Dr Stephen HicksPhD, DipSW

Overview

Senior Lecturer in Social Work.

Senior Postgraduate Research Tutor (PhD students) for the Division of Nursing, Midwifery & Social Work.

Member of the Morgan Centre for Research into Everyday Lives (Sociology) http://www.socialsciences.manchester.ac.uk/morgan-centre/

Course Unit Lead: 'Foundations of Research' (MA Social Work); 'Dissertation' (MA Social Work).

Biography

Before qualifying as a social worker, I worked in community mental health services, initially for a voluntary organisation and then for Manchester City Council Social Services. After studying for an MA and Diploma in Social Work at Manchester University, I worked for the Manchester Family Service Unit as a social worker for children and their families/carers. This included child protection and preventative casework; comprehensive assessments for courts; direct work and play therapy with children; groupwork with service users, parents and young children; and practice teaching social work students. At this time, I also studied for a PhD in Applied Social Science at Lancaster University, looking at the social work assessment of lesbian and gay people who applied to foster or adopt children.

I also did voluntary work for Manchester Aidsline/George House Trust as a counsellor and 'buddy'/befriender, for the Albert Kennedy Trust (working with young, homeless lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people) as a manager and social work supervisor, and was a founder member and Chair of the Northern Support Group (1994-2010) for lesbian, gay and bisexual people who were involved in fostering or adopting children. For about 3 years, I was also a registered foster carer.

My first post in a university was as a part-time social work tutor for MA students at Manchester University. I then worked as a lecturer/senior lecturer in Applied Community Studies at Manchester Metropolitan University, as a senior lecturer in Social Work at the University of Central Lancashire, and as a senior lecturer and then a reader in Nursing, Midwifery & Social Work at the University of Salford. I have taught qualifying and post-qualifying social work at both BA and MA levels, as well as professional doctorate and PhD students. I have also led Master's degree courses in Child Care & Family Practice, Child Care & Mental Health and Comparative Safeguarding Studies.

Qualifications

PhD Applied Social Science, University of Lancaster, 1999

Diploma in Social Work, University of Manchester/CCETSW, 1993

MA (with Distinction) Economic & Social Studies, University of Manchester, 1993

Counselling Skills Certificate (level II), North West Regional Association of Education Authorities , 1991

BA (Hons) Music & English, University of Birmingham, 1987

Memberships of committees and professional bodies

Qualified social worker registered with the Health & Care Professions Council (SW94600). http://www.hcpc-uk.org

Member of the JUC-SWEC Research Sub-Committee http://www.juc.ac.uk/social-work-education-committee.html

Member of the British Sociological Association (BSA).

Editorial board member:

Families, Relationships & Societies

Australian Social Work

Intersectionalities: A Global Journal of Social Work Analysis, Research, Polity, & Practice

Psychology & Sexuality