Derry Social Workers celebrated at Altnagelvin

The Western Trust held a celebration event at the Trust Headquarters at Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry to mark World Social Work Day 2023 (March 21).

In recognition of the many outstanding social workers across the Western Trust, staff were celebrated for their hard work and professional development over the past year. 

The event was held to mark the World Social Work Day 2023 as the Trust continues to highlight the various roles that social workers undertake and the different settings they work within.

The profession of social work aims to support people in overcoming some of life’s most difficult challenges. It involves building purposeful, effective relationships with service users, families and carers to identify ways to address the challenges.

Social workers work alongside other professions and take a lead role in safeguarding individuals who are socially isolated, at risk of abuse/neglect or who are vulnerable in other ways. 

With an emphasis on the unique needs of each person, social workers balance support and safeguarding roles, supporting choice, control and independence to achieve the best outcomes for service users.

Social work is a challenging job and an important aspect of it is the need for on-going professional development. This ensures that social workers keep pace with new developments and remain up-to-date and competent in the knowledge and skills required to provide a professional and quality service to the people they work with.

Opening today’s event and remarking on the occasion, Tom Cassidy, Director of Women and Children’s Services and Executive Director of Social Work, Western Trust said: “It is a privilege to stand here today to applaud our exemplary Social Workers. 

"Social work is underpinned by the values of privacy, promoting choice, nurturing independence and generating an opportunity to have your say. Every social worker sets out to do their very best, they don’t seek praise and sometimes they work under the radar and do not get the recognition they deserve.

“I would like to take this opportunity on World Social Work Day, to thank all of the social workers out there, not only in the Western Trust but across all of Northern Ireland.”

Guest speakers at the event included; Aine Morrison (DoH), Catherine Maguire (NISCC), Debbie Grieves (UU) as well as service user and staff presentations.