Social Work with Older People (SWOP)

Social care is increasingly important in our ageing society for promoting well-being, preventing loss of independence, and protecting people from harm. Social workers have a central role in the law, policy and practice of social care.

However, social work with older people is largely invisible, not understood and undervalued.   

SWOP project website
 

• Aims

  Our key research questions were: 

  • How do social workers contribute older people’s well-being?
  • How do older people and carers experience social work?
  • How do social workers interact with other professionals and practitioners?
  • How does the context of practice impact on social work with older people and carers?

   

• Methods

  The Social Work with Older People (SWOP) project aimed to improve social work practice with older people over the age of 65 and carers through enhancing understanding of the nature of social workers’ activities, how they accomplish their roles and tasks, and how this is experienced by older people, carers and other professionals.

  The research used mainly qualitative methods, observing social work practice with older people in two authorities in England, one rural and one urban. Social workers, older people and carers receiving social work support, and other professionals and practitioners involved were interviewed about their views and experiences of social work. 

  Details about the project and the resources it produced can be found on the SWOP project website
   

• Findings and resources

  Details about the project and the resources it produced can be found on the SWOP project website

  Findings report – The contribution of social workers to older people’s wellbeing

  Social work with Older People (SWOP) – frontline practice briefing

  Social work with Older People (SWOP) – practice tool

  Publications

  Paul Willis, Liz Lloyd, Jackie Hammond, Alisoun Milne, Holly Nelson-Becker, Emma Perry, Mo Ray, Sally Richards, Denise Tanner, Casting Light on the Distinctive Contribution of Social Work in Multidisciplinary Teams for Older People, The British Journal of Social Work, Volume 52, Issue 1, January 2022, Pages 480–497, https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcab004