The Relational Social Work Podcast
The Relational Social Work Podcast is aimed at child and family social workers. Relationships are central to social work practice and this podcast focusses on the importance of connection and relationships in social work ‘with’ children, young people and their families, exploring this through meaningful conversations with inspiring leaders from across the sector. The podcast will celebrate excellent and innovative practice ‘with’ amazing children, young people and families, and have honest conversations about some of the struggles which we can face in children and family social work. There will be a minimum of one episode released every month.
Your Hosts:
Matt Clayton
Matt has led and developed a number of services within Coventry primarily around children in care and care leavers. Matt has a reputation for innovative practice with young people at the center. This has included leading on the BAFTA nominated documentary Superkids and follow up Channel 4 show Kids, piloting the first automatic water bill discount to care leavers and the rollout Lifelong Links in Coventry. Matt is passionate about the importance of maintaining and promoting loving relationships for children in care and has had strategic oversight of Coventry’s reunification work as part of this. Matt was recently invited to write the foreword to the NSPCC and Action for Children joint national report: Home again: reunification practice in England. Matt is the ADCS member of the Family Justice Council and Vice Chair of the National Leaving Care Benchmarking Forum steering group. Matt also Chairs the Adoption Central England Executive Board. After 20 years of neglecting himself, Matt has rediscovered his teenage love of being active outside, having just complete couch to 5k! When Matt isn’t working or running, he enjoys watching football and supports Liverpool.
Hannah Bedford
Hannah qualified as a social worker in 2013, following in her father’s footsteps. Hannah has a passion for practice and practice leadership and has held several roles with a focus on practice development, both in practitioner and management roles. This has including being involved in the development of Coventry’s Social Work Academy, being a Child Sexual Abuse Practice Lead and most recently leading on Coventry Family Valued; a whole-system culture change programme in Coventry, which has led to the safe reduction of the number of children in care in Coventry, against rising numbers of looked after children nationally. Hannah is passionate about restorative practice and has led on the development of Coventry’s practice approach; with a focus on working ‘with’ children and their families, rather than doing ‘to’ or ‘for’ them. Apart from being a proud social worker, Hannah loves dungarees, loves cats and dogs (equally), and supports Liverpool F.C.
The Relational Social Work Podcast
Latest Episodes
Does the term “permanence” help or hinder outcomes for children: Family Justice Council Debate (Part 2)
Following on from last week (if you haven’t listened we would recommend you start there), this week we bring you the second part of the Family Justice Council Debate. This week you will hear questions from those who were at the debate, hosted b...
Does the term “permanence” help or hinder outcomes for children: Family Justice Council Debate (Part 1)
This weeks’ episode is something a bit different from our usual format. From the sunshine of Matt’s garden, Hannah and Matt listen back to the Family Justice Council Debate which Matt was a part of in December. This episode brings you this deba...
Putting enduring relationships at the heart of reform: Jarrod Wheatley
It’s the first episode of Series 6, and Hannah and Matt kick it off with some football chat before being joined by Jarrod Wheatley (CEO at Professional Individualised Care). This episode explores how Professional Individualised Care has built o...
ADCS Presidency - Passing the baton: Rachael Wardell and Ann Graham
It’s the final episode of series 5! Hannah and Matt are joined by Rachael Wardell and Ann Graham during the week that Rachael’s ADCS Presidency comes to an end and Ann’s begins. This episode explores what the ADCS has achieved over the past yea...
What does the future of social work look like?: Lisa Harris, Farai Kanengoni, Mike Hayward, Kieron White and Neil Thompson
This episode was recorded with a live audience at the Social Work Show in Birmingham. Hannah and Matt are joined by Lisa Harris (Director at Birmingham Children’s Trust), Farai Kanengoni (Operational Lead, Coventry Children’s and Education Serv...