The Post: Team Manager at NSPCC Northern Ireland
The Post Holder: Irene McGettigan
A work experience stint showed Irene McGettigan how rewarding a career in social work could be.
Give a brief outline of your career to date
I started my career as a social worker in Greater Manchester for an over 11s community support team and from this I developed my passion for wanting to help children achieve their potential.
I wished to make an impact at an earlier stage so joined a family centre working with families with children under five, and later within this project took on the role of Practice Educator for students and line management of staff.
After several years, I joined the NSPCC for the first time as an Assistant Team Manager with the Adult Helpline supporting staff where there were concerns for the welfare of a child.
I then returned home to Northern Ireland and have since worked in various community and charity projects within schools, employability, and asylum support and the statutory sector.
When I saw the Team Manager role for the NSPCC NI Belfast Hub advertised and read about the great work they were doing in both preventative support, such as the Pregnancy in Mind (PiM) groupwork supporting parents with mild to moderate anxiety and depression during pregnancy up to 26 weeks and Letting The Future In (LTFI) Programme for recovery intervention work with children aged four to 17 years of age who have experienced trauma from sexual abuse, I felt inspired to apply.
What was your favourite subject at school?
The subject I enjoyed the most was sociology and remember having an inspiring and encouraging teacher.
Did you go on to further/higher education, if so, what did you study and where?
I attended Huddersfield University to study for a BSc Honours Degree in Sociology and following that after gaining some work experience, I applied to complete my Master’s Degree and post graduate diploma in Social Work.
How did you get into your area of work?
Following graduation from my first degree, I was uncertain what I wanted to do and undertook some voluntary work with a clinical psychologist, worked as an activities coordinator in a nursing home and supported a dyslexic student as a learning support worker. This gave me a taste of working to help others and motivated my interest in social work.
Is this what you always wanted to do?
Once I had gained work experience supporting others, I realised how rewarding it was and this was something I wanted to do for the rest of my career.
Were there any particular essential qualifications or experience needed?
I will be showing my age now but at the time when I was studying there was no social work degree and you had to have a first degree and relevant work experience to apply for the Social Work Post Graduate Diploma in Social Work.
I was fortunate to gain a place at Manchester Metropolitan University with the option of completing a Master’s Degree in social work, which involved a dissertation on a piece of research.
I focused my research on the impact of sibling separation through the care system. I remember over the Easter break staying at home (apart from the occasional trip to the shop for supplies) to transcribe all the interviews for my dissertation. It was painstakingly long but I am glad I completed the work and was able to have my dissertation stored in the MMU library where I hope it still lives today.
Are there alternative routes into the job?
Some colleagues of mine had accessed social work through various routes such as an on-the-job programme called Step up to Social Work which was a great way to promote the talent within the team.
What are the main personal skills your job requires?
My job requires many personal skills, such as empathy, patience, determination, dedication, organisational skills, and approachability.
What does a typical day entail?
My typical day can involve varied tasks including providing reflective supervision with staff to ensure we are meeting the needs of children and families, meeting with external organisations for networking to raise awareness of the wonderful work being done at the Belfast Hub and meetings within the organisation to share knowledge and ideas for future development and growth.
I recognise the importance of working together and firmly believe we are stronger and deliver the best outcomes for children and families when we work collaboratively and in partnership, as we all have the same goal to ensure children and families get the support they need, at the time they need it.
What are the best and most challenging aspects of the job?
The best aspect of my role is hearing from practitioners about the progress they are making with the children and families, such as those breakthrough moments when a child takes an important step in their recovery.
The most challenging aspect of the work is when there are areas of support that we cannot provide, and the difficulties families are facing in such areas as housing and finances. And while we try to prevent barriers to accessing our services such as providing travel costs when needed and signpost to relevant organisations for help, it is difficult that we do not have the resources to remove all the challenges families face.
Why is what you do important?
I believe the values that every child deserves the chance to reach their full potential and to have a happy childhood, which essentially means putting children first.
What advice would you give anyone looking to follow a similar career path?
I would advise anyone wishing to be a social worker to remember to treat everyone with respect and to follow through with what you have agreed to deliver and if you cannot explain why you can’t.
If you weren’t doing this, what would you like to do?
Maybe a musician of some kind. I did take some violin lessons as an adult and enjoyed it, but I think learning as a child gives you more chance to develop and grow if you would wish this to be your career.
What is the one piece of advice you would give to yourself on your first day?
Be proactive and ask questions. No one knows everything and particularly in social work you are learning everyday.
Describe your ideal day off
My ideal day off would be taking a long hike in the Mourne Mountains, seeing the views and the sense of achievement when you reach the top, and best of all it’s the perfect place to have your lunch!
And finally, what’s the key to any successful job search?
Ensuring you choose the right websites for your area of work and signing up to receive regular updates. You never know what will turn up which I can testify to when I found the Team Manager role at the NI Hub Belfast.
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