13th Annual Social Work and Social Care Research in Practice Conference

The Northern Ireland Social Care Council (the Social Care Council) is delighted to welcome you to the 13th Annual Social Work and Social Care Research in Practice Conference.

Join us at Riddel Hall for a day filled with insightful discussions, networking opportunities, and engaging presentations. Whether you're a seasoned professional or a student eager to learn, this event is perfect for anyone passionate about making a difference in the field of social work and social care. Use this opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals and expand your knowledge.

This year’s theme is:

'Innovating today – while preparing for tomorrow'

In today’s society change is inevitable. Change is the only constant we have. Whilst this may be disruptive and unsettling it also offers individuals and organisations opportunities for growth, progress, innovation and transformation. There are no quick fixes. The challenge is to embrace change in ways that matter.

The Northern Ireland Social Care Council (the Social Care Council) is delighted to host this event. The conference offers valuable opportunities for networking and the sharing of innovative ideas and best practices in social work, social care and related disciplines. It provides a platform for profiling current research, connecting policy; practice, education and lived experience.

Keynote Presentations

Dr Donald Macaskill (Scottish Care)

The Soul in the Circuit: weaving humanity into tomorrow’s care

This talk explores the integration of Artificial intelligence and other innovative technologies in social care and social work, emphasising that technology must serve humanity, not replace it. It advocates for a human rights-based approach using the PANEL framework- Participation, Accountability, Non-discrimination, Empowerment, and Legality- to guide ethical AI adoption. Real-world scenarios highlight both the promise and risks of Ai in care settings. It argues that the successful adoption of innovative technology in health and care should be measured by increased human connection and dignity, not efficiency alone. Ultimately, the talk calls for bold yet compassionate innovation, ensuring that care remains grounded in rights, dignity, and human presence.

Dr Kenneth Burns, (University College Cork)

Social media, digital, & online abuse and harassment: what is it and what can we do about it?

Social media, online and digital abuse and harassment is a growing issue for all areas of practice. Social media can be fun; it is a great way to keep up to date with family members and community activities. However, there is growing concern about the impact of social media on our lives, on professionals, and on children.

This paper reports on a national study of social workers’, probation officers’, and students’ experiences of this issue in the Republic of Ireland (Burns et al., 2024; Halvey et al., 2024; Burns et al., forthcoming). The first part of the paper presents a short summary of the key findings from this study. The second part examines what we learned from this study about how you can take some [limited] steps to prevent this issue from arising, and examines what an effective agency response looks like to support staff.

The paper concludes by presenting a framework developed from this research study to help practitioners, carers, and service users think through where to draw the line between fair and abusive/harassing commentary and behaviours.

Professor Paul Best, Dr Gerry Marshall (Queens University Belfast), Carole Kirk and Jonathan Dillon (Northern Health and Social Care Trust)

Virtual Intelligent and Adaptive Training and Learning

This presentation outlines recent work from the VITAL (Virtual Intelligent and Adaptive Training and Learning) programme, exploring the use of immersive technologies and conversational artificial intelligence (AI) as training and developmental tools for social work practice. Presenters will outline early work using 360-degree video with branching narratives to fully immersive virtual reality (VR) environments featuring conversational AI avatars capable of simulating complex practice scenarios. Case examples will include those from undergraduate as well as postgraduate social work teaching as well as international proof-of-concept studies across education, mental health and healthcare, before concluding with a current study evaluating VITAL with Newly Qualified (AYE) Social Workers in the Northern Health and Social Care Trust focusing professional curiosity and confidence in early career practice.

Keynote Speakers Bio

Dr Donald Macaskill

Dr Donald Macaskill has worked for many years in the health and social care sectors across the United Kingdom. A particular professional focus has been issues related to dementia, bereavement, palliative care and individual human rights. Most recently he has acted as a Commissioner on the UK Bereavement Commission.

He is the CEO of Scottish Care, the representative body for care providers in the independent sector, namely private, charitable, and employee-owned care organisations which includes care home and home care organisations.

He serves on a number of Scottish, UK and international charities and boards related to health and social care. He is currently on the organising panel of the Global Ageing Biennial Conference which is coming to Glasgow in September 2023.

Dr Kenneth Burns

Kenneth Burns is a senior lecturer in social work and programme director of the Bachelor of Social Work degree at University College Cork. He was twice awarded the President's Award for Excellence in Teaching. Kenneth was the Principal Investigator of an interdisciplinary research team that won the UCC Research Team of the Year Award. Kenneth was a co-author of a paper that won the European Social Work Research Association's outstanding publication award. Kenneth is a board member of Barnardos Ireland and is chairperson of the Barnardos Services Committee. Kenneth is also an active coach in underage football teams. You can read more about his research and practice activities here: https://research.ucc.ie/en/persons/kenneth-burns/

Professor Paul Best

Professor Paul Best is the Director of the Centre for Technological Innovation in Mental Health and Education (TIME Centre) within the School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work at Queen's University Belfast. This Centre is a trans-disciplinary partnership of academics, practitioners and technology companies focusing on therapeutic and pedagogical advances in mental health and social care through digital means.

He has published several journal articles in the field of digital mental health and serves on the editorial board of Frontiers in Digital Health. He also Principal investigator on multiple digital mental health projects in Northern Ireland. In recognition of this work, Dr Best was appointed by the Department of Health for Northern Ireland (NI) as assignment co-lead for the Digital Mental Health Action Plan as part of the wider Mental Health Strategy (2021-31).

Dr Gerry Marshall

Dr Gerry Marshall is a lecturer in Social Work at Queen's University in Belfast. He has over 25 years' experience as a practitioner, manager and inspector of children's residential care services in both in Northern Ireland, Dublin and Angola, Africa.

His PhD research explored issues around understanding quality care in children’s homes, and the identity formation of young people who grow up in group care. Gerry is interested in the use of virtual reality immersive experiences as a teaching tool for social work training with both University and front line settings.

Carole Kirk

Carole Kirk is a Senior Social Work Practitioner at the Northern Health and Social Care Trust, located in the Belfast Metropolitan Area. Her professional background includes a strong focus on social work and a commitment to improving social care services. Carole Kirk's contributions to the field of social work are reflected in her work with families and the elderly, as well as her involvement in leadership and professional development initiatives.

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