The way we communicate with people matters, and the way we communicate about people, and about the purpose and practice of social care and social work matters too. The words we use reflect our values and feelings which influences the way we think and behave. This is a book about language, and how the words we hear, read and choose to use both expose and perpetuate attitudes and behaviours. It's about the words that are too dominant in our narrative and practice, and the words that should dominate. It's also a book about change. Changing how we communicate about people. Changing how we understand and articulate the purpose of social care. Changing how we practice. And ultimately changing the story of social care. And mainly it's a book about being human. About recognising each other as equal, valued human beings, and about creating a more human, humane future for us all.
Bryony Shannon has worked in local authorities in information, communications and practice development roles in adult social care for almost 20 years. She started her Rewriting Social Care blog after becoming increasingly uncomfortable with the language used with and about older people and disabled people, about people's relationship with services, and about the purpose and practice of adult social care. She wanted to expose what this language reveals and perpetuates about attitudes and behaviours and explore an alternative language that should be at the heart of more human, relational ways of working. Bryony now works freelance with several organisations, including Social Care Future and Think Local Act Personal (TLAP), focusing on narrative, language and practice change in social work and social care.
CONTENTS PREFACE INTRODUCTION: WHY LANGUAGE MATTERS. PART ONE. CHANGING OUR MINDS: US NOT THEM AND US Human. From vulnerable to valuable. From special to ordinary. From needy to needed. From consumers to citizens. Service user From cases to people. From labels to gifts. Them, us, and COVID-19. PART TWO. CHANGING OUR PURPOSE: A LIFE NOT A SERVICE.. Independent From institutions to communities. Safe. From safety net to springboard. Prevention. From care to support. From care and support needs to human needs. Rights. From industry to ecosystem. PART THREE. CHANGING OUR PRACTICE: FROM TRANSACTIONS TO RELATIONSHIPS. Identity. From robots to humans. Frontline. From referrals to connections. From segregation to belonging. From fear to love. From assessment to understanding. Strengths-based. From doing to, to working with. From blame to curiosity. From placements to home. From Chronos time to Kairos time. PART FOUR. CHANGING OUR STORY: FROM WHAT'S WRONG, TO WHAT'S STRONG. Changing the story of social care: from care for others, to caring about each other. Changing the story of working in social care: from delivering care to promoting wellbeing. Changing the story of social care reform: from crisis to opportunity. Changing the story of change: from transformation to lasting change. References.
Exploring what the language of social care and social work reveals about attitudes, the shaping of practice, and how we can shift the narrative to ensure a brighter, more human future.
