Barbara Fawcett

Barbara Fawcett is a Professor of Social Work and Policy Studies at the University of Strathclyde, School of Social Work and Social Policy. Previously, she held leadership roles as Head of Department of Social Work and Social Care at the University of Birmingham and Professor/Head of School at the University of Sydney, Australia. She has extensive international experience in academic administration, including Director of Internationalisation for the College of Social Sciences and the School of Social Policy at Birmingham. Her expertise spans Older Age, Mental Health, Disability, and Postmodern Feminist perspectives.

Education:

• PhD, University of Manchester (Awarded 1999)
• MSc in Applied Social Studies and CQSW, University of Oxford (1979)

Research Interests: Barbara’s work focuses on participatory research methodologies applied to aging populations, mental health systems, and disability policies. She integrates postmodern feminist critiques to challenge dominant narratives in social policy. Her international collaborations include projects in Hong Kong, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand.

Grants & Projects:

• Principal Investigator for the Rolling Out the Resilience Model project (2017–2019) evaluating social care strategies in Birmingham
• Co-investigator on Understanding the Long-Term Impact of Childhood Emotional Abuse in Australia

Awards:

• Fellow of the Higher Education Teaching Academy (2007–present)

Editorial & Leadership Roles: Editor-in-Chief of Gender Studies for the Social Services Online Journal, former Executive Board Member of Barnardos Australia, and international member of social work registration boards in Hong Kong and New Zealand.