Social Workers, Establish an Essential Support Team (EST) Today

by Varsha Dubose, MSW, LCSW

     The most essential thing for social workers to know is that it is acceptable to build a support system early on in practice. It is not necessary to wait until one becomes seasoned in the field to utilize affirmative external influences that will support the work that social workers engage in daily. Social workers take on numerous challenging roles and responsibilities within their day-to-day practice.

     Often, social workers take part in duties without the support of others outside of practice.  Ironically, social workers ask their clients about their support systems during the first encounter or initial assessment. However, social workers do not always identify their own support structures in the beginning of their practice. Having supports outside of practice is important and can contribute to the growth of social work careers.

     Early on in a social worker’s practice, it may feel as if it is required to take on so many obligations single-handedly. Over-achieving may also be viewed as a strength in many settings. Social workers may find their work isolating, overwhelming, exhilarating, and rewarding. The critical work that social workers employ can lead to a wide range of expressions and feelings. Yet, some social workers do not have reliable anchors in place that will help them separate the work and hold them to their personal values, self-standards, and self-ethics that they entered the field with.

     Certainly, social workers can hold themselves accountable to regular acts of self-care or to the use of effective supervision to address these concerns. However, having an identified and well-developed essential support team (EST) in place can be vital to maintaining a healthy practice balance. An EST can also directly impact the care that is provided to clients when burnout and compassion fatigue are lingering or building up. Therefore, it is imperative for social workers to start building an EST today.      

     An essential support team can be viewed as a concept that extends beyond self-care routines and one-on-one clinical supervision. An EST may consist of family, friends, classmates, or even colleagues in the field who are not necessarily directly related to one’s practice. ESTs may also include individuals who share the same interests, hobbies, or religious beliefs. Although social workers will not be able to disclose the day-to-day nuances of the work, it may be useful to establish code words or signals with their team that suggest, “I cannot talk about the details of my day, but I need your company or distraction.”

     Once an EST has been established, social workers can define the roles and interactions that the team will have in their lives. These types of teams can further empower social workers to be advocates for themselves. Social workers can determine the frequency of checking in with their ESTs and the content that needs to happen during their check-ins. These support arrangements can remind social workers that they are individuals with needs, desires, and goals outside of social work practice, which may also influence who and what social workers are within practice. 

     Social workers can start creating or enhancing their ESTs by answering the following questions:

• Do I have an EST? 
• Who or what is the make-up of the EST?
• How often do I or should I connect with my EST?
• Are my defined needs being met by the EST? Social workers may need to describe what their needs are if they are initially creating their EST. 
• Finally, ask: What steps should I take to ensure that my EST is fulfilling its purpose? 

     These are a few ways to start thinking about or evaluating an EST. Given the complexities of the work that social workers often tackle, establishing an EST at the launch of their careers may be valuable to social workers across all practice genres. 

     If you have not established an EST, there is no better time than today to start thinking about your success in social work with your essential support team!

Varsha Dubose is a licensed clinical social worker and supervisor. Varsha has more than 10 years of practice experience working with individuals with significant mental illness and substance use disorders in legal and mental health settings. Varsha received her MSW from Fordham University.