Season 5 is in full swing people. Welcome to episode 8! In this episode, Nadia, Fran and Eugene are joined by the brilliant Shantel Thomas. Shantel is an Anti-Racism lead at the British Association of Social Workers (BASW) and shares her journey and experiences as an Anti-Racism lead. Shantel has a wealth of experience and knowledge and discusses what brought her into social work, her passion and the path she has taken to combat racism in social work. If you  enjoy this episode then please...

Happy New Year people!   This is the first Social Matters episode of the new year so, in Social Matters tradition, Nadia, Fran and Eugene have a conversation about aims and hopes for the new year. To do this, they review the word they chose at the beginning of 2022 and how this word guided them through the year. They also choose new words/phrases to guide them through 2023. Tune in, have a listen and think about your own words/phrases. Also, if you are listening to this episode and you...

A conversation about class is long overdue on the Social Matters Podcast so your favourite trio of social workers were really excited about this one! In this episode, Nadia, Fran and Eugene are joined by the brilliant Sereena Abbassi. Sereena is an Inclusion Practitioner,  Advisor, Coach and CEO of gal-dem magazine to have a conversation about class. In the UK, we do not have enough conversations about class.  Class is not a protected characteristic by law. This means that people can be...

In this brilliant, insightful and powerful episode, Nadia, Fran and Eugene are joined by Patrick Sandford. Patrick is an activist and survivor of childhood sexual violence.  Patrick joins your favourite trio of social workers to share his own personal story of childhood sexual violence, what impact this has had on him and how he has begun to heal. This is an episode that starts off an important conversation about the impact of childhood sexual violence. Through his experience and his work,...

SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!! In this episode, Nadia, Fran and Eugene have a reflective conversation about 'The real Mo Farah' a BBC documentary about Mo Farah's childhood and his experience of being trafficked to the UK.  This documentary did not only provide a revealing insight into Mo Farah's experiences but it has also shone a helpful spotlight on trafficking. So come and join your favourite trio of social workers and continue the conversation.  You can watch the documentary on BBC iPlayer in...

With the autumn here and winter approaching, the cost of living crisis is impacting on everyone in different ways. To feed your family, yourself and have access to basic essentials should not be in question in one of the richest countries in the world.   In this episode Nadia, Fran and Eugene are joined by John and Amy from the Trussell Trust to have a conversation about their work with food banks across the UK.  The Trussell Trust believe we should all be free from hunger. We should all have...

When we hear about Virtual Reality (VR), we picture the year 3000 where not much has changed but they live under water! However, virtual reality is here and active in the social work field.  In this episode, Nadia, Fran and Eugene are joined by the brilliant Shalene Lemmie  to have a conversation about virtual reality in social work. Shalene is a registered social worker and virtual reality service manager at Antser, the UK's leading provider of transformational solutions for the health,...

As the leaves begin to fall and the autumn sets in, what you have all been craving is upon us. A brand new season of The Social Matters Podcast is back for your fortnightly consumption.  WELCOME TO SEASON 5!!!  In this episode, Nadia, Fran and Eugene have a conversation about a number of significant events and social issues that have occurred since they were last on the microphone! From the historic European Championship win for the England Women's team to the ongoing protest in Iran...

After 7 months and 18 episodes it's a wrap for another season. Your favourite trio of social workers are here to review and reflect on the past season.  Nadia, Fran and Eugene have had laughs, singing (sorry!), debate, fantastic guests and hopefully some very helpful conversation. It has been another enjoyable season for the Social Matters Podcast crew.  Thank you to all of you who've listened and laughed along with us. Do share with your friends and continue these conversations.  We hope...

In this penultimate episode of the season Nadia, Fran and Eugene are joined by Jenni McCabe to have a conversation about Autism and Social Work. Jenni is an autistic social worker, author and educator. Jenni speaks and writes about her own lived experiences with a focus on the strengths being autistic brings to  herself, her role as a social worker and as a parent to three autistic children. Jenni joins your favourite trio of social workers to share her knowledge and experiences. This...

In this episode Nadia, Fran and Eugene are joined by Professor Claudia Bernard to have a conversation about her exciting new book titled 'Intersectionality in Social Work: A Practical Introduction to Theory and Practice'.  Intersectionality is a term coined by legal scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw. Crenshaw described Intersectionality as how systems of oppression overlap to create distinct experiences for people with multiple identity categories.  Professor Bernard shares her view of the...

In this episode  Nadia, Fran and Eugene sit down to reflect on the case of 'Child Q'.  'Child Q' was 15 years old when she was subjected to a strip search by police officers because a teacher in her school smelt cannabis on her. Despite searching her and her items, the police were still called. The strip search took place without knowledge of the child's parents and without any appropriate adult present.  Reports on this incident found no reasonable justification for this child to be...

In this episode Nadia, Fran and Eugene are joined on the podcast by Kajal Odedra. Kajal is an Author, Activist and Global Communications Director at Change.org. Through her roles within Change.org, Kajal has supported millions of people in starting campaigns. This has included some of the biggest people led campaigns such as Laura Coryton's campaign to end the tampon tax and the campaign to free Nazanin Zaghari-Radcliffe from an Iranian prison. Kajal is also the author of the brilliantly...

This one was fun! Recorded on International Women's Day, in this episode  Nadia, Fran and Eugene have a discussion about some of the women who have inspired them in their lives. March 8th is a day to shine a spotlight on women so Nadia, Fran and Eugene chose to shine the brightest of spotlights. Whether it's Michelle Obama,  close friends, Lady Phyll or Serena Williams, your favourite trio of social workers start an important conversation about recognising the significant contributions of...

Content warning. In this episode Nadia, Fran and Eugene speak with Lydia Guthrie about her experience of working with sexual abuse. Like with all Social Matters episodes we try to have conversations which are helpful to people but we recognise that an episode about working with sexual abuse can impact people in different ways and can potentially be triggering. This message is to acknowledge this and invite you to stop listening to this episode at any time or to not listen to it at all.  We...

In this episode Nadia, Fran and Eugene have a discussion about a recent BBC documentary presented by reporter Ashley-John Baptiste. Titled Split Up in Care: Life Without Siblings, the documentary explores the impact of separating siblings in foster care.  Your favourite trio reflect on the documentary, their own perspective on sibling relationship and possible learning for practice.  Have a listen and check out the documentary on the BBC iplayer (UK). You can also find out more about...

WOW!!! This is an episode full of knowledge, humour, anecdotes, leather jackets and world domination. In this episode Nadia, Fran and Eugene are joined by  Professor Carlene Firmin MBE and Ben Lindsay for a thoughtful and important conversation about approaches to safeguarding young people. Carlene is a Professor of Sociology at Durham University and founder of Contextual Safeguarding. Ben is founder and CEO of charity 'Power the Fight'. Long time friends and colleagues, Carlene's and...

Whether in personal life or professional life, Happiness plays a role. But a different role for different people. In this episode Nadia, Fran and Eugene have a discussion about the role of happiness in their personal and professional lives. What does happiness mean to the trio? What role does happiness play in society and what is the role of happiness in social work? Tune in to hear Nadia, Fran and Eugene's thoughts on these questions and much more! If you  enjoy this episode then please...

Happy New Year people!  This is the first Social Matters episode of the new year so Nadia, Fran and Eugene decided to have a conversation about aims and hopes for the new year. To do this, they review the word they chose at the beginning of 2021 to guide their approach to the year and they pick new words/phrases to guide them through 2022. The words and language we use play a significant role in constructing meaning and how we understand events, relationships, interactions etc.  Tune in,...

Merry Christmas people!  In this Christmas special episode, Nadia, Fran and Eugene have a conversation about what social work means to them. They share positive stories, their passion, the nature of the work and why, after a tough few weeks for the profession, they still remain enthusiastic and committed. Also, as with any Christmas special there are some surprises to look forward to! If you  enjoy this episode then please share with your friends, leave a review and follow The Social...

In few days after the news broke of the murder of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, Nadia, Fran and Eugene reflect on the tragic death of Arthur and the significance for social work. If you  enjoy this episode then please share with your friends, leave a review and follow The Social Matters Podcast on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The handle is @matterspodcast.

Season four continues to bring you new and interesting conversations from your favourite trio. In this episode, Nadia, Fran and Eugene have a conversation about Depression and a new report suggesting new ways  for NHS professionals to respond to mild Depression.  In another conversation about mental health, this episode acts as an important conversation starter for discussions about Depression. Have a listen, see what you think and continue the conversation.  If you  enjoy this episode...

Here's another exciting and informative episode for you! In this episode, Nadia, Fran and Eugene are joined by the terrific Nimal Jude for a conversation about the Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES) in social care.  The WRES is a set of standards/framework to measure different aspects of social care in relation to race. Local Authorities are asked to submit data in relation to a number of different aspects such as; who gets access to paid CPD, reports of bullying, who gets promotions...

Here we go! We have our first guest of the season :)  In this episode, Nadia, Fran and Eugene are joined by social worker/family therapist, Jemma Healey, to have a conversation about queer theory in social work.  In a very insightful and impactful discussion, Jemma discusses the significance of queer theory in how we think and practice at social workers. What is queer theory? What does this look like in a social work context? How does this link with being anti-discriminatory and...

Season four continues to bring you new and interesting conversations from your favourite trio. In this episode, Nadia, Fran and Eugene have a conversation about Refugees and Asylum-Seekers. Following the recent news reports of people having to flee Afghanistan, there will be a number of people seeking Asylum. However, not everyone fully understands what these terms mean and may have a single story of the experiences of Refugees and Asylum-Seekers. So tune in to hear Nadia, Fran and Eugene...