Foreword
This Social Work and Social Care Research
and Continuous Improvement Strategy
reflects a collaborative approach setting out
our vision for the next five years- 2020-2025.
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It is primarily focused on social work as a practice-based profession
and an academic discipline that promotes social change and
development, social cohesion, and the empowerment and liberation
of people. Throughout there is an acknowledgement that social
work operates within the wider social care context and that there
will inevitably be a level of interconnection between both.
Responses to the consultation exercise indicated a high level of
support for our vision of our aims and objectives. The areas on
which we intend to focus action were also supported by those who
responded.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of those people
who took the time to respond and provide comments. Views and
opinions expressed have been carefully scrutinised and used to
inform the final strategy.
Our work to date has been undertaken in the context
of co-working, collaboration and participation. We
intend to continue this approach as we implement,
review and communicate on the progress made
concerning this strategy and on building our
research community in Northern Ireland.
We believe that our work, which quite rightly is
ambitious, supports the further development of
a vibrant research culture within social work and
social care. People who use our services and
the public will benefit from the adoption of
evidence-based approaches as an integral part
of policy, workforce learning and development and
service delivery and practice.
Building a
Research
Community and the
Northern Ireland
Social Work
Leadership
Network