Caroline Bald

Caroline Bald is a Lecturer in the School of Health and Social Care at the University of Essex, based at the Colchester Campus. Her practice background includes probation officer roles in adult and youth services across the UK. She holds a Professional Doctorate from Essex (2025), PG Diploma from Anglia Ruskin (2019), MA in Social Work from Glasgow (1999), and BA from Strathclyde (1997).

Her research examines:

• Equity and inclusion in interdisciplinary practice
• Brain injury, criminal records, and technology impacts on social work
• Admissions decision-making in social work education

She serves as elected co-chair for the British Association of Social Workers Criminal Justice Group and founded the European Social Work Research Association's Crime and Criminal Justice SIG. Her recent NIHR-funded project developed a national brain injury social work education platform using innovative theater-based methods.

Her publications focus on three primary themes:

• Social work education admissions policies
• Brain injury knowledge in practice
• Decolonization of social work curricula