Centre for Social Work Innovation and Research

About

The Centre for Social Work Innovation and Research (CSWIR) has been established to advance the discipline and profession of social work in changing times. Through the work of its members, CSWIR gives expression in the field of social work to the international, interdisciplinary and inter-professional research commitments for which the University of Sussex is celebrated. CSWIR’s activities are all underpinned by a commitment to co-production and participation with our partners.

The Centre provides a context in which all those involved in research and professional development, policy making and service leadership and in direct practice itself can come together to progress common agendas. Working at the interface of theory, policy and practice, and taking an inclusive and imaginative approach to research methods, CSWIR is intended to be a home for anyone invested personally or professionally in enhancing social work and its futures. CSWIR members work closely with colleagues in global, national and local government and with research bodies and service agencies keen to partner with us to improve knowledge, understanding and improvement. A significant and growing number of associate researchers, visiting scholars and doctoral and post-doctoral researchers contribute to the work of the Centre.

We aim to be pioneering in the UK by re-situating the research of the social work academy by:

  • transcending the traditional boundaries between Social Work and other disciplines
  • bringing insights from other disciplines and feeding these into research and practice
  • bridging gaps between social work research and practice
  • promoting innovation in methodologies
  • increasing the impact of our research and producing higher numbers of impact case studies
  • offering consultancy to professional and governmental bodies
  • building a network of academics and professionals
  • engaging with the public through various ways of communication.