Episode Details

What keeps you going when the work you care about becomes overwhelming?

Working in child welfare brings moments of extraordinary reward, but also difficult decisions, emotional challenges and situations where there are no easy answers. For Richard Kingswell, navigating those moments comes down to knowing yourself, trusting your team and remembering why the work matters.

In this episode of The Kingswell Conversations, Richard shares a more personal side of his journey, exploring the people, experiences and beliefs that have shaped his approach to leadership over more than 30 years in child welfare.

He talks openly about recognising his own signs of stress, why taking just ten minutes away from a difficult situation can make all the difference, and the importance of creating a workplace where people feel supported enough to admit when they need help.

We also discover the influences behind Richard's outlook, from his mother's entrepreneurial spirit and an early professional mentor to Richard Branson and, perhaps most importantly, the children who taught him some of his greatest lessons.

At the heart of it all is a simple philosophy Richard returns to time and again: Life is good.

Not because life is always easy, but because he believes in the goodness of people, the importance of learning and our ability to keep doing better.

In this episode, we explore:

• How Richard handles difficult days and challenging decisions.
• Recognising the signs of stress and knowing when to step away.
• Why strong teams are essential in child welfare.
• The people and experiences that shaped Richard's leadership.
• Lessons learned from working directly with vulnerable children.
• Supporting colleagues through difficult times without trying to solve everything for them.
• Why Richard believes that life is good, even when things get tough.

An honest, thoughtful conversation about resilience, leadership and the importance of looking after ourselves and each other while working to improve the lives of children and families.

Continue the Conversation

📘 FREE DOWNLOAD | The Comprehensive Guide to Foster Care and Adoption

Looking to deepen your understanding of foster care and adoption? Richard Kingswell's free 45-page comprehensive guide is a valuable resource for anyone wanting to learn more about the children, families and systems at the heart of child welfare.

Download your free copy here: https://www.fosterva.org/

Connect with Richard Kingswell

With more than 30 years of experience in child welfare, Richard is passionate about sharing knowledge, challenging assumptions and encouraging better conversations about how we support children and families.

Connect with Richard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardkingswell/

🎧 Enjoying The Kingswell Conversations? Follow the podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and share an episode with someone who cares about improving outcomes for children and families.