Rewriting Social Care: Changing Our Language, Changing Our Practice, Changing Our Minds

The way we communicate with people matters, and the way we communicate about people, and about the purpose and practice of social care and social work matters too. This book explores how the language of social care reveals and shapes our attitudes towards people, and how changing the narrative can change the future.

Bryony Shannon has worked in local authorities in information, communications and practice development roles in adult social care for almost 20 years. She started her Rewriting Social Care blog after becoming increasingly uncomfortable with the language used with and about older people and disabled people, about people’s relationship with services, and about the purpose and practice of adult social care. She wanted to expose what this language reveals and perpetuates about attitudes and behaviours and explore an alternative language that should be at the heart of more human, relational ways of working.
Bryony now works freelance with several organisations, including Social Care Future and Think Local Act Personal (TLAP), focusing on narrative, language and practice change in social work and social care.