Interested in research? BASW is calling for member involvement in analysis of social work during Covid survey

BASW is asking for members to volunteer to be part of the team that oversees the analysis of the survey.

At the start of the pandemic, BASW commenced a live survey: Social work during Coronavirus (COVID-19) to capture the experiences of social workers. There have been over 2200 respondents to the survey and the key messages have shaped BASW’s policies and influencing work with UK governments.  The survey has also been replicated by other national associations around the world, which is evidence of its success.

The next stage of the survey is to analyse it to draw out important lessons for practice. To achieve this, BASW is collaborating with researchers at the University of Durham.

Research opportunity

BASW is also asking for members to be fully engaged in the analysis to ensure that it reflects the realities of practice and the correct lessons for the future are learned.

To this end, BASW is asking for members to volunteer to be part of the team that oversees the analysis of the survey.  All data in the survey is anonymised.

BASW members who volunteer will be involved in several ways. They will:

  • Share their experiences of practice with the researchers
  • Participate in an Advisory Group shaping the analysis
  • Receive training to conduct data analysis if they wish
  • Obtain valuable CPD for their involvement

Members do not need to have prior research experience to be involved. However training, which will also be useful for practice, will be provided for those who wish to undertake the formal analysis.

If you are interested in being part of this work, please send 100-150 word paragraph explaining your reasons by 14 August 2020 to: Godfred.boahen@basw.co.uk

BASW and Research

As the UK professional body for social work, BASW is a key stakeholder in research and evidenced informed practice.

Through our ownership of the British Journal of Social Work (BJSW) and Practice: Social Work in Action, BASW is important in the dissemination of high-quality evidence for practice.

BASW’s  Research Policy also highlights its support for members to do research and use current evidence in their practice.

Nationally, BASW has worked to influence research funding to ensure that studies commissioned address questions critical to effective practice and the concerns of people with lived experience.

These objectives have underpinned BASW’s research work during the pandemic.