Meet the Team: Individual Worker, Sophia Morgan
Date published
29 September 2024
Sophia discusses what led her to become an Individual Worker for a foster care agency...
For Sophia, her entire career path has been focused on advocating and working with children and young people, usually in foster care.
Sophia speaks softly, with frequent pauses to giggle gently. Her brown eyes sparkle. You can easily imagine how children and young people must love her.
How fascinating then, to discover the ambitious and steely determination that lies beneath! This is a woman truly dedicated to improving the lives of young people.
Category
Colleague Career Journeys
Topics
- Young person
- Advice
- Social
- Social Worker
- Support
Date published
29 September 2024
Please tell me your name, your role and how long you have been working for Blue Sky Fostering?
My name is Sophia Morgan, I’m an individual worker, and I’ve been working for Blue Sky for six months.
What is your work history?
My university degree was in Youth & Community, and during that time we had placements, so I carried out ‘generic youth work’ based in a youth centre. From there I went into working with more care-experienced young people. I was in the Participation Team at Plymouth City Council, focused on expressing the views of young people about their care experience. Then I moved over to ‘Care Journeys’ based in Banardos; the work was in a similar vein, but more hands on, so you could see young people more freely to help them. Then I moved across to ‘Life Long Links’, reconnecting young people with people that they had lost contact with after moving into care. Finally, I moved to advocacy in Banardo’s, promoting young people’s rights, what they did and didn’t like about care; making sure someone listened to them. Ultimately, however, I didn’t feel like anything was changing, or perhaps the speed with which change occurred was so slow that I couldn’t see an impact. I wanted to make more of a direct difference, which is when I applied for the Individual Worker role with Blue Sky.
What has been your favourite thing about working at Blue Sky Fostering so far?
I really like the team. You come in, and you just feel supported. It’s nice that everyone gets along and has a laugh; I really like that. I also think I just like spending time with the young people. It’s very individual when you see them. So you are doing something different every day. I enjoy that.
What's your greatest challenge about working at Blue Sky Fostering?
Probably when the young people ask to do something I don’t want to do. I'm afraid of heights, and recently they’ve asked for Clip and Climb, or Adrenaline Quarry. So my biggest challenge is overcoming my own fears so I can help them!
What's a typical day like for you?
I normally see at least two young people a day. In the mornings I carry out admin and update their memory books with pictures and mementoes of our time together for them to keep. After that, the fun starts! I’m going bowling today, which I’m excited about! So, we carry out an activity, some days that can be arts and crafts; other days clip and climb or bowling.
Do you have more of a sense of empowerment and making a difference in this role than your previous roles?
Yes, I would say so. It's not anything that I'm doing, but the foster carers, the Clinical Practitioners, the Supervising Social Workers – you’re in a team and everyone's got the same objectives. So you can see the little differences that take place. They don't get me wrong, it's not right away, but you can definitely see it.
What do you like to do outside of work?
I really like reading. I'm really into the crime fiction genre. I also do a ‘cinema club’ – but only myself and my partner are the members! We love being cinema critics!
Hahahah! It’s just you two in the club?!
Yes, literally! Hahahah!
Do you have a good film you can recommend?
The Zodiac Killer is so good. And maybe Hot Fuzz? Hot Fuzz is really funny!
What are your aspirations for the future?
I really want to gain a Social Work degree, because I’d love to work in Youth Offending and work on the panel for the youth offending board. I’d like to make more positive decisions that are geared towards rehabilitation rather than punishment.
I'm also really interested in care leavers. I find it really interesting, especially how friendships are formed. I’d possibly like to explore and research that area further. Honestly, I’m just enjoying where my life is at currently!
What’s your favourite genre of music?
Oh god! I’m a proper little Indie girl! I’m ashamed to say that I listen to Oasis in the car!
That’s not shameful! Loads of people like Oasis!
I guess. When you say you like Indie music, most people wouldn’t then say Oasis – it’s too mainstream!
No, it's quite good. Let's face it!
I really like Sum 41 as well…
If you could change one thing about fostering, is there anything you would change?
Adjusting fostering expectations; fostering isn’t all rainbows and sunshine. Don’t get me wrong – it is amazing, but there can be really tough times. It's not just positive all the time - it’s demanding. Blue Sky offer lots of training, and understanding what you are taking on is a big part of ensuring that things will go well for both the child and foster carer/s. Be prepared for hard times, and you will the great times even more!
Would you know whether fostering is the right path for you?
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