To not know how to feel about this information?

[tertrisnblox]

I am a criminal justice social worker and have had a student with me for the past six weeks (I am her link worker). She's been great, passed with flying colours, went above and beyond, was really empathetic and this really stood out. She was able to communicate and build strong relationships with the clients in such a short period of time. I have no doubt she will make a fantastic social worker.

Wednesday was her last day, and we had our final supervision. Said our goodbyes etc. At the end student said to me, something along these lines (can't remember exactly), 'I never shared this with you in the beginning as I was worried about being judged, but eleven years ago I actually went through the criminal justice system and have four convictions, I've also had my own addiction issues, it's been such an honour being on this side of things and able to help others'.

I just said some pleasantries, nodded and smiled and told her well done again.

I know that she will have been PVG checked through both the uni and my employers before starting her so I have no doubt they have deemed her suitable. However, I feel slightly duped and unsure how to feel. To come out with this on the last day? Kind of feels like she's been keeping some big secret.

Am I being precious? I just feel uncomfortable about it and don't feel it's something I can speak to my colleagues regarding.

Should I approach my team leader?

Surely 11 years ago she wasn't even adult herself? She has turned things around and now wants to help people, or do you propose no second chances and she shouldn't be allowed to pursue any type of career? Get a fucking grip, everybody has a past.

She didn't need to share it with me at all surely?

Why would you approach anyone? As you say she will have been checked and deemed suitable. Sometimes people who have been through difficult and challenging experiences do have a noticeable amount of empathy which you yourself have seen.

She is allowed to be doing the training she is doing, her criminal convictions are spent and she is moving on with her life. What do you think should happen?

talk to your manager about how best you can support people from her background. and consider if you are judging her in thinking about being duped.

it is hard work to overcome your own assumptions, but this has given you a good reason to do that. you know this person is a great student. now you know she is a great student who has overcome difficulties, so she is even better than you thought.

Are you ND OP?

First you seemed to be complaining that she should have shared it at the outset, now you seem to be saying she shouldn't have shared it at all? Not making much sense.

What does that mean? Stereotyping much?

Blimey OP - she worked well with you, you liked her and vice versa, she came to the end of her placement and felt safe enough with you to disclose information about her past - and this is your response?

She's done nothing wrong.

She's trusted you now so it's a real shame that you are reacting this way.

It's a good job she didn't tell you earlier.

Are you a social worker? I would have expected you not to be so blindsided by something like this, surely you come across situations like this a lot?

Why ever not?

I can't believe you are a social worker as you dont act like one.

YABVVVVVU
I work in criminal justice, lived experience is worth it's weight in gold and you thought she was fantastic. Why are you judging her now? Surely admire the barriers and disadvantages she's overcome.

What are you like with your clients if this is how you judge someone who's already turned their life around?

Maybe by the end of placement she has felt comfortable enough to share that with u. I am assuming she has went through the PVG system etc ...

My opinion is that ppl with real life experience make the best workers. She may have come across social work in her earlier life and they have made a positive difference which is why she has chosen that career path .

I thinks it's great she's managed to turn her life around and do something positive.

Are you actually a social worker? From your posts you don’t appear to have the right understanding or outlook.

Surely the idea that someone builds trust before sharing information shouldn’t surprise you?

The idea that she might withhold information for fear of judgement shouldn’t surprise you either.

The fact that you wish to condemn her based on historic, resolved, issues, despite her demonstrating her qualities in the role suggest that you don’t think anyone can ever move forward after making a bad decision. Do you believe that all of the people you work with should be forever labelled as useless and untrustworthy because of their actions?

Surely your job has led you to meet people who have been drawn to crime through adverse childhood experiences, addiction, trauma etc. Do you not see the reasons that people offend, and try to understand this in your support for them?

Of course some people do reoffend, but if you have no hope or belief of anyone ever being reformed then why do you do the job that you do?

Fellow SW here, previously in YJ!

I think the only issue for me is that the people who would have 'cleared' the student is the university as she was on placement.
If the student was being employed by the LA you work in, they would have had to complete their own DBS etc and would have been able to have a conversation with them, in order to unpick it a little further.

Having said that though, with all of the students I've looked after - it has been mandatory to see their DBS... did you not see theirs?

However, I think the incidents would have been a long time ago and they are clearly in a different place and probably have learnt from it. Their history wouldn't have stopped me offering them the opportunity - but would have probably enhanced supervision if you had known to be able to drawn upon their lived experience!

Not this. At all.
OP, I’m assuming you’re in Scotland, as you refer to PVG. This is a live system, which throws up alerts as they happen. Also, it will be under the category that most convictions are never seen as ‘spent’.

I manage the screenings of PVGs for nursing and medical students in my job. This will have been risk assessed, as it would show up on their PVG.

This is also a prime example of why we continue to impress upon students that their PVG is between them and the university. Course tutors won’t need to know about this, and neither would practice educators or supervisors. The legal responsibility remains with the university. I can think of at least two students who have gone through their course, and have served custodial sentences; but have shown appropriate change in their lives.
You need to butt out, and leave this to those involved. I’m really sorry to hear that you have shown this prejudice to this student.

I’m wondering if this is a reverse because no one in criminal justice social work would be smelling the salts over something like a previous criminal history.

I kind of get it OP, I'm a SW prac ed (in England not Scotland where I think you are and it so it might be different) but the relationship you can have with a student can be quite intense sometimes and I would feel a bit weird if they only disclosed something like this at the end of a placement, it's something I would hope they would have discussed as part of the pre-placement meeting, they potentially are going to have to disclose it to every employer when they qualify so good practice for them to do it.

saying that, I wouldn't have been upset about it, just a bit surprised, and probably a bit concerned (for my own abilities as a prac Ed) that they hadn't trusted me with the information earlier.

at least you will remember her. My less interesting students over the years have all blurred into one now.

I would find it uplifting that someone who had gone down the wrong path (like many of the people you deal with) had turned her life around and made good choices. It would motivate me in my job to encourage and work with the vunerable people I deal with too, as I'd want them to have bright futures.

I think you should feel honoured she felt she could share it.

People change, after all isn't that what the jobs about and based on? The fact people can make and sustain change and the hope for that.

She will have been checked by others to come to you. By all means discuss in your supervision if you want some reflection. But perhaps it's just some uncomfortable feelings from you as you deemed her fully capable and so weren't 'expecting' that, we all have biases and it's good to address them, and sometimes have them shoved in our face to address them, it's not wrong but I think addressing how you feel now you know that, and perhaps whether you may have felt differently if you had known from the off, could be good learning.

Different perspective here, but I can understand you feeling this way OP. For me, it's the fact that I'd expect her to reflect on her own experiences and whether/how they impact on her current practice. It sounds like they've had a positive impact on her, but either way it's something I'd want her to be acknowledging and thinking through (within the safe, confidential space of supervision). The fact that she didn't do this would leave a question mark in my mind.

She has chosen to go into this profession. While it is absolutely right that she should be able to put her past behind her, the choice to enter this career negates that to an extent as she needs to be able to discuss it with future employers, presuming it still shows up on record. And reflection is so crucial to safe practice in social work.

Threads like this make me despair that clinical supervision isn’t more widespread. Not having a pop at you op but this is 100% the sort of issue that reflecting with a supervisor would be invaluable.

No she didn't need to but she felt she was able to.

However, she was clearly wrong because of the way you are now feeling towards her. She sounds like she has a made a good career choice but the way you are now behaving and judging her perhaps the trip to your manager should be to ask for further training for yourself?