SWU Leaflets
- About SWU and Our Vision
- The Difference between BASW and SWU and Why Join SWU
- Calling all Social Work students – Why be a member of the British Association of Social Workers (BASW) and the Social Workers Union (SWU)? (2022)
- Additional benefits of SWU membership (2023)
- Thinking about becoming a SWU Union Contact?
- Collective Bargaining and SWU Leaflet – Collective Bargaining and SWU
- SWU – Our History (2011-2021) booklet
SWU Information and Resources
- BASW and SWU “Staying Safe Online: A mini guide for social workers” (2026) – a UK version of the SASW & SWU anti-doxxing mini guide
- SASW and SWU “Reducing the risk of Doxxing” – a mini guide for UK social workers (2026)
- SASW and SWU “Flexible working in Scottish social work” report (2025)
- Reflective Supervision: A Best Practice Guide (2024)
- Battling the Cost-of-Living Crisis: Campaign Action Pack (2024)
- Neurodiversity Pledge for Social Work Employers
- Quick Reference Guide – Political Terminologies (2024)
- SWU and A&R blog series on discrimination and disadvantage social workers are facing with employers – racism, sexism and sex discrimination, and disability discrimination (2024)
- How social workers can seek help from the UK press regulator IPSO (2023)
- SWU blog series on “dog whistle” discrimination – racism, neurodiversity discrimination, transphobia, disability discrimination, and xenophobia (2023-2024)
- Menopause is a Trade Union issue – Let’s start a conversation about menopause at work (2022)
- Ten ways to thrive in social work (2022)
- Knowledgeable articles written by the Advice & Representation team
Dr Neil Thompson Reports
- An introduction to the reports and video message from Dr Neil Thompson: Rising to the Challenges
- Managing Change in Social Work and Social Care: A Guide for Leaders (2026)
- People, Problems and Potential: A Framework for Understanding and Addressing the Challenges Facing Social Work and Social Care (2026)
SWU Reasearch
- Social workers report housing crisis for children (2025) – In conjunction with ITV News, SWU’s research revealed that over a fifth of social workers working with children, young people, and families have seen their service remove a child or children from their family in the last three years where unsafe or inappropriate housing conditions was a key contributing factor. This was submitted as evidence to the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee in August 2025.
- Social workers report poverty crisis for children (2024) – In conjunction with ITV News, SWU conducted the largest ever survey of UK social workers with over 2000 frontline practitioners responding. Our research found that the cost-of-living crisis has led to a third of UK social workers witnessing child removals in the past three years where poverty or financial poverty has been a key factor.
- How the cost-of-living crisis is affecting social workers and the people they support (2024) – Exclusive research conducted by The Independent and SWU highlights how austerity has decimated social services and led to Dickensian living conditions.
- Research by SWU reveals another slight increase in the number of employers offering part-time working conditions, and SWU continues to call for more part-time work opportunities to be created for social workers. (2024)
- SWU research reveals that over three-quarters of social work roles are not offered on a part-time or flexible-hours basis, although there has been a slight increase in the number of employers offering part-time working conditions since 2022. (2023)
- “A Rapid Review of Reflective Supervision in Social Work” – free access to this research paper published in the British Journal of Social Work (2022)
- SWU, BASW, and Bath Spa University research on Working Conditions and Stress (2022)
- SWU research finds that employers are failing to advertise part-time roles to social workers, shutting many expert practitioners out of the labour force. (2022)
- “Unmanageable” social work caseloads putting vulnerable at risk – In conjunction with LBC Radio, SWU conducted a survey of members. Over 1000 social workers across the UK responded to say that the vulnerable would be better protected if case loads were lighter, and almost two-thirds said their caseloads are unmanageable. (2022)
SWU Webinars
- Talk to SWU: workplaces issues webinar series (2020 – present)
- BASW NI & SWU Campaign to Increase the Student Incentive Scheme in Northern Ireland: The Case for Change (2025)
- Disability Discrimination – In conversation with Trade Union Officials (2024)
- The case for Free School Meals For All (2024)
- Talk to SWU interview with Dr Neil Thompson for Stress Awareness Month (2023)
- SWU webinar: “Stepping stones towards decent working conditions” (2022)
Other Resources
