Panel discussion: how has Covid-19 changed social work with adults?

Tricia Pereira is a qualified social worker, with over 15 years’ experience spanning adults and children’s social care and social work in the voluntary sector. She has an interest in sector led improvement & inclusive Leadership and hosts leadership events. Tricia is currently the Head of Operations Adults Social Care –for London Borough of Merton and Co-Chair of the BAME Communities Advisory Group for the Department of Health and Social Care sector, COVID-19 Support Taskforce. Previous roles include Practitioner Development Lead for London ADASS, providing strategic oversight, advice and guidance on the professional leadership and development aspects of both the London Directors and Principal Social Workers work programs. As practitioner lead, Tricia wrote and led the procurement for the Social Work Degree Apprenticeship across 33 London Boroughs. She is the former Co-Chair of the National Adults Principal Social Worker Network for England, as such deputised for the Chief Social worker -sitting on the Chief Social Worker’s Advisory Group and the Department of Health and Social Care, Quality Matters Board. Tricia is a proficient British sign language user and practiced as a social worker with Deaf and deafblind children and adults, older people, adults with physical disabilities and rehabilitation with Visual Impaired people. She has developed safeguarding adults processes within prisons pre and post care act implementation and facilitated multi agency learning events (County Lines) for the Metropolitan Police, looking at where agencies missed opportunities to share information to support the young person & their family. She is a keen advocate of Restorative Practice and family group conferences with adults and has developed projects utilising these approaches. Along with Carmen Colomina, Prof Samantha Barron and Dr Tony Stanley, Tricia is the co-author of Strength Based Practice Framework and Handbook published by the Department of Health and Social Care in February 2019

Fran has worked in Children and Adults social care for over 30 years and in senior roles within local authorities for 15 years. Fran’s particular areas of expertise are safeguarding, complex care, Modern Day Slavery & Prevent. As well as joint chief social worker at the Department of Health and Social Care, Fran is also Principal Social Worker (PSW) and Strategic Lead for Adult Social Care and Safeguarding at Thurrock County Council.

Mark has worked in social care, local authorities and NHS Trusts for almost 30 years, starting as a care assistant in a learning disability residential unit. Mark’s particular areas of expertise are mental health, learning disabilities and autism. As well as joint chief social worker at the Department of Health and Social Care, Mark is also operations director for Adult Disabilities Services at Hertfordshire County Council.

I am the founder and Director of Effective Practice, which supports organisations to improve social care. I work with practitioners, managers and leaders to develop practice so that they can serve adults, families and children better. I co-present the Helpful Social Work podcast. I am a registered social worker and Chair of the British Association of Social Workers (BASW), the professional association for social work and social workers in the UK. BASW provides support to social workers, leads on the development of the profession in the UK, and advocates for social justice. Before working in practice improvement, I was a service manager in a large local authority, a team manager, and a social worker in community and integrated teams in England.