Welcome to Frontline’s podcast, where I’ll be chatting to social workers and sector experts about the key topics impacting them and the children and families they support. We’ll also share reflections and takeaways along the way, so you can continue to learn from other professionals to do your best work with children and families. My name is Hannah and I work at the social work charity Frontline as a principal practice tutor. Since qualifying as a social worker, I’ve worked both in the voluntary and statutory sector in multiple settings including hospitals, criminal justice social work and chi ..read more

Hannah speaks to four guests about empowering children's voices in social work and why this is so needed. Everyone shares different insights on how social workers at all levels can listen to, capture and empower children’s voices. We hope you enjoy listening into the conversation and feel inspired to take forward any ideas you may have  in future!  ..read more

Hannah speaks to four guests about sparking change in social work and why this is so needed. Everyone shares different insight on how social workers at all levels can lead change, whether it's small or big, in order to better support children and their families. We hope you enjoy listening into the conversation and feel inspired to take forward any ideas you may have  in future!  ..read more

Having befriended a homeless man at his local tube station, Alex Stephany asked himself, “What can I do to empower this man to make the change he wants to see for himself?” In this episode, you'll hear how this relationship led him to found Beam, a crowdfunding platform built to support homeless people into stable and paid work. We hope you'll listen and feel inspired to find innovative ways to spark change in your own community ..read more

Alexa Robinson is working with a team in Middlesbrough and Teesside to launch the first Christmas Dinner initiative in the area, providing a positive Christmas experience for young care leavers. Tom and Alexa discuss the importance of this, recognising that this time of year can be very difficult and emotionally confusing for lots of care experienced young people, as well as reflecting on the privilege many of us have around Christmas. Alexa says that if they are able to create one happy memory for one young person, then the initiative will be a success. This festive episode will uplift and in ..read more

In this episode, we speak to artist and rapper, Ric Flo. Born in Nigeria, Ric grew up in London and Bournemouth and spent time in foster care. Ric uses his experience in the care system to encourage positivity and build confidence in young people. He talks about the workshops he runs to give young people in care the space to use creativity and write lyrics as a means of expression and communication. Finally, he talks about role models, the importance of better representing children in care and not relying of stereotypes ..read more

Kelly Gittens is an experienced social worker and Frontline fellow who is passionate about working with and encouraging more men into the profession. As a social work academic, his research has an emphasis on fathers and domestic violence, and he often uses film as a medium to tell stories that bring about positive systemic change in the sector. Kelly reflects on the importance of communication and representation when working with men, and also shares powerful examples that illustrate the challenges of intersectionality in social work, particularly relating to race and gender.  ..read more

Richard Smith is currently delivering the Future Pathways service, a targeted employability programme for young Londoners that supports them into sustained work, apprenticeships or education, which sits under Catch22’s employability division. Richard discusses how to develop meaningful and long-lasting relationships with disadvantaged young people in order to help them achieve what they want in life, despite the adversities they may have faced. He also refers to Catch22's '3 Ps,' and reflects on how the belief that everyone should have good People, a Purpose and a nice Place to live, is integr ..read more

Tommy Gale is a social worker and Frontline fellow who specialises in cases involving child exploitation and edge of care concerns. He is also the founder of InsideUni, a non-profit social enterprise that aims to provide all students with the information and support networks needed to successfully apply to top universities. The enterprise, founded on the values of inclusive access, has grown hugely since inception with Tommy now working part-time on the project alongside his role as a social worker. The conversation naturally leads to a critical reflection of the influence social workers can h ..read more

Over seven years ago, Frontline Chief Executive, Josh MacAlister, stepped out of the classroom, set up and launched Frontline. As a teacher, he realised how important it was for children to have a safe and stable home life, and the impact that this had on their education. Today, over 100,000 children and their families have received support from social workers through Frontline’s programmes. Soon leaving his post at the charity, Josh reflects on the impact he’s had and his hopes for the future in this first episode of series 3 ..read more