Welcome to my website, not an elaborate affair, but intended to be helpful to those who want to understand more of the development of social work in the UK since the 1950s and the context in which this development has taken place. Why now? I believe the “social work project”, as I like to call it, is under great strain at the present time, but there are great opportunities. As I am coming to the end of my career and this issue has meant a great deal to me over many years, I want to share some of my thoughts with those who are similarly concerned.

The papers listed below are all previously unpublished. All are available for download directly from this page.

2009 - Direct work with children: the relevance of Clare Winnicott's teaching to contemporary social work practice

2009 - Responses to “anti –social youth : Does Donald Winnicott have messages for us today?”  (The Squiggle Foundation)

2004 - Child Welfare in England Today - what would Clare Winnicott say?.pdf

2003 - Safeguarding Children - critical factors in success and failure.pdf

2001 - The Protection of Vulnerable People from Abuse.pdf

1997 - Child Welfare in the UK - exercise of professional judgements by social workers.pdf

1997 - Recent Research in Child Welfare - implications for policy and practice.pdf

1996 - When Practice Shapes Policy-Lessons from User-Friendly projects (Jerusalem).pdf

1995 - People First in Health & Welfare Reforms.pdf

1994 - What is the Future for Social Work.pdf

1993 - Case Management - Does Social Work have a Future?.pdf

1990 - Relationships in Old Age - how does the Community Care?.pdf

1989 - Empowerment and Opportunity.pdf

1989 - Choice In Old Age - nighmares, dreams and realities.pdf

1988 - Practice Issues Arising from Enquiries.pdf

1987 - Welfare Pluralism - introduction to discussion at PSI seminar.pdf

1987 - The Changing Face of Local Action.pdf

1987 - Domiciliary Care Services - some issues and problems.pdf

1985 - The Changing Role of Social Service Departments.pdf

1981 - Honorary Degree Citation - Jack Ashley (Keele University).pdf

1980 - Social Care - the task and the training.pdf

1980 - Family Patterns and Problems in the 1980s.pdf

1979 - Training, Organisation and Professionalism.pdf

1979 - The Family & Child Care - Some Facts & Fantasies.pdf

1979 - Grandparents and Grandchildren.pdf

1979 - Family Patterns in the 1980s - A professional perspective.pdf

1978 - Social Work within the context of Social Policy - 20 Years of Uncertainty.pdf

1976 - Specialisation in the Personal Social Services.pdf

1970 - Society's Response to the New Poor.pdf

1970 - Intermediate Treatment.pdf

The following comments by social work students on the Oxford social work course were made at a time when I was seconded to a post in London. Hence the reply is by Juliet Cheetham who was running the course. They are included here as an interesting example of student involvement and a good dialogue between staff and students:

1969 - Comments on the Course by Second Year Social Workers.pdf

1969 - Comments on the Critique of the Social Work course - 1960s.pdf

1967 - The Role of the Social Worker in the Child Care Service.pdf

1967 - Barton Playgroup - Social Work Course (Oxford).pdf

1960 - Lecture, Chapter 1, Towards Understanding Families.pdf

1960 - Lecture, Chapter 2, Family Communications.pdf

1960 - Lecture, Chapter 3, Disorganised Families.pdf

1960 - Lecture, Chapter 4, Family Relationships in the later years of life.pdf

1953 - Placement Diary, Olive Stevenson - LSE Student of Social Work (underlinings by Clare Winnicott).pdf