Welcome to Learn on the go, the podcast from Community Care Inform, where we discuss the issues affecting social workers and social care practitioners.

This episode looks at county lines and child criminal exploitation. Discussing this is Adam Elliott, founder of The Long Game, a youth-led intervention to reduce young people’s risk of exposure to these forms of modern slavery.

Adam uses his lived experience to highlight how children and young people are groomed, exploited and manipulated into county lines.

At about 1 hour and 20 minutes, this is an extended edition of Learn on the go but we feel it is justified. Adam’s story is hard-hitting and, at times, difficult to listen to but it is full of information and tangible red flags that have to be heard to be understood.

We realise that it’s a commitment on your part to sit with his story to the end but you will find learning points all the way through. If you’re finding it difficult to listen to, you may want to take a break and come back to it. We’d like to remind you to practise self-care and use supervision and peer support if you’ve been affected by this episode.

Questions were asked by Natalie Valios, senior content editor, Community Care Inform Adults.

00:01:45 – Life before county lines

00:03:44 – Stereotypes and vulnerabilities

00:06:52 – Being groomed

00:08:53 – Dropping off the first package

00:13:13 – Early warning signs

00:14:59 – How county lines operate

00:23:13 – A community problem

00:25:52 – Asking for help

00:27:52 – Trap houses

00:34:51 – Hope of escape

00:38:40 – Facing prison

00:42:57 – Knife and chemical attacks

00:48:53 – Victim of modern slavery

00:51:27 – Parents’ suspicions

00:54:39 – Arrest on 18th birthday

01:01:44 – Missing out on life

01:07:51 – Contextual safeguarding

01:10:07 – Family support

01:11:20 – Importance of knowing the slang

01:13:55 – Misconceptions

01:18:08 – Crime and Policing Bill

01:19:18 – Life now

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This episode focuses on welfare benefits and support in England and Wales.

The welfare benefits system is designed to provide financial support to individuals and families in need. However, according to a report published in 2025 by Policy in Practice, over 7 million households in the UK are missing out on benefits and support due to limited awareness, complexity in the benefits system and stigma around claiming. These barriers are found to often overlap and disproportionately affect people already facing other disadvantages, including carers, disabled adults, older people on low incomes, single parents and people without strong social networks.

Discussing this topic is Gary Vaux, the author of Community Care Inform's Benefits A-Z knowledge and practice hub. Gary has been involved in welfare rights for many years and until recently managed a team of local authority benefit and debt advice workers. His background includes training and writing on welfare benefit rules and policies, and he was also chair of the Social Security Advisers Group at the Local Government Association.

Questions are asked by Gemma Balmford, content editor at Community Care Inform Adults.

Subscribe to the Learn on the go series to stay up-to-date with new episodes. Look out for the final episode in Season 2, which will be released at the end of February 2026. 

Links to resources mentioned in this podcast

• Advicenow
• Age UK
• Benefits and Work
• CC Inform's benefits A-Z (free for CC Inform subscribers)
• Child Poverty Action Group
• Citizens Advice
• Contact
• Disability Rights UK
• entitledto
• Mencap
• MIND
• Motor Neurone Disease Association
• Policy in Practice
• Rightsnet
• RNIB
• RNID
• Scope
• Turn2Us

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Welcome to Learn on the go, a Community Care Inform podcast, where we discuss the issues affecting social workers and social care practitioners. This episode focuses on eating disorders in adults and the support that occupational therapists can provide. Beat, the UK's eating disorder charity, estimates that 1.25 million people in the UK have an eating disorder and, contrary to popular belief, about a quarter are male. 

Discussing this subject is Abigail Cardwell, the lead occupational therapist for eating disorders at the South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust. Abigail is also a clinical associate trainer for Beat and co-chair of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists' eating disorders specialist network.  

Eating disorders are complex mental illnesses affecting people of all ages, genders, ethnicities and backgrounds. Behaviours can include limiting the amount of food eaten, eating very large quantities of food at once, getting rid of food eaten through unhealthy means or a mixture of any of these. They can cause serious harm physically, mentally and emotionally and, sadly, in some cases can be fatal. But despite being such serious illnesses, they are treatable and people can make a full recovery with the right support. 

We want to give a warning about the content in this episode. We'd encourage you to look after yourself while listening and use supervision and peer support if it brings up anything difficult for you.

And if you’re worried about your own or someone else’s health, you can contact Beat, the UK's eating disorder charity, on 0808 801 0677 or visit the website beateatingdisorders.org.uk

Questions are asked by Natalie Valios, senior content editor at Community Care Inform Adults.

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In this episode, Philip Heslop, assistant professor of Social Work at Northumbria University, explores the vital topic of engaging fathers within the child protection system. In this discussion, Philip Heslop shares insights from his decades of experience regarding why fathers are often overlooked or excluded in social work practice, despite representing a significant portion of the population.

The conversation explores the consequences of this exclusion for children and families, examines how gendered assumptions and bias influence social work decisions, and discusses practical, relationship-based approaches social workers can use to effectively engage with men, including those perceived as 'resistant'. 

Philip Heslop also addresses the legal and systemic factors, such as legislation and resource constraints, that either help or hinder inclusive practice with diverse family structures, including kinship carers and stepparents.

In this episode, Philip mentions recources for practitioners and parents including the Fatherhood Institute, the Family Rights Group and the North East Young Dads and Lads Group.

Questions are asked by Gillian MacFarlane, content editor, Community Care Inform Children.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode looks at the barriers faced by women who want to exit prostitution. Discussing the issue with us is Carol, who has lived experience of prostitution and whose name we have changed to protect her identity.

Carol was subjected to prostitution for 50 years before successfully exiting in her 60s. She wanted to share her story to highlight the complexities that can result in women being exploited through prostitution and what is needed to help women exit.

The number of people involved in prostitution in the UK is difficult to quantify due to its hidden nature and the absence of any survey on a national level. However, estimates suggest that over 72,000 individuals are exchanging sex for money or other benefit of need, with the overwhelming majority of them being women. Women subjected to prostitution often have extensive experiences of trauma, abuse and male violence, and experience addiction and poor mental and physical health as a consequence.

We want to give a content warning: Carol talks about child sexual abuse, suicide attempts, drug addiction and trauma. We'd encourage you to look after yourself while listening and use supervision and peer support if this episode brings up anything difficult for you.

If you're supporting a woman subjected to prostitution and are interested in contacting nia about its specialist exiting services and refuge provision, visit the prostitution page on its website or call 07880 230 516. Women can access nia's service if they are over 18 and currently involved in prostitution in London. They can refer themselves or be referred by an agency.

Questions are asked by Natalie Valios, senior content editor, Community Care Inform Adults.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode focuses on working with ‘parental conflict’ (this is the phrase we tend to hear, though we discuss that there may be more helpful language we can use). Terminology aside, it’s clear that professional involvement in the very personal dynamics of a couple’s relationship and how it may be impacting their child or children can be extremely challenging and uncomfortable for both the parents and practitioners.

So we wanted to bring you some practical advice and guidance on doing this type of work with families. Our guest sharing some of her experience and expertise Jude Gordon. Jude has been a practitioner and service manager in local authority and voluntary sector settings, working with children, young people and families. Until earlier this year, she led the Reducing Parental Conflict programme at Relate. This included different forms of relationship support for parents and carers; training for professionals who work with families; and developing AI tools to help couples and co-parents communicate more effectively an understand how their children may be feeling Jude is now a project manager within the child poverty team at the North East Combined Authority, which covers seven local authority areas.

The discussion includes anonymised examples of working with a family, supporting families with the systemic and practical challenges that can contribute to conflict, working with separated couples and co-parents, useful resources and self-care for practitioners. Jude emphasises relational, authentic practice, and keeping in mind cultural and family structure differences.

Links to resources Jude mentions:

• Relate's 'Sounding board' bot that can help parents (partners or co-parents) who are having disagreements to write texts and emails or prepare for conversations
• 'In the middle' bot (also from Relate) helps parents understand how their child/ren of different ages may understand their parents' relationship and how they may feel.
• Tool to find local services
• The Reducing Parental Conflict online community on Knowledge Hub (requires initial free registration with Knowledge Hub, a digital platform for public service professionals)
• One Plus One: offers free and paid for online resources, and training packages
• Race Equality Foundation parental conflict toolkit

Related resources on CC Inform

• All our podcast episodes
• Benefits A-Z (includes information about eligibility and how to apply for all major social security benefit in the UK)
• Housing knowledge and practice hub (includes information on rights in relation to housing conditions and tenancy)

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This episode focuses on leadership skills and style - in particular the crucial role of feedback which can sometimes be seen as mainly about staff performance and a less comfortable or even fear-inducing aspect of any kind of leadership or supervisory role.

Our guests today are keen to discuss and demonstrate how feedback is a much broader part of developing your own leadership style and something that can help build trust, transparency and supportive culture in your team or particular context.

They share examples from their own experience to help practitioners, supervisors and managers at all stages think about developing their own leadership skills and style.

This epsisode is part of our leadership knowledge and practice hub on CC Inform Children which has been produced with Frontline, that charity that is perhaps most known for its fast-track local-authority based training programme for new child protection social workers, but also runs leadership development programmes for managers and those aspiring to be managers in children’s services.

The speakers are:
Anjuli Obaro, curriculum lead at Frontline
Delin Dixon, independent social worker, experienced foster carer, consultant and trainer
Yinka Olaniran, service manager for a local authority independent reviewing and child protection conference service, and facilitator

Further links:
Radical Candor In 6 Minutes With Kim Scott (YouTube video)
Radical Candor (book)
CC Inform leadership knowledge and practice hub
CC Inform Management knowledge and practice hub
CC Inform Supervision knowledge and practice hub 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Season 1, episode 5. 

This episode is about how to safeguard children with special educational needs and disabilities from sexual exploitation. We’ll be discussing recent research and findings related to modern slavery and the heightened risk that children with SEND are at across England and Wales, as well as the importance of early identification and working with the whole family.

Our expert guest is Sarah Goff – associate researcher at Manchester Metropolitan university.

Questions are asked by Gillian MacFarlane, content editor, Community Care Inform Childrens.

Community Care Inform subscribers can access additional resources and a written transcript of the podcast.

Subscribe to the Learn on the go series to stay up-to-date with new episodes. Look out for the next episode in Season 1, which will be released at the end of June. 

Meanwhile, you can join Community Care's Social Work Community for careers guidance, private discussion rooms with fellow social workers and even more podcast episodes. 

Resources
Research study - Internal trafficking of children with SEND 
Research stufy - Early identification of exploitation of children with SEND 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Season 1, episode 4

This episode focuses on dealing with change and loss as a result of becoming physically disabled as an adult, and how practitioners can support individuals who are coming to terms with the impact of disability on their body and their lives.

The guest is Rebecca Regler, a lived experience worker. Rebecca qualified as a social worker 10 years ago but didn’t get the chance to put her training into practice because soon after graduating she was diagnosed with the connective tissue disorder Ehlers Danlos syndrome, which left her unable to work.

Rebecca discusses the emotional impact that can occur from unexpectedly becoming disabled as an adult; how it can affect mental health; the loss of identity, including professional identity and how someone perceives themselves within relationships; the financial implications; and how social care professionals can provide support and advocacy to help adults at such a difficult time.

Questions are asked by Natalie Valios, senior content editor, Community Care Inform Adults.

Community Care Inform subscribers can access additional resources and a written transcript of the podcast.

Subscribe to the Learn on the go series to stay up-to-date with new episodes. Look out for the next episode in Season 1, which will be released at the end of May. 

Meanwhile, you can join Community Care's Social Work Community for careers guidance, private discussion rooms with fellow social workers and even more podcast episodes.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode discusses perinatal mental health. Approximately one in five women in the UK experience mental health issues during pregnancy and up to one year after birth, and if left untreated they can lead to long-lasting effects on mothers, infants and the wider family.

In recent years, significant funding has been invested in specialist perinatal mental health services but there are disparities in access to these services and experiences with health and social care professionals.

This episode explores the role of social workers in perinatal mental health, the risk factors of developing perinatal mental illness and the red flags to look out for that may indicate a new or expectant mother is struggling with perinatal mental health issues.

The guests are Tara Mitchell, a registered social worker and operations manager of the perinatal mental health service at Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, and Wan Abdullah, a mother with lived experience of perinatal mental illness.

Asking the questions is Gemma Balmford, assistant content editor, Community Care Inform Adults.

Subscribe to the Learn on the go series to stay up-to-date with new episodes. Look out for the next episode in Season 1, which will be released at the end of April. 

Links

Royal College of Psychiatrists
MBRRACE-UK
Tavistock and Portman
The perinatal mental health elearning programme 
Maternal Mental Health Alliance

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode discusses domestic abuse within young people's relationships. It explores the intricicies around age and statutory and voluntary support services available for young people. This episode provides practical tips on how practitioners can address risks with young people and their parents/carers - such as how to structure conversations, and the key indicators of risks that shoud be considered when working with young people who are at risk of, or who have experienced abuse. Multiple assessment tools are discussed, along with various specialist services. 

The guest is Jenifer Lamadrid, an experienced social worker, who has been trianed within domestic violence and abuse services. Jenifer has previously worked as an IDVA (independent domestic violence advocate), and has a key interest in working with young people at risk of, or who have experienced, abuse. 

Asking the questions is Gillian MacFarlane, content editor, Community Care Inform Childrens. 

Assessment tools and specialist services mentioned: 

Safe Lives

Brook Sexual Behaviours Traffic Light Tool

BAMBUUU

Respect Young People's Service

Women's Aid 

Victim Support - Support Space

Subscribe to the Learn on the Go series to stay up-to-date with new episodes. Look out for the next episode in Season 1, which will be released at the end of April. 

Join Community Care's 'Social Work Community' for careers guidance, private discussion rooms with fellow social workers and even more podcast episodes.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.