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

This is a podcast of conversations about social work and social care practice, registration and regulation in Northern Ireland.

Hosted by the Northern Ireland Social Care Council (the Social Care Council), and presented by broadcaster Dr Wendy Austin, this podcast series showcases conversations and interviews with people in the social work and social care community, as well as from across the health and social care system. We discuss things that matter to social workers and social care practitioners, inform their learning and development, address common questions, and talk about what we can do to best support the safe delivery of quality health and social care in Northern Ireland.

If you have any comments or feedback on our podcast, please contact us by emailing: comms@niscc.hscni.net.

Listening and subscribing

You can listen to the podcast episodes directly in your browser by selecting the podcast title from the list below and then clicking the triangle ‘Play’ icon. Read more about each episode by clicking the ‘[…]’ icon.

In previous episodes we have followed the conception of the Care in Practice Framework (the CiP Framework), and the introduction of a brand-new level 2 qualification: Level 2 Certificate in Safe and Effective Practice. Much work across the sector has meant that this area of social care workforce reform is now showing the impact of these changes.

Finding a passion in social care as a career is something over 42,000 people in Northern Ireland are already doing. We welcome Paul Rooney, Professional Officer, Social Care Council, Drew Smiley, Social Care Manager, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust (Belfast Trust), John Muldoon, social care practitioner and Assistant Manager, Extern, Afonso Afonso, Homecare Operational Manager, Belfast Trust and Lyndsey Collins, Reablement Support Worker, Belfast Trust – all sharing their real-life insights, best practices, and career development tips and experiences of progression. They talk about what they have noticed has changed in the last few years in terms of career development and progression, the impact of the new Level 2 qualification for individuals and for the broader system, reinforcing that social care is a meaningful, values-based career that can be a lifelong profession.