Lisa Todd, Team Manager in the Children’s Social Work service
I completed my social work training and ASYE in another local authority and then chose to relocate to Plymouth, which is my hometown. I joined Plymouth City Council in February 2021 as a social worker within Children’s Social Work.
I joined the Advanced Practitioner pathway as soon as I started which gave me the opportunity to complete Masters level courses with Bournemouth University, including training to be a Practice Educator. As a result of completing these courses, I took on the Advanced Practitioner role in December 2023. At the same time an opportunity arose to be seconded as a Team Manager in the service, and I secured the position with the help of great support and advice from my own Team Manager.
I have felt supported by my colleagues and management and made some great friendships along the way, which is invaluable in our line of work. Working within the Children’s Social Work service is demanding and stressful at times, working with complex families and high levels of risk. It becomes much more manageable when you have a supportive team that you can lean on for help and support and this is something I have experienced from day one here.
There is also a robust supportive management team who have been consistent in the service for some time which has helped me a lot when progressing into my new management role.
My ambition now is to progress and develop in my role as a Team Manager. I have received a lot of support to progress my career and it is positive to know that opportunities may arise in the future to progress further if I so wish.
I love Plymouth as a city, located right on the sea, and we get to enjoy the gorgeous sea views every day in our office. As a small city, it also makes visiting our families more accessible.