My social work career has focused on work with adults primarily within the area of mental health and adult safeguarding. I practised as a social worker in the adult sector for 20 years, at Senior and Assistant Principal levels, including community and hospital mental health services, and as a social work trainer. I also worked for five years in a Non-Governmental Organisation in Uganda, East Africa, primarily in a therapeutic role in mental health.  I took up post as a lecturer in social work in Queen’s in 2013.   

My academic interests have also focused on specific aspects of adult sector social work. My research has concentrated on the areas of adult safeguarding, bereavement, older people, and mental health. I am also interested in cross-cultural research and I continue working with research partnerships in Uganda. More recent research projects have promoted a co-production ethos, working with service users as collaborators in research.

As Director of Practice Learning from 2017 to 2021 I had overall responsibility for social work students’ practice experience, and was module convener of all the practice placement related modules. I currently teach a range of subjects including social work skills, adult safeguarding, loss and bereavement and therapeutic interventions. I am module convenor for a BSW undergraduate module Social Work in Context, and also teach on the MA level Mental Health pathway. I supervise a number of PhD students and welcome proposals in relation to adult safeguarding including elder abuse, cross-cultural practice, bereavement, mental health and social work training.