Knowledge for Professional Practice (Social Work)

Lead: Professor Steven M Shardlow

We seek to generate knowledge about how social work is delivered and knowledge for professional practice that can be used by social workers. Our aims, by our research, are to:

  • build a strong foundation of research based evidence for professional practice
  • contribute to the development, production and promotion of knowledge that makes contribution to the alleviation of social problems for the people of Salford, Greater Manchester, nationally and globally
  • examines questions of power and diversity and seeks to challenge social inequalities
  • undertake applied research that can be used by those working as registered social workers, policy makers and those employed in the human services more generally, to promote social inclusion through purposeful planned interventions.

We achieve these aims through research that:

  • investigates key social issues found in modern, economically developed societies, such as the welfare of children, an ageing population, mental distress, migration and child-trafficking
  • explores the policy and professional response to these key social issues, for example how social workers provide services for children and families or older people
  • generates discussion and debate about the impact of policies and professional practices
  • seeks to influence and challenge polices at  both regional and national government levels.

Our current and recent projects include:

  1. Evaluation of Services for parents affected by child sexual exploitation in Lancashire (2012-13) - Lead: Emma Kelly
  2. Evaluation of CROP (Coalition for the Removal of Pimping) “Engage” Project  (2011) - Lead: Emma Kelly
  3. The Transnational Networks of Hong Kong Chinese in the UK: the influence on health and welfare (2010-12) - Lead:  Professor Steven M Shardlow, Carmen Wong
  4. Newly Qualified Social Workers in Child Welfare: the first year of professional practice (2008-12) - Lead: Professor Steven M Shardlow, Helen Scholar
  5. Early Career Social Workers in Child Welfare: the early years of professional practice (2009-12) - Lead: Professor Steven M Shardlow, Carole Haines
  6. Evaluating the role of student social workers (2009-2012) - Lead:  Allison Coleman, Helen Scholar, Cath Caines, Su McCaughan
  7. Immigrants, police and social work (2009-2011) - Lead:  Ian Cummins
  8. Employer Engagement in Social Work Education in England (2009-2010) - Lead Professor Steven M Shardlow, Alison Brettles, Allison Coleman, Anne-Marie Glover, Carole Haines, Julie Lawrence, Sue McCaughan, Elizabeth Munro, Jill Murphy, Dr Steve Pugh, Helen Scholar