Ray
Child Protection Officer
What does your role involve?
I am the chair for Child Protection Case Conferences, reviews and strategy meetings. I also chair the local Child Protection Forum which includes all agencies involved in the care and protection of children. I act as a consultant on child protection matters to people from various statutory and voluntary agencies. I run workshops and give talks and presentations to groups on child protection matters and I have spoken to various groups who work with children, such as football and swimming clubs.
I am also part of a Black and Minority Ethnic group established after the inquiry into the death of Stephen Lawrence. We meet every two months and are consulted on matters to do with ethnicity in Devon. This is really just a snapshot of what I do. I am fortunate that my position allows me to get involved in a variety of areas, not just those relating to child protection.
How did you become a Child Protection Officer?
I came into social work quite late. I started as a residential social worker and then became manager of a residential home. While I was there I studied for my social work qualification. I have been involved in my specialist role as a Child Protection Officer for 12 years. One of the reasons that I applied for the job in Devon was that the advert encouraged people from ethnic minorities and people with disabilities to apply for the post, and that encouraged me as an employee.
What keeps you working for Devon County Council?
I love living in Barnstaple, it is a great place to raise a family and the people are really nice. The colleagues and managers that I have worked with have always been helpful, understanding and open to change, and you need to have that around you. I find my job very rewarding, however I find that it is important when you are doing a job like this that you have something outside to focus on, so that you are fresh each day to deal with the challenges. I am a football coach and I teach martial arts and these things keep me centred and balanced.
Social work is not a job that you would ever come into for the money, but if you care about people and want to make a difference then it is definitely the profession to be in. It is a stressful job and can sometimes seem unrewarding, but I know that I feel fulfilled at the end of the day.