15 July 2026
Expanding the role of social work in addressing homelessness and multiple disadvantage
National roundtable at King’s College London
Chaired by the Office for the Chief Social Worker for Adults, this Roundtable at King’s (14 July) brought together civil servants from DHSC and MHCLG with homelessness social work practice experts from across England, expertise from Social Work education, and national bodies: Social Work England, Skills for Care, SCIE, NICE, ADASS, LGA and BASW.
Steph Grant brought the voice of lived experience to the table, to shape the start of a plan to strengthen social work’s contribution to addressing homelessness, rough sleeping, and multiple disadvantage in England. The Roundtable explored routes to develop workforce capability and visibility in day to day practice to reduce harms and save lives. A brief write-up will capture this first step in developing shared objectives and a delivery plan.
Related
Ellie Atkins, who attended the roundtable, writes on the DHSC blog 'Social work with adults' (20 July 2026): Hidden in Plain Sight - Reframing Adult Social Care Responsibilities in Long-term Rough Sleeping
In this story
Senior Research Fellow
Research Fellow
Related departments
- NIHR Health & Social Care Workforce Research Unit
- Homelessness Research Programme
- Evidencing the social work role within responses to multiple exclusion homelessness
- A national Peer Network for social workers specialising in homelessness and rough sleeping
- London Peer Network for Homelessness Social Workers