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Knocking on the Door

Home Visits

All work

Knocking on the Door is an example of our ‘Performances with Keynote Speaker’ training events. It is delivered  by Geese practitioners and Harry Ferguson, Professor of Social Work at the University of Birmingham. Based on Professor Ferguson’s seminal research observing social workers interacting with children and families, it explores the challenges of home visits, differing patterns of social work practice and the notion of ‘intimate practice.’

Practitioner, Liz, talking to the audience

Professor Ferguson’s keynotes are brought to life through interactive theatre, exploring interactions with two fictional families; the Baxters, struggling with poverty, housing and parenting and the Hendersons, dominated by a controlling father.

The audience are asked to advise the social workers involved in these cases and to explore the benefits of effective supervision. Audiences also have the opportunity to explore Geese’s classic fragment masks and to engage directly with Professor Ferguson in lively Q and A segments. Knocking on the Door can also be delivered in an interactive online format.

Knocking on the Door is also available as an Online event. For more information about how our Online Performances work, please click the link below:

A technician sits behind a laptop whilst filming a performance
  • “It should be mandatory for team managers, senior managers and service managers to attend as a vivid reminder of what social work is like – it offered a detailed portrayal of the actual job of doing social work.”

    – Audience member
  • “Geese’s input was brilliant, they clearly understood well the difficulties that social workers experience.”

    – Audience member
  • “Knocking on the Door is a brilliant way of demonstrating how good intimate practice can improve work with our children and families.”

    – Audience member
  • “Harry’s approach was refreshing and appeared to be drawing on ideas from the therapeutic world in terms of ‘presence’, ‘availability’ and the ‘embodied’ nature of practice. Very interesting research and fascinating to think of in terms of ‘patterns of practice’ echoing ideas about attachment styles.”

    – Audience member
  • “Amazing! Really highlighted some complex feelings that may arise during home visits. Well done!”

    – Audience member

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