Welcome
The Social Work History Network exists to explore the nature and growth of social work in order to inform contemporary policy and practice. Founded in 2000 in the UK, it is an informal network of social workers, historians, archivists, researchers, educators, students, and social work policy makers. The Network meets three or four times a year to discuss papers given by invited speakers. Meetings are open to all.
The Patron of the Network is Sir William Utting CB and it is chaired by David N Jones and co-ordinated by Sarah Vicary. If you would like to join the Network's mailing list please contact: Stephen Martineau. The SWHN website is hosted by the NIHR Policy Research Unit in Health and Social Care Workforce: Unit researchers Carl Purcell and Stephen Martineau sit on the Steering Group of the Network. The Network is also supported by The Open University, the University of Chester, and the British Association of Social Workers.
We are seeking a new Chair and Coordinator
2 April 2026: The Social Work History Network is looking to appoint two key people to fill the roles of Chair and Coordinator of the Network.
Dr David N Jones helped to form the Network in 2000 and has served on the Steering Group ever since. After serving five years as Chair he is standing down after taking on other responsibilities. The Chair is a voluntary role, overseeing implementation of the webinar programme, facilitating discussions in the Steering Group and representing the Network in discussions with key partners.
Professor Sarah Vicary has been the Network Coordinator since 2012. The Coordinator convenes and minutes the Steering Group, liaises with Network participants and the host organisation and supports the webinar programme. The Coordinator has edited the SWHN Bulletin (see below on this page) since its inaugural edition in 2014. There will be an opportunity for the incoming Coordinator to be involved in this work with a view to becoming the future editor. This is a voluntary position but essential expenses can be considered.
Administrative support and website hosting is provided by the NIHR Policy Research Unit in Health and Social Care Workforce at King's College London.
The Social Work History Network exists to explore the nature and growth of social work in order to inform contemporary policy and practice. Founded in 2000 in the UK, it is an informal network of social workers, historians, archivists, researchers, educators, students, and social work policy makers.
The network includes over 300 participants with a significant number of international contacts. The main activities include three or four webinars each year on different aspects of the history of social work, some jointly hosted with the US-based Social Welfare History Group. SWHN also publishes an occasional Bulletin with a mixture of short news items and more academic articles. The Network is independent but works closely with the British Association of Social Workers with regular articles appearing in Professional Social Work magazine and has close links with the University of Chester.
If you are interested in one or both roles, please send an initial email summarising the reason for your interest and relevant experience and skills to DavidNJones@PeopleNeedPeople.org.uk and Sarah.Vicary@open.ac.uk. It is anticipated that there will be an initial exploratory discussion followed by a formal interview including members of the Steering Group. The handover period is negotiable.
Closing date: 1 June 2026
Next meeting
20 April 2026: Histories of Compliance and Resistance: Social Workers and Immigration across Europe and USA
- Join the mailing list if you would like to be kept up to date: contact Stephen Martineau.
News
9 January 2026: Press release – Sir William Utting CB, first Patron of SWHN (Certificate). Associated blog. And see the news item at the International Federation of Social Workers.
14 January 2025: Obituary of Joan Baraclough – founding member of SWHN – who died on 24 December 2024, aged 91. (Professional Social Work)
20 June 2023: June Thoburn & David N Jones receive lifetime achievement awards at BASW AGM (BASW news item)
Recent meetings
25 September 2025: Social Work Networks: Past, Present and Future, with Joe Hanley, James Blewett, Jane Tunstill, June Thoburn. (Hybrid event; slides available)
30 June 2025: The Sure Start programme: a crucial chapter in the history of UK family support; (Hybrid event; slides and recording available)
24 September 2024: Social work histories of complicity and resistance. This was a joint webinar with the Social Welfare History Group (USA). (Online event; recording available)
17 June 2024: Social work and neglect 1948-today: From 'the cruelty man' and 'the problem family' via 'prevention' to 'safeguarding' (Hybrid meeting; slides and recording available)
24 April 2024: Contested values of social work in time and place. Exploring ‘origins of social care and social work’ (Online event; slides and recording available)
6 November 2023: Social work with older people – a hidden history (Hybrid event - slides available)
29 June 2023: Peering into historical reviews of social work: Qualitative research and autobiography. (Hybrid event)
5 June 2023: Uncovering the history of social work and social welfare – challenges and sources. This was a Social Welfare History Group (US) and Social Work History Network (UK) webinar. Recording and slides are available on the event page.
The 8 March 2023 meeting of the SWHN was The Uncertain Place of ‘Community’ in Social Work, a hybrid event at King's College London.
Presentations from the October 2022 meeting, "Knowledge for Practice: Changing ideas and influences on children and family social work", held on 26 October 2022 are available on the event page.
Go to the Social Work History Network event series page to see all upcoming and recent events.
Banner photo at the top of this page: A detail from 'The Almoner of the Great Northern Hospital at work'. The Hospital and health review, 1921. Credit: Wellcome Collection.