Thomas Toscano

Thomas Toscano serves as Associate Professor for Social Work at Buckinghamshire New University's College of Health and Society, where he has been a faculty member since 2008. Previously working as a social worker and transition project manager with children and adults with learning disabilities, he brings substantial practical experience to his academic role. He maintains professional registration with Social Work England and holds recognition as a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

His research interests center on three interconnected domains: social work education (including evaluation of major teaching partnerships), violent youth radicalisation (examining the Good Lives Model and positive psychology approaches), and the personalisation agenda in adult social care. Toscano approaches all his work through a human rights lens, consistently advocating for freedom and choice in social care provision.

Toscano's scholarly contributions demonstrate evolving focus across his career, beginning with foundational work on personalisation frameworks in social care, progressing to large-scale partnership evaluations, and most recently contributing to professional capability frameworks that shape social work practice nationally. His research consistently bridges academic theory with frontline practice realities.

• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA)

As an active academic and registered social worker, Toscano contributes to shaping social work education and practice standards. His involvement in evaluating the North East Social Work Alliance represents engagement with one of England's largest social work teaching partnerships, while his recent work on the Professional Capabilities Framework addresses core standards for the entire profession. His background as a practitioner working with vulnerable populations informs his academic perspective on social work education.

Toscano's research collaborations span international contexts, including EU-wide projects on youth radicalisation, and national initiatives shaping social work education and practice in England. His work consistently addresses the implementation challenges of theoretical frameworks in real-world social care settings.