We are proud to host this year's annual conference in partnership with the Joint Universities Social Work Association (JUSWA). This is the UK's only conference covering the whole social work field.
Welcome from the Chair of JUSWA
Welcome to the Joint Universities Social Work Association annual social work education and research conference (JUSWAC). I am delighted that this year it is hosted by our colleagues at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN) continuing our commitment to take the conference to the different regions and countries of the UK.
It has been a turbulent year politically and professionally with many challenges facing our colleagues in practice including workforce pressures of recruitment and retention and poor outcomes in terms of workplace wellbeing. For those of us in mainstream academia we continue to struggle to support many of our students with low or no bursaries and in the context of continuing complex regulatory and professional frameworks.
It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to this year’s JUSWA Conference. Social Work education and research at our university has a long, successful and proud history. We are delighted to bring everyone interested in our profession together to share, network and learn about the latest social work research.
Keynote and Panel speakers
Anna Gupta is Professor of Social Work at Royal Holloway University of London. Much of her research has focused on marginalised children and families’ experiences of the child protection, family court and care systems. She has led projects based on participatory approaches with young people and families who have lived experiences of these systems and brought them together in dialogue with professionals.
Helen Beckett is a Professor of Social Policy and Social Work at the University. She is an applied child-rights researcher, with 25 years’ experience of involving children and young people in research around issues that impact their lives. For the last 16 years, her research has particularly focused on children and young people’s experiences of (sexual) abuse, their associated needs and service responses to these.
John Devaney is the Centenary Chair of Social Work and Head of the School of Social and Political Science at the University of Edinburgh. He is a qualified social worker, and worked for nearly twenty years in social work practice in Northern Ireland.
Rob Mitchell is currently the Principal Social Worker for Adults at Bradford Council and the Chief Social Worker for the Integrated Care System in West Yorkshire.
Contact us
Please email us if you have any questions. This includes queries about delegates or submissions, special interest groups or to contact the local organising committee.