What is Moving Social Work?

Moving Social Work is an education programme designed to encourage social workers to speak about physical activity to disabled people and other groups. It is evidence-based and was co-produced with multiple partners. These include Social Work England, social workers, disabled people, Disability Rights UK, leaders in county councils and the NHS.

Moving Social Work is embedded in the Government Disability Strategy (2021). It is also advocated by the Department of Health and Social Care as part of the new Government Strategy for Physical Activity (2023-2027) and a new opportunity to tackle health inequalities.

Why Does Moving Social Work Matter? What the Research Tells us

Social workers are highly trusted professionals, who people with a disability would like conversations with about physical activity. Social workers and leaders in organisations also agree that the profession can play a vital part in advocating physical activity. Why? Physical activity improves wellbeing and mental health. It is then one excellent way of upholding the Care Act. Physical activity helps tackle health inequalities and social challenges. These include loneliness, substance abuse, crime, unemployment, and community involvement. There are many other benefits that come from physical activity!

Whilst there is an identified need to have conversations about physical activity, there is also a need to improve the knowledge, skills, and confidence of social workers in physical activity. The goal of the training is to do just that - to increase social workers knowledge, skills and confidence to promote physical activity to disabled people and other people in the community.

The training has been rigorously tested and evaluated. The quantitative and qualitative results show that it works. Echoing many of the people who attended the training, as one social worker said: “I didn’t think this was for me. But the training is really important because it fits what we do and moves our profession forward in really positive ways. Promoting physical activity is not something I thought about but is definitely something I will be doing from now. All social workers should take the course and I wish I had it when I trained at university.”

Is Physical Activity Really Part of the Role of Social Workers?

Yes! Social work is about improving people’s lives by helping with social difficulties, upholding human rights, and promoting wellbeing. One way to do this is by empowering people to be more active. Does that mean a social worker should tell everyone to play sport or go the gym every day? No! We know that small amounts of movement, such as gardening, walking to the shops, and getting off the couch to make a cup a tea, is good for people. Research also tells us that physical activity is safe for nearly everyone when done at a level that works for them. This training addresses such issues to ensure social workers can safely promote physical activity and realise the benefits of it. There can also be benefits for the social profession itself. When social workers advocate moving more to others, research is finding that they themselves find ways in their busy days to be more active. Everyone can win!

What Does the Training Cover?

It addresses why social workers are well placed to promote physical activity. It provides the latest knowledge about physical activity. Practical skills for how to promote physical activity are also discussed.

Interested? What next?

A 60-minute introductory online session has been arranged by Active Lincolnshire in collaboration with the University of Lincoln School of Health and Social Care for June 2024. If you have a role in social work and would like to attend, please contact health@activelincolnshire.com