Salford City Council celebrates the immense impact of social work during World Social Work Day and Week

Salford City Council is proud to honour its dedicated social workers as we mark World Social Work Week, 16 to 20 March 2025, with World Social Work Day at its centre on 17 March. 

This year’s theme draws inspiration from the powerful philosophy of harambee – a call to come together, lift one another up, and build communities where everyone has the chance to thrive.

Social workers embody this spirit every day. Guided by compassion, dignity, social justice and inclusion, they stand alongside children, adults and families – helping people overcome challenges, unlock their potential and shape brighter futures.

Across Salford, social workers are at the heart of life-changing moments. They help children, families and vulnerable adults, often under immense pressure, as well as supporting individuals with disabilities and those facing mental health difficulties. They protect people from harm, and empower those overcoming adversity such as addiction, domestic abuse, homelessness and poverty. Their work is not just vital – it is transformational.

The role is both deeply rewarding and emotionally demanding. Social workers make incredibly complex decisions, balancing the rights, wishes and safety of individuals with the expertise of families, professionals and services. Their skill, strength and humanity play a crucial role in helping residents live independently, form positive relationships and access education, training and employment.

Though they often work behind the scenes, social workers are the quiet heroes of our communities. Social Work Week gives the chance to shine a light on their extraordinary contribution.

And they never work alone. Behind every social worker stands a network of dedicated colleagues across Salford City Council, ensuring that vital services continue to run and that people receive the support they deserve.

Key themes of the week are focused on:

• Data and insight: how to ensure that social work practice and its regulation is data driven and how this can improve people's experience.
• Education and training: how are social workers supported throughout each step of their career and why continuous learning and supervision is essential.
• Innovation: how to learn from the adoption of digital technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) to improve professional practice and understanding the ethical tensions.
• Professional identity: understanding if a greater sense of professional identity is crucial for the future of social work.
• Safe and effective practice: how professional competence contributes to building public trust in the social work profession and what can be learnt from fitness to practise.
• Building on strengths-based social work practice to support Salford’s residents to lead fulfilling, safe, healthy and independent lives.

Social care services in Salford provide:

• 13 types of social care services for vulnerable adults and children
• An average of 129,545 hours of care every month
• Support to 5,446 adults and children across the city

Melissa Caslake, Executive Director of Children’s Services said:

“Every day, social workers step into homes and communities to bring people together, offer hope, and provide vital support in moments of crisis. They listen with care, show deep empathy, and empower individuals and families to discover their own solutions. In times of difficulty, social workers build strong, trusting relationships—walking alongside families, helping them find the resilience to move forward, and safeguarding those who are most vulnerable.

“Social workers engage with people from all backgrounds, approaching every situation with acceptance, respect, and understanding. Their unwavering commitment is driven by a desire to make a meaningful difference, ensuring those they support are in a better, stronger place as a result of their involvement. While it is not always possible to keep families together, social care staff consistently go above and beyond to try to achieve this wherever they can.”

Elaina Quesada, Interim Executive Director Adult Social Care, said:

“Social care supports the people of Salford to live fulfilling, healthy, and independent lives. This year’s theme, Harambee, is a call to come together which is an ambition we have around bringing closer together the social care workforce across children and adult social care in Salford. 

“This day and week shines a spotlight on the often unseen but absolutely vital contribution that social work makes, it also goes beyond our amazing social workers and should be an inclusive celebration of others who are vital in delivering social care which, champions people’s strengths and helps them stay connected to their families, homes, and neighbourhoods. I am incredibly proud of the work our service does to support Salford people and so I hope the week acts as a celebration to their passion and dedication."