Stephen Hicks

Overview

Senior Lecturer in Social Work.

Member of the Morgan Centre for Research into Everyday Lives (Sociology) http://www.socialsciences.manchester.ac.uk/morgan-centre/

Student Experience Tutor (MA Social Work).

Course Unit Lead: ''Foundations of Research'' (MRes Health & Social Care, MA Social Work, MClin Res); ''Dissertation'' (MA Social Work).

Biography

Before qualifying as a social worker, I worked in community mental health services, initially for a voluntary organisation and then for Manchester Social Services. After studying for an MA and Diploma in Social Work at Manchester University, I worked for the Manchester Family Service Unit as a social worker for children (11 years and under) and their families/carers. I did child protection and preventative casework, comprehensive assessments for courts, direct work and play therapy with children, groupwork with service users and with parents and young children, was a practice teacher for social work students and did a summer playscheme. At this time, I also studied for a PhD in Applied Social Science at Lancaster University, looking at the social work assessment of lesbian and gay people who applied to foster or adopt children. I also did voluntary work for Manchester Aidsline/George House Trust as a counsellor and 'buddy'/befriender, for the Albert Kennedy Trust (working with young, homeless lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people) as a manager and social work supervisor, and was a founder member and Chair of the Northern Support Group (1994-2010) for lesbian, gay and bisexual people who were involved in fostering or adopting children. For about 3 years, I was also a registered foster carer and looked after a boy with autism on a part-time basis.

My first post in a university was as a part-time social work tutor for MA students at Manchester University. I then worked as a lecturer/senior lecturer in Applied Community Studies at Manchester Metropolitan University, as a senior lecturer in Social Work at the University of Central Lancashire, and as a senior lecturer and then a reader in Nursing, Midwifery & Social Work at the University of Salford. There I taught qualifying social work (BA and MA), post-qualifying social work studies (BA and MSc), a professional doctorate in health & social care, and PhD students. I also led Master's courses in Child Care & Family Practice, Child Care & Mental Health, and Comparative Safeguarding Studies. I came to the University of Manchester in 2013.