What I Wish I'd Known as a Newly Qualified Social Worker

Three pieces of advice I’d give my past self (and you)

When I look back on my early days as a social worker, there are so many lessons I wish I could pass down to the version of me just starting out. Over the years, I’ve learned these lessons through experience, reflection, and the many conversations I’ve had through this podcast and my work with newly qualified social workers.

If you're at the beginning of your social work journey (or just need a reset), here are three things I wish I’d known when I started.

You only get one body. Look after it

It sounds obvious, but it’s something we so easily forget in this profession. Social work is not just emotional and intellectual work—it’s physical too. Your body is the vessel for your practice.

Burnout doesn’t just appear out of nowhere—it creeps in through tiredness, stress, and pushing past your own limits. For me, it shows up as cold sores (like little warning bells from my body), but for you it might be something else.

Start now:

☑️ Build habits that support your body.

☑️ Go for that daily walk (or just a break away from your desk)

☑️ Notice how your body responds to stress.

☑️ Protect your energy like it’s part of your CPD.

You can’t do this job without your body. Prioritising your health is part of being a good social worker.

It’s rarely you. It’s often them

Whether it’s a co-worker’s sharp tone or pressure in a multi-agency meeting, not everything you're feeling is yours to carry. Social work often exposes you to other people’s stress, projections, and emotional spillover.

When someone snaps, belittles your efforts, or undermines you with “just wait until you get a full caseload” comments—it’s not about you. It’s their stress talking.

What helped me:

☑️ Regular reflection

☑️ Good supervision

☑️ Checking in with myself: Is this my emotion, or someone else’s I’ve absorbed?

Knowing the difference is vital to surviving (and thriving) in social work.

You only know what you know

This one is my favourite. You only know what you know—until you know something different.

Learning is constant in this job. You’ll discover things that shift your entire perspective. You might realise you’ve done something differently to how you'd do it now. That doesn’t make you wrong—it makes you growing.

If you hold onto this mindset:

👉 You create space to learn without shame.

👉 You build resilience.

👉 You sidestep the toxic culture of blame that creeps into our profession.

Instead of thinking “I should have known that,” try: “Now I know, and I’ll do it differently.”

Ready to Start Strong?

If you’re beginning your ASYE year and want to feel more confident, calm, and capable—join me for the ASYE Core Skills training this September.

🎓 It’s two days packed with practical learning,

🧭 Designed to align with national frameworks,

💬 And built to prepare you for the real work of frontline practice.

Whether you're just stepping into your role or supporting ASYEs in your team, this training is the foundation that makes everything else easier.

SIGN UP HERE

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Your Turn: What Do You Wish You’d Known?

I’d love to hear your “wish I’d known” moments. Share them on LinkedIn or Instagram and tag me so I can repost and learn from you too.

Until next time—Take a breath, soften your shoulders, relax your jaw, and remind yourself:You are learning. You are doing enough. You’ve got this.