The Social Workers Union has begun work on a new campaign on solidarity with social work academics and university-based programmes.
This work comes after a motion passed by a strong majority in support of the campaign at the 25th September 2025 SWU Annual General Meeting.
A well-attended initial campaign planning meeting in January brought together lecturers and programme leaders from across the UK to share first-hand experiences of cuts, restructures, and growing pressures in higher education that are putting social work education at risk.
Participants highlighted how financial pressures on universities are eroding staffing, support roles, and wellbeing with knock-on impacts for student support, placement readiness, and course quality. There was strong agreement that this is not only an academic workplace issue but a threat to the future social work workforce, the profession’s evidence base, and the diversity of those entering practice.
SWU members also raised the urgency of reviewing student funding and bursaries, with many reporting that students are forced to work alongside study, creating risks in placement periods and driving attrition.
John McGowan, SWU General Secretary, stated,
“Social work education is the foundation of our profession. When university programmes are undermined by cuts, insecure funding and excessive pressures, it threatens not only academics, but the future workforce, the quality of practice and the diversity of those entering social work. This campaign is about solidarity — and about safeguarding the future of social work itself.”
Allison Hulmes, Senior Lecturer and Researcher at Swansea University, commented,
“The future of social work depends on how we value the educators who form it. Until the academic role is properly understood – its regulatory responsibility, research generation and dissemination, pastoral load, and partnership labour – social work education will remain undervalued, and the profession will feel the consequences.”
SWU will now work with academics, other unions, and partners to develop a clear campaign plan – including parliamentary and media tactics – and will convene a follow-up session in February to agree next steps.
UK social work academics are invited to attend this follow-up campaign planning session which will take place online on Thursday, February 19th from 3:30 – 4:15pm by booking their free place here: https://basw.co.uk/events/solidarity-social-work-academics-and-university-based-programmes-second-meeting
If academics would like to be involved in the campaign, then please contact SWU General Secretary John McGowan at: campaigns@swu-union.org.uk