Growing up in Zimbabwe, we were taught to respect our elders and not talk over them. Having moved to South Africa, I experienced more of the same: that only elders spoke the truth. I felt that this culture minimised children’s voices and that they should be heard in any situation. It gave me a real passion to be an advocate for children—that their voices should be heard, they should be noticed, and their opinions should be paid attention to. Becoming a children’s social worker was a natural progression.
I completed my social work degree in South Africa and practiced there for six years. I knew I wanted to move to the UK and that I wanted to work with children. I joined the FAST team at Norfolk County Council.
When I was thinking about moving to the UK, I got job offers from several authorities. Norfolk really appealed to me. It’s sort of similar to South Africa in that it has lots of green spaces and countryside and lots of tourist attractions. I found their offer really aspirational. I need nature, the countryside, and space to revive after a hard week. I didn’t want to live in a busy inner city; I wanted to live somewhere historical, with a city yet plenty of open spaces. Financially, Norfolk appealed too. I felt that it would be manageable to deal with the cost of living there to raise a family and live well. The support Norfolk offers to international social workers is outstanding. There are senior managers who have been there and done that already, so they help to smooth your pathway; they understand what it’s like to move to a different country and have to deal with a different culture and way of life. They connected us with others who were also making the move, told us about things to expect, and helped me be prepared for a very different environment, although I’m not sure anything could prepare me for the cold weather in winter!
I deal with assessment and safeguarding. I receive referrals, carry out family and school visits, and work with many other agencies and professionals who are on cases. I like to make sure I’m really prepared for visits, so I start every day with planning and scheduling so that I make informed visits and know exactly what I need to get out of every appointment. I’m driven by wanting to be an advocate for children’s voices, so my ambitions and aspirations are completely shaped around that. I haven’t been in Norfolk for very long, but I can see that there are opportunities and space to progress and specialise. I’m really interested in children’s mental health and what the impact and effect of it in the UK can be, and I’m thinking about what strategies could be formulated to help with these challenges.
Helping children and improving families’ lives is incredibly rewarding. It gives me great joy to know I am making a difference. I recently had a case where we sadly had to remove a baby from its mother. Removing the child was the only option left to us, and I felt huge relief that the baby was now safe. Some weeks later, I drove the mother to a contact visit. I thought she would hate me, that the journey would be awkward, and that the conversation would be hard. Instead, she thanked me for showing up and being there for them. She told me she appreciated that I had given her space and chances to make positive changes before we decided to remove the child, that she understood why we had ultimately removed her baby, and that she could see that it was for the best. I went home feeling really happy that my work had changed a baby’s life, and that it had also changed the mother’s outlook.
Be a person who is passionate about working with children. If you don’t have passion and drive, you will find this career daunting. When you come from another country, be receptive to learning from people who have come before you. Work with your managers on a reflective approach to learning. Support is available, and you should make use of it.
Charles, FAST Social Worker
