The 14th Annual Social Work and Social Care Research in Practice Conference will take place on 10 March 2027 at Riddel Hall, Belfast.
This year’s conference theme is ‘Shaping Tomorrow Together: Human Rights, Reform, Workforce, and Voices that Matter’.
Shaping the future together means collaboratively working towards a better tomorrow, through thoughtful decisions, strong teamwork and networks, and consideration for the wellbeing of others in what we do today. This is a collective responsibility. Leaders, decision-makers, individuals and communities all have a part to play in making sure tomorrow is not simply a continuation of today, but an improvement on it.
The conference offers a valuable opportunity for people working across social work, social care and related disciplines to network, and to share innovative ideas and best practice. It provides a platform to showcase current research and to connect policy, practice, education and lived experience.
Confirmed keynote speakers for this year’s conference include:
- Dr Ciaran Murphy (Edgehill University), social work workforce.
- Professor Brid Featherstone (Huddersfield University), child abuse/domestic violence.
- Professor Christine Brown Wilson (Queen’s University Belfast), social care.
Full details on the conference and how to book your place will be released soon.
Call for abstracts
We are calling for individuals and teams who may be interested in presenting abstracts on a research study, a systematic review or innovation and practice developments relevant to the conference title and theme and the following subthemes:
- workforce retention
- multiple contexts of oppression and vulnerability in domestic abuse and coercive control
- diversity and inclusion
- equality, rights, justice and anti-oppressive practice
- innovation in social care
- innovation in learning and development
Abstracts can be submitted online through the button below. The closing date for applications is 5:00pm on Friday 8 January 2027.