleeping child during a visit, always refer to your local authority policy and statutory guidance.
If you're interested in training for your local authority, organisation or team, I work with a range of organisations across the UK delivering skills-focused safeguarding and social work training. Get in touch at [email protected] or find the link to book a conversation in the show notes.
This podcast is hosted by Vicki Shevlin, an independent social worker and safeguarding consultant with over ten years of experience. The content is intended to support your professional development and reflective practice. It is not a substitute for good quality supervision, statutory guidance, legislation, or your organisation's policies and procedures. Always refer to your local authority guidance and relevant statutory frameworks when making practice decisions. Nothing in this podcast constitutes formal legal or professional advice.
Lets connect!

To book in a free 15 minute chat with me, to talk about training, development, courses or membership email [email protected]

Sign up to my free newsletter

Listen to The Collective Podcast  

The Social Work Collective Academy 

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: Vicki Shevlin

Instagram.com/@vickishevlin_

Youtube.com/@socialworksorted

Facebook.com/socialworksorted

Disclaimer

Thank you so much for listening. 

Please rate, review and share with one other person - it makes such a difference and I really appreciate your support.

In this episode, I'm reflecting on my own unexpected experience of having a record written about me, not as a social worker, but as a home educating parent. It's a small, almost comedic example, but it stayed with me, and it raises big questions about accuracy, context, and what families actually feel when their words are recorded without them. I'm also sharing my thoughts on what the Families First changes and updated Working Together guidance mean for social workers in practice, and why legislative change without investment in skills is just paperwork with a new name. 
Lets connect!

To book in a free 15 minute chat with me, to talk about training, development, courses or membership email [email protected]

Sign up to my free newsletter

Listen to The Collective Podcast  

The Social Work Collective Academy 

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: Vicki Shevlin

Instagram.com/@vickishevlin_

Youtube.com/@socialworksorted

Facebook.com/socialworksorted

Disclaimer

Thank you so much for listening. 

Please rate, review and share with one other person - it makes such a difference and I really appreciate your support.