Emma is a Social Worker who is part of Rotherham’s Evolve Team, focusing on teenagers at risk of exploitation. We found out how she got into the profession and how her belief in unconditional support for young people underpins her work.

Early experiences working with at-risk young people shaped Emma’s decision to pursue a social work career. Her volunteering work with Clifton Learning Partnership put her in contact with young people who were experiencing a range of issues, from poverty to exploitation, and she saw firsthand the impact that empathy and support could have:

“I just really enjoyed that type of work. Although it could be hard and at times really sad, it was really rewarding, to engage with people who wouldn’t really speak to social workers often. So that really started me off, I decided I wanted to be a social worker.”

After navigating the challenges of completing a social work degree during Covid, Emma’s first social work job was with a locality team. She felt that this was an ideal starting point in the field due to the variety of cases locality teams see. One experience on this team in particular had a profound impact on her career direction:

“One really important moment for me was when I was working with a child who was 14. We were worried about criminal exploitation, there were worries both in and out of the home. I just absolutely loved working with him. I always ask about him - he’s out of area now, he’s safe and happy and doing really well. He’s asked me to be a part of his support network now that he’s 16. It’s something I’m immensely proud of and that really made me want to work where I do now.”

Emma’s passion for working with adolescents meant that her move to the Evolve team was a great fit, as it allows her to do more of the practice she is best at. Like many social workers, the results of her efforts are often the most rewarding aspect of the job. In Emma’s view, empathy and the ability to see things from the young person’s perspective are crucial in building positive relationships to reduce the risk of exploitation:

“I think it’s about being unconditional, regardless of what’s presented to you or what a child says. Often they don’t have that person in their lives, so it’s about just being a genuine human being and wanting them to have the best life they can. It’s a bit addictive, I think if you really want children to be safe and happy and well, you kind of get the bug for it.”

Part of the reason Emma has found Rotherham to be a good fit is down to a stable workforce and a supportive team culture, which is essential in coping with the unpredictability of frontline practice:

“I’ve been really lucky, I’ve had wonderful teams in locality and in where I am now. I think in this job you really need the support emotionally, as well as just to be able to have a laugh. I like that there isn’t a lot of change in staffing – people come and go but overall I feel like everyone knows everyone else and we support each other.”

As a practitioner who specialises in a challenging and emotional area, Emma’s advice for someone considering becoming a social worker is not to neglect your own emotional wellbeing:

“Being resilient is really important. It might be tempting to become cold and emotionally hardened to the job but I think we should try not to lose that. You need to reflect emotionally and consider how things feel for you as well, you can’t ignore that.”

For Emma, children’s social work matters because it can provide young people with opportunities that they may otherwise miss out on, helping them to shape their own future:

“It’s about empowering young people really. Everyone should feel safe, happy and healthy but that’s not always the environment they’re living in. We’re there to help children to understand the choices they are making (or sometimes the choices they’re not making). It’s about giving them opportunities to build a good life.”