Shona Durant

Qualified Social Worker

HCPC Registered

Contact Details

Home Address:

** ******* ****

Croydon

CR0 3SL

Email Address: accjog@r.postjobfree.com

Mobile Number: 075********

Personal Summary

A qualified Social Worker with experience providing care and support to people who are

experiencing difficulties in their lives and those who are socially excluded. Possessing the ability to

create an open environment where people feel comfortable to talk to me, means that I am able to

engage with service users and build positive working relationships with them. Being a very

enthusiastic and committed individual, I am always willing to learn and take on new challenges. My

practice is shaped by a good understanding of Social Work values, being non-judgemental, showing

respect and working in partnership with the service users. My professional attitude paired with my

easy going nature, I feel is a good combination to have when interacting with both service users and

colleagues.

Career Objective

I am seeking a role where I will be providing intervention for families who are experiencing

difficulties in their lives. Improving the lives of children and their families is something that I’m very

passionate about, it is important that children grow up in a safe and loving environment where they

are achieving their Every Child Matters five outcomes. Effectively working with families, finding

out what their needs are, what works for that particular family, helping them to set goals and to

achieve positive outcomes will help to make life better for those children, that’s the kind of work I

want to be doing.

Academic Qualifications

De Montfort University

Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (Second Class:Upper Division), 2007-2011

Archbishop Tenison’s Sixth Form

3 A Levels A-C grade, 2004-2006

Career History

December 2012 – Present Day

Family Support Worker/Contact Supervisor

The New Level of Life Children’s Services – London

For the past year I have been working for an independent children and family support organisation. I

provide support to families in a number of ways. Part of my role is to supervise and monitor contact

between children and their parents. There may be complex issues, including drug and alcohol misuse,

mental health problems, domestic violence and child neglect. My role involves observation of the

family interactions, assessment of their needs and parenting skills, analysing family relationships and

behaviours and producing reports to a high standard that reflect my observations and findings. Times

when I feel that children are at risk, I have to take the necessary steps in order to effectively

safeguard them. I step in and challenge inappropriate behaviours and offer support and advice on

parenting skills, when required.

Monitoring sometimes takes place in the family’s home, these can be unannounced spot checks.

There are times when parents present as hostile or aggressive as they feel that their privacy is being

invaded. I have been able to quickly diffuse these situations by remaining calm and continuing to

speak in a friendly tone, explaining the purpose of my visit. On each occasion the parent has sat and

had an open conversation with me in a pleasant way. I ensure that I speak to the children and engage

them in conversation, this enables me to gauge if they are happy and well.

I carry out direct work with children, some of whom have behavioural issues. I engage with the

children through play, help them with their homework and escort children and young people out to

activities in the community. I have often been specifically requested by parents, carers and children,

to supervise contact or provide escort on activities.

University Placements

February 2011 – June 2011

Forensic Social Work Student

Arnold Lodge Forensic Mental Health Unit – Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust based in

Leicester

During this placement I worked within a specialist Forensic Social Work Team in a medium secure

mental health unit, assessing and providing support to vulnerable men suffering from mental health

difficulties, some of whom had caused serious harm to others in the wider community. This group of

service users were isolated from society, I was aware of the oppression that they faced and the

discrimination they experienced due to the low status and stigma attached to them. I contributed as

part of a Multi-disciplinary team to develop a package of treatment and care for each patient which

was reviewed regularly. I ensured that I worked in partnership with them and advocated on their

behalf during clinical team meetings so that they were able to have their views heard.

Understanding the importance of my role as a Social Worker within this type of setting was key to

my ability to support the patients I worked with. I was able to provide a different perspective to other

professionals who came from a medical background and emphasised the importance that social and

cultural factors can play in recovery, these were sometimes overlooked. I put in place child visiting

procedures, to enable patients to have their children visit them in the unit. I also maintained contact

with patient’s families, to keep them informed. For all new patients admitted to the unit, I was

required to obtain background information and liaise with other agencies.

September 2009 – January 2010

Student Family Support Worker

Border House Hostel Family Support Services – Leicester City Council

On this placement I worked with a family support team providing support to families experiencing

homelessness. I held my own caseload, some of these were complex cases, again, involving drug and

alcohol misuse, mental health problems, domestic violence and child safeguarding issues. I

understood the profound negative effects that homelessness can have on a family, I assessed the

needs of each family and identified any risks. Sometimes the support I provided was of a practical

nature, such as providing a food basket, other times it was emotional support. I looked at the reasons

leading to homelessness and worked with the family to identify changes that they could make in

order to prevent the likelihood of them becoming homeless again. The aim of my work was to help

service users to gain greater control of their lives and improve their life situation. I completed

referrals to other relevant agencies such as CAHMS and signposted when necessary. I worked in

partnership with other professionals to provide a co-ordinated approach. The service provided parent

and child sessions at the play centre, along with groups aimed at parents, I assisted during some of

these sessions.

May 2009 – July 2009, June 2008 – August 2008

Home-Start Volunteer

Home-Start – Croydon

At Home-Start I took on the role of a home-start volunteer working with families who had children

under five and were finding it difficult to cope. Providing support, practical help and friendship. I

helped parents to develop their parenting skills and feel better equipped to cope with their children. I

interacted with the children through reading and play. Many of the families were single mother

households who were living away from their family, with some being Asylum seekers, they felt

isolated, I enabled these mothers to feel more confident to leave the house to access local services

where they were able to meet other mothers, which reduced their feelings of isolation.

Key Skills and Abilities

• Ability to form and sustain positive working relationships with all types of people.

• Excellent communication skills.

• Good understanding of social work skills and anti-discriminatory practice.

• Contributing to a multi-disciplinary team.

• Experience working with offenders.

• Assessment and report writing skills.

• Working effectively with both children and adults.

• Able to work with Councils, the Health Service and the voluntary sectors.

References are available upon request.

Contact this candidate