Dawn Whitaker
PhD studentResearch Overview
Most recent publication: Developing Skills for Social Work Practice
My research interests reflect three main themes:
Human rights, and rights-based social work practice.
Generating new and innovative approaches to safeguarding adults.
Critical perspectives on mental distress, neurodiversity and mad studies.
Career Details
Director of Studies for MA Social Work and Registered Independent Social Worker:
Professional Registration: Health and Care Professions Council Registration number: SW64905
Membership of the British Association of Social Work
I worked for Lancashire County Council as a mental health social worker for many years, before joining their training department to deliver teaching on the Mental Capacity Act 2005. In 2008, I joined the NHS as a locality Mental Capacity Act implementation lead, with particular responsibility for implementing the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) across NHS Central Lancashire.
Before joining the Department as a full time member of staff, I worked for eight years as an associate lecturer in Applied Social Science (now merged with the Department of Sociology).
For the past six years I have worked as an Independent Social Worker. I am regularly instructed as an independent social work witness by the Official Solicitor for the Court of Protection, specifically in cases where there is a health and social care dispute, or an adult is deemed to be ‘at risk’ requiring ‘safeguarding’.
I continue to undertake work as an ISW, and have been involved in a number of high-profile, landmark cases such as Cheshire West [Cheshire West and Chester Council v P (2011) EWHC 1330 (COP)] (see my 'projects' tab for more information).
Current Teaching
I convene and teach one BA module:
Swk.378 Mental Distress and Health
I also contribute to the BA Part Ones: Swk.116 Contemporary Social Problems & Swk.115 Social Work Practice
I convene and teach two MA modules:
Swk.425 Mental Distress and Health
Swk.438 Academic Practice Seminars
CPD:
I convene one CPD course / module on the Advanced MA in Social Work: Social and biographical approaches to working with people who hear voices – a lived-experience perspective
COPPA (Court of Protection Practitioners Association) National Conference 2018
Invited talk
Person Centred Communication and Supported Decision Making as Strenghts Based Practice
Invited talk
Using Person Centred Communication for Supported Decision Making [Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust]
Invited talk
Participation in the Court of Protection [Judicial College: Ministry of Justice]
Invited talk
Mental Health and Human Rights [CCrAMHP: Critical and Creative Approaches to Mental Health Practice]
Invited talk
Lancashire County Council
Business Engagement
Conwy Social Services
Business Engagement
Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities (Journal)
Publication peer-review
Lecture [Frontline Program: University of Bedfordshire]
Invited talk
Doncaster
Business Engagement
Worcestershire County Council
Business Engagement
Blackpool Council
Business Engagement