Why Self Care Is Key?
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Social Work is about promoting, encouraging and facilitating change, that is considered to be in the best interests of the child or vulnerable person you are working with.
In order to promote this change, it is necessary to develop effective relationships with the parents and carers of the child you are working with. Building positive relationships with parents and families is super important, in order to be effective in encouraging parents to change, or improve their ability to parent or care for their child.
Your capacity to establish positive relationships with others, then of crucial importance to your effectiveness.
However, even more fundamental than your ability to develop positive relationships with others, is the relationship you build and continue to strengthen with yourself.
The relationship you have with yourself is the most significant relationship you will ever have. Since you can never sever this inner relationship, in the way others can be. And your relationship with yourself determines the outcomes you produce in any endeavour.
If you don't like yourself, or do not value who you are and what you do, how will that relationship effect the outcomes that show up in your work and life?
I think you know the answer to that one!
Your inner thoughts, feelings and self talk make up your attitude towards yourself, and these can and so often are impacted upon, by external events and evaluations, which can either strengthen or undermine your inner relationship.
Unfortunately, in the world of social work much of the way social workers are portrayed is with a negative slant, and for this reason it is essential that social workers make the time, to invest in self care and be proactive in engaging in activities that enhance their self esteem.
Taking the time, in addition to listen to your thoughts and feelings, is time well spent, as your emotions can guide you to the path you wish to travel, and act to advise you when you are on the 'wrong' path, or heading towards ill health or 'burnout.'
Self care is key because for social workers we live with the constant threat and fear, of our client being seriously harmed, or worse still killed. Living with this constant threat over an extended period of time, cannot fail to impact negatively on your stress level and immune system.
Although we can all tolerate spikes of intense stress, without harming our health; to live with stress over long periods of time, is tantamount to attracting ill health.
Effectively, as social workers engaged in the task of safeguarding children and vulnerable clients, this is the path we are all treading.
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We have all learnt to put our client's needs first, and for good reason, since no one wants or needs to experience the tragedy of a child's death. But whilst doing so, I think we should make every effort to identify leisure pursuits, pleasurable activities, self reflection, journaling and implementing strategies into your every day life, that continue to ensure you feel good about yourself, the work you do and the life that you lead.
To use the analogy of a car, you cannot serve others to the best of your ability, when you are attempting to run on empty. And in the same way you attempt to keep a client's morale and self image positive, by reminding them of their past successes and valiant efforts, you need to treat yourself in exactly the same way.
There are a plethora of reasons why social workers need to spend a considerable amount of time, focusing on addressing their own safety and health needs.
In a Community Care survey online, out of just under 450 participants 85% reported that they had been either physically assaulted, verbally abused or harassed within the last 12 months.
Interestingly, it was revealed in an annual violence study that 70% of attacks and threats towards staff were not investigated. This would appear to result from a combination of at least two factors: one that workers felt that violence was just part of the job, and thus was to be expected. As a result they failed to report it to either their employers or the police.
Secondly, and related to the degree of acceptance of violence associated with social work, it is questionable how serious this matter has been seen by employers generally and in association with this, how safe and encouraged workers have been to report any type of violence, abuse, harassment or intimidation towards them.
Health and Social care workers need to know that, if or when, they do report such complaints that they are adequately dealt with, and not interpreted as a sign of weakness on the part of the employee.
Working in an environment of violence, blame, criticism, conflict and hostility, which can and regularly is directed towards social workers, from all other angles including other professionals, and our own managers and organisations, is the reason why self care is key to remaining in both physical and mental good health.
In my view, social workers deserve much better. But we don't live in a society or an environment which either recognises or values, the valiant work we are trying to do, to protect the most vulnerable members of our society, and instead attacks and abuses us.
As a result, I urge all health and social care workers to make a consistent and committed decision to prioritise your health care needs. Put them as close to the top of your to - do list as you can every day.
You are important, and your time and energy is precious, so make the decision that overall you come first, because if you don't your health will suffer, your client's lives will suffer, those you love and who love you will suffer, and the world will fail to benefit from all that you have to offer.