BASW Conference 2025 – Shaping our Future
Thank you to everyone who attended and participated in our 2025 UK annual conference, which this year was held at the University of Manchester.
Our conference theme was “Shaping our Future: Promoting Innovation, Inclusivity, and the Social Work Voice for Change.” Throughout two days, in a spirit of collaboration and creativity, we explored important contemporary and emerging directions for the profession, relevant to practice, leadership, workforce development, research and education. Watch our conference snapshots here.
We were delighted to welcome over 300 delegates, including an exciting range of speakers and exhibitors, from all over the UK and across the social work profession, including frontline social workers, students, academics, managers, leaders, people with lived experience, and many more!
In addition to our busy conference programme, which featured 37 sessions and workshops, we also held a fringe event launching BASW and SWU’s joint campaign to improve working conditions for social workers. Furthermore, our third annual Social Work Journalism Awards, which aim to celebrate and recognise examples of excellence in reporting of social work in the media, took place with an uplifting evening ceremony.
Day One
It was a privilege to have the Minister for Children and Families, Janet Daby MP and the Minister for Children and Social Care in Wales, Dawn Bowden MS deliver opening day speeches to delegates in the main hall.
We caught up with UK Minister for Children and Families, Janet Daby MP, at the BASW UK conference 2025.
Their words were a catalyst for a rich and invigorating panel discussion and further presentations throughout the morning from keynote speakers, Professor Carlene Firmin and Dr Adi Cooper about how we make safeguarding meaningful for adolescents and young people.
The afternoon was dedicated to the delivery of a number of insightful workshops, each one considering our theme from various perspectives and providing delegates with learning and ideas that they can embed in their social work practice. A flavour of topics included age assessment, digital technology, neurodiversity, social work research, and influencing change in society.
We also held the first ever Independent’s Symposium, where the BASW Independent Social Work Committee launched their Charter for Independent Social Workers and we heard from the author of the BASW Independent’s Toolkit, Jo Fox about how this resource can support BASW independent members.
In between workshops, delegates were able to meet and network (and enjoy some refreshments) in our exhibitor area. We were pleased to welcome 21 exhibitors from across social work, social care and other related fields to this year's conference. It was inspiring to hear about their work, and we hope beneficial to them and delegates that they could connect with each other. Meet our exhibitors here.
Day Two
We were thrilled to kick off the second day by awarding the British Journal of Social Work’s Kay MacDougal Prize 2025 to the authors of the winning paper – “If we know what works to support parents with learning disabilities, why aren’t we doing it?”.
Congratulations to Margaret Spencer, Beth Tarleton, Susan Collings, Gillian McIntyre and Danielle Turney who received a rousing reception from delegates when collecting their award from outgoing Co-Editor of BJSW, Reima Ana Maglajlic.
This preceded a lively panel discussion on artificial intelligence in social work, a topic that is of high importance to both professionals and people with lived experience.
With AI evolving all the time, it’s essential that our profession seeks to engage with discussions about what, if any, role that AI should have in social work. Earlier this year, BASW published practice guidance for social workers on use of generative AI.
This excellent discussion set the tone for an informative and thought-provoking afternoon of workshops covering areas such as social work in disasters, supporting young people through the arts, mental health social work, supporting women in the criminal justice system, social work education, and exploring burnout and trauma in the social work profession. Thank you to all our workshop presenters over both days for contributing to an extensive and varied programme.
Our closing plenary session featured an important panel discussion with members of the BASW Experts by Experience Forum, Reshma Patel, Omar Mohamed and Sally Parker.
The conversation, chaired by BASW UK Chair Julia Ross, focused on how BASW can strengthen connections between social workers and people with lived experience through policy-making, campaigns, training, resources, and more. It was also a worthwhile opportunity for delegates to share reflections on conference and consider how we can implement into everyday practice going forward.
What next?
Let’s keep the conversation going! We’re proud to have once again provided a space for the social work profession to meet, connect, discuss, reflect, debate and share ideas that help to strengthen and support the future of social work in the UK. We all have a pivotal role to play in promoting social work’s voice, championing those we serve and forging a stronger future for our profession. For those who attended conference, a playlist of sessions held in the main theatre will be made available in due course.
If you’re a BASW member, check out our upcoming events and professional development courses or consider joining a special interest group, branch or committee to further your knowledge in a specific area of interest or practice and provide you with a platform for activism and change.
And if you’re not a member yet, then why not join us? Membership of BASW and SWU provides you with countless benefits and opportunities to support and advance your social work career. Discover BASW and SWU membership options here.
