Care to chat? A podcast from the Northern Ireland Social Care Council Northern Ireland Social Care Council

In this final episode in the Northern Ireland Social Care Council’s ‘Care to chat’ 2023 podcast series hosted by Dr Wendy Austin MBE, we are taking another look at social work and human rights specifically in the context of children’s safeguarding and young people in care. Experienced professionals contribute to the discussion including Jane Hynes, Senior Social Worker, Learning and Improvement Team, South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust, Geraldine McGuigan, Manager, Voypic, Suzanne Cunningham, Assistant Director of Children’s Services, RQIA and Dr Nazia Latif, Right Practice.



This episode is a follow on from our previous episode (see previous related episode), where we talked with human rights expert Dr Nazia Latif. It explores further human rights in social work, and guests discuss how to make human rights real in practice.



‘Care to chat?’ will return with lots more important conversations in social care and social work in 2024. Have an idea for a future episode? Contact us on comms@niscc.hscni.net with your suggestions.

Our new ‘Care to chat’ podcast episode focusses again on leadership – which is a crucial part of how we get health and social care right. This time we are looking at it from within the profession of social work. Leadership from within social work is even more important given the diverse area of support social workers provide for individuals, families and communities.



In this episode the social work leaders in Northern Ireland, Maura Dargan, Executive Director of Social Work and Divisional Director of the Children’s and Young Peoples Division, Northern Health and Social Care Trust, Michelle Janes, Director, Barnardos NI and Vivian McConvey, former Chief Executive, Patient Client Council, sit down with host Dr Wendy Austin MBE and talk about the breath of social work leadership across services, what leadership means in social work and that its time to look at leadership from a different and more integrated point of view.

On the latest episode of ‘Care to chat?’ podcast, we welcome the Northern Ireland Social Care Council’s Senior Leadership Team to talk about the role of the Social Care Council, and the value of regulation for social workers and social care workers and most importantly for people receiving care and support.



As the Social Care Council reaches the end of its 21st year, Dr Wendy Austin MBE is joined by Patricia Higgins, CEO, Marian O’Rourke, Director of Regulation and Standards and Declan McAllister, Director of Registration and Corporate Services. She encourages them reflect on their own careers, the last 21 years and how the Social Care Council’s role now in supporting the social work and social care workforce is more important than ever.

On the latest episode of ‘Care to chat?’, a podcast from the Northern Ireland Social Care Council’, tackles the topic of ‘Compassionate leadership’ and why this is so important right now.

Prof. Michael West, CBE Professor of Work and Organisational Psychology at Lancaster University, contributes alongside senior leaders from across health and social care in Northern Ireland who are working on your behalf to help the system work better for us all.

Dr Wendy Austin MBE explores how compassion towards service users, colleagues and yourself, creates compassionate cultures in health and social ensuring better outcomes for service users.

Here’s a question – what do you think of having social workers based in schools? In the latest episode of the Social Care Council’s ‘Care to chat’ podcast Dr Wendy Austin MBE and guest discuss this relatively new specialist area of social work practice in Northern Ireland which is providing a unique support service to students.

We hear from Principal of Abbey College, Maria Quinn, Dylan Sloan a social worker working in her school, and to talk with Colin Reid from the Education Authority about social work practice in schools.

Dr Wendy Austin once again asks the questions that matter to find out about this growing area of social work practice in NI.

Northern Ireland has changed a great over the last 25 years, and as the Good Friday Agreement reaches that milestone, it is timely that we look at the social care and social work workforce as part of a diversity and inclusive workforce across Northern Ireland.

In the latest ‘Care to chat’ podcast episode, you can hear reflections about what equality, diversity and inclusion mean to the social care and social work workforce and where the challenges lie.

Our host Dr Wendy Austin MBE speaks to Professor of Social Policy at the Ulster University, Professor Ann-Marie Gray and Paul Rooney, Professional Advisor with the Social Care Council. Both agree that attracting a diverse workforce to social care and social work as careers is of the utmost importance, which is part of creating a prosperous society for all.