can we have a thread for working parents who are social workers?

[wherethewildthingis]

Just that really. I work in an intake team for children and am finding some particular challenges in the workload and type of work. Any others out there?

Yes. It's a nightmare trying to juggle and I feel as though
I neglect my own children at times.

I agree with that, one of my colleagues joked (half)last week that if one of her cases was being shunted about like her own kids she would be giving the parents a bollocking! Is it worth it do you think? I so love my job but, in the end is it worth the cost?

I'm considering my options at present- all I know is that I cannot carry on like this. I'm a lone parent yet 60 hrs/wk is not unusual. If I didn't have fantastic childcare I would have given up years ago. I'm sick of rushing around all day, every day. Weekends and evenings are not my own. Agile working complicates matters. I tried going part time- my pay reduced but not the caseload. My kids should come first; it's gotten to the point when I am trying to get them into bed as early as possible so I can write assessments. There is no work/life balance at all. Just lately my children haven't known where they were sleeping each evening as I've had no idea what time I would get home from work- that's completely unacceptable and something I've spoken to service users about in the past.