Messy Social Work
Welcome to the Messy Social Work podcast. The hosts are Richard Devine and Tim Fisher.
Check out our website here: https://www.relationalactivism.com/
Episodes
85 episodes
Rich and Tim speak to Prof Donald Forrester about Nanny McPhee, baseball bats and the heart of social work (rights?!)
In this episode of The Messy Social Work Podcast, we sit down with Professor Donald Forrester, researcher and social worker. We talk about why he thinks social workers are a bit like Nanny McPhee, why social work isn’t really ...
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1:07:48
Rich and Tim speak to Charlotte Clark (Child Protection Social Worker) about trust, power and relationships
Rich and Tim sit down with Charlotte Clark, a practising frontline child protection social worker, to explore what it means to build trust in contexts where distrust runs deep. From navigating statutory power dynamics to managing conflict under...
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51:31
Rich and Tim speak with Anam Raja to discuss the experiences of Black and Asian kinship carers
Full research and report found herehttps://kinship.org.uk/our-work-and-impact/research/raised-by-relatives/
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42:30
Rich and Tim ask each other surprising & difficult questions
Relational Activism: https://www.relationalactivism.com/Rich's BASW Child Protection sessions: h...
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48:17
Rich and Tim discuss the Trauma Industrial Complex
This week on Messy Social Work, Rich and Tim take a deep dive into Darren McGarvey’s The Trauma Industrial Complex — a book that pulls no punches about how society packages, sells, and performs trauma. We explore McGarvey’s core arg...
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52:10
Connecting Research: linking childhood maltreatment to later intimate partner violence victimization
In this Connecting Research episode, we speak to a lecturer and researcher at University College London, Dr Patrizia Pezzoli, about an article she co-authored, titled: Lived-experience perspectives on the psychological factors linking childh...
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44:04
Rich and Tim speak to Toni Mayo about Radical Social Work
In this episode, we have a returning guest: social worker and team manager Toni Mayo. Rich's BASW Child Protection sessions:
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46:55
Rich and Tim speak to Rhian Taylor on the tension between being and doing in social work
In this episode, we explore the tension between the fast-paced, task-driven nature of social work and the deeper need for presence, reflection, and meaning. Rhian Taylor shares insights from her recent blog on why it’s so hard for p...
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1:03:55
Rich and Tim speak to Nicki Pettitt, Consultant specialising in Child Safeguarding Practice Reviews
Relational Activism: https://www.relationalactivism.com/Context Counts: Improving the analysis of socio-economic context and intersect...
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1:06:00
Rich and Tim probe Community Care Editor, Mithran for the latest social work headlines-from foster care shortages to the future of kinship
Josh MacAlister has said he’d like children to have a choice of where and with whom they live:
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44:11
Rich and Tim speak to Dr Paul Shuttleworth on what children want you to know about kinship
In this episode of the Messy Social Work Podcast, Rich and Tim speak with Dr Paul Shuttleworth about his new book Listening to Children about Kinship Care: Child Welfare and Permanence. Drawing on powerful research and direct te...
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1:04:01
Rich and Tim speak to Dr Lorna Stabler about lived experience—its power, its promise, and its problems.
In this episode, we explore why lived experience has become such a dominant force in social work, and ask: what are we missing when we treat it as unquestionable truth? Dr Stabler helps us think critically about how stories are used, who ...
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1:19:18
Rich and Tim reflect on their personal failures, explore why failure is inevitable, & share what they’ve learned from it.
In this episode, Rich and Tim: How to Succeed at Failing, we reflect on the times we’ve got it wrong — professionally and personally — and explore why failure isn’t just inevitable, but essential. From missteps to lessons learned, we t...
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48:59
Rich and Tim interview Prof Rick Barth on the top misconceptions in child protection
In this thoughtful and research-informed conversation, Rich and Tim speak with Professor Rick Barth about his influential article, “Ten Common Child Welfare Misconceptions.” The episode explores how widely held beliefs about child prot...
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1:15:05
Rich and Tim speak to Prof. Harry Ferguson: Feeling, moving & sensing through the history of child protection social work
In this episode, Rich and Tim sit down with Professor Harry Ferguson—one of the most influential thinkers in contemporary social work. Together, they explore the evolution of the profession, the emotional and embodied nature of frontline practi...
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1:32:30
Rich and Tim speak with parent activist Lee Crouch about his experience of losing his children & the journey toward reunification
Rich and Tim speak to Lee Crouch, a parent activist, about losing his children, the long road to recovery, and eventual reunification. Together, they explore how parents, social workers, and foster carers can collaborate more compassionately. R...
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55:01
Rich and Tim; 'Headlines with Mithran' (CC editor) and personal reflections on parenting
Social Work England fee rise and increase in fitness to practise case numbers
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41:07
Rich and Tim on how writing sharpens thinking, strengthens practice and opens doors
In this conversation, Rich and Tim explore how writing isn’t just for blogs or books—it’s a powerful tool for social workers to think more clearly, practice more effectively, and create new opportunities. Drawing on their own ...
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46:46
Rich and Tim debate: help individuals or change the system?
In this episode of Messy Social Work, Rich and Tim debate (and disagree about): are social workers failing families by ignoring the system?It’s just the two of us this time, diving into one of the biggest tensions in th...
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53:36
Rich and Tim chat with Dr. Lorna Stabler about what children think makes a great social worker, and explore the vital role of sibling and kinship carers
Dr Lorna Stabler's research can be found here.Relational Activism: https://www.relationalactivism.com/Rich's BASW Child...
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1:05:46
BONUS: Chapter 1 of Messy Social Work read by Rich Devine
Relational Activism: https://www.relationalactivism.com/Rich's BASW Child Protection sessions: h...
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28:11
Rich and Tim: 'headlines with Mithran' & Cordie Gwilym (Social Worker/Coach) on adoption, overcoming loss and coaching
Connect with Cordie here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cordie-gwilym/Mithran's CC articles: A guide to the reforms:
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1:07:26
Rich and Tim speak to Rasheed Pendry OBE (Director at Wandsworth) on systemic practice and leadership
In this conversation, Rasheed Nicholas John Pendry shares his journey into social work, highlighting the transformative impact of systemic ideas and personal experiences on his professional practice. He discusses the importance of r...
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1:00:56
Rich and Tim discuss the 5 reasons why chronologies essential for effective social work practice
Relational Activism: https://www.relationalactivism.com/Rich's BASW Child Protection sessions: h...
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49:23
Rich and Tim speak to Clarissa Stevens (Development Worker for Peer Power) on how to work with teenagers and gangs
In this episode of "Messy Social Work," hosts Rich Devine and Tim Fisher engage in a profound conversation with Clarissa Stevens, a seasoned youth worker and relational activist. Clarissa shares her journey from a challenging upbringing to beco...
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49:55