Skip to main content
Home
Menu Close

Utility menu

  • Why join BASW
  • Events
  • Media Centre
  • Member login

Popular on BASW

Campaigning and influencing
World social work day
Social work stands against poverty
People with lived experience
Career stages
Cost of living crisis

Main navigation

  • About social work
    • What is social work?
    • Topics in social work
    • Professional Social Work (PSW) Magazine
  • Careers
    • Become a social worker
    • Returning to social work
    • For employers
    • Specialisms
    • Career stages
    • Jobs board
    • Work for BASW
  • About BASW
    • Campaigning and influencing
    • Governance
    • Social work around the UK
    • Awards
    • Social work conferences UK
    • International Work
    • Feedback, suggestions & complaints
  • Training & CPD
    • Professional Development
    • Professional Capabilities Framework
    • Let's Talk Social Work Podcast
  • Policy & Practice
    • Resources
    • National policies
    • Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
    • Working with...
    • Research and knowledge
    • Standards
  • Support
    • Advice & representation
    • Social Workers Union (SWU)
    • Insurance cover
    • Social Work Professional Support Service (SWPSS)
    • Independent social workers
    • Student Hub
    • Financial support
    • Groups and networks
    • Membership renewals

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Policy & practice

Research and knowledge

Looking for social work knowledge? There is a large and rapidly growing body of social work knowledge. For example, there are now over 80 academic journals dedicated to social work (Victor et al BJSW (2017 47, 2165-2169)) each of which is published several times a year.

This range of knowledge resources reflects the reality that:

  • Social work is now over 100 years old so there is a substantial legacy of books and publications
  • Social work is multi-disciplinary: many key social work texts were generated ‘outside’ social work in the fields of sociology, psychology, social policy, law and even business studies (for example, Maslow’s ‘hierarchy of need’ derives from a business studies text)
  • Social work is an international profession, so each country will have a developing social work literature. Comparative studies (e.g. comparing social work policy and practice between the UK and another country) adds another layer of literature

To help find your way around these resources BASW have developed a short guide: Looking for social work knowledge?

Social Work Research

The knowledge base of every profession needs to continually develop. Social work is no different.

BASW promotes social work research through:

  • Active partnership in direct research
  • Facilitating the involvement of individuals, groups and organisations in research
  • The publication of research in academic journals
  • Disseminating research findings through a variety of channels

BASW regards the contributions of people with lived experience of social work services and practitioner wisdom as equally valid forms of knowledge alongside other more traditional forms of knowledge generation.

Active partnerships in direct research

BASW actively partners with universities, consortiums of universities and other partners in bidding for research funding and delivering multi-year, multi-site research projects.

BASW has an agreed set of research priorities against which we assess future bids, which can be accessed here.

If you are interested in being a future research partner please check our research priorities and then email us at policyadmin@basw.co.uk  setting out your organisational affiliation and your proposals in 600 words.

Please note BASW has no funding for primary research.

Facilitating the involvement of individuals, groups and organisations in research

BASW facilitates involvement through:

  • Sharing information about research funding for organisations and individuals. When such information is available it is published in BASW's member e-bulletin.
  • Organising and supporting mechanisms for knowledge collection (e.g. roundtables, questionnaires) between practitioners, people with lived experience and research partners.
  • Acting as a ‘junction box’ between different researchers, organisations, practitioners and people with lived experience.
  • Supporting the research practitioners group.
  • Working with funders to support social work research funding.

The publication of research in academic journals

BASW owns two research journals:

  • The British Journal of Social Work
  • Practice

BASW members get substantial discounts on each. Please note that both journals have independent editorial boards.

Members can also access the BASW bookshop for social work publications - discounts apply!

Dissemination

BASW disseminates research outputs through:

  • Webinars and podcasts as part of the CPD programme.
  • Conferences
  • Occasional ‘think pieces’ and /or research briefings.
  • Events and publications are advertised in the bulletin and / or our events calendar.

BASW is a practitioner facing organisation so any proposals for dissemination should be clearly relevant for practice, written in plain English, of interest to a broad audience and timely. Please send any enquiries to policyadmin@basw.co.uk

Researchers want ideas from social workers

Research policy

This policy sets out the research that BASW will support and prioritise.
British Journal of Social Work & Practice - Social Work in Action 2019

Research journals

Subscribe to leading academic social work journals and access the bookshop

Thinking about doing a Doctorate in Social Work?

This Guide is a brief introduction to thinking about whether undertaking a doctorate in social work is for you.

Policy & Practice

  • Resources
  • National policies
  • Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
  • Working with...
    • Older people
      • Learning resources
      • Useful resources to support social work capabilities with older people
    • Autistic people
      • An introduction to the Capability Statement
      • Capabilities Statement and CPD Pathway: Resources
        • Autistic adults toolkit
          • Autistic adults toolkit introduction
          • Feedback tool
          • Induction tool
          • Introduction to video: Sylvia Stanway - Autistic not broken
          • References
          • Reflective tool
          • The role of the social worker with autistic adults
          • Top tips
        • Organisational self-assessment tool
        • Post-qualifying training programmes
      • The Capabilities Statement for Social Work with Autistic Adults
    • People with learning disabilities
      • Introduction
      • Capabilities Statement and CPD Pathway: Resources
        • People with learning disabilities toolkit
          • People with learning disabilities toolkit introduction
          • Information sheet
          • Top tips
          • Induction tool
          • Reflective tool
          • References
          • Hair tool
        • Organisational self-assessment tool
        • Post-qualifying training programmes
      • The Capabilities for Social Work with Adults who have Learning Disability
  • Research and knowledge
    • Research journals
    • BASW bookshop
  • Standards
    • Code of Ethics
      • BASW Code of Ethics: Launch of 2021 refreshed version webinar
    • Practice Educator Professional Standards (PEPS)
    • Quality Assurance in Practice Learning (QAPL)

Join us for amazing benefits

Become a member

Login to your member area

Login

BASW: By your side, every step of the way

British Association of Social Workers is a company limited by guarantee, registered in England. 

Company number: 00982041

Wellesley House, 37 Waterloo Street, 
Birmingham, B2 5PP
+44 (0) 121 622 3911

Contact us

Follow us

Copyright ©2023 British Association of Social Workers | Site by Agile Collective | Privacy Policy

  • About social work
    • What is social work?
      • What social workers do
      • People with lived experience
      • Regulators & professional registration
      • World Social Work Day
    • Topics in social work
    • Professional Social Work (PSW) Magazine
      • Digital editions
      • Guidance for contributors
      • PSW articles
      • Advertising
  • Careers
    • Become a social worker
    • Returning to social work
    • For employers
    • Specialisms
    • Career stages
      • Self-Employed Social Workers
        • Your tax affairs working through umbrella service companies
      • Agency and locum social work
    • Jobs board
    • Work for BASW
      • BASW Chair nominations 2024
      • BASW Student Ambassador Scheme
      • Council elections 2024
      • International Committee vacancies 2023
      • PSW magazine Editorial Advisory Board vacancy (Scotland Rep)
      • Policy Ethics and Human Rights (PEHR) Committee vacancies 2023
      • Professional Development and Education Committee vacancies
  • About BASW
    • Campaigning and influencing
      • BASW in Westminster
      • Relationship-based practice
      • Social Work Stands Against Poverty
      • Professional working conditions
      • Housing & Homelessness
    • Governance
      • BASW AGM
        • Previous BASW AGMs
      • BASW Council
        • BASW Council biographies
      • Staff
      • Committees
        • Policy, Ethics and Human Rights (PEHR) Committee
      • BASW and SWU
      • Our history
      • 50 years
      • Special interest, thematic groups and experts
      • Nations
    • Social work around the UK
      • BASW Cymru
        • Campaigns
      • BASW England
        • Campaigns
          • Homes Not Hospitals
          • Social Work in Disasters
          • 80-20 campaign
          • Review of Children’s Social Care
        • Social Work England
        • Mentoring Service
      • BASW Northern Ireland
        • Campaigns
        • BASW NI & IASW's associate membership
        • BASW NI and Queen’s University Belfast launch affiliate membership
      • SASW (BASW in Scotland)
        • A National Care Service for Scotland
        • Campaigns
          • SASW Ukraine Updates
          • Supporting Scotland's Social Work Workforce
        • Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
        • Cross-Party Group on Social Work (Scotland)
    • Awards
      • Amazing Social Workers
      • The BASW Social Work Journalism Awards
    • Social work conferences UK
    • International Work
      • IFSW and other international social work organisations
      • Influencing social work policy in the Commonwealth
      • Invasion of Ukraine | BASW Information Hub
    • Feedback, suggestions & complaints
  • Training & CPD
    • Professional Development
      • General Taught Skills Programme
      • Student Learning
      • Newly Qualified Social Worker Programme
      • Practice Educator & Assessor Programme
      • Stepping Stones Programme
      • Child Protection Masterclass Series
      • Expert Insight Series
      • Social Work in Disasters online training
        • Module 1: Introduction to Social Work in Disasters (Online training)
        • Module 2: Law, Policy and Best Practice (Social Work In Disasters Training)
        • Module 3: Person-centred and research informed practice within a multi-agency context (Social Work in Disasters Online Training)
        • Module 4: Responding, using theory and self-care (Social Work in Disasters Online Training)
      • Overseas Qualified Social Worker (OQSW) Programme
    • Professional Capabilities Framework
      • About the PCF
      • Point of entry to training
      • Readiness for practice
      • End of first placement
      • End of last placement
      • Newly qualified social worker (ASYE level)
      • Social worker
      • Experienced social worker
      • Advanced social worker
      • Strategic social worker
    • Let's Talk Social Work Podcast
  • Policy & Practice
    • Resources
    • National policies
    • Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
    • Working with...
      • Older people
        • Learning resources
        • Useful resources to support social work capabilities with older people
      • Autistic people
        • An introduction to the Capability Statement
        • Capabilities Statement and CPD Pathway: Resources
          • Autistic adults toolkit
            • Autistic adults toolkit introduction
            • Feedback tool
            • Induction tool
            • Introduction to video: Sylvia Stanway - Autistic not broken
            • References
            • Reflective tool
            • The role of the social worker with autistic adults
            • Top tips
          • Organisational self-assessment tool
          • Post-qualifying training programmes
        • The Capabilities Statement for Social Work with Autistic Adults
      • People with learning disabilities
        • Introduction
        • Capabilities Statement and CPD Pathway: Resources
          • People with learning disabilities toolkit
            • People with learning disabilities toolkit introduction
            • Information sheet
            • Top tips
            • Induction tool
            • Reflective tool
            • References
            • Hair tool
          • Organisational self-assessment tool
          • Post-qualifying training programmes
        • The Capabilities for Social Work with Adults who have Learning Disability
    • Research and knowledge
      • Research journals
      • BASW bookshop
    • Standards
      • Code of Ethics
        • BASW Code of Ethics: Launch of 2021 refreshed version webinar
      • Practice Educator Professional Standards (PEPS)
      • Quality Assurance in Practice Learning (QAPL)
  • Support
    • Advice & representation
    • Social Workers Union (SWU)
    • Insurance cover
    • Social Work Professional Support Service (SWPSS)
    • Independent social workers
      • Independent members
      • BASW Independents directory
      • Social Work Employment Services (SWES)
    • Student Hub
    • Financial support
    • Groups and networks
      • Special interest groups
        • Alcohol and other drugs Special Interest Group
        • BASW Neurodivergent Social Workers Special Interest Group (NSW SIG)
        • Family Group Conferencing (FGC)
        • Project Group on Assisted Reproduction (PROGAR)
        • The Diaspora special interest group
      • Local branches and networks
      • BASW England thematic groups
        • Black & Ethnic Minority Professionals Symposium (BPS)
        • Children & Families Group
        • Criminal Justice Group
        • Emergency Duty Team Group
        • Mental Health Group
        • Social Work with Adults Group
        • Student & Newly Qualified Group
        • Social Workers in Health Group
      • Scottish Reference Groups
      • Social work law in Wales PPEG
      • Communities of Practice - Northern Ireland
    • Membership renewals
  • Why join BASW
    • Benefits of joining BASW
      • Membership fees
      • The BASW UK University Social Work Education Provider Affiliation Scheme
    • Membership Categories
      • Student member
      • Working (qualified less than 5 years) Membership
      • Working (qualified more than 5 years) Membership
      • Independent membership
      • Newly qualified social worker
      • Retired membership
    • Membership FAQs
    • Membership renewals
  • Events
  • Media Centre
    • BASW in the media
    • BASW News and blogs
  • Member login