6 signs you're ready to be a social work manager

Stepping into the world of social work management can be a daunting prospect.

Before I made the leap, I had so many questions swimming around my head: Will I miss daily face-to-face interaction with clients? How do I supervise experienced social workers who may have been qualified longer than I have? Will I be able to handle the extra pressure and responsibility?

The truth is, it’s a big decision, so here are six clues to look out for that could indicate the time is right for you.

1 - YOU GET A BUZZ FROM SUPPORTING COLLEAGUES

I get huge satisfaction from unpicking a juicy case with my colleagues and supporting others to reflect on their practice. Watching someone find that “ah ha!” moment gives me as much joy as discovering the solution myself.

If you find an endless line of colleagues queuing at your desk (or jumping on the phone to you every time you are ‘green’ on Teams), then it’s an indicator your colleagues trust your judgement and value your opinion.

Good managers are good coaches, so if this resonates with you, then chances are that you will enjoy management and leadership.

2 - YOU THRIVE UNDER PRESSURE

Management within social work requires you to be good at making defensible decisions based on the

information in front of you, sometimes on the spot. There is nothing more frustrating than a hesitant manager.

If you have developed a solid value base, which you can rely on when faced with any ethical dilemma, you may be ready for the responsibility that comes with schemes of delegation and decision-making power.

3 - YOU YEARN FOR A NEW CHALLENGE

Don’t feel guilty about wanting to progress. I have seen social workers dissuaded from progressing into management because they fear being thought of as out-of-touch or lacking in chronological experience.

In truth, we need both good frontine social workers and good managers for an effective service.

4 - YOU WANT TO SHAPE THE NEXT GENERATION OF SOCIAL WORKERS

Supporting social workers to flourish into competent and confident practitioners is one of the best parts of the job. I’m a proud mamma bear when I get to see my team members achieve things they never thought possible.

Social work is a fabulously human profession where personal growth happens every day alongside professional development. It is incredibly humbling to be part of a person’s journey.

Although I don’t have a caseload as a manager, I often joke that my team are my caseload. Their wellbeing, their development and their achievements are just as important to me as my clients were when I was a frontline social worker.

5 - YOU HAVE IDEAS AND ARE KEEN TO PUT THEM INTO PRACTICE

Do you ever find yourself thinking, if only I was in charge, I would do X, Y and Z? As a manager, you get more control in shaping the service and implementing the changes you feel would benefit the team and, ultimately, the people we support.

6 - YOU THINK YOU’D BE A GOOD MANAGER

The fact that you have read this far suggests it could be time. My advice would be to chat to a trusted colleague and talk through your hopes and fears.

In an ideal world, you would be able to dip your toe into management through a secondment, as I did before I secured a permanent management post. If this is not possible, are there colleagues in the team that you could mentor or provide caseload supervision to? Is there an area of work that you could take responsibility for, such as overseeing the duty function of the team, or triaging new referrals?

Seek feedback and work on developing your leadership skills. Be persistent and you will succeed.

By Tilly Baden