Professional identity development
We know why experienced social workers leave. What can we learn from those who stay?
Professional identity development in experienced social workers. We know why experienced social workers leave. What can we learn from those who stay?
Over time, experienced social workers’ personal and professional identities become aligned. This gives them a sense of purpose which sustains them during challenging moments in their careers.
Talking Points
This video looks at:
- Little is known about the experiences of social workers that stay in the profession over the long term.
- Experienced social workers’ professional and personal identities become closely aligned over time.
Length: 5 minutes
Reflective questions
Consider examples from your own organisations and practice:
- How do you support experienced workers in your organisation?
- How might you create opportunities for experienced social workers to reflect on the development of their professional identity within your organisation?
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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