Too many social workers see it as ‘unprofessional’ to admit traumatic cases affect us
Researchers from the University of Bedfordshire have found that social workers with high levels of empathy for their clients are more at risk of burning out, particularly if they are unable to manage their emotions and reflective on their practice effectively.
I caught up with Louise Grant, senior social work lecturer and one of the lead researchers on the study, to find out more.
Q: Why is research into empathy in social work important?
LG: Social workers, if they’re not careful, can become distressed by the encounters they have with service users.
Andy McNicoll
