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I was born in South Croydon in 1930, the youngest child of Irish Protestant parents who emigrated from Dublin in 1920 when the Republic of Eire was established. My father had been a civil servant in Dublin under British authority who feared discrimination at the time of the change of government. My parents brought with them my father’s daughter by his first marriage. His first wife had died of TB as did his daughter when I was five. My brother, who was 7 years older than I, was a pilot in the Fleet Air Arm for most of the war years.

Looking back, it is clear that from an early age, I was fascinated by the people –relatives, lodgers , relatives around me and sought in some way to make sense of their lives. Reading English Literature at Oxford enriched this search for understanding and two long vacations as an undergraduate, working at the Mulberry Bush School near Witney which cared for profoundly disturbed children, channelled my interest towards some form of therapeutic intervention From this, I went to the LSE where I took the course in “Child Care” social work in 1953.My tutor was Clare Winnicott.

My published work has been weighted towards child welfare; however, there are also a significant number of publications relating to care of vulnerable adults, social work and social work education generally, and interprofessional work in these fields. Of particular concern to me since the 1970s has been the issue of child protection/safeguarding which arose from my being a member of the inquiry into the death of Maria Colwell in 1973. (She was killed by her stepfather). This was a momentous event in the history of social work and allied professionals in this country. It has been followed by hundreds of ‘Serious Case Reviews’ into the deaths or serious injuries to children where maltreatment is alleged and has had profound consequences for social work. I have been involved in many such inquiries, in one way or another. In recent months these issues have received widespread national publicity.

However, from the 1980s, I have also been keenly aware of the predicament of some vulnerable elderly people. This was consolidated by a period as Chair of Age Concern, England. From the late 80s, there has been growing awareness of the issues surrounding the protection of vulnerable adults generally. I have also been involved in research in this field and have published widely on the topic.

I have travelled a good deal in Europe and the Far East.as lecturer ,consultant and related activities. In parallel ,I have supervised a significant number of overseas students, mostly for Ph Ds. Of particular interest have been my close links with China and Hong Kong, through a close association with the Poly- University of HK. (See Photos). I was involved in the resurgence of social work in China , after many years in which it was banned and played an active part in its early development. There are now more than 100 Social Work courses across China.

There are three main reasons for establishing this website. The first is to place on line a substantial amount of my published and unpublished work since 1954. Much of the former is out of print and many conference papers dealing with broad trends in social work were unpublished. Much of this material is now on the website and there may be more to follow.The documents have not been edited and present a historical record, warts and all, of my thoughts and feelings during those years.I believe there is material which will be of interest to those seeking to learn more of the history behind where we are now. So I hope that these papers will provide a resource for those who are interested in the development of social work over some fifty years

The second reason is that I am at present working on a memoir which I will probably put on the site, hopefully in 2010.

The third reason for the site is to contribute to the debate about present day social work.

When I trained as a social worker in 1953, hopes were high for the emergence of a profession which would make a significant contribution to the well-being of children in need. Subsequently, such aspirations were extended more widely to include the wellbeing of many kinds of people in difficulty.

For a number of reasons, which I have charted in my writings, this optimism has been dimmed over the past fifty-plus years. I believe that there is an urgent need to recapture ‘the vision’ and the ethical basis for social work. Without those, we are lost in tangles of bureaucracy and in anxious and despairing feelings about the tasks which must be undertaken.

Social work is extremely complicated work. I believe that those who practice, research or teach it can only do so effectively if they seek to understand and utilise the interplay of mind and feelings in themselves and others.

During 2008 and 2009, despite some terrible events, there have been a number of indications that ,at last, the problems facing social workers are beginning to receive more sophisticated political and professional attention. There now seems to be a possibility of real change, provided social workers can organise themselves effectively. They need to be proactive as well as reactive. The plans for a national college may offer a launching pad for the renewal

When I set up the site, I thought it might be a chance to learn to blog! But I confess that I don’t feel comfortable with the chatty immediacy of it . So I am changing the invitation to a more personal one. I should be very pleased to receive by Email any reflections you may have about the content of the site or social work more generally, including the educational aspects. The format of the site has been changed accordingly. From such exchanges, it is possible that ideas for future action might be generated.

Olive Stevenson OLIVE STEVENSON, CBE, D. Litt, MA (Oxon)

PROFESSOR EMERITUS OF SOCIAL WORK, UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM Recent and Current Activities include:

− Neglect as an aspect of elder abuse

− Interactions of birth parents and relatives with foster parents and children

− Chairing project on fostering

− 2004 to present day, consultations for Kingston University

− Supervision/consultation for experienced practitioners in health and social care − PHd supervision

− Links with Poly-University of Hong Kong and University of Beijing (Peking)

− Preparation of professional memoir

Degrees and Diplomas etc.:

2005 Honorary D.Litt, University of Kingston

1996 Honorary D.Litt, University of East Anglia

1992 Litt.D, University of Nottingham

1959 – 60 Advanced course in Social Casework, Tavistock Clinic

1952 – 54 Social Studies Diploma, Child Care Diploma (with distinction), London School of Economics 1949 – 52 MA. English Language and Literature, Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford

Positions held:

2004 - present Honorary Professor, University of Kingston

2004 - present Honorary Professor, Poly-University of Hong Kong

1995 - 2008 Contracts with University for supervision of doctoral students and consultation on research

1986 - 1991 Head of School of Social Studies, University of Nottingham

1984 – 1994 Professor of Social Work Studies, University of Nottingham

1976 – 1983 Professor of Social Policy and Social Work, University of Keele

1970 - 2008 Professorial Fellow, St. Anne’s College

1968 – 1970 (seconded as Social Work Adviser, Supplementary Benefits Commission)

1961 – 1976 Lecturer, then Reader (1970) in Applied Social Studies, University of Oxford

1959 – 1961 Lecturer in Social Work, Bristol University (1959-1960), held jointly with Susan Isaacs Research Fellowship 1954 – 1958 Child Care Officer, Devon County Council

Teaching and Research Interests:

− The personal social services, with particular reference to child and adult protection − Looked after children

− The care of vulnerable elderly people

− Interagency and interprofessional cooperation in child welfare

Selected professional and academic information from 1980

2007-present Member, Editorial Board of China Journal of Social Work

2006-2007 Chair, Steering Group, Tavistock and East London, Centre for Social Work Practice.

2006-2007 Member, Case Review for Nottinghamshire Mental Health Trust.

2004-2008 Chair, Advisory Committee re project in independent fostering agency, “Fostering Options”.

2004–2006 Supervisor, funded research project on difficulties encountered by ‘whistle blowers’.

2003 Appointed Honorary Professor, Poly-University of Hong-Kong

2002-2005 Supervisor, funded research project on children with learning disabilities who abuse others.

2002-2004 Research director for (Nuffield Foundation) funded project on the sexual abuse of elderly women. Report completed.

2000-2002 Director, research project (Nuffield Foundation) on use of case conferences in protection of vulnerable adults. Report completed.

2000-2001 Consultant, Hertfordshire Social Services.

2000 Appointed Honorary Professor, University of Kingston

1999-2003 Chair, Serious Case Review concerning a residential establishment for children and vulnerable adults. Report confidential.

1989-1999 Mentor for Guardian ad Litem. (CCETSW advanced award)

1997-2000 Chair: Area Child Protection Committees: Cambridge, Peterborough, Leicester City, Leicester County.

1997-present Consultant, designated child protection paediatricians.

1996 Evaluator for EC TIDE research programme, concerning elderly and disabled people.

1996 Awarded Emeritus Leverhulme Fellowship for work on neglect in child abuse.

1995 Visiting Professor to The School of Social Work Hebrew University, Jerusalem; lectures and seminars on child welfare, social care of elderly people and social security. 1995-1999 Series Editor: Working together for children and families. (Blackwells).

1995-2007 Member, Editorial Board, Journal of Child & Family Social Work.

1995-1996 Consultant, Beth Johnson Foundation, Staffordshire.

1994-1998 Chair, Nottinghamshire Area Child Protection Committee.

1994 Awarded CBE in Queens Birthday Honours.

1993-1997 Chair, Care & Repair.

1992-1996 Visiting Lecturer & Consultant, University of Peking (Annual visits).

1992-1995 Director, ESRC funded research project on Child Abuse.

1992-1993 Co-ordinator of ESRC Research Initiative on Ageing.

1991-1995 Member ‘COST A5’ Committee on Science & Technology (Elderly People), and Board Member, European Commission (ESRC representative).

1991-1992 With Professor Parsloe (Bristol University) funded by Rowntree Foundation to undertake an enquiry into aspects of new Community Care Act.

1991 Consultant, Open University on new course in Community Care.

1990-1991 Consultant, London Borough of Camden, Social Services Department.

1990 Chair, committee of inquiry into the death of Stephanie Fox in London Borough of Wandsworth.

1989 Consultant, Western Board Health and Social Services, Northern Ireland.

1988 Training adviser, Cumbria Social Service Department, reorganisation of Personal Social Services.

1987-1990 Director, child abuse project (multi-disciplinary cooperation in child abuse work: funded by DHSS).

1985 Consultant and Training Advisor, Doncaster Social Services Department on services to elderly people. 1985-1988 Chair, Council for Voluntary Service, National Association.

1984-1989 Member, Registered Home Tribunal

1984-1986 Member of Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work.

1983-1984 Adviser to Liverpool Panel for Guardians ad Litem.

1982-1983 Consultant to London Borough of Wandsworth on services for elderly people in the Borough. (Report presented to Committee November 1983).

1983 Visiting Fellow, University of Perth, Western Australia

1983-2000 Member, Social Security Advisory Committee

1982-1985 Member, Education College of Occupational Therapists.

1980-1983 National representative for preparation of international report on interprofessional cooperation in primary health care. (Sponsored by European Centre for Social Welfare and WHO. Visits to Sweden and Vienna. Member of Board for final report).

1980-1983 Chairperson, Age Concern England.

1980 Australian lecture tour, primarily to give keynote paper at centennial celebrations of Sydney Children’s Hospital, Camperdown (British Council Fellowship).

1978-1983 Chairperson, Advisory Committee on Rent Rebates and Rent Allowances (Department of Environment).

1979-1982. Member, Royal Commission on Compensation for Personal Injury.

In this section you can download files comprising of my published and unpublished work. Please see below for further details and links.