In the lead up to March 2020, we anticipated a lockdown. The numbers of virus cases was rising and other countries were already imposing strict restrictions to prevent its’ spread. We carried on as normal but the sense of doom was imposing and increasingly alarming. There were no strategies for managing a global pandemic and no financial safeguards for those who are self-employed. But it wouldn’t be for long – would it?
We could never have foreseen that 17 months later, even when restrictions were eased, that we would still be facing the fallout from this terrible virus that has, so far cost over 130,000 lives in the UK alone. Even now, when we are told that we no longer have to wear masks and can go about our day worry free, we are seeing in excess of 200,000 weekly new cases and over 100 deaths daily and the delta variant seems to have brought the virus closer to home than ever.
The role of a social worker
The role of the Independent Social Worker can be isolating but Covid-19 has intensified that isolation. The value of working as part of a supportive team had never been so apparent and our family of ACCA Independent Social Worker’s remained connected. Phone calls and emails became the lifeline of the company and we rose to the need to develop innovative ways of working to ensure that we could continue to deliver a service that is invaluable to families, whose vulnerability was compounded further by the imposition of a national lockdown on 23rd March 2020.
As self-employed practitioners, lockdown led to real fears of financial hardship and alongside our colleagues in Children’s Social Care, a sense of dread for the vulnerable families that we work with. The challenge of undertaking assessments remotely made us more aware of our poor internet and phone connections but with practice, we have all managed to master the use of Zoom and Microsoft Teams. Parents have assisted by taking us around their homes virtually and engagement in assessment has been assisted by the fact that parents have not had to leave their homes to be assessed.
The challenges during assessment
Contacts between children and their parents were also stopped and remote contacts have proved to be difficult, particularly with very young children. It has been necessary for us to be understanding of this challenge for parents, recognising that when a toddler refuses to engage with a parent remotely, it cannot be assumed that this is a reflection of a poor relationship, simply that toys in the room are more attractive to them than the face of a parent on a screen. Foster carers have been invaluable in promoting parent and child relationships by ensuring that a parent is ever present in everyday discussions with children.
Few challenges were made about remote assessments of parents because our Independent Social Workers were very careful to ensure that assessment sessions were as thorough as they would have been had they been visiting parent’s homes. Of real concern however, was the assessment of parents with learning difficulties, who require more specialised methods to be used in order to optimise their understanding of information that is being presented.
Keeping everyone safe
Despite every effort to ensure that these parents had every opportunity of a fair and supported assessment, by May 2020, the Courts were raising concerns and requesting Independent Social Workers who were prepared to undertake face-to-face visits. Despite real anxiety, many of our team rose to this challenge and selflessly volunteered to undertake these assessments, recognising the need to offer these parents equal opportunities for a thorough assessment process that accounts for their individual needs.
With safeguards in place such as the wearing of face masks, ensuring social distancing in the home or interviewing parents within Solicitor’s or Children’s Services offices, we were able to develop working practices that ensured our own and our client’s safety.
moving towards a new normal
The world of the ISW has needed to be flexible to accommodate illness and quarantine but we have persevered and even learned how to thrive within an ever changing climate of uncertainty. Moving forward, it would seem that caution will still be needed for a considerable period of time however, we have learned that we are able to adapt and overcome adversity and together, we remain stronger than ever.
We are immensely proud of all of our ISW’s, who have not only achieved the expectations set of them during this turbulent time, but who have exceeded all expectations and we have faced and conquered our busiest period in the history of ACCA.
