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Dr Joe Hanley

Profile summary

Professional biography

Dr Joe Hanley is a social worker, lecturer, researcher and author. 

Areas of expertise/research interest include: 

  • Social policy networks
  • Social policy reforms
  • Continuing professional development
  • Social work education
  • Apprenticeships
  • Social work in disasters
  • New technologies for professional development
  • Social work workforce challenges

Joe's social work practice experience includes both statutory and non-statutory social worker roles, covering roles in adult safeguarding, dual diagnosis, hospital social work, youth work, older people's teams, and a range of housing/homelessness roles. 

Doctoral thesis: Look Who’s Talking: Social work podcasts as continuing professional development in England (winner VC Prize for Doctoral Research)

ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Joe_Hanley3

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-hanley-7747a154/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeEHanley

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@joehanley9530   

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/joehanley.bsky.social 

Research interests

Joe is a member of the Social Work Research Group. Areas of ongoing research and collaboration include: 

  • Social Work Public Perceptions. 
  • Children's Services Policy Network Analysis. 
  • Professional Qualifying Routes and Ideological Analysis.
  • Continuing Professional Development Cross-professional Reforms.
  • Rural and Coastal Social Work Recruitment and Retention.
  • Social Work Podcasts as Continuing Professional Development.
  • Social Work in Disasters Continuing Professional Development.

Impact and engagement

Media Publications, Magazines and Blogs

Hanley, J. (2024) ‘Solving a problem of their own making: Teach First encounters Gen Z’, Yorkshire Bylines, September 27.

Hanley, J. (2024) ‘The Govian Candidate: Josh MacAlister for Whitehaven and Workington’, North West Bylines, June 22.

Hanley, J. (2023) 'Engaging the potentail of social workers in disasters', Resilience: Journal of the Emergency Planning Society, Winter 2023-24. 

Hanley, J. and Stratulis, M. (2023) ‘Social work’s vital role in disaster situations’, Department of Health and Social Care, September 5.

Hanley, J. (2023) ‘When it comes to supporting apprentices, talk is cheap’, Yorkshire Bylines, August 31.

Hanley, J. and Sen, R. (2023) 'Frontline has failed. Their new contract proves it', Social Workers Union Newsletter, July 2023. 

Hanley, J. (2023) ‘The Teach First Effect: quiet takeover of our public sector’, Yorkshire Bylines, June 20.

Hanley, J. (2023) ‘Degree Apprenticeships: What education can learn from social work’, Schools Week, March 10.

Hanley, J. (2023) ‘Pain and gain of social work apprenticeships’, Professional Social Work, January/February, p.36.

Hanley, J. (2022) ‘Warning about the Early Career Framework’, Social Workers Union Newsletter, December 2022.

Hanley, J. (2022) ‘The rise of the Teach First Empire: Who are Transform Society?’, Guest Blog Christian Kerr, March 2.

Hanley, J. (2021) ‘Network ethnography and the care review’, Social Work 2020-21 under Covid-19, Online Only.

Hanley, J. (2021) ‘Ant-man and the Josh: Superhero Storytelling and Public Policy Reform’, Care Review Watch Alliance, 25 September.

Hanley, J. (2021) ‘Frontline, Firstline and Now Headline… The Plotline Thickens’, Social Work Union Newsletter, June 2021.

Hanley, J. (2020) Selling our soul for the best and brightest, Social Work 2020 under Covid-19, Online Only.

Hanley, J. (2019) Launch of the CPD Guidance on Social Work Roles Undertaken During Disasters, Birmingham: BASW, 14 November.

Hanley, J. (2019) ‘We are creating a social work education system where those in greatest need receive the least’, Community Care, 17 October.

Hanley, J. (2019) ‘Stop the separation in social work education’, Professional Social Work, November, p. 29.

Hanley, J. (2019) ‘Book Review: Miseducation: Inequality, Education and the Working Class’, Network: British Sociological Association, Summer, 2019.

 

Cited in Media

Social Workers Union (2023) ‘Warm words but no action on English social work bursaries’, Social Workers Union, August 31.

British Association of Social Workers (2023) ‘World on the brink - why social workers need disaster training: Interview with Joe Hanley’, Professional Social Work, August 9.

Social Workers Union (2023) 'Over 400 social work students write to ministers over bursary failures’, Social Workers Union, July 27.

Simpson, F. and Hayes, D. (2023) ‘Care review response: Funding fails to match scale of reforms’, Children and Young People Now, February 28.

Simpson, F. (2023) ‘Care Review Response: New child protection role among measures planned for workforce reform’, Children and Young People Now, February 3.

Naqvi, S. (2022) ‘Whose side is Social Work England on?’, Professional Social Work, November/December 2022.

Simpson, F. (2022) ‘Sector backs Longfield’s call for ‘sure start for teenagers’’, Children and Young People Now, November 7.

Norris, S. (2022) ‘Cost of living crisis piles pressure on children’s homes as gas and energy bills soar’, Byline Times, 27th October.

British Association of Social Workers (2022) ‘Regulator issues standards for qualifying social workers’, Professional Social Work, July/August 2022.

Hayes, D. (2022) ‘Care Review: Key proposals for the children’s services workforce’, Children and Young People Now, June 1.

Quarmby, K. and Norris, S. (2022) ‘Children’s Social Care Cannot be reformed without Recognising the Impact of Poverty and Austerity’, Byline Times, 25th May.

Pierro, L. (2022) ‘Higher fast-track funding costing courses students and placements, claim education leaders’, Community Care, 3rd March.

Lepper, J. (2021) ‘Most influential figures in children’s services policy revealed’, Children and Young People Now, 23rd December.

Quarmby, K. (2021) ‘The Influential Figures Dictating Children’s Social Care Policy’, Byline Times, 21st December.

Quarmby, K. (2021) ‘Public Service, Private Interests: What is Behind the Government’s Care Review?’, Byline Times, 18th October.

Simpson, F. (2021) ‘Social workers criticise care review to avoid ‘blame culture’’, Children and Young People Now, 21st June.

Social Work Today (2021) ‘Care Review Chair criticises “runaway train” of child protection investigations’, Social Work Today, 11th June.

Professional Social Work (2020) ‘29% of Frontline graduates not in social work three years on’, Professional Social Work, September, p.8.

Turner, A. (2019) ‘Focus on socio-economic rights and avoid stigma to tackle poverty, BASW guide urges social workers’, Community Care, 6 September.

 

Presentations, Papers and Podcast Guest Appearances

Wallengren Lynch, M. (2024) ​Social Work Education in UK’, [Audio podcast episode], Social Work Education Podcast (30th Oct).  

Hanley, J. (2024) ‘Social work podcasts: Challenging or embedding power dynamics’, Joint University Social Work Association Annual Conference, Kingston University (28th June).

Hanley, J. (2024) ‘The social work public perception myth: A genealogy of discourse’ (invited), Health and Social Care Workforce Research Unit Contemporary Issues Webinar, Kings College London. (16th April).

Jones, D. and Hanley, J. (2024) ‘Social Work Professional Organisations in the UK’, Social Work Professional Organisations Webinar (25th March).

Hanley, J. (2024) ‘Look who’s talking: Professional podcasts as an educational resource’ (Keynote), All England Employer Event, The Open University, (14th March)

Hanley, J. (2024) ‘Look who’s talking: Professional podcasts as an educational resource’ (Keynote), London and Southeast Employer Event, The Open University, (8th February)

Hanley, J. (2023) 'Networks of disdain and hope' (invited), After the crisis: What's next for teacher educaiton policy in England (panel discussion), University Collegel London (16th December). 

Hanley, J. (2023) ‘The Rise of the Teach First Empire and the Fall of England’s Professions’ (invited), Teaching Education and Professional Learning, University of Manchester (6th December).

Hanley, J. (2023) ‘Social work in Disasters: A free online CPD course’, Social Work in Disasters Conference, British Association of Social Workers (16th November).

Hanley, J. (2023) ‘A recipe for disaster informed social work training’ (invited), Emergency Planning Society Annual Conference, Mercure Manchester Piccadilly (8th November). 

Hanley, J. (2023) ‘Look who’s talking now: Professional podcasts as an educational resource’, Social Work Research Group Seminar Series, Open University (7th November).

Hanley, J. (2023) ‘Social work in disasters training modules employer engagement event’, British Association of Social Workers, (3rd October).

Hanley, J. (2023) ‘Social work in disasters training modules practitioner engagement event’, British Association of Social Workers, (3rd October).

Hanley, J. (2023) ‘Social work in disasters training modules launch event’, British Association of Social Workers, (8th September).

Hanley, J. (2023) 'Look who's talking now: Professional podcasts as an educational resource', Health, Wellbeing and Social Care Research and Scholarship Session, (6th September). 

McClenaghan, A. (2023) 'Live recording of Let’s Talk Social Work Podcast’ (invited), British Association of Social Workers National Conference Fringe Event, Birmingham Aston University, (12th June).

Sen, R. and Kerr, C. (2023) ‘Future of Children’s Care – Episode 5’ [Audio podcast episode], Future of Children’s Care Podcast, Future of Children’s Social Care (29th May).

Hanley, J. (2023) ‘Social workers are disaster responders, but where is the training: A CPD pilot study’, Social Work Research Group (25th May).

A. McClenaghan (2023) ‘Stable Homes, Built on Air’ [Audio podcast episode] in Let’s Talk Social Work, British Association of Social Workers (24th February).

Mordue, S., Scorer, J. and Bull, G. (2022) ‘The Christmas Special!’ [Audio podcast episode], in Social Work Shorts Podcast, Social Work Shorts (19th December).

Hanley, J. (2022) ‘Teach First, Transform Society and Policy Networks in England’ (invited), CERES Seminar, Liverpool John Moores University (19th October).

Hanley, J. and Kerr, C. (2022) ‘Same Game, Same Players, Different Fields: Social Work Education in Crisis’ (keynote), Teacher Education in Crisis Seminar, Liverpool John Moores University (6th September)

Hanley, J. (2022) ‘Social Work Podcasts: Evoking through joking’ (poster presentation), Brunel Education Research Conference, (27th July).

Hanley, J. (2021) ‘Social Work Podcasts’, Staff Student Education Conference, Brunel University London (28th July).

Hanley, J. (2021) ‘The Good the Bad and the Ugly: What student recruitment says about the social work profession’, Joint Social Work Research and Education Conference (JSWEC), (9th July). 

Hanley, J. (2021) ‘Research Dissemination on a Doctoral Programme’, Research Dissemination on a Doctoral Programme (invited), Brunel University London (7th July).

Hanley, J. (2021) ‘The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: What student recruitment says about the social work profession’, Recruitment and Retention in Social Work, Nottingham Trent University (Invited Speaker) (8th June)

Hanley, J. and McGrath-Brookes, M. (2021) ‘Dismantling the Blueprint’ (invited), Health and Social Care Workforce Research Unit Contemporary Issues Webinar, Kings College London (27th April).

Hanley, J. (2020) ‘Podcasts for Social Work CPD (Poster presentation)’, Staff Student Education Conference, Brunel University London (24th July).

Hanley, J. (2019) ‘The ‘Quality’ of Social Work Students: A Genealogy of Discourse 2002-2018’, Society for Research into Higher Education Newer and Early Career Researcher Conference, Coldra Court Hotel, Newport (10th December).

Hanley, J. (2019) ‘Continuous Professional Development for Social Workers in Disasters’ (invited), Social Work in Disasters Conference, BASW Birmingham (2nd December) 

Hanley, J. (2019) ‘An exploratory study examining the perceptions of social work students of those qualifying through alternative pathways’, Staff Student Education Conference, Brunel University London (31st July).

Hanley, J. (2019) ‘A Grassroots approach to Interprofessional Education’, College Education Day, Brunel University London (3rd July).

Hanley, J. (2019) ‘Taking Back Control: The Power of Practitioner Enquiry’, Teach Brunel Forum, Brunel University London (17th June).

Hanley, J. (2017) ‘Social Work and Comedy (Introduction)’, Comedy in Care: The Funny Side of Social Work, Brunel University London (21st March).

External collaborations

Joe's ongoing research collaborators include: British Association of Social Workers, University of Stirling, University of Greenwich, Durham University, Buckinghamshire New University and Edge Hill University.

Current external collaborations/memberships include:

  • MENSA
  • British Association of Social Workers
  • Society for Research into Higher Education
  • External Examiner University of Central Lancashire
  • Social Work History Network Steering Group
  • Social Workers Union
  • Registered Social Worker with Social Work England
  • Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA)
  • Joint University Committee Social Work Education Council OU representative
  • Peer reviewer for a number of academic journals and book publishers, including Social Work Education, British Journal of Social Work, Critical and Radical Social Work, Practice and Policy Press.

Publications

[Book Review] Paul Michael Garrett, Social Work and Common Sense: A Critical Examination Social Work and Common Sense: A Critical Examination. London: Routledge, 2024 (2024-07-08)
Hanley, Joe
Practice: Social Work in Action, 36(4) (pp. 311-313)


The social work public perception myth (2024)
Hanley, Joe
British Journal of Social Work ((Early access))


Aspirational impact and independent social work podcasting in England (2024)
Hanley, Joe
Practice: Social Work in Action ((Early access))


Failing to learn from teachers: the Social Work Early Career Framework in England (2024)
Hanley, Joe and Rowe, Jan
Critical and Radical Social Work ((early access))


[Book Review] Ethics and risk management in online and distance social work by Frederic Reamer (2022-11)
Hanley, Joe
Journal of Social Work, 22(6) (pp. 1453-1454)


Left behind: exploring how mainstream social work students see themselves compared to the ‘best and brightest’ (2022)
Hanley, Joe
Social Work Education, 41(4) (pp. 497-513)


Better together: comprehensive social work education in England (2022)
Hanley, Joe
Critical and Radical Social Work, 10(1) (pp. 127-143)


[Book review]Writing skills for social work students by Bella Ross (2022)
Hanley, Joe
Journal of Social Work, 22(5) (pp. 1315-1316)


Social Work England: A regulator worthy of our collective dissent (2022)
Hanley, Joe
Aotearoa New Zealand Social Work, 34(3) (pp. 48-60)


Why we are worried about the ‘Independent’ Review of Children’s Social Care in England – and why we think you should be too (2021-08)
Hanley, Joe; De Luca-Ruane, Alissa and Moth, Rich
Critical and Radical Social Work, 9(2) (pp. 301-306)


‘The best and the brightest’: widening participation and social justice in contemporary English social work education (2021)
Hanley, Joe
European Journal of Social Work, 24(3) (pp. 505-514)


Team-based learning in social work law education: a practitioner enquiry (2021)
Hanley, Joe
Social Work Education, 40(8) (pp. 1038-1050)


A Fisher-eye lens on social work reform (2021)
McGrath-Brookes, Michael; Hanley, Joe and Higgins, Martyn
Journal of Social Work, 21(5) (pp. 1261-1277)


Dismantling the Blueprint: Buurtzorg in English child protection social work (2021)
Hanley, Joe; McGrath-Brookes, Michael and Higgins, Martyn
European Journal of Social Work, 24(6) (pp. 990-1000)


[Book Review] Steve Rogowski Social Work: The Rise and Fall of a Profession? (2021)
Hanley, Joe
Critical Social Policy, 41(1) (pp. 156-157)


[Book Review] Michael Lavalette (Ed.), What is the future of social work? (2021)
Hanley, Joe
Journal of Social Work, 21(4) (pp. 988-989)


Networks of power and counterpower in social work with children and families in England (2021)
Hanley, Joe
Critical Social Policy, 42(3)


[Book Review] The politics of children’s services reform: Re-examining two decades of policy change by Carl Purcell (2020) (2020-08)
Hanley, Joe
Critical and Radical Social Work, 8(2) (pp. 293-294)


[Book review] Dawn Brooker and Isabelle Latham , Person-centred Dementia Care: Making Services Better with the VIPS Framework, Jessica Kingsley Publishing, London, 2016 (2017-09)
Hanley, Joe
Ageing and Society, 37(8) (pp. 1743-1744)


Unhappy anniversary? (2014-04-08)
Hanley, Joe and Marsland, David
The Journal of Adult Protection, 16(2) (pp. 104-112)


Same game, same players, different fields: Social work education in crisis (2023-08-30)
Hanley, Joe and Kerr, C
In: Ellis, V ed. Teacher Education in Crisis: The state, the market and universities in England (pp. 75-98)
ISBN : 978-1-3503-9968-6 | Publisher : Bloomsbury Academic | Published : London


More of memes than schemes: Networked propogation in children's social care (2023-07-31)
Hanley, Joe
In: Sen, Robin and Kerr, Christian eds. The Future of Children's Care: Critical Perspectives on Children's Services Reform (pp. 38-59)
ISBN : 978-1447368267 | Publisher : Policy Press | Published : Bristol, UK


The negative impact of student evaluations on higher education research (2020-07-23)
Hanley, Joe
In: Luo, Y.; Saengkhattiya, T.; Bonful, L; Yu, W.; Li, L.; Fazal, N.; Ahmed, H. and Watts, M. eds. The Voice of Educators and Education Students (pp. 178-184)
ISBN : 979-8666712696 | Publisher : Brunel University | Published : London


Piloting free continuing professional development (CPD) resources to support social workers involved in disasters (2023-05-24)
Hanley, Joe; Dominelli, Lena; Ismail, Nashwa; Raja, Mariam; Pierre, Rebekah; Stratulis, Maris and Moorghen, Gavin
British Association of Social Workers (BASW), Birmingham.


The Interdependence of Independence: A Network Map of Children’s Services (2021)
Hanley, J; Bald, C; Kerr, C; Sen, R and Webb, C
Network Ethnography