Critical Career Episodes: Stay or go moments
Emotive and challenging pivotal moments in social workers’ careers.
Critical career episodes are emotive and challenging pivotal moments in social workers’ careers during which they may decide to leave. When social workers resolve Critical Career Episodes, they identify significant learning and an increased sense of professional identity.
Dr Laura Cook explains that remaining in the profession over the long term requires experienced social workers to successfully navigate challenging and emotive experiences which challenge them to reconsider what being a social worker means, both personally and professionally.
Talking Points
This video looks at:
- Critical Career Episodes are pivotal and defining moments in social workers’ careers.
- Critical Career Episodes challenge a social worker’s identity and prompt identity work.
- Social workers who are experiencing Critical Career Episodes are vulnerable to exit.
- When social workers resolve Critical Career Episodes, they identify significant learning and an increased sense of professional identity.
Length: 7 minutes
Reflective questions
Consider examples from your own organisations and practice:
- How relevant is the concept of a Critical Career Episode to workers in your organisation?
- What, in your view, do social workers need to manage a Critical Career Episode?
- What support might your organisation offer at an individual, team and organisational level for social workers experiencing a Critical Career Episode?
Resources mentioned in this video
- Cook, L., Carder, S. and Zschlomler, D. (2022) Retaining and supporting experienced social workers in child protection, University of East Anglia.
Professional Standards
PQS:KSS - Organisational context | Developing excellent practitioners | Developing excellent practitioners | Organisational context | Developing confident and capable social workers
PCF - Contexts and organisations
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