EXPENDABLE

If you have been reading any of my articles in my Newsletter you will know that the experiences social workers and those caring for others are exposed to on a frequent basis, such as severe criticism, vituperative complaints and verbal and physical abuse, is behaviour I consider we should have zero tolerance for.

The toxic treatment you receive is not just from children, parents or family members.

As mentioned in previous articles when you are being cross-examined you can experience very accusatory and hurtful assaults on your character and practice.

These harsh experiences can remain with you for a long time and affect your self esteem and your confidence, and often do!

This being the case, you might ask yourself why your profession and organisation you work for, fails pretty much consistently to provide you with the emotional support, skills and knowledge you need. ?To both protect yourself and give the best quality evidence that safeguards the child’s best interests and your professional reputation and wellbeing?

That may be a question you have never considered before but I can assure you if you are subjected to severe criticism whilst in the witness box once or twice, it will be a question you would be wise to ponder.

I have asked myself that question many times in different ways and the only answer that springs to mind is one that is not palatable; but nevertheless is true as far as your employer and the current world of social work is concerned.

The answer is, that you are expendable!

That means that no matter how good your work is, no matter how great the outcomes you obtain for your clients and your organisation, no matter how great your statistics are; if you become ill, drop down dead from exhaustion, or suffer from ‘burn out,’ you will simply be replaced.

The reality is that the work you are engaged in is simply part of an endless conveyor belt that relentlessly demands the completion of work and never ceases under any circumstances. (Now, if that sounds like a clip from a futuristic film like the Terminator, I can assure you we’re already there and have been for many years).

At the same time however, you will hear how hard it is to get social workers. In fact, this I understand, is now a national problem. Yet what thought if any has gone into what can be done to safeguard social workers from the types of experiences which lead to ‘burn out,’ ill health, exhaustion and trauma – all of which result in reduced effectiveness and productivity.

It really is not ‘rocket science,’ anybody who does this work could identify the parts of the job that are the most anxiety provoking and gruelling. And though there are many areas of the work that are challenging, the court process and being cross-examined is arguably the most formidable part of the job.

Why then aren’t social workers provided with extensive training around giving evidence and managing cross-examination?

I will leave you to ponder that question for a moment...and if, you are in an organisation where you do get some training on giving evidence, that’s great but is it sufficient, does it provide you with all that you need?

I know someone – someone I value a great deal, who advises people who experience a ‘rough’ time in court, not to take it personally.

However, that is not a view I agree with. Experiencing a hard time in court is something I take very personally because it negatively impacts my self esteem, reputation and sense of self worth.

I do not mean that I hold personal feelings of resentment towards the person who was cross-examining me. I mean that I take it seriously and personally because it has serious consequences.

You see, when it comes right down to it you’re not only doing a job that can be incredibly valuable to that child. You are also an extremely valuable person in your own right and you should never be treated as though you are expendable.

You are worth far, far more than even you realise, and I happen to believe that at some point in the future of social work that society and the profession will have to recognise your worth, and this will be reflected in the treatment you receive.

The problem is we are generally not taught to see ourselves as important, worthy and invaluable.

Your life, happiness, dreams, aspirations, future and value to yourself, to loved ones and the world are priceless – you are a priceless gift.

You are worth much more than the way you are valued by your organisation or employer, not matter what position you occupy at work, and it is vital that you realise this!

You see you only create or achieve what you think you can. And what you think you can achieve is consistent with how you value yourself. If you don’t think you can do something, you won’t do it. So what you believe about yourself is pivotal as regards what you achieve.

It all comes down to how you see and value yourself, if you see yourself as expendable your thoughts will limit your progress.

On the other hand, if you see yourself as invaluable your expectations about what you can achieve will have risen exponentially and you will achieve in accordance with your beliefs.

So the choice about what you believe and who you are is down to you.

Are you expendable or invaluable?