Social Work Sorted with Vicki Shevlin

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]

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Join The Collective

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 joined by Power 2 Prevail to explore what it really means to work with young people, not just around them.
We talk about the power of youth work, how professional hierarchies can silence lived experience, and why “listening” isn’t the same as genuine inclusion.
Together, we explore how care-experienced young people can and should shape training, learning and development, not as a token gesture, but as valued experts in their own lives.
This conversation is about power, voice, and what changes when we take young people seriously in practice, in systems, and in ourselves.

Connect with Jade:
Linkedin: Jade Barnett 
Instagram: @power2prevail_
https://power2prevail.co.uk/
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

Join The Collective

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.

Have your home visits started running to two hours… but nothing is actually changing?
In this bite-sized episode, I share a powerful reflection from inside The Social Work Collective Academy following a live masterclass on Staying Connected When Conversations Are Hard.
We talk about:
Why naming the time you have is a professional skill
How unclear time boundaries increase burnout
Why shorter visits can still be high-quality
How boundaries help families feel safer
The link between containment, regulation, and emotional safety
This isn’t about rushing people.
 It isn’t about being rigid.
It’s about calm, confident containment.
If you’re leaving visits drained, struggling to end meetings on time, or feeling like you’re giving more than you have — this episode is your reminder:
You are allowed to name the time.
The Staying Connected masterclass is now inside The Social Work Collective Academy.
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

Join The Collective

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.

January doesn’t need to be a fresh start on the 1st and social work doesn’t get easier when we set ourselves (and families) impossible expectations.
In this episode, I’m sharing my phrase for the year - one thing at a time - and why it matters for attention, overwhelm, and realistic planning (in practice and in life). 
I also share what I’ve been reading lately, how it’s shaping my training, and I introduce an exciting new addition inside the Social Work Collective Academy: the Practice Pause Library: short, guided pauses designed for real social work moments (before home visits, during overwhelm, and after heightened situations).
I’ll also leave you with five small, realistic ways to create space when January feels heavy  including why three minutes can be enough to shift your day.
Timestamps: 
00:00 Welcome back + permission for a slow start to January
01:26 Plans, pressure, and unrealistic expectations (in life + in practice)
04:57 Phrase of the year: One thing at a time (attention + multitasking myth)
12:21 What I’ve been reading (fiction + nonfiction) + why it matters
24:09 What’s influencing my training right now (mind-body, mindset, calm first)
26:21 New inside the Collective Academy: the Practice Pause Library
30:53 Five ways to feel less overwhelmed in January
40:57 What’s coming next (free reset + direct work + guests)
42:57 Closing Practice Pause

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

Join The Collective

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.

This episode was unplanned but necessary.
After receiving my Spotify Wrapped for the podcast, I noticed something that stopped me in my tracks: many listeners of Social Work Sorted were also listening to summaries of The Let Them Theory.
In this episode, I unpack why the idea of “just letting them” doesn’t sit comfortably with me as a social worker, an advocate, or a human living in a collective world. While self-help narratives often encourage us to stop people-pleasing and focus inward, I explore how this can quickly slide into passivity, hyper-individualisation, and a quiet acceptance of harm.
We talk about power, privilege, social justice, and why “letting them” is not a neutral act - especially in a profession rooted in advocacy and collective responsibility.
This is not about attacking individuals or books. It’s about being clear on our values.
Sometimes, the most radical thing we can do is not let them.
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

Join The Collective

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.