Kasia

“I joined DCC in 2016 in a position known as a ‘Family Practitioner’ – this is someone who supports social workers and the families they work with. I started out my journey in the ‘Children and Families team – and have never looked back.

“After joining Devon County Council, I quickly realised that social work was my passion and decided that nothing else would do. I completed my social work degree through the Open University after successfully applying for the social work programme, supported throughout by Devon. Juggling a full-time job and studying full-time in a second language whilst caring for two children was a challenge which taught me invaluable skills such as hard work, determination and resilience.

“Devon County Council supported me through every stage of my career. My manager discussed career pathways with me, and through her and a number of fantastic mentors, I progressed from a newly qualified social worker to an Experienced Social Worker, progressing to Advanced Social Worker in July 2022.

“The role of an Advanced Social Worker is extremely rewarding. I could continue doing what I love, working with families and supporting children in Devon, whilst taking on more responsibility within the broader context of the organisation. The new challenge of mentoring, developing and supporting others, particularly in complex safeguarding and child protection cases, and keeping up with the most recent research allowed me to further grow my professional judgment and decision-making skills. In addition, I gained a real understanding of the importance of a strategic role within a team. From a career progression perspective, it also gave me a great foundation in management and leadership, and I have now progressed to a Team Manager position.

“I could have never dreamt of having such a fantastic career pathway, and whilst my ambition right now is to be as good a Team Manager as possible, it’s amazing to know that I can continue to grow in my dream career.”