9 June 2026
Pictured at today’s launch, (L-R): Aine Morrison, Chief Social Worker, Department of Health, Jody Bell, Churchill Fellow and Tracy Reid, Chief Executive Officer, Northern Ireland Social Care Council
Social workers across Northern Ireland are being celebrated this week, as real-life leadership examples from within the profession, in a special newly released publication.
The publication What makes a great leader – insights from social work teams, published by the Northern Ireland Social Care Council (the Social Care Council) and supported by the Department of Health, brings Northern Ireland’s Social Work Leadership Framework (the Leadership Framework) to life and demonstrates that leadership belongs to every social worker, not just those in senior roles.
The publication is part of a sustained cross-sector effort to develop and embed a leadership culture across the social work profession in Northern Ireland.
Social workers and teams now have a number of resources, including this new publication, to support their leadership journey showing what good leadership looks like in practice.
What makes a great leader — insights from social work teams gathers real examples from social workers across a wide range of sectors. It shows the Social Work Leadership Framework — published by the Department of Health in April 2022 — lived out in everyday practice.
‘The Leadership Framework sets out four domains of leadership: leading self, leading with others, leading practice, and leading the profession. This publication helps bring these domains to life and is intended to increase awareness of how they relate to social work practice at every level, including frontline teams.’
The framework makes clear that social work leadership is not defined by seniority or job title. There are aspects of every social worker’s role that are about leadership and this publication is designed to help social workers recognise the opportunities for leadership in their posts. The publication features a number of social workers who were nominated in the 2025 NI Regional Social Awards in the leadership category.
The publication was launched at Belfast Castle on 9 June 2026, with the Chief Social Worker and social work leaders from across Northern Ireland.
Aine Morrison, Chief Social Worker, Department of Health said:
“Leadership in social work has never mattered more. The pressures facing the profession are real, but so is the talent and commitment we see at every level – from newly qualified practitioners to experienced managers. This publication shows the Leadership Framework is not just a policy document. It is alive in the work our social workers do every day. Every social worker has opportunities to show leadership and this publication helps them see and use those opportunities.
Tracy Reid, Chief Executive, Social Care Council reinforced this saying:
“This publication is a celebration of what social work leadership looks like when it is lived out with courage, compassion and commitment. We want every social worker in Northern Ireland – whatever their role or stage of career – to read these examples and see themselves in them. Leadership is relational, it is values-based, and it is present at every level of our profession. That is what we want social work in Northern Ireland to be known for.”
Jody Bell, Churchill Fellow, a social worker from Australian and keynote speaker reflected:
“When you look at how other countries are approaching leadership development in social work, one thing stands out clearly: the professions that thrive are those that invest in their early career practitioners and help them see their leadership potential from day one. Northern Ireland’s Leadership Framework and this publication are doing exactly that — and that matters not just for the profession, but for the people social workers serve.”
Social workers are encouraged to read the publication and reflect on their own leadership.
Want to find out more?
The publication is available at the Social Care Council’s Learning Zone, alongside the Social Work Leadership Framework.