Frontline

This International Men’s Day, we’re highlighting an Approach Social Work participant who changed direction after a career in mental health and wanting to help people earlier in their lives. He shared that stigma can make men hesitate about children’s social work, but he’s glad he made the move. His advice to others: do it. Applications are still open to join Approach Social Work and start training to become a social worker in summer 2026. 🔗 Apply now: https://bit.ly/449z8EA

“Be invested in the child’s life. My social worker and I bonded over Brooklyn 99 and our love for mango sorbet.” For Aicha, dedication and genuine investment from her social worker helped her overcome anxiety and build trust. This National Care Leavers’ Month, she shares one piece of advice she would give to social workers and reflects on the lasting impact it can have: “The investment truly pays off in the long term. You might not be around to see that, but it sticks with them their whole life.”

This Trustees’ Week, we’re celebrating our board members who play a vital role helping us to achieve our mission. As a charity, Frontline is supported by a board of 12 trustees – professionals from a range of sectors whose insight and guidance strengthen everything we do. Their commitment helps us ensure we continue to empower professionals to create lasting change for children at risk of harm across the country. We’re deeply grateful for their dedication and the difference they make. If you’d like to find out more about our trustees, please visit our website:

The findings published by the ONS yesterday are shocking, even for professionals who work with abused children on a daily basis. When a child suffers abuse, the impacts are profound and last a lifetime – not just for the child but for the community around them. That so many adults report being abused as children is a stark reminder of how urgently we must act to protect young people at risk today. That means ensuring professionals have the right training and support they need to make life better for these children. https://lnkd.in/eKktScDX

How does it feel to support others while managing ADHD yourself? Social worker John Shaw knows both the challenges and the often-overlooked strengths of living with ADHD. Diagnosed while still at university, John has learned to manage the condition within the fast-paced and emotionally demanding world of social work. He recalls feeling misunderstood as a child: “Everyone just assumed that because I could speak well and had good general knowledge – and because I wasn’t failing any subject – everything was fine.” In his early career, John has experienced how a lack of understanding from managers can make things harder, but also how awareness and empathy can make a lasting difference. From managing short-term memory and focus to harnessing his drive and empathy as strengths, his story sheds light on the realities of working in social care with ADHD. Read John’s full story on our website: https://lnkd.in/d_SsugUb

You can now listen to our chief executive, Mary Jackson, on this week's episode of The Relational Social Work Podcast. Mary speaks with Matt and Hannah about her journey to Frontline as well as our ongoing work to support children at risk of harm and the professionals that work with them. The episode is available on all major streaming platforms including here ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/eNDudNrA

It’s been a week since we wrapped up our Progress Leadership residential in Sheffield and today we’re sharing a snapshot of what was an inspiring few days. Over three days, participants had the opportunity to step back from their day-to-day roles, connect with peers and strengthen their confidence as leaders. Through sessions focused on emotional labour of leadership, building trust through impactful feedback and anti-racist practice, they explored what effective and compassionate leadership looks like in children’s services. Progress Leadership is one of Frontline’s programmes for career development, supporting current and aspiring leaders to enhance their practice and drive meaningful change for children. If you would like to find out more about the programme, please visit our website: https://lnkd.in/d-KJu7_e

Huge congratulations to all the 2025 graduates from Approach Social Work! 🎓👏 Last Friday, we celebrated the graduation of our newly qualified social workers, marking the beginning of their journeys to create lasting change for children across the country. We were really moved to see parents, friends and partners come together to celebrate such a special day: a true celebration of hard work! At Frontline, we’re so proud of every one of them and can’t wait to see the impact they’ll make as they begin their social work careers. Here’s to the next chapter – and to everything you’ll achieve. 💜

This Thursday, participants of our Innovation programme had a surprise visit from the children’s minister, Josh MacAlister, who stopped by to meet the group and hear about their projects. An inspiring moment for our fellows to celebrate the ambition and creativity behind their ideas. The Innovation programme is a six-month, fully funded initiative that equips Fellowship members with the tools to turn their ideas into reality. Our fellows are now in phase two, during which they develop detailed proposals, engage with each other and prepare to pitch for seed funding to implement and evaluate their ideas in practice. To find out more, visit our website: https://lnkd.in/dTDDGkqP

A huge well done to all our 2025 Progress Leadership participants for completing their three-day residential in Sheffield. This Monday we welcomed the 2025 Progress Leadership cohort for three days of learning, reflection and professional development. Through sessions on the emotional labour of leadership, building trust through impactful feedback, and anti-racist practice, participants had the opportunity to learn from experienced professionals in the sector and strengthen their leadership practice. It was great to see so many participants engaged in developing their skills and deepening their understanding of what effective and compassionate leadership means in social work. A huge thank you to our facilitators for creating such a supportive and thought-provoking learning environment. Progress Leadership is a Frontline programme designed for team managers, aspiring managers and experienced practice supervisors working with children at risk of harm. Find out more on our website: https://lnkd.in/d-KJu7_e