Steven M Shardlow

Biography

Professor Steven M Shardlow is an Academician of the Academy of Social Sciences (UK) and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. He joined Keele as Professor of Social Work in 2013; previously held academic positions at the Universities of Salford (Professor) and Sheffield. He took his undergraduate and masters degrees at Oxford, a PhD at Salford and in 2010 was awarded an honorary doctorate [Doc. Soc. Sci (h.c)] from the University of Kuopio, Finland.

He has held visiting professorial appointments,  at Fudan University, Shanghai, the University of University of Nordland, Norway; and City University & Polytechnic University of Hong Kong - where he is currently Honorary Professor in Social Work.

He is Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Social Work.  Previously he has been Chair of the Association of Teachers in Social Work Education (ATSWE) and a Member of Board of the European Association of Schools of Social Work (EASSW).

Professor Shardlow is a registered member of The College of Social Work (England) and has practised as a social worker with children & families, older people, mentally ill people and a social work manager.

 Media links

Research and scholarship

Professor Shardlow’s current research is focussed upon: knowledge for evidence-based professional practice (programme evaluation), particularly in respect of social work with children and families and older people; applied professional ethics; the human services workforce (retention and professional education - with a focus on field education). Much of his work is conducted using comparative research methodologies.

Recently, he has completed, in partnership with the Universities of Bristol and Kings College London, a three-year countrywide study in England of early career social workers, which was funded by the Children’s Workforce Development Council and the Department for Education.

The full reports are available for download:

1. The first year of professional practice, Newly Qualified Social Workers (NQSWs) “Newly Qualified Social Worker Programme Final Evaluation Report” (2012). Download here.
2. The second and third year of professional practice, Early Professional Development (EPD) “Early Professional Development Pilot Programme Final Evaluation Report” (2013). Download here.

He has also recently completed, in collaboration with City University Hong Kong, a two year project  (funded by ESRC, UK and RGC, Hong Kong)  project that has investigated the nature and extent of social connections between the Chinese community in the UK and in Hong Kong and the implications for health and social care.

Teaching

MA Social Work

• Social Work Research SWK 40020
• Dissertation SWK 40013

BA Social Work (from 2013-2014)

• Applying Social Work Knowledge and Research SWK30001
• Social Work Research SWK 30002

He also contributed to other other modules on an occasional basis

Doctoral Supervision

Professor Shardlow has supervised and examined PhDs in the UK and overseas on a broad range of topics. His methodological interests include cross-national comparative research methods, qualitative methods and mixed methods.

He has conducted an audit of Doctoral Studies in Social Work (with Lisa Morriss and Jadwiga Leigh) on behalf of the Higher Education Academy: the report An Audit of Doctoral Students in Social Work was published in 2013. Download here.

Please also see the embryonic national network for doctorial which is being developed.  Please click here.

Professor Shardlow welcomes applications from potential research students who are interested looking to explore a wide range of aspects of social work.

Current Doctoral Projects

1. Contemporary Social Work Practice: The Value and Role of Social Work within a Community Learning Disability Team - Julie Lawrence (Keele University)
2. Skilled healthcare workers migration between EU member countries: the case of Cyprus after the accession of 2004  - Constantine Constantinos (Keele University)
3. Children as informal interpreters in social service interventions - Sian Lucas (University of Salford)
4. The changing identities of mental health social workers following the introduction of the approved mental health practitioner role - Lisa Morriss, (University of Salford)

Completed Doctoral Projects

1. What are the personal and health care experiences of women with Multiple Sclerosis? - Louise Dawson (University of Salford)
2. Knowledge and knowing in child protection practice: An empirical exploration of the role of knowledge in constructing service user identities at the point of first referral - Guido van der Luitgaarden (University of Salford)
3. Professional Education in Radiography - Julie Nightingale (University of Salford),
4. Trafficking in Facts: Talk, Text and Identity in Professional Practice  - Carolyn Taylor (University of Salford)
5. Practice Learning and Social Work Students - Susan Lampitt (University of Northumbria at Newcastle)
6. Globalization and Social Work -  Adrian Adams (University of Kent)